recycling success

Per Dave Shepler of Advanced Disposal,  the first day of recycling, we had a 50-60% participation rate. Dave says it's one of the highest participation rates they've ever seen. This is great news and I think the people should be congratulated.

 

 

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great news

Dave Shepler of Advanced Disposal just let me know that the old garbage cans will be recycled by Smurfit Recycling. For those of you who didn't make it to the Recycling kick-off last night, you would be very proud of the EarthKeepers accomplishments. The evening was a wonderful testimonial to community spirit. For those of you who did make it, thank you so very much for all your help. It's an extraordinary experience to be associated with such stellar people by a common bond as worthy as earthkeeping. I have posters, fliers, and bookmarks left over, so anyone who has an outlet for any of these, please let me know. They are focused on encouraging usage "Think Green. Fill the Blue," and also we have the poster contest fliers. We appreciate our media partners over the next couple of months as well, knowing they will do a great job getting the word out. Today should be a celebration for us all, and remember: it is America Recycles Day. On another note, let's get together in January (after the 19th--let me know your preferred date), and determine the future of St. Marys EarthKeepers. I believe the next step is formal establishment of a board, followed possibly by formation of a 501(c)3. I'm interested in everyone's thoughts on this. Hope you all  have a wonderful and most blessed Thanksgiving. One last comment regarding your old trash barrels: they will be picked up prior to December 3 after one of the upcoming garbage pickups, so just tell people to continue using their old barrel until it disappears. The city will empty the garbage, then Advanced Disposal will pick up the emptied old barrels.

Barbara

Barbara Jackson Ryan, Publisher
St. Marys Magazine
www.stmarysmagazine.com

Recycle billboard

The board is up and looks great. It is on Kings Bay Rd about 3/4 mile west of Spur 40, reading west bound. Please thank the nice folks at Vista for making this possible.

need your help

We will have the St. Marys Recycles event poster ready tomorrow. Jean Petrie has graciously volunteered to distribute to merchants downtown. I need at least two people who would be willing to distribute to midtown. Can anyone help me?
Barbara
Barbara Jackson Ryan, Publisher
St. Marys Magazine
www.stmarysmagazine.com

St. Marys Recycles Day Launch Event

 

St. Marys EarthKeepers to Launch Curbside Recycling Campaign at November 14 "America Recycles" Celebration

 

St. Marys, Georgia—In celebration of "America Recycles" Day (November 15), and the advent of curbside recycling in St. Marys, the St. Marys EarthKeepers will host an EarthKeeping Celebration on November 14 at 7:00 pm in the St. Marys Elementary School Auditorium.

 

The evening's activities will include:

 

·        education about how the St. Marys curbside recycling program will work

·        information about why recycling is so critical to our environment

·        entertainment by local children

·        free giveaways

·        recycling trivia contests with prizes

·        kick-off of regional media campaign promoting recycling

·        presentation of Certificates of Appreciation to St. Marys City Council

·        proclamation by City announcing November 14 as "St. Marys Recycles" Day

·        announcement of St. Marys EarthKeepers Speakers Bureau

·        distribution of posters, bookmarks, and other promotional materials to promote community participation in curbside recycling

 

The event was planned during the October 23 meeting of St. Marys EarthKeepers when the group gathered to brainstorm ways to ensure the success of the curbside recycling program. Curbside recycling is scheduled to begin on December 3. The City of St. Marys will be sending out information on what and how to recycle prior to that date. And Advanced Disposal, the City's contracted waste management company, will be distributing blue recycling bins to residents prior to December 3 as well.

 

St. Marys EarthKeepers is a grass roots organization comprising area residents concerned about the preservation and improvement of our environment. For more information, contact Barbara Ryan at 912-729-1103, or email barbara@stormersmarketing.com.

 

EarthKeepers Update

To Mayor, City Council, and City Staff

Just so you know that the St. Marys EarthKeepers are keeping their word,
below is a short list of what we have going on in the next month for
recycling:

November 14 kick-off at St. Marys Elementary School--7:00 p.m.
Posters will be printed and distributed to 200 businesses in the
next
week to promote this event. Also, we will have radio, tv, and newspaper
coverage inviting the public. The evening's format will include
education,
free giveaways, entertainment by area children, presentation to City
Council
members and Proclamation designating November 14 as "St. Marys Recycles"
Day. (November 15 is the official "America Recycles" day.) A poster
contest
will also be announced that evening. Also, attendees will be invited
to sign
pledge cards indicating their willingness to "fill the bin" each week.
Everyone who signs the pledge will receive a badge that says, "I'm
doing my
part."

