Happy #WasteReductionWednesday!

Today I thought I would talk a little about one of my favorite professional associations that I have been a member of for over 11 years.  The Carolina Recycling Association was recommended to me when I started my career in resource management by a colleague.  I went to my first #CRA conference back in 2004 and was blown away by the wealth of knowledge that surrounded me and I immediately aspired to not only learn as much as I could, but to progress in a way that would make me a waste reduction and recycling leader as well.  After a few conferences and many hours of study in-between, I found myself a CRA conference speaker on several occasions, workshop host, planning committee member, board member, and in 2014 I was honored with the sought after Recycler of the Year Award.

It has been a pleasure and privilege to work amongst such a well-educated, hard-working, and dedicated group of environmental heroes.  Most folks don’t know how much work goes into recycling, waste reduction efforts, and proper resource management infrastructure in local communities.  We put our cart at the street and it magically gets managed.  Carolina Recycling Association members are the folks that work day and night making these efforts possible while also spreading the knowledge of the importance not only to the environment, but also to the local economy.

Here is a brief summary of what the CRA is all about:

The mission of the Carolina Recycling Association is to conserve resources by advancing recycling and waste reduction throughout the Carolinas (North, South, and beyond).

The overall goal of the CRA is to promote waste reduction recycling of marketable/recyclable materials in the Carolinas.

The members, including myself, of CRA recognize that:

Recycling reduces the weight and volume, and therefore cost, of waste to be disposed and reintroduces into the economy materials previously considered without value.

Recycling supports manufacturing.  Production of everything from steel to glass, paper, packaging, automobile and construction products, and textiles are made from recycled material in the Carolinas.

Recycling creates jobs and business opportunities.  It is one of the most consistently growing sectors of the economy in the Carolinas.

Recycling helps reduce the need for new landfills.  The growth in recycling has helped increase landfill capacity in NC from 20 to 32 years.

Recycling allows citizens to contribute to environmental solutions.  Through the simple act of recycling, Carolinians save water and energy, prevent pollution, protect habitats, and conserve valuable resources.

Recycling improves the quality of life in Carolina communities.

Carolina Recycling Association Objectives:

Education: CRA uses workshops, networking meetings, and the Annual Conference to spread the knowledge and skills of recycling professionals and experts, as well as educating members on new technologies and programs that will benefit their businesses and communities.

Public-Private Partnerships: CRA develops broad-based community alliances throughout the Carolinas and beyond, to achieve sustainable community improvement in recycling and waste reduction methods.

Board and Council Action: By engaging Board Members and Councils, we extend the reach of our educational activities and increase the impact of our efforts.

To learn more or to sign up to be a CRA member or supporter, please go to www.cra-recycle.org

Blue skies, calm seas, and don’t forget to Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle,

L