The True Cost of Cheap

Transcription

The True Cost of Cheap
HIGH
SCHOOL
KIDS
TAKE
THE
TOUR .
PAGE
7.
News You Can Use and Reuse | Vol. 22 , No. 2 Summer 2013
The True Cost of Cheap
By Shirley Perez West
B
reezing into my favorite big box
store in search of a sports watch, my
attention goes to a bright display
of “Happy Bargains” just past the entry.
Something among the shelves and baskets
of small goods catches my eye. I comb
through the brimming bins of toys and
gadgets, note pads, LED key rings, and
plastic picnic ware, looking for some useful
thing I need for $3 or less. Maybe there are
sports watches. Even if it just lasts a few
months, a three-dollar sports watch would
be a heck of a deal.
We all love a bargain. In fact, it’s
embedded in our brains and has
overwhelmed our culture, says Ellen
Ruppel Shell, author of Cheap: The High
Cost of Discount Culture. Shell, a Boston
University journalism professor, dives deep
into the historic, psychological, and cultural
roots of Americans’ quest for a good buy,
concluding that our drive for discounts
ultimately creates a low-quality food supply,
a ruined economy, a polluted environment,
low wages, a shoddy educational system,
deserted town centers, ballooning personal
debt, and the loss of craftsmanship.
Reading Shell’s book is eye-opening and
disturbing. I recognize the ploys retailers
use to lure me in and seal the deal. I shake
my head at the memory of all the “good
deals” I’ve scored, only to discover later that
I wasted my money.
Why We Buy Cheap
Thrift is an old-fashioned ideal like
craftsmanship. It essentially means not
being wasteful. We’re thrifty because we
don’t have piles of money. But we buy
cheap because our sense of value is often
overwhelmed by our emotions—from the
thrill of the hunt, to the joy of short-term
Save the Date!
Mark your calendar now for the fifth annual
gratification, to the fear that we’ll miss
out, says Shell.
As an example of how our emotions
muddy our thinking, Shell says that
despite discounts galore, Americans
habitually fret that we are paying too
much. She sites marketing experts who
say this fear is rational because there are
retailers who overcharge for their goods
The “cut and consume” cycle…
is destroying the world’s forests
at an unprecedented rate.
(e.g., $2,500 for a designer handbag). But
consumers tend to lump all retailers—
from grocers to car dealers—into that
category and believe merchants overcharge
us “just because they can.” Says one
researcher, “People really believe they are
being ripped off.”
That mistrust leads shoppers to
miscalculate the value of products.
Because the marketplace has gotten so
complex, consumers have very little real
information about the value of products
and tend to attribute the differences in
price to the greediness of the retailer
rather than the service, quality, design,
or materials on offer. As a consequence,
we go out of our way to find the lowest
prices. We drive miles and miles to outlet
malls or discount stores and take on some
of the manufacturing cost by assembling
products at home.
The “Idea” of Furniture
At BRING we take in things that
people would otherwise discard. Staff
works hard to sort through what’s still
Beyond repair:
Once a bargain, now
a disposal nightmare.
This particleboard
desk that showed
up at BRING is not
repairable, reusable,
or recyclable. Off
to the landfill it
goes—wasting all the
resources and energy
that were used to
make it.
BRING Home and Garden Tour
Sunday, September 8
Tickets go on sale mid-August at BRING (store
and online) and Down to Earth. Stay tuned.
usable and salvageable, but sometimes
stuff just ends up in our trash bin. High
on the list of unredeemable junk is
cabinetry, furniture, and other goods
made from particleboard, says BRING’s
warehouse manager Deveron Musgrave.
“Particleboard, unless sealed on all
sides, can’t hold up to the elements,”
says receiving associate James Jones.
“In Oregon’s cold, damp climate,
particleboard expands, contracts, and
warps badly—it literally falls apart.”
“These are the kinds of things that end
up in our trash bin,” Musgrave says of a
broken bookcase that likely seemed like a
bargain when new. The idea behind this
kind of furniture is to design something
that looks good, appears functional,
and is super cheap. It wasn’t built to
intentionally fall apart, nor was it built to
last very long.
In Cheap, Shell devotes a chapter to
IKEA, the world’s largest furniture retailer
and the third largest consumer of wood
in the world, behind discounters Home
Depot and Lowe’s. She explores IKEA’s
popularity and seeming virtue as a place
where stylish stuff can be affordable.
In spite of questionable wood harvesting
practices, IKEA (unlike Walmart) has
been able to thwart critics and greater
scrutiny of its practices by aligning with
non-profits such as World Wildlife Fund,
Greenpeace, and Save the Children. The
results of these partnerships are unclear,
says Shell, because “IKEA offers no
guarantees and few specifics. Yet in the
minds of consumers, these alliances offset
any nagging negatives.”
Environmentalists warn that the “cut and
consume” cycle stoked by the demand for
cheap furniture is destroying the world’s
forests at an unprecedented rate, says Shell.
And, it contributes to climate change,
accounting for more than 18 percent of
global carbon dioxide emissions.
Back to the bookcase in BRING’s trash
bin. . . . Shell describes IKEA’s Billy
bookcase—a sleekly designed bargain at
$59.99: “Loaded with heavy books, the
particleboard shelves tend to buckle. If
the owner attempts to modify it—such as
trying to put in a couple of supports—the
screws lose purchase. Try too hard or too
often and the particleboard crumbles,”
she writes.
Why are we still buying this stuff?
Shell believes our culture has turned a
corner. We are now willing to accept the
shoddy construction and limited holding
capacity of such a bookcase because of its
sleek design and low price. Billy is not
a bookcase, she says, but a subspecies of
bookcase: a cheap bookcase. Likewise,
we apply the same thinking to other
merchandise: i.e., it’s not a great chair, it’s
a great cheap chair. It’s not really furniture,
but the idea of furniture.
For What It’s Worth
Stepping away from the siren song of
“savings” to really think about a purchase
may be our only chance to change our
buying habits. Five minutes of thoughtful
questions—Do I really need this? Can I
borrow or rent it? Will it do its job? Will it
last? Is it repairable? Can I save even more
by buying used?—can reroute our brains
from impulse satisfaction to reasoned
decision-making. I try it with the sports
watch: What if I ran a predetermined
route? What if I used my cell phone’s
timer? What if I just walked out of this
store empty-handed?
Buyer Beware
Here’s a quick list of retailers’ tricks for manipulating customers’
willingness to buy:
• Reference Pricing – when the published price (often the
mythical “manufacturer’s suggested price”) of a discounted
item is inflated (e.g., a $1,000 mattress on sale for $250), consumers tend to:
a) believe the item is indeed worth the higher price; and b) want to buy this apparently
deeply discounted item because it’s such a bargain.
