A big thank you to all our amazing volunteers—Eugene Rogers, Maarten Simon Thomas, Len Zeller, Kenneth Andrews, Virginia Faust, Bil Rosendfeld, Carol-Ann Greenslade, Stephen Boyd, Karin Ritter, Cheri Derosia, Jon Darling, Marilyn Racine, and Tony Daniels! Thanks to their efforts, we processed 148 vehicles—nearly one per minute—and managed to handle an impressive 3,984 pounds of paper, just shy of two tons! This paper is now on its way to being recycled into toilet paper at a production facility in Georgia. I would also like to acknowledge the financial support of the FHA Board in funding the Shimar Recycling Shredding Truck.
Recycled paper is proven to save trees and other resources: Recycling two tons (4,000 lbs) of paper has a significant positive impact on the environment. It can save 34 trees, 760 gallons of oil, 6 cubic yards of landfill space, 8,000 kWh of energy, and 14,000 gallons of water. Additionally, the 34 trees preserved can absorb about 500 lbs of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere each year, while burning that same ton of paper would release 3,000 lbs of carbon dioxide. Overall, recycled paper generates 74% less air pollution compared to paper made from raw materials.
At almost the last minute, the North Chatham County Volunteer Fire Department was unable to participate in the event because they were called out for an emergency. The Chatham County Sheriff's Department collected 28.4 pounds of un-needed pharmaceuticals during this event, which is a lot of medicines that won't end up polluting nearby water sources including Jordan Lake—our source of drinking water.
Planning ahead, consider circling the third Saturday in May (May 17, 2025) on your calendar, when we will have the opportunity to replicate and perhaps expand the yield of our fall 2024 community recycling efforts.
Jason Welsch
Moderator, Fearrington Green Scene
