WAYNE – As Earth Day approaches this week, Sandy Brown with the Wayne Green Team joined Executive Director with Wayne Area Economic Development, Luke Virgil for Chamber Percs this past Friday.
Each Friday, for the time being during the COVID-19 pandemic, Chamber Coffee will be online on the Wayne, NE Facebook page at 10:15 a.m. for Chamber Percs.
Earth Day is Wednesday, April 22. Brown said this year marks the 50th Earth Day and back in 1970 people wanted to make a change.
“What we’ve seen over those 50 years is that things continue to change,” said Brown. “The environment is not a check-off-the-list-and-it’s-safe, we must continue our efforts. We really do a great job of that in Wayne and I’m so proud to be part of this community that cares about efforts towards reaching zero waste, sustainability and protecting our environment.”
In the past 10 years the Wayne Green Team has recycled 100,000 pounds of electronics, 526 pounds of batteries, 1,000 pounds of sting lights and 79 tons of glass.
Brown also wanted to pass along information about the Wayne Recycling & Trash Center, formally known as the Wayne Transfer Station. They’re open but there are significant changes to keep the public safe.
“First the trash site is open but there’s only one vehicle allowed into the bay at a time,” Brown added. “Second you come in on Windom (Street) and there are now three areas spread out where you can drop off glass in blue bins and commingled tins, plastic and cardboard.”
There is also a fourth station set up for cans and the boy scout trailer will remain open. Make sure to stay in your car, do not mingle, until the vehicle ahead of you has emptied out their recyclable materials.
Don and Anita Luschen with the Wayne Recycling & Trash Center were last year’s ‘Zero Heroes’ and this year Pac N Save was selected as the ‘Zero Hero’ from the Wayne Green Team.
Brown mentioned Pac N Save has done an incredible job.
“You can bring in your own bags to pack your groceries at Pac N Save and they will either give you a five-cent credit off your bill or the option to donate it back,” Brown mentioned. “Which then goes to a designated community organization or project in our community each quarter.”
Since the program began in September 2018 over 44,000 bags have been reused and of those bags nearly 35,000 credits have been donated back. Pac N Save has made donations of $1,700 to six community organizations being the Wayne Green Team, Haven House, Teammates, Wayne Community Theatre, Wayne Elementary Playground and the Wayne Food Pantry.
Like the Wayne Green Team on Facebook or visit cityofwayne.org/581/Green-Team for more information. This week’s host for Chamber Percs on the Wayne, NE Facebook page will be the Wayne Public Library at 10:15 a.m. on Friday, April 24.