Master Recycler Program

“The Lane County Master Recycler Program strives to bridge the gap between awareness and action by providing waste prevention, recycling education and volunteer opportunities to citizens concerned about resource management and consumption.” MRP

As a graduate Master Recycler through Lane County Waste Management, I am so glad I participated in the Program that I want to encourage you to take the course yourself. I signed up for the training classes for the very reason they offer them: to learn waste reduction options, to conserve our precious, finite natural resources, influence others to change their habits too, and to make a difference in our community.

Once graduated, you will commit to 30 hours of “pay back” by volunteering you time as a Master Recycler through activities they bring to your awareness, or you can develop your own independent volunteer project that fits within the guidelines. The opportunities are endless, because the needs are so great. You could possibly find employment through the ongoing networking opportunities that continue after graduation.

For more information, contact Master Recycler Program Coordinator Kelly Bell at (541) 682-2059 or e-mail Kelly.

Book Recommendation from the Master Recycler Program Library

To preface what I am going to share, I’d like to explain why I selected this particular book. It affirms my action to become a Master Recycler, and why I am an eco-conscious consumer. An AFFIRMATION is a statement of a desirable intention or condition of the world or the mind deliberately meditated on.

A desirable intention that many of us are acting upon is to change the condition of our world through environmentally responsibility; acts that also simplifying our lives by the eco-choices we make.

As we rethink our footprint, eliminate or reduce our consumption of goods and services that exhaust our natural resources, extend the life of our stuff and other people’s stuff by reusing them, and recycling as much as we can, it brings healthy outcomes that naturally simplify our lives and bring restoration to a planet in distress.

The Earth is the only home we have been give in this life to rest our hearts, and hang our hats. As we live an eco-conscious lifestyle, sharing our knowledge and experiences with others so they too will consider the impact of their own footprint, the condition of the world will change for the better by one person’s desired intention at a time.

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I recently read a wonderful book that will affirm your eco-choices: The following excerpts are from the book Voluntary Simplicity Toward a Way of Life that is Outwardly Simple, Inwardly Rich, by Duane Elgin. I checked this book out from our Master Recyclers Program library, and now have my own copy to reread. I highly recommend your read it too. The following statements and bulleted points that stand out to me as important concepts that affirm actions many of us are already taking. I am confident these thoughts and perspectives will encourage you on your journey to share your growing knowledge and experiences with individuals that are also seeking to live a simpler, environmentally responsible life:

1. The objective of voluntary simplicity is not to dogmatically live with less…living a life that is characterized by poverty, antagonism to progress, rural living, and the denial of beauty. Poverty is involuntary and debilitating, whereas simplicity is voluntary and enabling.

2. Ecological living does not imply turning away from economic progress; rather it seeks to discover which technologies are most appropriate and helpful in moving toward a sustainable future. It is not a path of “no growth”, but a path of “new growth”….

3. The romanticized image of rural living does not fit the modern reality, as the majority of us choosing a life of conscious simplicity do not live in the backwoods or rural settings; we live in cities and suburbs. Instead of a “back to the land” movement, it is more accurate to describe this as a “make the most of wherever we are” movement.

4. Simplicity is a relative matter depending on: Climate, Customs, Culture, and the Character of the individual…each of us needs to find out and pursue our own way.

5. Gandhi said, “As long as we derive inner help and comfort from anything, we should keep it. If we were to give it up in a mood of self-sacrifice or out of a stern sense of duty, we would continue to want it back, and that unsatisfied want would make trouble for us. Only give up a thing when we want some other condition so much that the thing no longer has any attraction to us.”

6. Simplicity has a much to do with our purpose in living as it does with our standard of living, so it follows that there is no “right and true” way to live more ecologically and compassionately. However, there is a general pattern of behavior and attitudes often associated with this approach to living a simpler life. Fill in or check the bulleted circles for those tendencies that already apply to you:

Those choosing to live a simpler life:

o Tend to invest time and energy freed up by simpler living in activities with our partner, children, friends, or volunteering to help others, or get involved in civic affairs to improve the life of our community.

o Tend to work on developing the full spectrum of our potentials: physical, emotional, and spiritual.

o Tend to invest time and energy freed up by simpler living in activities with our partner, children, friends, or volunteering to help others, or get involved in civic affairs to improve the life of our community.

o Tend to work on developing the full spectrum of our potentials: physical, emotional, and spiritual.

o Tend to feel an intimate connection with the earth and a reverential concern for nature…acting in ways that express great care for the earth’s well being.

o Tend to feel a compassionate concern for the world’s poor; a simpler life fosters a sense of kinship with people around the world, a concern for social justice and equity in using the world’s resources.

o Tend to lower our overall level of personal consumption – buy less clothing, accessories, and cosmetic products with more attention to functionality, durability, and aesthetics, and observe holidays in a less commercialized manner.

o Tend to alter our patterns of consumption in favor of products that are durable, easy to repair, non-polluting in their manufacture and use, energy-efficient, functional, and aesthetic.

o Tend to shift diet away from highly processed foods, meat, and sugar towards foods that are more natural, healthy, simple, and appropriate for sustaining the inhabitants of a small, finite planet.

o Tend to reduce clutter and complexity in our personal lives by giving away or selling those possessions that are seldom used and could be used productively by others (clothing, books, furniture, appliances, tools, etc).

o Tend to use consumption politically by boycotting goods and services or companies whose actions or policies we consider unethical.

o Tend to recycle metal, glass, and paper to cut back on consumption of items that are wasteful of nonrenewable resources.

o Tend to pursue a livelihood that directly contributes to the well-being of the world and enables us to use more of our creative capacities in ways that are fulfilling.

o Tend to develop personal skills that contribute to greater self-reliance and reduce dependence upon experts to handle life’s ordinary demands (i.e. basic carpentry, plumbing, appliances, repair, gardening, crafts, etc.).

o Tend to prefer small-scale, more human-sized living and working environments that foster a sense of community, face-to-face contact, and mutual care.

o Tend to alter male-female roles in favor of nonsexist patterns of relationships.

o Tend to participate in holistic health-care practices that emphasis preventative medicine and the healing powers of the body when assisted by the mind.

o Tend to involve ourselves with compassionate causes, such as the environment, poverty and saving animals from extinction…and tend to use nonviolent means in our efforts.

o Tend to change transportation modes in favor of public transit, car pooling, smaller and more fuel efficient autos, living closer to work, riding a bike, and walking.

Living a life of voluntary simplicity reflects external, and most importantly, internal changes that lead to a satisfying and purposeful life.

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The opportunity to model a life of Voluntary Simplicity, as we live out our daily lives in harmony with our natural world, advocating and educating others to reduce, reuse and recycle, are all life-affirming, satisfying solutions that collectively have a great impact our local community and a world in crisis.