Major media campaign:
The first billboard will be posted this week promoting curbside
recycling.
Then after the kick-off, we will have radio, tv, and newspaper--
spots, ads,
and PSAs urging resident participation when recycling begins. We will
have
another poster distributed (after the kick-off) to hundreds of
locations,
and also will produce free bookmarks to be given out at local
businesses.
Our Speakers Bureau has already begun with two committed engagements
to get
the word out to the community. And, of course, St. Marys Magazine will
promote recycling in a big way in our January issue. (By the way, please
mark your calendar for January 19--the next magazine gala which will
benefit
Humane Society this time).

I'm sure there's something I'm leaving out, but just know that we're
working
hard to make sure this program is successful. I've attached a few things
that show what we'll be doing including a press release, poster
design, and
radio scripts.

Hope you all will make it to the November 14th event.

Barbara
Barbara Jackson Ryan, Publisher
St. Marys Magazine
www.stmarysmagazine.com

EarthKeepers Meeting tomorrow

Please join us tomorrow (Tuesday) evening, at 7:00 in the City's Economic Building (400 Osborne Street) at 7:00 p.m. This will be a very important meeting for the EarthKeepers as we plan our strategy for motivating citizen participation in the curbside recycling program. November 15th is "America Recycles" Day, so we hope to plan an event to kick off our media campaign for that evening. Come with ideas!

Barbara

Barbara Jackson Ryan, Publisher
St. Marys Magazine
www.stmarysmagazine.com

time of meeting

The October 23rd meeting will be at 7:00 p.m. Please refer to previous email for other details.

Thanks.

Barbara

Barbara Jackson Ryan, Publisher
St. Marys Magazine
www.stmarysmagazine.com

EarthKeepers meeting and parade

For those of you who turned out for the parade, you know what a wonderful and successful event it was. We had about 40 EarthKeepers (including the Kiwanis K-Kids) who braved the weather for our great cause. All up and down the street, the crowds cheered and said "thank you." We can all be so very proud. And now, for page 2. We need to begin our next stage of preparing and motivating people to "Think Green, and Fill the Blue" as our message states. To that end, I am hoping you all can make a meeeting on Tuesday, October 23, 2007, at the Downtown Economic Building, 400 Osborne Street. We will convene to brainstorm ideas on how to make the Curbside Recycling program in St. Marys so successful that Kingsland will want to come onboard as well. Start thinking, and please let me know if you can make the meeting. Also, forward this email to anyone else who you think would be interested in our cause. Great work, Team!

Best regards to you all,

Barbara

Barbara Jackson Ryan, Publisher
St. Marys Magazine
www.stmarysmagazine.com

 

St Marys Riverkeeper?

The Satilla Riverkeeper, Gordon Rogers, will be presenting a program on organizing and funding  a Riverkeeper for the St. Marys River on Monday, October 15, at 6:30 PM in St. Marys City Hall. This was originally set for another location. 

 

 

Anne Orr

EarthLink Revolves Around You.

 

recycling alert

The City has informed me that December 3 is a tentative start date for Curbside Recycling. I've attached a flier that I am having printed to distribute at this Saturday's Rock Shrimp Festival. Please join us in the parade. Be at the St. Marys Elementary School check-in point by 9:30 a.m. latest, and ask for the EarthKeepers' position. ALSO, we need to meet soon to brainstorm actions to inspire involvement by residents. Please let me know which days and times are best for you, and I will choose a time that is convenient for the majority. 

SEE YOU SATURDAY.

Best regards to all

Barbara

Barbara Jackson Ryan, Publisher
St. Marys Magazine
www.stmarysmagazine.com
912-729-1103
barbara@stmarysmagazine.com

Recycling article

For those of you who might have missed the article covering the recycling vote, please click on link below.  Also, I will be calling a meeting of all EarthKeepers soon to brainstorm how we can best work to make recycling a success. Please be thinking of input you might give. In the meantime, we are still looking for marchers for the Rock Shrimp Parade. Thanks to Mary Keating, the K-Kids (from Kiwanis program) will be marching with us. If you know anyone who is willing to be in the parade (which, by the way, is lots of fun--you get to see everyone in town), please let me know. Also, if there is someone I need to add to the EarthKeepers database to keep them apprised, let me know that as well. Thanks so much.