• Rebates – an offer of substantial discounts if the buyer is willing to mail in a rebate
coupon with documentation of purchase. Most of us (90-95%) don’t claim the rebate,
yet we still feel we got a bargain.
Please read, reuse and
recycle this newsletter.
• Outlets – inconveniently located stores that sell brand name merchandise (slightly
irregular or out of season) at a discount. Some retailers use outlets to sell specially
manufactured, but lower quality, products.
• Nines – the most common number used on a price tag. Pricing something for $29.99
rather than $30 conveys a subliminal message. Even though we know this trick, we’re
lured by the lower number.
• Exploding Discounts – price reductions rigged like an arbitrary time bomb heighten
our emotions and make us focus on the present, not the future. Whether we need the
item or want it, the time limit gives us a reason to act now and avoid missing out.
Return Service Requested
Eugene OR 97403-2437
4446 Franklin Blvd.
BRING RECYCLING
Non-Profit Org.
U.S. Postage
PAID
Eugene, OR
Permit No. 24
2 BRING's UsedNews | Summer 2013
BRING's
VOL. 22, NO. 2 Summer 2013
Mission:
Helping people understand how the stuff we use shapes
the planet we share.
What We Do:
EDUCATION: BRING provides workshops, activities and
presentations to groups of all ages throughout the county.
Each year, the education program reaches well over
15,000 individuals with the reduce, reuse, recycle message.
RE:THINK: RE:think Business provides free, hands-
on services for businesses in Lane County. We offer
independent, confidential advice on cost efficient ways
to reduce waste, recycle more, and use less electricity,
water and materials. Businesses that meet conservation
benchmarks are eligible to receive the RE:think
Recognition Award and publicity for their efforts.
REUSE: BRING sells used building materials, bicycles,
lawn mowers, canning jars, windows, doors, sinks,
plumbing fixtures and much, much more. We offer
disposal of unwanted — yet still reusable — material from
remodels, construction projects, garage clean-outs, etc.
STAFF
Kara Brinkman, Administrative Assistant
Judy Bryant, Director of Finance & Administration
Allen Burton, Retail Outlet
Julie Daniel, Executive Director
Brady Davis, Retail Outlet
Emily Horton, Assistant Retail Manager
Brett Jacobs, Community Education Program Manager
James Jones, Retail Outlet
Kinsey Kaylor, Retail Outlet
Gary Knox, Retail Outlet
Larry Levinson, Director of Business & Operations
Vanessa Manzano, Retail Outlet
Megan Meister, Retail Outlet
Deveron Musgrave, Retail Business Manager
Shannon Oliver, Business Program
Shirley Perez West, Tour/Event Coordinator
Jay Ritcher, Receiving Manager
Sonja Snyder, Director of Communications & Development
Carolyn Stein, Business Education Program Manager
Sherry Tillett, Retail Outlet
Kim Witchey, Retail Outlet
Ben Zublin, Assistant Retail Manager
It All Adds Up
"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change
the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has" — Margaret Mead
Lane County throws away 485,000 tons of stuff
each year. While BRING handles just a fraction
of those discards, the endless river of stuff f lowing
through our hands can feel like a raging f lood. The
good news is, many things can be used again, either in
their current form or adapted for
another purpose. The bad news is,
a dismaying percentage ends up as
scrap or trash. A plethora of cheaply
made stuff—including bicycles,
light fixtures, furniture, power
tools, mowers, and barbecues—piles
up in our processing area, waiting to
be dismantled so we can salvage at
least some of the materials’ intrinsic
value. Most of these items were not
designed to be repaired, and their
shoddy construction and low quality
materials guarantee they’ll break,
sooner or later. What a waste. As
regular readers of the UsedNews know, the greatest
environmental impact occurs during the manufacture of
goods. We pay a high price for cheap stuff.
I’ve been involved in the materials management
industry for the best part of two decades. I see the waste
firsthand. I read about rapid climate change, political
and social upheaval, and pervasive public health
problems—all connected to humans' use, and misuse,
of natural resources. It’s sobering at best, downright
depressing at worst.
While it’s easy to feel paralyzed by the enormity of
the problem, it’s important to remember:
You don’t have to change the world alone!
Individual actions, added to those of your
neighbors and friends, can achieve more
than you’d ever imagine.
When BRING was launched in 1971,
recycling was practiced by a handful of
true believers. Today, 90% of Lane County
households put some of their discards in
a recycling bin instead of a trash can—an
enormous piece of social change. BRING
continues to work because thousands of you
donate your materials and shop here for
things you need.
Your choices make a difference. Buy used,
rent, or borrow before you buy new. If you buy new,
buy things that are beautiful, durable, and repairable.
Things you’ll cherish for a long time. Support
organizations like BRING. Have more fun, less stuff!
— Julie Daniel, Executive Director
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Doug Bovee,Vice President
Gabriel Cross
Donna Doperoy
Al Eckerdt
Dick Helgeson, President
Beth Hjelm, Secretary
Britt Jefferson
Meg Kieran
Carole Knapel
Marie Matsen
Brittany Quick-Warner
David Richey
Eli Volem
Dave Winship, Treasurer
Graphic Design by Cindy Parks
Printed on 40% post consumer paper, low/no VOC soy inks.
BRING is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt
not-for-profit agency, serving Lane
County since 1971.
4446 Franklin Blvd., Eugene, OR 97403-2437
Phone: 541-746-3023 • Fax: 541-726-9894
email: info@bringrecycling.org
Web address: www.bringrecycling.org
Meet the Board
Pillars of our community: BRING board members donate professional know-how, personal resources, and hours of volunteer time
to help make BRING a success. Serving on the board is not only rewarding—it’s a lot of fun. Just ask these folks, who gathered on
a Saturday morning for a little team building retreat. Back row from left: Al Eckerdt, Britt Jefferson, Doug Bovee, Dave Winship, David
Richey, Dick Helgeson. Middle row: Brittany Quick-Warner, Beth Hjelm, Marie Matsen, Eli Volem. Front row: Meg Kieran, Donna Doperoy,
Gabe Cross. Absent that day, Carole Knapel.
Got a Green Team?
EarthShare Can Help
Your Workplace Go Green
OPEN SEVEN DAYS A WEEK
Mon.-Sat. 9-5; Sun. 10-5; receiving until 4
Save resources. Read
the online version.
EarthShare Oregon is best known for its
workplace giving program, which supports dozens
of environmental non-profits, including BRING,
through payroll deductions. EarthShare also offers
support to company Green Teams and Sustainability
Committees to help keep employees current on
the issues and motivated to keep improving their
environmental performance.
EarthShare provides such things as seasonal
Eco-Tips for newsletters and bulletin boards; a
Green Books List; topics for newsletters and green
team meetings; brown bag talks; workshops; and
volunteer opportunities.
