We should rejoice about some accomplishments of the past year that did NOT drain the church budget or our personal budgets, because they were using the maxim of “Reuse, Repurpose, and Recycle.” Thanks to the Deacons, we recycled an estimated 360# of materials that would have otherwise been trash. And, in diligent efforts that are both “Mission” and “Earth Care”, we collected 25 Bibles, 7 New Testaments, and 2 Old Testaments for the Bible Foundation. We sent varied Christian literature (13#) to Christian Resources International. We turned in for repair and reuse 3 computers, 3 laptops, 1 monitor, 3 printers, 1 keyboard, 1 wireless router, 1 toner cartridge, & 2 satellite boxes. Also, we continue to collect Box tops and Labels for Education, eye glasses and cases for Eye Care International, pop tops for Ronald McDonald House, egg cartons & plastic grocery bags for the Food Bank, and cell phones for Hope Line from Horizon. Most of these projects are coordinated by Anna Bates. Thanks for your long term, patient efforts, Anna!
Our church has been recertified as an Earth Care Congregation, based on our efforts in 2017!
Many local people, including our Earth Care Team, felt encouraged about Bonner County recycling opportunities last summer when the Dufort Collection Site made “Single Stream” recycling available, and referred to that as a “pilot program”. We have now learned from the County Public Works Department that there are no current plans to expand the program to other collection sites in the county, because of costs. After the recycled materials are sorted in Spokane, most of them are eventually shipped to China for processing. China has announced that their facilities are overburdened with more materials than they can process. They are accepting less from the US, and will probably be raising the fees. If alternate processing plants are located, the local plans may change.
There are a few success stories in recycling, and we should still make the effort. Items that do actually become useable products again include office paper, newspaper, and cardboard. We should continue the diligent church and personal efforts to recycle these products, and to complete the cycle by PURCHASING PAPER GOODS MADE FROM RECYCLED PAPER. (Some of the processing of paper is done in the U.S.). It is also fortunate and convenient that curbside Single Stream recycling is available in Sandpoint city limits.