Barbara

Parade: Saturday, October 6th. Must be at St. Marys Elementary School by 9:30. Parade begins at 10:00.

 

 

 

St. Marys, it's time to start recycling
ST. MARYS - After six months of debate, curbside recycling is a reality in St. Marys.
Jacksonville.com: Georgia News - http://www.jacksonville.com/tu-online/georgia/

Victory

If you haven't heard yet, last night the City Council approved a bid for outsourcing all of St. Marys' waste services including CURBSIDE RECYCLING. It was a long battle, but through your support and our passion for leaving this earth a better place than we found it, we did prevail. The cost to residents is set at $2.56 per month additional. The winning bid came with other advantages as well. For example, yard waste will be collected weekly as opposed to once every three weeks as the city is now doing. This action by Council is testament that a few like-minded people with a noble cause can make a difference for the future of many. You are all to be congratulated on your efforts. Please let the Council know how much you appreciate their support. Council members' emails are listed below.

 

On another note....we really need to make a statement at the Rock Shrimp Parade. This will be our most important opportunity to impress upon the public how important it is to participate. Please let me know if you can march with us. The date is Saturday, October 6. Must be at St. Marys Elementary School by 9:30 a.m. I'll be looking forward to hearing from you.

Best regards and congratulations to all!

Barbara

Barbara Jackson Ryan, Publisher
St. Marys Magazine
www.stmarysmagazine.com

Earthkeepers Events

Please mark your calendars for three very important events:

1) Water & Sewer committee meeting, Monday, September 24th at 4:00, City Hall

2) City Council meeting, Monday, September 24th at 6:00 p.m.

3) Saturday, October 6, Rock Shrimp Parade

My information is that the final recycling proposals will be reviewed and recommendations decided at the Water & Sewer meeting on the 24th, then voted on that evening during the City Council meeting. I can't emphasize enough how important it is for the EarthKeepers to make a good showing at these meetings, I know many of you work and will not be able to attend the 4:00 meeting, but please join us (wearing t-shirt) at the Council meeting.

ALSO, we had great fun and enjoyed the show of support by the townspeople when we marched in the 4th of July Parade. For the Rock Shrimp Festival, the EarthKeepers will, once again, have a space in the parade. This is great fun and a way to see everyone in town at once as you march down the street. Please join us in the parade. Let me know if you can make it so I can plan our line-up. We have that fabulous banner that Dalton Signs contributed. Children are very welcome as well. I will look forward to seeing you all at these events.

Best regards to everyone,

Barbara

Barbara Jackson Ryan, Publisher
St. Marys Magazine
www.stmarysmagazine.com
912-729-1103

Update

In addition to the coverage of the Water/Sewer Committee meeting, the Tribune ran this opinion piece. Please comment on blog.

 

http://www.tribune-georgian.com:80/articles/2007/08/10/news/opinion/1opinion8.10.txt

Update

Yesterday's Water & Sewer Committee meeting brought us closer to our goal of curbside recycling in St. Marys. While the committee were initially poised to send out RFPs for curbside recycling only, input at the meeting persuaded the committee to send out RFPs for the entire waste collection process as well. So, there will be two options available in regards to outsourcing the services. Assuming deadlines given at the meeting are met, City Council should be prepared to vote at the September 24th meeting (at which time all RFPs should have been reviewed and recommendations from Staff should have been made). We know it gets frustrating sometimes--the pace of progress--but if this latest turn of events means incorporating curbside recycling at a much more cost-effiicent rate (which we believe it will), then the wait will have been worth it. We had a good turn-out of EarthKeepers at the meeting, and I greatly appreciate those who took time out of their busy schedules to show support. Once we're confident that curbside recycling is imminent, we shall meet and brainstorm how we can go forward with ensuring the success of the program.
Barbara
Barbara Jackson Ryan, Publisher
St. Marys Magazine
www.stmarysmagazine.com
912-729-1103