If your workplace doesn’t have an EarthShare
campaign, or to learn more about Green Team
support, contact EarthShare Oregon at
503-223-9015. Or visit their web site:
earthshare-oregon.org.
Pints for the Planet
Monday, June 24, 5:00-9:00 p.m.
Ninkasi Brewery
Join us and our good friends at Ninkasi,
and raise a pint for BRING. Ninkasi will
donate 25% of pint sales to BRING, all
day long. Party with us from 5:00 to 9:00
p.m. Enjoy food cart fare. Sample some of
Eugene’s best suds. Proceeds will help us
complete the Planet Improvement Center
(see page 3).
Pints for the Planet
is part of Ninkasi’s
monthly “Pints for a
Cause” program.
The brewery is
located at 272 Van
Buren in Eugene.
BRING's UsedNews | Summer 2013
Capital Campaign—BRING It Home!
Countdown!
We’re counting the days to the
end of our 12-year long, $3.2 million
capital campaign to build the Planet
Improvement Center—and we need your
help to finish up this year.
Only $200,000 to go! With the Meyer
challenge grant on the table, your gift
or pledge counts double. It’s a great time
to give.
Completing construction is our top
priority. Not only does it maximize
the potential of the site—to generate
more revenue
and save more
resources—it frees
up organizational
energy and resources
to focus fully
on our mission.
As anyone who
has done a home
building project can
attest, being under
construction takes
its toll. We’re eager
to finish up and get
on with the big job
of building a
healthy and
sustainable future.
Even in its wild state,
customers enjoy
combing our “back
40” for treasures.
Actually, it’s just one
acre that remains
to be developed.
Improvements will
make the entire
site safe and fully
accessible for all
our customers.
BRING Gives Back
What goes around comes
around. Each year, BRING
receives dozens of requests for
donations of materials and gift
certificates—used for everything
from raffle prizes and volunteer
perks to staging events or keeping
buildings in good repair. In
the past year, BRING gave
close to $2,000 worth of goods
to 39 schools and non-profit
organizations:
Academy of Arts & Academics
Alvord Farm and Museum
Applegate Regional Theatre
ArtStravaganza! Festival,
Spencer Butte Middle School
Association of Oregon Recyclers
Ballet Fantastique
Bethel Fix-it-Fair
Boy Scout Troop 60
Business Commute Challenge
CALC
City of Westfir Haunted
Bridge Event
Community Veterinary Center
Creswell FFA Alumni
Edgewood Community
Elementary School
Emerging Leaders in the Arts
Network at UO
Eugene Active 20-30 Club
Friendship Foundation for
International Students
Hamlin Middle School
Booster Club
Lane County Master Gardeners
Laurel Hill Valley Citizens
Neighborhood Association
LCC Student Nurses Association
Lost Valley Educational Center
ManyHands Community
Network Charter School
MECCA
Mother Earth Festival
NEDCO
NextStep
Occupy Medical Clinic
Opportunity Village Eugene
Oregon Club
Oregon Country Fair
Pearl Buck Center
Sheldon High School Water Polo
South Eugene High School
Springfield Neighborhood Watch
$3.2 M
Timing is critical. We must raise all
remaining funds this year so we can
break ground next winter, during our
slow season, to minimize disruption
to our customers and revenue stream.
One-third of the site will be torn up and
renovated during the two-month project.
Everything that sits on our back lot
now—from piles of giant timbers to bits
of broken tile—will be loaded up and
moved off site during construction. Talk
about a challenging remodel!
With your help, BRING has come a
long way since we first envisioned our
new home. We’re almost done with this
incredible transformation. Please help
BRING It Home!
Invest in a healthy and sustainable future every time you
shop—it costs you nothing! Market of Choice and other
participating merchants donate up to 4% of every purchase to
BRING. Just sign up online—it takes 3 minutes max.
Go to escrip.com. Click on “Sign Up—It’s Free.” Enter BRING
as your preferred group, and securely register your debit or
credit cards. (Skip steps 3 and 5—they don’t apply in our area.)
That’s all you do. Thank you!
$2.6 M
2011
Last December, Meyer Memorial
Trust awarded BRING a $190,000
challenge grant for the Planet
Improvement Center. To receive the
funds, we need to match the grant,
dollar for dollar, in new donations. To
date, we’ve raised $112,000 toward the
match. Help us make this important
match by making a donation today.
Pledges count—spread your gift over
two to three years with our handy
auto-pay option.
Added:
2nd Retail bldg.
Garden
PV system
Septic system
Finished:
Admin bldg.
2007
Moved in/open
for business
1st Retail bldg.
Customer service
Gallery
Receiving
Parking
1st Bioswale
Bathrooms!
2000
Purchased
property
Thanks for Your Support
For Gifts Made February - April, 2013
CAPITAL
CAMPAIGN
DONORS
Building the Planet
Improvement Center
Shelter from the storm:
BRING joined with
other organizations and
volunteers to provide
temporary shelter for
some of our community’s
homeless people this
year. We donated doors
and discounted other
materials for Opportunity
Village Eugene to build
six-by-ten-foot “Conestoga
huts,” providing dry,
secure, lockable space at
city-approved car-camping
spots around town.
Aging With Benefits
Support BRING—No Cost to You!
$3.0 M
Meyer Match
The Arc of Lane County
Thurston High School Cabaret Dance Team
Triangle Lake Charter School
Unity School
Last Piece
2nd Bioswale
Paved yard
Trash bldg.
Renovations
Signage
$1.8 M
Turning 70? Congratulations! Here’s a convenient way
to lower your tax liability, while supporting your favorite
charity: Turn your RMD into a QCD—Qualified Charitable Distribution.
If you are 70½ or older and have a traditional IRA or
employer-sponsored retirement plan, you will probably need
to take a Required Minimum Distribution (RMD) this year
and every year for the rest of your life—whether you need
the income or not. In most cases, the RMD is counted as
taxable income. However, if you make a Qualified Charitable
Distribution (QCD) directly from your plan to a qualified
charity (such as BRING), the income is not taxable. It's a
convenient way to satisfy IRA distribution requirements,
support your favorite non-profit, and receive a tax break all at
the same time. You can exclude up to $100,000 of QCDs from
your gross income ($200,000 if filing jointly).
The tax code is a thing of wonder. Be sure to discuss this
option with your tax professional and financial advisor to make
sure your gift qualifies and ends up with your charity of choice.
3
REFORMERS
Marion Sweeney, Kate
Laue & Cama Laue
RENEWERS
Deborah Larson
Jim & Barbara Sly
REBUILDERS
Evelyn Anderton & Janet
Anderson
Fred & Sandra Austin
Pacific Continental Bank
REDUCERS
Douglas Bovee &
Sally Marie
Elaine Twigg Cornett
& Zane Cornett
Julie Daniel
Bill Klupenger
Ken & George Maddox
Ruth Miller, in memory
of Richard W. Hayward
REUSERS
Rudy Berg & Anne Delaney
Warren & Grete Brown
Hallis
Richard Helgeson
& Christina Gryc
Karyn Kaplan
Bing & Nancy Kibbey
Carole Knapel
Larry & Debra Levinson
Organically Grown Co.
