Recycling and Renewable Energy Committee

Date & Place:  April 18, 2007, 7:00pm, Meeting Room A, Town Hall, Provincetown, MA

Attending:  Michael Ledger, Lee Bartell, Amy Germain, from the committee; Jim Denietolis, from the DPW; and Steve Desroches, from the Cape Codder newspaper.  Mike told us that both Anna Carter and Ghee Patrick have resigned from our Committee, so if any of us find new recruits for our Committee, that would be great.

Preceding Minutes:  Amy moved that we approve them, Lee seconded the motion, and the minutes from the March 28, 2007 meeting were approved.

Meeting with Keith Bergman:  Mike reported about his April 9th meeting with Keith, who is totally focused on climate change and what we can do about it, and said that ICLEI could help. 

ICLEI, or Local Governments for Sustainability, was founded in 1990 as the International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives.  The council was established when more than 200 local governments from 43 countries convened at its inaugural conference, the World Congress of Local Governments for a Sustainable Future, at the United Nations in New York.

Through ICLEI, software is available to communities to help complete Milestone 1, which is to conduct a baseline at year 2000, to compute the carbon emissions inventory and forecast.  Keith is attempting to make the ICLEI project be county-wide.  He's pitching it to the Cape Cod Economic Development Council as a potential job creator, and to the Cape Light Compact, as the county contact.  There is a $600 annual membership fee in ICLEI, though perhaps, if this is a county-wide effort, the cost will be split between all of us.  There may be county money for funding interns to input the data.

Keith will make a presentation to our Committee at a mutually convenient time.

Town Meeting:  Our Article 11 passed, our new name is official, and Mike gave an impassioned plea to really ramp up the recycling, with SEMASS out of commission for the time being.

SEMASS:  Amy reported that they're going to be back up in weeks, not months, and Jim said that they've got a terrific safety record, and that they're compensating the towns that normally go to them, with the difference in cost that the towns have by going to Bourne.

New Recycling Program:  Jim told us that it will be July 1st that the new program will go into effect.  First, we need to build a new pad for one of their containers.  Lee handed out #1-7 plastic charts and Jim wants to check on some of them, clarifying a few questions.  The old recycling handout/brochure will be updated.  We'll work on it with him, to ensure that it's clear, easy to understand, and as attractive as it can be with the budget constraints.  Amy suggested soliciting from family and friends any recycling materials that their towns have and bring them to our next meeting.  Truro already recycles #1-7 plastic, while Mike said that his sister in Swampscott only has #1-2, but they have a calendar on the back of their rules, to plainly show when one's collection days are.

Recycling Containers:  The containers that Ghee had stored in her warehouse turned out to be better suited for planters, which was their original idea years ago.  So we're still looking for the perfect recycling containers for cans, and both plastic and glass bottles.   Lee offered to paint whatever receptacles we find.  Jim will check if the DPW has 5 extra cans.  They're to be our pilot project in 5 locations:  Lopes Sq., Town Hall, Library, McMillan Pier, and the Municipal Parking Lot,  each next to a trash can.  Jim says that no matter what the can looks like, the DPW will line it with a plastic bag.  Then we discussed that if plastic, metal and glass are all inside that bag of recyclables, then someone needs to sort it out, as the glass has to be by itself, but metal and plastic can be together in the new program.  Jim suggested that at outdoor food stands, they, the establishment, needs to put out a bin for the bottles and cans.  Businesses do not have town collection, rather it's their responsibility to hire a contractor or take it to the Transfer Station themselves.  It would be wonderful if we can ask those specific venues to help collect the recyclables.  More next meeting.

Earth Day cleanup:  PUP, Picking Up Provincetown, will again collect trash along the streets.  Apparently, the old recycling committee, years ago, coordinated this.  The DPW gives out trashbags and gloves to the workers.  Maybe next year, when we're more established, we'll again promote and coordinate this.

Plastic Bag Ban:  San Francisco has banned plastic bags in grocery stores after 6 months, and in national chains in a year.  Nantucket has banned plastic bags in grocery stores, Santa Cruz is looking into it, and so is Provincetown!  Mike reported that the GU General Manager, also Mike, told him that they're introducing canvas bags pretty soon.  Jim gave us a flyer on cheap canvas bags, in case we want to buy some.

PTV:  Catherine Russo from Provincetown TV, wants to have a Recycling program on Ch. 17, and we decided to do it after a few more meetings, when we'll have more to discuss.

Rain Barrels:  There's a flyer on the Post Office bulletin board, about rain barrels to collect downspout water, to water your garden.  It's a wonderful idea, and Amy pointed out that we don't have to do everything, just what we can, and hopefully fill in the gaps.

Compost Bins:  Years ago, the Recycling Committee sold them.  Maybe we'll be back in that business next year.

Future Meetings:  We decided to meet the 1st and 3rd Wednesdays, at 7:00pm, for the time being.  Once we're more established, then monthly we'll probably go back to monthly.

Homework:  Bring a list of 10 things to the next meeting, that will be easy for folks to do, that will help our planet.

Adjourned:  8:30pm

Next Meeting:  Wednesday, May 2nd. 

Minutes by Lee