If you are thinking of moving to Oregon from some other part of the United States, one of the things that you’ll be come immediately aware of is that Oregonians are big on recycling. We were the first state in the country to pass a bottle bill. (This is where you pay a small deposit when you purchase beverages in bottles or cans and then get that deposit back when you return the container to a recycling center.) You’ll find recycling receptacles at most public venues, and curbside recycling is easy and convenient.
Curbside we have been able to recycle paper, glass, metal, and yard debris for decades. Then, about 10 years ago, Lake Oswego added composting. This allows you to put food scraps and some paper products into the yard debris bin where it all composts together. Now batteries are being added. You simply put your batteries into a plastic bag and place it in with the glass. They will be collected and properly disposed of.
I don’t know about you, but in my household we goes through a lot of batteries. In the past we have saved them up and then taken them to metro. Metro is in Oregon City, about a 15 minute drive from LO. So being able to recycle them curbside is a very nice addition to the curbside options.
I have a personal philosophy that we need to be good custodians of our environment. No, we can’t fix all of the problems associated with industrialization and our expanding population, but we can take care of our little corner of the planet. Today, it’s just a little bit easier.
As always, thank you for reading the blotter.
Dianne