Ken Sandusky
Jane Scheidecker &
Duane Partaine
Carol Schirmer
Emily Shack
Molly & Jonathan Stafford
David Winship & Lisa Bieber
Anonymous
RECYCLERS
Roger Bailey
Meg Blanchet
Dorothy Bollman
Kate Bollons & Fred Tepfer
Judy Bryant
Allen & Pat Burton
Gladys Campbell
Robert & Rose Marie
Cassidy
Mary & Paul
Christensen-Moore
Donna Doperoy
Jimi Duke in honor of
Earth Day and BRING
Karin Edla
Jennifer Edwards
Timothy & Deneen Foelker
David & Duane Funk
Denny Guehler
Bob Huffman & Mary Miller
Joseph & Jo Anne Hynes
Greg & Marcia Ilg
Gaelen Laue
Renate Mackenzie
Joanne McAdam
John & Ardyth McGrath
Neal & Nancy Miller
Mary & Rick Mowday
Joyce & Louis Osternig
Karla Rice
Julie Rogers
Joann & Roger Schliep
Paul & Roz Slovic
Donald Spiek
Mary Spilde
Nathaniel Teich
Connie & Harry Wonham
Anonymous (8)
Donor categories
represent value of
cumulative gifts to the
campaign. See full donor
list at bringrecycling.org.
GENERAL
FUND DONORS
Supporting
BRING Programs
and Operations
James Newell
Royal Blue Organics/
Cafe Mam
SeQuential Biofuels
—By Charlene Carter, CFP® Carter & Carter Financial
Special Thanks
Thanks to Claim 52 Brewery, Klean Kanteen, and our many loyal fans for a fun and successful benefit on
May 10. On an unseasonably hot evening, we gathered at the West Eugene brewery for unique Europeanstyle beer and amazing food from the Sammitch Truck. Raffle prizes were donated by Klean Kanteen,
Claim 52, and BRING. Blue Bus Creatives snapped photos in their traveling PhotoSwagon. If you missed
the party, you can still sample the beer at Friday evening dock sales, 1030 Tyinn St., #1.
4 BRING's UsedNews | Summer 2013
Retail Store
Another Classic found at BRING
Days*
BRING Discount
nior Day
• Monday – Se
r)
tte
be
(for 65 or
AP Day
• Tuesday – SN
ail Card)
Tr
n
(with Orego
Veterans Day
• Wednesday –
(with Vet’s ID)
ed goods
* 20% off all us
and paint
This spring, we got a love note from our friend Tylar Merrill, known to local art
lovers for her wonderful felted garments and works of art—many of them made from
reused fiber. Tylar thanked us for the 1945 Maytag wringer washer she found at
BRING. Felting requires much agitation, wringing, twisting, and pounding, which
can get pretty hard on the hands and arms.
“I've been looking for several years for a wringer washer, but have had no luck
finding one,” wrote Tylar. “This machine is not only CUTE, it works like a dream!
Since I purchased it in January, I’ve
been able to create so much more,
because it's doing all the repetitive
movements that were causing strain in
my wrists and arms. I love showing it
off to my students when they come to
my studio for felting workshops.”
Samples of Tylar’s work can
be seen on the Gallery page at www.
ecosleepsolutions.com.
Disclaimer: BRING generally does not
carry household appliances. If you’re in
the market for a refurbished appliance,
try St. Vincent de Paul.
Thimbleberry Felt Designs owner
Tylar Merrill adores her new/old
wringer washer, one of the rare
treasures found at BRING.
r
Frequent Reuse
Reward Card
Nothing to it—out comes a beautiful felted scarf!
Larry’s World: Worthy of Purchase
BRING, and
Spend $300 at
of used goods.
earn $50 wor th
ard Card
Ask for your Rew
counter and
at the cashier’s
.
start saving now
BRING receives many thousands of pounds of used
goods every month. Some stand out as particularly worthy
of ownership. Older items are often made from old growth
lumber, with heavier metal castings and joining methods that
produce strong durable products. Good design and quality
materials contribute to sustainability.
Smart BRING customers look for value and reduced impact
by buying used goods that have sustained the test of time. Here
are a few tips to help shoppers identify quality merchandise,
whether used or new.
• Look for quality materials. Choose wood, fiber, metal,
or plastic that is dense and strong. Well-made materials,
chosen for the correct use, live longer and provide better
service. Don’t forget to look for sustainably harvested
wood when buying new.
• Brass and stainless steel make for lasting garden tools
when in contact with water. Zinc, a common low-cost
material, offers low strength and will decompose with
time.
50% Off Sale!
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• Solid wood furniture, constructed with mechanical joints
like dovetails, outlasts particle board and MDF furniture
constructed with barrel fasteners and screws (the kind
found in modern D.I.Y. imported furniture).
Odds & Ends
BRING’s eBay specialist, Kinsey Kaylor, spends his days
in a corner of our warehouse, researching, pricing, posting,
and selling some of our most unusual items on eBay. These
are generally esoteric, one-off curiosities, which often require
extensive research just to figure out what they are—anything
from industrial controls and lab equipment to an antique
chain saw, which, at press time, was going for more than
$300. Online sales allow us to find markets for the rare and
highly specialized used goods that come our way.
• Look for tools made from forged steel, often with “DROP
FORGED” embossed on the item. Make sure shovels
don’t flex or rattle when tapped. Hickory or oak handles
on garden tools, hammers, or shears are preferred to fine
grained tropical wood.
• Is that old saw, chisel, or shear still holding a sharp edge
after years of service? This is a good sign of a quality
carbon steel tool.
• The 30-year-old screwdriver can be made like new with a
few minutes of cleaning and dressing, providing a tool far
superior to many available in stores today!
— Larry Levinson, Director of Business & Operations
Our Mission: Transform money from a source of worry
to a resource for fulfillment.
Visit www.mcsfa.com or call us at 541-345-7023
to discover how your wealth can grow.
You grew your
wealth with
your own hands.
We’re here
to nurture
that growth.
M
CS
Financial Advisors
®
Managing Risk to Increase Wealth
MCS Financial Advisors is proud to sponsor BRING’s newsletter!
BRING's UsedNews | Summer 2013
Retail Store
Repair, Refinish, Repaint!
A little paint (and ingenuity) can work wonders. The key is to start with a
solid piece of furniture—in this case, a solid plywood cabinet in need of small
repairs. Look for solid wood—not particleboard. Remove old hardware, repair,
sand, prime, and repaint the wood, then let your imagination take over. We
covered the top of this cabinet with tile and added wood molding for trim.
