Pinnacles National Monument recognized
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America Recycles Day today with its own conservation agenda.
Pinnacles National Monument recognized “America Recycles Day today with its own conservation agenda.
To celebrate the national day of recognition, which started in 1997, park officials decided to increase consciousness of recycling and set a better example for the public.
Park Recycling Coordinator Peter Szydlowski addressed the staff on a new “co-mingling” program at the park, which is run by the National Park Service. Each staff member, by request, brought in a recycling-friendly product – “sort of a show and tell thing,” Szydlowski said, “to see what ‘green’ products they’re buying.”
The co-mingling program consists of a better separation of different recyclables, he said. “The main objective of that is to get more participation,” he said.
The program – which separates glass, plastic and other types of containers – should begin in the spring, Szydlowski said. “We’re following the lead of Hollister,” he said.
The City of Hollister is beginning its new recycling program Dec. 1, which will also include the co-mingling program.
“We should be at the cutting edge as example-setters,” Szydlowski said. “We’ve been a little lax here at Pinnacles.”
Szydlowski also said Pinnacles and other jurisdictions throughout California must now also reduce landfill materials by 50 percent, according to new state mandates. But he emphasized that Pinnacles did not make the changes because of such laws.
“There are very ‘green’ reasons to do it,” he said.
Szydlowski also addressed the staff today about his experiences visiting the different sites involved in the “flow of the recycling materials.” He previously traveled around the area – to the Hollister Disposal site and another site in Castroville – to get a glimpse at the future of the newrecycling program.
Additionally, Pinnacles plans to change the labeling on its trash and recycling receptacles to allow for better understanding and improve awareness, Szydlowski said.
This year’s America Recycles Day is themed “Make Every Day America Recycles Day” and is organized each year by nationwide public and private partnerships.
