Modern Bottle Bill

As of January 1, 2009 the citizens of Oregon finally got the chance to redeem water bottles for nickel return through a “modernized” version of the Oregon Bottle Bill that was first established in 1971. I am proud of the Oregon legislature for taking a step forward by adding this item to the list, but we are not done.

Here are a couple litter facts to consider:

· Non deposit containers are twice as likely to be littered as are containers without an Oregon deposit.
· Beverage containers were found to account for 13% by weight of ODOT’s roadside litter collection programs.

When the bottle bill was created there was not such a thing as an energy drink, juice containers were not individually served, nor was bottled water even considered a reasonable choice for consumption. Now, in our ever-consuming society, we have a battery of choices when it comes to beverages. Each choice proves not any different than beer of soda when it comes to littler, pollution, and waste.

This legislative session, another new expansion to the bottle bill is being introduced to include sports drink, juice, and coffee containers and raise the deposit and return to ten cents per container if recycling goals are not achieved with the additional materials. The objective is of course to stop wasting natural resources, reduce litter, save energy, and create jobs. Expanding the bottle bill does all these things.

This proposal has been recommended by the Bottle Bill Board which was commissioned under the 2007 legislation that brought us deposits on water bottles. This board has the responsibility to keep our state current on container recycling and maintain leadership in the recycling movement among the states.

The current proposal has now left committee and will be going to the State House for a vote and then onto the State Senate. If you are at all interested in this topic, please let your legislator know your position as we need to be heard on the subject.

Remember, by reducing, reusing, and recycling we can all “Trash Douglas County Less!”

Think Local Umpqua!

As a charter member of the newly formed “Think Local Umpqua” organization, I understand well the importance of supporting our local economy. I understand that local businesses shop and service other local businesses thereby supporting each other. Local businesses spend more of there hared earned money on our own community, thereby supporting each one of us. Each dollar spent locally circulates in the community three times longer than each dollar spent at an establishment owned and/or operated from outside our county.

When we buy goods and services from entities headquartered or located outside of Douglas County, we are sending our money out of town to them. Instead of buying your insurance on the internet, consider trying a local agent who hires local staff and that can work with you when you need them to. Consider instead of ordering a book on Amazon.com, supporting your local corner book store whose prices are comparable and can help you find exactly what you are looking for, all while contributing to the local character and charm of your community.

There are many ways to “Think Local First”. Try eating at a different locally owned and independently operated restaurant each week or month. Don’t drive by your local hardware store on the way to that big box-mart across town. Remember, you can usually save on gas and time, all while getting better service by patronizing your small business owner.

In addition, shopping local goods and services actually reduces waste! That’s right, by buying local you reduce the amount of energy consumed in shipping small quantities to homes via the internet, you save on fuel and emissions by not driving out of town or even across town, and understand that small businesses generate on average, less waste than the typical big box-store or internet shipper.

This summer, the Think Local Umpqua movement will be publishing a free shop local guidebook filled with information about local agriculture, restaurants, retail establishments, services, and more. This guide will assist the citizens of Douglas County in making more educated buying decisions that will create a stronger local economy. 10,000 copies of this guide will be made available for free to the public, so if your business is entirely owned within Douglas County and you operate independent of any franchise or parent company, contact Lily at 673-5023 today and get in the guide!

So next time you need to make a buying decision, “Think Local First”, and do not forget to reduce, reuse, and recycle to “Trash Douglas County Less.”