Then we removed and prepped the doors and drawers for decorative painting.
Purchased at BRING
Cabinet $20
Brass hardware & hinges $5
Tile, grout, adhesive & sealant $11
Molding $.90
MetroPaint and MetroPaint Primer: $4 worth ($13/gallon)
Krylon fixative $.50
TOTAL $41.40
1
1) A distressed but sturdy cabinet is our canvas. After making needed structural repairs, sand, prime,
and paint the entire surface using MetroPaint Primer and MetroPaint Glossy White.
2
2) Prepare the doors
and drawers for a
decorative paint job.
Using 1-inch painter’s
tape and a ruler,
crisscross the surface
on the diagonal,
forming a lattice.
3
3) Cut out the center diamonds with a craft knife. Apply contrasting paint, in this case
MetroPaint’s Storm Cloud, finished with a sheer silver metallic glaze. When dry, carefully
remove the remaining tape. We used a black sharpie to outline the black diamonds after
painting. Apply a clear Krylon fixative to the dry painted surface.
4
4) A little gold paint, left over from
another project, completes the
flashy theme.
Buy
Metro Paint
at BRING!
• High quality, 100%
recycled latex paint
• Full line of beautiful colors
• Indoor and outdoor use
• Save resources, landfill
space, and money!
1-gallon paint
1-gallon primer
5) Ta-dah!
The entire
project took
three hours and
cost about $41.
5
13
$
15
$
5-gallon paint
5-gallon primer $
$
50
58
5
6 BRING's UsedNews | Summer 2013
RE:think Business
Join the Growing
List of RE:think
Certified Businesses
Autohaus
Blackburn and Company Catering
Brothers Cleaning Services
Bulk Handling Systems
Burley
Cafe Yumm!
Catalyst Technologies
Cawood
Creswell Coffee Company
The Divine Cupcake
ElderHealth and Living
Emberex
Eugene Area Chamber of Commerce
Eugene Coffee Company
Why so happy? Sundance is RE:think certified.
EuroAsian Automotive
FedEx Ground
First Congregational Church UCC
Full Access
Glory Bee Foods
HEROweb Marketing and Design
Hot Mama's Wings
Hummingbird Wholesale
Jones & Roth
Kraig's Carpet Cleaning
Lane County Historical Society
and Museum
Life Technologies
Mount Pisgah Arboretum
Mountain Rose Herbs
The Nature Conservancy
Nearby Nature
NEDCO
New Dream Child Care Center
9Wood
Not Your Mom's Sandwich Shop
Oregon Community Credit Union–
Main Office & Downtown Branch
Oregon Eye Surgery Center
Oregon Research Institute
Out On A Limb Gallery
Pacific Women's Center
Parenting Now!
Potter Decals
Presentation Design Group
Rainbow Valley Design & Construction
Rural Development Initiatives
Saturday Market
SeQuential Biofuels
ShelterCare
So Delicious Dairy Free
South Lane Mental Health
Sperry Tree Care
Springfield Chamber of Commerce
Stadium Automotive
Sundance Natural Foods
Sustainable Wealth Management
Sweet Life Patisserie
Unique Properties
The UPS Store, Springfield
Vanilla Jill’s
Vox Public Relations Public Affairs
Western Environmental Law Center
Westminster Presbyterian Church
Willamette Massage
To add your name, call 541-746-3023
ext. 309 or email info@rethinkbusiness.org
The Art of Reuse
UsedNews readers know that reusing and repurposing is always
better than buying new. It saves resources and, if you’re refinishing
a piece of furniture or remodeling your house, the final product is
usually more interesting and better quality than something massproduced or purchased new. Certified RE:think Businesses are
keenly aware of the beauty and quality of found, reclaimed, and
used items.
Rainbow Valley Design
and Construction
Rainbow Valley Design and
Construction has been building and
remodeling custom spaces for more
than 40 years. With a high attention
to detail and quality, the company has
reused and reclaimed items for many of
their projects. One recent job included
reclaiming a tongue and groove fir
ceiling. “Reusing the wood to make a
unique table and bench was a great way
to add a custom look,” said Alec Dakers,
a designer for Rainbow Valley. “You
just can’t beat the beauty or quality of
reclaimed wood.”
Using environmentally preferred
purchasing practices and reducing waste
are company values at Rainbow Valley.
Each job site is monitored for items that
can be reused or recycled, even items
that can’t go curbside, including plastic
film and block Styrofoam. When a job
is completed, the company uses nontoxic and green seal certified products to
clean, protecting air and water quality.
curbside discards of
Eugene residents. “The
student housing areas
near the University
are a treasure trove of
materials,” Tim said. “I
find many of the items
I need for projects,
including lampshades
that I re-cover,
magazines and poster
paints for cards, and
even the pens, pencils
and paper I use in
the shop.”
It didn’t take much
for Out On A Limb
to be certified by
RE:think Business.
With a business model
based on reuse, Tim
rarely buys anything
new. It’s about as
sustainable as a business gets.
Presentation Design Group
Next time you visit BRING, be sure
to
check out the donor wall in our
Out On A Limb Gallery
Gallery. Designed and built by
Located on Broadway in the heart
PDG, this one-of-a-kind display
of downtown Eugene, Tim Boyden’s
uses materials found at BRING,
Out On A Limb Gallery is packed with
including cabinet doors, an ironing
beautiful items crafted from found,
board, saw blades, and doorknobs.
recycled, and reclaimed materials. From
The screen-printed glass listing
tables with driftwood legs and urbanBRING’s donors is both removable
forested wood to collage style greeting
and reusable. “Using screen-printed
cards up-cycled from magazines and
glass is both cost effective and
calendars, all items are sourced and
environmentally friendly,” said
made locally. Tim’s regular sourcing
Laura Theiss, project manager at
routine includes the free boxes and
PDG, a locally owned company
that creates donor walls
for major institutions
across the country.
“When a donor wall
needs to be updated, we
simply remove the panel
and re-print.” PDG has
completed other projects
that reuse materials,
including a large art
piece for another local
non-profit using wood
and materials sourced at
BRING. KLCC has a
PDG donor wall too, created
A detail from BRING’s donors wall, created by PDG with
from up-cycled CDs.
BRING materials. Screen-printed glass can be removed
and updated as names are added.
What Do I Do
With My...Batteries?
From cell phones to cars, we use batteries
to power just about everything. That power
comes at a cost.
Single-use alkaline batteries (for
flashlights and such) come with a lot of
packaging and aren't recyclable. That means
they are garbage when they finally die,
and it’s your job to pay for their disposal.
If you've been saving up your alkaline
batteries, unsure what to do with them,
relax. In 1996, their mercury
content was outlawed.
