Boosting local business recycling a challenge

Final in a four-part series.

Confucius always told his followers that if a goal isn’t being reached, you don’t adjust the goal, you adjust the steps you take to reach it.

There are some daunting challenges ahead for the Green Valley Sahuarita Chamber of Commerce’s Economic Development Committee to reach its goal of helping local business owners to better recycle waste.

That is one of the three components of the committee’s sustainability plan, and it might be the most difficult to implement locally.

“The biggest problem is motivation,” admits State Farm agent Mark Heltemes, who has been studying the issue on behalf of the EDC as part of its long-term effort to help the chamber’s members “go greener.”

Heltemes knows that most businesses in the area aren’t really set up to do recycling, but he believes it can still become a reality with some extra effort and a new mind-set.

Cost benefit, or lack of it, is a huge obstacle, since business owners have to think about the bottom line, especially these days. However, Heltemes hopes they will all “do the right thing” if the committee can come up with some solid suggestions to get everybody on the right track and save them a little money in the process.

An eight-yard trash dumpster costs $91 a month to service, compared to $58 for a recycle bin, but getting past some of the pitfalls will take some change in habits and thinking.

“Malls, for instance, have limited space for recycle bins,” Heltemes noted, so his group is looking into possible alternatives, such as roll-out bins that can be moved daily.

Some business owners have pointed out that some of their colleagues don’t regularly empty their trash, while others complain of the increased traffic in limited space becoming a pick-up problem.

“Wildcat dumping” is another headache, he said, since many business owners have discovered that individuals will throw trash into a recycle bin.

“That contaminates the whole bin,” he explained.

Education is the key here, Heltemes said, so the group is looking into bringing in representatives from service providers like Waste Management to conduct seminars that will hopefully help find solutions to some of those problems.

People in office climates can already take some steps toward becoming more eco-conscious by looking at items that are typically trashed on a daily basis.

Newspaper, brown paper bags, cardboard, phone books, office paper, junk mail, pamphlets, brochures, cards, folders, soda and water bottles, aluminum cans, drink boxes, plastic containers, and many more items can easily be recycled rather than thrown in the trash, according to Waste Management.

Actually, pretty much all food and beverage containers and office materials can be recycled if the bins are handy and people change their routines slightly.

The EDC is exploring the possibility of getting recycle bins for small businesses, and perhaps even extra dumpsters down the road, but the first step is getting the word out and encouraging chamber members to get on board.

There are obstacles to overcome and challenges to meet, but rather than abandon the goal, the EDC is committed to finding ways to help the members adjust their steps to meet it.

The committee would like to establish a working relationship with local waste haulers that will help chamber members understand current programs — something the committee has done with water and energy providers — so it can help set up recycling opportunities in 20 percent of commercial centers in 2010.

The committee hopes to see 90 percent of businesses locally implement recycling and energy/water conservation programs by 2013.

It’s a lofty goal for EDC’s Ed Coad, Jim DiGiacomo, Richard Ducote, Mark Heltemes, and chairman Timothy Wolfe, But continuing education and assistance through the chamber promise to promote initiative and cooperation among local business owners, hopefully enough to put new meaning to the “green” in Green Valley.

Anyone with ideas, concerns or questions is asked to contact the Green Valley Sahuarita Chamber of Commerce at 520-625-7575 or visit the Web site at www.greenvalleychamber.com.

Green Valley resident Mike Touzeau is a freelance writer for the Green Valley News and Sun.