Remember the childhood game called “Gossip?” You formed a line and the first person made a statement like, “Recycling is the right thing to do,” and whispered it in the ear of the person next to them, with instructions to “pass it on.” The whispering then went on down the line, and the last person said what they heard out loud, which by that time had become misconstrued into something ridiculous, like “Rewriting is the bright way to groove, pass it on.”

Then everyone dissolved into fits of giggles.

As children, we only appreciated the game’s humor, not the irony or the lesson: Make sure you have your facts right before you repeat something, because a little misinformation goes a long way.

At Haywood Vocational Opportunities, our recycling program has been the victim of an innocent misunderstanding similar to what occurs in the game, but with some not-so-funny consequences.

Several weeks ago, we circulated a memo saying we would have to discontinue a special paper pick-up we’d been doing for several dozen local offices and schools.

Many misconstrued this to mean we would no longer be recycling paper in Haywood County. Nothing could be further from the truth. Paper recycling will always be a vital part of the recycling program in Haywood County. The American Forest and Paper Association says Americans recycle over 42 million tons of paper annually. Used paper is a valuable raw material used to make recycled paper and other products. Every pound we recover for recycling is one less pound of paper buried in the landfill, saving costly space. Every ton of paper recycled saves 17 trees.

The fact that we were forced to discontinue our special paper pick-up is in no way a reflection of HVO’s commitment to paper recycling. Shortly after we began managing Haywood County’s recycling program in 1996, we received a paper recycling grant from the N.C. Department of Pollution Prevention and Environmental Assistance. We used those funds to operate a paper pick-up route, which was intended to complement, not replace, other methods of paper recycling. Dozens of local businesses and schools participated. Unfortunately, those grant funds have now run out. With no more funds available, we were forced to discontinue this special pick-up route. It is our hope, however, that paper recycling will continue.

Now that businesses and schools are in the habit of recycling paper, we hope they will see that it is taken to the Materials Recovery Facility for recycling. Schools participating in our program have been given special paper bins to put on their recycling trailers. We are available to help others arrive at recycling solutions. Call recycling manager David Landt at 456.4455 or e-mail: dlandt@hvoinc.com
We can all make a positive environmental impact by recycling. Recycling conserves energy and resources, reduces pollution, and extends landfill life. In Haywood County, recycling creates jobs. HVO employees and trainees sort recyclables by hand at the Materials Recovery Facility. Through recycling, we can protect the beauty of our mountain community for future generations who will call Haywood County home. That’s a win-win situation for all of us.

Pass it on.

(Ginny Barrett Patten is marketing/community relations coordinator for HVO. Contact her at ginnyb@aol.com)

 

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The Smoky Mountain News