Today, while they create
waste, they aren't creating
toxic waste. You can toss
them in the trash.
If you want to cut
down on that waste,
there's good news. You can switch to
rechargeable batteries, which can be used
over and over again. Their packaging
footprint is smaller because you're buying
them once for a multitude of charges.
They are more expensive initially, but over
their lifetime, they cost less than their
non-rechargeable counterparts. The bad
news is, they contain heavy metals or toxic
components. Lithium Ion, Nickel Metal
Hydride, and Nickel Cadmium batteries
never belong in the trash. Instead, you
can recycle them for free at any of Lane
County's transfer stations (see page 8). You
can also take your personal rechargeable
batteries to BRING. They can be
left at the cashier's station.
Car batteries are a different
matter. Their lead acid
components qualify as hazardous
waste. BRING can not accept
them. They can be taken for free
Table and bench designed and built with
reclaimed fir by Rainbow Valley Design
and Construction.
One of Tim Boyden’s bowling ball lamps
at Out On A Limb Gallery, which sells
lighting, furniture, and accessories made
from found and reclaimed materials.
to any Lane County transfer station. No
appointment needed.
Happy Recycling!
Bold Steps
Is your business taking Bold Steps?
Certified RE:think Businesses located
in the City of Eugene are eligible for the
Mayor's Bold Steps Award. The award
honors businesses and organizations
making significant environmental, social,
or economic progress. The top three
finalists receive a free, 1-2 minute video
about their company, shown at the State of
the City address in January. The winning
business is presented with an engraved
trophy, to be kept on display for the year.
BRING's UsedNews | Summer 2013
Community Education
Dear Goddess
of Garbage
Waste Revisited
One of BRING’s most popular educational
programs is our tour of community waste handling
facilities, for a firsthand look at where all our stuff
ends up. Tours include Short Mountain Landfill,
Lane County Central Receiving Station, and
BRING. A grant from the Gray Family Fund of the
Oregon Community Foundation has allowed us to
provide more tours for rural and low-income schools
by funding transportation costs. This school year, we
led tours for 16 classes, serving 389 students.
1
BRING Educator Brett Jacobs inspires kids to think twice about what they use
and what they toss in the trash.
Let’s Talk Trash!
Dear Goddess,
We've been looking for new furniture
for a guest bedroom. We don't
have a lot of cash and have been
considering inexpensive, put-ittogether-yourself furniture. We can
do the whole bedroom for about
$500. This seems like a deal, but I
know you would tell me to buy used.
The thing is I don't know where to
start. I don't really understand why
it's better. If it's old, isn't it going to
fall apart faster? Help!
2
Students from Kalapuya High School arrive for a tour of the
Lane County Central Receiving Station and BRING. The trip
was organized by Kelly Shilanek, a classroom assistant in
the College/Career/Transitions class at Kalapuya.
3
While every class tours the same points of interest at the Central Receiving Station,
every tour ends up being unique. The students’ questions drive the conversation.
One group may spend a lot of time on plastics recycling while another may have
a greater interest in reuse. Here, the conversation turned to rechargeable vs.
disposable batteries. (See “What do I do with my…Batteries?” on page 6.)
4
“The Pit” is a staging point for our waste. Neighborhood
route trucks drop their refuse here. It then gets loaded onto
semis and taken to the landfill. Thursday is a great day to
tour and really understand how the transfer station works.
Every Thursday, the County “scrapes bottom,” removing all
debris from the Pit. The “Pit Cat” keeps busy on these days.
Even with very little material in the Pit, the students have
no trouble identifying items that could have been reduced,
reused, or recycled.
Summer Events
Celebrate summer with us at these events. And
save the date for the annual BRING Home and
Garden Tour!
Springfield Light of Liberty Celebration
Day Island Park
July 4
4:00 p.m. - 11:00 p.m.
Art and the Vineyard
Alton Baker Park
July 4
July 5
July 6
11:00 a.m. - dark
11:00 a.m. - 9:30 p.m.
11:00 a.m. - 9:30 p.m.
Oregon Country Fair
Veneta
July 12
July 13
July 14
11:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.
11:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.
11:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Eugene Celebration
Downtown Eugene
August 23-25
BRING Home and Garden Tour
Eugene
September 8 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
5
It’s always nice to end the tour of waste handling facilities on a more pleasant
note. At BRING, we show how reuse trumps recycling and offers another avenue
beyond the landfill—an uplifting way to finish the day. Here, students experience the
aesthetics of reuse in BRING’s Garden of Earthly Delights, including four Art Decostyle bridge rails, salvaged during renovation of a landmark bridge in Gold Beach.
Composting Workshops
Learn from the experts. Free hands-on workshops, sponsored by the City
of Eugene and OSU/Lane County Extension Service, cover all the basics for
beginners to experienced composters. Preregistration not required.
•
•
•
•
Saturday, June 1
Saturday, June 15
Saturday, Sept. 14
Saturday, Sept. 28
10:00 a.m. – noon
10:00 a.m. – noon
10:00 a.m. – noon
10:00 a.m. – noon
BRING: 4446 Franklin Blvd. Parking is
limited. Take LTD bus 85 or the EmX to
McVay Station.
GrassRoots Garden: Located behind
St. Thomas Episcopal Church at 1465
Coburg Rd.
Transition Garden Project: 905
Flamingo, Springfield, adjacent to Food
for Lane County Youth Farm. Parking
is limited.
River House Compost Education
Site: 301 N. Adams, behind the River
House (along bike path in East Maurie
Jacobs Park).
BRING
GrassRoots Garden
Transition Garden
River House
—Becoming Exceedingly Depressed
Dear BED,
I understand your dilemma.
You aren't alone. There are a lot of
companies that provide inexpensive
furniture and goods. They serve a
market niche. Unfortunately, most of
these goods are not built to last. The
Goddess does not purchase these
products. The Goddess appreciates
quality. You can spend more money
now on new quality furnishings and
have something that will keep its
value and provide you with a lifetime
of usage, or you can buy quality used
items, as the Goddess prefers. Again,
you have to look for quality.
There is another reason why you
should buy used. The Goddess’
drafting desk was built in the 1940s.
The oak tree it was cut from was
over 100 years old. The tools used
to make it were inefficient and
unsafe. The finishes used were
toxic for the workers who built
the desk. The metals used in the
desk were mined at a time when
environmental considerations were
nonexistent. The vehicles used to
transport the materials and finished
product were inherently dangerous
and polluting. The true costs of
this desk are too great to allow it
to be discarded. It was built before
planned obsolescence took hold in
the manufacturing world. This desk
isn't going to fall apart. I can take it
apart and put it back together, secure
in the knowledge that the fasteners
won't break. Is it stylish? You have
no idea.
Still I have hope for you—you are
asking the right questions, after all.
