By: Tanya Cabala, WMEAC Lakeshore Outreach Organizer
As we celebrate National Volunteer Week, we are thrilled to spotlight the strides made as part of the “Improving Recycling in Muskegon County” project, a new sustainability initiative in our region.
This new effort reflects the collective commitment of individuals, organizations, and local municipalities to address the pressing need for more coordinated and effective recycling. Over the past several years, the project has evolved from a vision into a robust action plan, thanks to the dedication of volunteers and community leaders.
At the helm of this transformative endeavor going forward are two commendable individuals, the co-chairs of our newly formed Recycling Leadership Team, Linda Aerts, Cedar Creek Township Supervisor and Doug Wood, of Muskegon Rotary. Their passion for improving recycling will help advance this important project forward, driving tangible change in Muskegon County.
During this week to honor volunteers, we have the honor of presenting their insights and the pivotal role they have undertaken with other members of the Recycling Leadership Team in shaping the future of recycling in Muskegon County. Moreover, we celebrate the recent milestones achieved, including a grant award from the Community Foundation for Muskegon County and the anticipated support from state-sponsored EDA grants, poised to provide essential resources for the project’s continued success.
Please join us in honoring their leadership and exploring the potential transformative impact of the “Improving Recycling in Muskegon County” project via interviews of these two community recycling activists! You can read Doug Wood’s interview at this link.
Linda Aerts, Cedar Creek Township Supervisor
Please provide a brief bio of who you are, what you are doing currently, and how that relates to your volunteer role associated with improving recycling in Muskegon County.
Before joining Cedar Creek Township as supervisor, I was the executive assistant at Harbor Hospice. Over the span of my career, I have consulted in resource development, worked in fundraising, served in the administration of former Governor James J. Blanchard, and have been a business education instructor.
My passions are reading, gardening, and recycling. I volunteer my Saturdays in service to the Cedar Creek Recycling Program.
We will be receiving local and state support to begin to tackle three recommendations of a recent feasibility study – getting municipalities together for potential partnerships and cost savings, creating a basic recycling education campaign, including highlighting updated information on the county’s recycling services and facilities – what we have, and getting assistance to create a conceptual model of what comprehensive coverage would like, what we could have as we advance improvements in recycling. Why do you think these projects are important to Muskegon County?
When access to recycling services closed in Muskegon County, we discovered that Cedar Creek residents had been traveling into the City of Muskegon to offload their recycling. We deduced that due to the distance traveled and money spent on gas, this meant they were serious recyclers. We received numerous requests for help. We knew we had to do something as it was clear Cedar Creek citizens cared about recycling.
In response, we applied to EGLE for a Rural Recycling Center Pilot Program Grant, which we were fortunate to receive. While our metal program is separate and the weight has not been accounted for, we have diverted well over nine tons of recycled materials from our solid waste in Cedar Creek Township since the fall of 2020.
We have hired someone to help out because we cannot keep up with the demand. This is in part due to the lack of cleanliness of some recycling; however, in spite of this, we are still breaking even. The program works.
Given that your time on the Recycling Leadership Team has been relatively short, what do you hope overall to see the effort accomplish?
Everyone on the Recycling Leadership Team is committed to finding solutions to recycling in Muskegon County, especially with the advent of Part 115 [changes to the state’s solid waste law that requires additional recycling in counties.]
Understanding recycling involves many layers. Education is a critical and ongoing component of a recycling campaign, and this team is working to accomplish that. There are wonderful programs that take the materials we divert from our solid waste and make them into incredible products—Goodwill Industries of West Michigan is one of them. Beyond that, I believe that a healthy recycling program helps build a stronger commercial and industrial economy in today’s world.
Anything else?
My heart always lies with the generations of the future—unless we do what it takes to preserve the Earth, we won’t have anything to leave to our great-grandchildren and beyond.
