I wonder ______ about the Dept of Environmental Protection - Earth Month

What are your questions? About what are you curious?

When you see the recycling truck driving down your street, of what do you think? What piques your interest when you deliver something to the Transfer Station?

What makes you curious when you walk past a stream… or a sewer, think about air quality indoors or out, or… ?

In short, what tickles your brain with an “I wonder…” when you think about the work of the County’s Department of Environmental Protection? Read an overview of our Department.

Why am I asking?

April is “Earth Month” for us! For the past two years, I’ve sent out daily, practical, environmentally-related tips in April.

This year, I want to take you behind the scenes into the work we do. Knowing your questions and interests will help us better tailor the stories we share.

What will I do with your responses?

On each Wednesday in April 2011, I’ll take you into one facet of our operations.

Get each dispatch as it’s posted to our blog, tweeted to @GoGreenMC, and sent out via email to our “GoGreen Tips” email subscribers.

I look forward to your replies!
--Susanne

Transfer Station tips for easy yard trim drop-off

Tips from the manager of our Solid Waste Transfer Station and Processing Facility...

Dear Tree Limb and Yard Trim Customers:

The Shady Grove Processing Facility and Transfer Station has been experiencing long lines for you during peak operating hours.

In order to avoid lines please consider the following options:

1. Residential customers: if you just have small material (limb diameter less than 4 inches), please place your yard trim at the curb on your recycling day in bundles weighing less than 45 pounds and less than four feet in length, in brown yard waste bags, or in trash cans with a “Yard Waste” label

2. Residents hauling larger material from your own home: consider coming weekdays before 11:00 a.m. or during the evening between 5:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. If you come on the weekend, traffic is lightest in the morning before about 10:00 a.m. Traffic is heaviest midday between 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m., so that is a good time to avoid. Following this advice should enable you dump your material with a minimal wait time.

How to keep your trash can lid from blowing away

February 2011 included some super-windy days. The spring months are sure to bring some more gusty days with them.

I sent out a recycling tip for windy days in our Presidents' Day holiday reminder email. That same afternoon, subscriber Ron wrote back with a tip of his own:

Re your tips for windy days and trash can lids being blown around the neighborhood.
Several years ago I tied my lid to the body of the trash can with a 24 inch length of thin nylon rope.
I have never had to chase down a missing lid since then, including during this past week's strong winds.
You drill a hole in the side of the trash can close to the top; place one end of the rope through that hole and secure it with a knot. The other end of the rope goes through a similar hole in the lid with a knot.
The collection workers don't have a problem emptying the container.
So, it seems to be a win/win situation.

Ron even supplied this photo of his attached lid:

Thank you, Ron! This is indeed a winning solution!
What tips make recycling and trash disposal easier for you? Send them to us, and we'll be happy to share them.