Start at BRING. Hit the antique
stores. Go to the used shops. Pawn
brokers often have quality items.
You’ll be amazed at what your new
bedroom will look like.
—The Goddess
Send your questions to
info@bringrecycling.org
7
8 BRING's UsedNews | Summer 2013
Where to Take It
Reuse and Recycling in Lane County
KEY
Curbside recycling is just the
beginning. Take advantage of
all the opportunities to reuse
and recycle in Lane County.
$ Fees may apply. Call for information.
 Illegal to throw away as garbage.
BRING 541-746-3023
CRS Central Receiving Station, Glenwood,
541-682-4120.
CURBSIDE call your hauler for details.
MECCA 541-302-1810
APPLIANCES
HAZARDOUS WASTE
Air Conditioners
 $, CRS, XFER, SVDP
Common household hazardous waste is taken free of charge
by Lane County Hazardous Waste. Call 541-682-3111 to
make an appointment.
Dishwashers; Washers & Dryers
Batteries
 CRS, XFER, SCHNITZER, SVDP, NEXTSTEP
Mr. Appliance, 541-343-1698
Hot Water Heaters
 CRS, XFER, SCHNITZER
Microwave Ovens
CRS, XFER, NEXTSTEP, SCHNITZER
Pacific Recycling, 541-461-3443
Refrigerators & Freezers
 $, CRS, XFER, SVDP
Mr. Appliance, 541-343-1698
Small Appliances (toasters, irons, blenders)
CRS, XFER, THRIFT, NEXTSTEP
Stoves
 CRS, XFER, BRING, NEXTSTEP
Mr. Appliance, 541-343-1698
Fire Extinguishers
CRS, XFER, SCHNITZER
Pacific Recycling, 541-461-3443
$
A1 Fire, 541-726-7287
Lane County Hazardous Waste, by appointment,
541-682-3111
National Firefighter, 541-485-3566
Paint
Lane County Hazardous Waste, by appointment,
541-682-3111
Building Materials Lumber, bricks, doors, windows,
Prescription Drugs DO NOT flush down the toilet.
Tile
BRING (reusable)
MECCA (broken)
ELECTRONICS
CDs, DVDs & Cases
CRS, NEXTSTEP
Cell Phones & PDAs
CRS, XFER, NEXTSTEP
Drop box at UO Bookstore and various locations, ASUO
office, UO Telecom office, and Kennedy Middle School.
Christmas Lights scrap metal
CRS, XFER, NEXTSTEP
Computers & Peripherals
 CRS, NEXTSTEP
Garten Industries, 541-868-1550
Goodwill, 541-345-0769
Phones & Phone Equipment
Lane County Sheriff’s Office lobby, 9:00 a.m.5:00 p.m., Monday-Friday, 541-682-4150
Springfield Justice Center lobby, available 24/7,
541-744-4177
Florence Justice Center, 900 Greenwood Street,
Florence, available 24/7, 541-997-3515
Oakridge & more.
Sharps Medical needles, scapels, etc.
CRS, XFER
Place in a red, rigid container with a screw-top lid (such as a
detergent bottle).
HOUSEHOLD
Books Textbooks, hard/paperback, computer manuals;
Printer, Inkjet, Fax & Other Cartridges
Corks NO plastic, composite, or metal closures.
NEXTSTEP
Rapid Refill, 541-334-4465
Redundant Cartridge, 541-302-1444
BRING
SeQuential Biofuels, 541-736-5864
Televisions
CRS For recycling, must be 100% wood; hardware no
bigger than a thumb.
BRING reusable non-upholstered.
 CRS, XFER, NEXTSTEP
VCRs & DVD Players
CRS, XFER, NEXTSTEP
Video Cassette Tapes & Cases Pre-recorded
only
SVDP, NEXTSTEP
GLASS
Bottles, Jars, & Jugs
CRS, XFER, CURBSIDE
For recycling: rinse clean, remove lids. Labels OK.
BRING For reuse: only canning jars, vases, antiques
Furniture
Hearing Aids & Eyeglasses
Key Bank, 725 A Street, Springfield
Oregon Lions Sight & Hearing Foundation,
1-800-635-4667
Williamalane has Lion's box.
Luggage, Backpacks, Totes
THRIFT
AAA will donate these to a foster care program, 541-4840661.
Mattresses & Box Springs Clean and dry ONLY.
$ CRS, SVDP
Shoes
Drinking Glasses, Vases (Reusable)
BRING, THRIFT
THRIFT all brands
NIKE Store, 541-686-3141recycle: athletic shoes only
Shower Doors
Wine Bottle Foil
$ BRING
Wood, Dimensional Lumber & Plywood,
Reusable Dimensional lumber 4’ or longer. Plywood
CRS, XFER, CURBSIDE
sheets, nails OK.
BRING
Greeting Cards & Gift Wrap
Wood, Not Reusable Some restrictions apply.
CRS, XFER Recyclable, if non-metallic
MECCA reusable
CURBSIDE Recyclable, if non-metallic
$ CRS, XFER
Rotten wood, pegboard; NO railroad ties or pressure treated
wood. Lead-free painted wood OK.
Rexius Forest Products, 541-342-1835
Lane Forest Products, 541-345-9085
Junk Mail Remove any samples.
CRS, XFER, CURBSIDE
Prevent It website: www.dmachoice.org
Magazines Remove plastic packaging to recycle;
donate to social service agency waiting rooms.
CRS, XFER, SVDP, CURBSIDE
VEHICLE
Milk, Soy, & Juice Cartons Rinse and let air-dry;
recycle at all county sites.
CRS, XFER
Antifreeze, Oil Filters Highly toxic but free to
Auto Batteries
Newsprint Loose or place in brown paper bag.
CRS, XFER, CURBSIDE
The Mission, 541-344-3251
 CRS, XFER
Battery X-Change, 541-689-9134
Batteries Plus, 541-349-5030
Paper, High-Grade Office
Cars wrecked, broken, or unwanted
Paper, Low-Grade Mixed Magazines, junk mail,
Motorcycles wrecked, broken, or unwanted
Cyclepsycho Motorcycle Recycling,
541-461-9279
Pacific Recycling, 541-461-3443
SCHNITZER
Pacific Recycling, 541-461-3443
SVDP Working only.
catalogs, egg cartons, gift wrap, cereal and 6-pack boxes,
and all high-grade paper.
CRS, XFER, CURBSIDE
Phone Books Cancel the ones you do not use.
CRS, XFER, CURBSIDE
Cooking Oil & Grease
Stereos, Radios, etc.
CRS, XFER, NEXTSTEP
PAPER
Corrugated Cardboard & Brown Paper
Bags Flatten; only 3-ply; no waxed, no food contamination.
Candles, Wax, & Crayons
Clothing
Tyvek Recycling Hotline, 866-338-9835
Pallets
CRS, XFER, CURBSIDE, NEXTSTEP
Computer/copy machine paper, fax paper, envelopes, lightcolored office and school paper, etc.; staples, windows,
adhesives OK.
CRS, THRIFT
Tyvek Envelopes
Pacific Pallet, 541-688-2887
Eugene Pallet Services, 541-485-0549
Carpet
CRS, XFER, NEXTSTEP
Styrofoam™ (Block Foam)
SVDP
The Bear Factory, 541-746-4842
WOOD
remove plastic parts/straws.
CRS, XFER, CURBSIDE
MECCA
Goodwill Industries, 541-345-1801
Plastic Film, Pallet Wrap & Lumber Wrap
CRS, XFER
and lids OK.
CRS, XFER, CURBSIDE
NOT wet or moldy.
CRS, SVDP
International Paper, 541-744-4100
CRS Carpet padding only, restrictions apply.
THRIFT new and stain-free
BRING new or like new
XFER some or all Lane County Transfer &
Recycling sites, 541-682-4120. Call to check.
Propane Tanks
$ CRS, XFER, SVDP
Pacific Recycling, 541-461-3443
Tin Cans Rinse clean of any food/contamination. Labels
$ CRS
Delta Sand & Gravel, 541-688-2233
THRIFT (STORES)
Goodwill 541-345-1801
The Salvation Army 541-343-3341
St. Vincent de Paul 541-345-0595
Hot Water Heaters
lighting & hardware stores (incl. Jerry's & True Value) will take
those under 4 ft.
Lane County Hazardous Waste, by appointment,
541-682-3111
Pesticides & Fertilizers
SVDP 541-687-5820
contamination; wad foil into a baseball-sized ball.
CRS, XFER, CURBSIDE
Scrap 75% or more metal; barrels, toasters, bed frames,
bikes, etc.; containers must be visibly punctured from all
sides.
CRS, XFER, BRING, SCHNITZER, NEXTSTEP
Pacific Recycling, 541-461-3443
Fluorescent Light Tubes & Bulbs Most
Asphalt & Concrete
Ceiling Tiles
SCHNITZER (STEEL) 541-686-0515
CRS, XFER
If EMPTY, recycle in tin can collection—remove caps, do
not flatten or puncture.
If NOT empty, take to Lane County Hazardous Waste, by
appointment, 541-682-3111
Aluminum cans, foil, trays; rinse clean of any food/
paintcare.org Enter your zip code for a listing of drop off sites.
Armstrong World Industries, 1-888-CEILING
Aerosol Spray Cans
CRS, XFER
Most batteries (car, watch, rechargeable, NiCad, mercury,
lithium, lead-acid) free to recycle.
Alkaline batteries less than10 years old are considered safe
in the garbage.
Batteries + Bulbs, 541-349-5030
Other: www.rbrc.org/call2recycle
CONSTRUCTION
cabinets, flowerpots, garage doors, hardware, plumbing, &
more.
BRING
Habitat Restore, 541-344-4809
METAL
NEXTSTEP (RECYLING) 541-686-2366
Shredded NOT cross-cut
CRS, XFER, CURBSIDE Place in paper bag, staple
once and label "shredded paper."
International Paper, 541-744-4100 commercial
quantities
PLASTIC
Bottles, Tubs, & Jars Rinse, discard lids
Motor Oil
 CRS, XFER
Some curbside recyclers accept motor oil in labeled, nonbreakable containers with a screw-top lid.
Tires Passenger tires only. Maximum 22" diameter,
measured at rim.
$  CRS, XFER
Big B Tires, 541-746-4193
Les Schwab many locations
YARD
NO #6 plastic (most takeout containers & foam).
CRS, XFER, CURBSIDE
6-Pack Rings Recyclable as bags/film.
CRS, XFER
Packing Peanuts No food containers or cups.
NEXTSTEP
Try craigslist, UPS Stores, and other mailing services.
Brush, Yard Debris, Grass Clipping,
Leaves Grass, leaves, weeds, branches 20” diameter and
less; compost/mulch at home.
$ CRS, XFER
Lane Forest Products, 541-345-9085
Rexius Forest Products, 541-342-1835
Plant Pots & Trays Remove all dirt.
CRS
BRING One gallon or larger.
Plastic Bags Clean and dry only.
BRING
CRS, XFER
Windows
$ BRING
Lane County Transfer and Recycling Sites
For information on rural disposal and recycling sites, hazardous waste and paint disposal,
or other Lane County Solid Waste Department issues and services, call 541-682-4120.
Cottage Grove:
78760 Sears Road, 541-942-8986
Wed. through Sat., 8-6 All year
Low Pass:
22377 Highway 36, Cheshire, 541-998-8215
Fri. & Sat., S 8-6, W 9-5
Sharps Creek:
74540 Sharps Creek Road, 541-946-1029
Culp Creek, Sat. only, S 8-6, W 9-5
Creswell:
34293 Cloverdale Road, 541-895-3274
Wed. through Sat., 8-6 All year
Mapleton:
13570 Highway 126, 541-953-0217
Sat. only, S 8-6, W 9-5
Swiss Home:
13711 Highway 36, 541-268-4841
S Fri. & Sat., 8-6
W Sat. only, 9-5
Florence:
2820 N. Rhododendron Drive, 541-997-6243
Mon. through Sat., 8-6 All year
GLENWOOD Central Receiving Station
3100 East 17th Ave., 541-682-4120
Oct.–Mar. Mon. through Sat: 8am–6pm
Apr.–Sept.: Mon. through Sat. 8am–6pm;
Sun.: 8am–5pm
Hours and Days subject to change without notice.
S = Summer hrs. May–Sept. W = Winter hrs. Oct.–April
CONFUSED?
Call BRING
541-746-3023
London:
73111 London Road, 541-942-0120
Sat. only, S 8-6, W 9-5
Marcola:
38935 Shotgun Creek Road, 541-933-2823
Wed. through Sat., S 8-6, W 9-5
McKenzie Bridge:
55805 McKenzie Hwy., Blue River, 541-822-3748
S Sat., 8-6, Mon. & Thu., 1-6
W Sat., 9-5, Mon. & Thu., 1-5
Oakridge:
48977 Kitson Springs Road, 541-782-3923
Wed. through Sat., 8-6 All year
Rattlesnake:
82572 Rattlesnake Road, Dexter, 541-937-3403
Wed. through Sat., S 8-6, W 9-5
Veneta:
24444 Bolton Hill Road, 541-935-1297
Mon. through Sat., 8-6 All year
Vida:
44041 Canal Lane, Leaburg, 541-896-3643
Wed. through Sat., S 8-6, W 9-5
Walton:
18585 Transformer Road, 541-935-5348
Sat. only, S 8-6, W 9-5