A Belated THANK YOU for Your Support of the May 17, 2025 "3-in-1" Event at The Gathering Place Parking Lot!

We had 245 vehicles go through the process, some with just one category of participation. Some participated in all three services.  If you do the math, that works out to about one vehicle every 44 seconds.

The Chatham County Sheriff's people collected 24.7 pounds of medications.  That's a LOT of pills that won't get flushed down the drain, or end up in the land fill.   

Also, the Shimar Recycling paper shredding truck processed 4,811 pounds of paper.  That's, obviously, more that two tons of no longer needed paper that won't be sitting around in our homes, and will    -   instead   -   be processed, by a Georgia Pacific corp. facility in Georgia, and converted into toilet paper.   A wonderful, concrete example of one of our Green Scene beliefs: recycle, repurpose, and reuse.

Once again, THANK YOU to everyone who volunteered to work at the event ( Maarten Simon-Thomas, Wendy Snodgrass, Bill Rosenfeld, Marilyn Racine, Randy James, Tom Jackson, Mike Petruska, Bill Terwilliger, Cheri DeRosia, Maggie Tunstall, Jim Kasprazak ), and those many residents who participated by bringing their recycling items to the event.

Jason Welsch, Moderator

Fearrington Green Scene

After Action Report on the October 19, 2024 FHA/Green Scene Annual Spring 3-in-1 Recycling Event

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

After Action Report on the May 18, 2024 FHA/Green Scene Annual Spring 3-in-1 Recycling Event

Thanks to all the volunteers for their generous contribution of time, talent and labor, and to all the residents who participated in the event, the FHA / Green Scene Spring Event on Saturday May 18, 2024 was another resounding success ! The success of such important community events obviously depends upon the efforts of a significant number of people before, during, and afterward.

We had 210 vehicles pass through the process. They brought 4,644 pounds (2.32 tons) of paper to be shredded   -  which is now on the way to a toilet paper factory in Georgia to be "reprocessed" into a useful product.

2.32 tons of recycled paper saves approximately 40 trees, the energy equivalent of 1,383 gallons of gasoline, 7 cubic yards of landfill space, 9,280 kilowatts of energy, and 16,240 gallons of water. This represents a 135% water savings, and 140 pounds less air pollution!  That's because one tree can filter up to 60 pounds of pollutants from the air each year.

The Chatham County Sheriff's Department collected 35.5 pounds of unneeded pharmaceuticals.  That's a lot of pills.  In fact, a 36% increase from the 26.1 pounds collected at our October 2023 Event. And the enthusiastic members of the North Chatham  Volunteer Fire Department distributed a variety of fire prevention tips to help keep our homes safe and secure from the risk of fires.

In addition to expressing my appreciation to all of you on site volunteers, I would also like to acknowledge the financial support of the FHA Board in funding the Shimar Recycling Shredding Truck.  And also for the very helpful blast email event "reminder" that Communications Director, Tony Carroll, sent to the entire community prior to the event.  

Kudos as well to Grounds, Infrastructure, Facilities, etc. Director, Patrick McGahan, for conceptualizing and then CREATING the NEW SHED in The Gathering Place parking lot. The new shed has already demonstrated its value by providing much needed, convenient, storage space to be used for items that support a variety of outdoor Gathering Place activities ( such as signs, road cones, tools, etc. ).  One of the first items to find a new home in "The Shed" is a large, free standing Umbrella   -  useful for protecting volunteer workers from rain and sun in activities such as the FHA / Green Scene,Spring and Fall Events.  We are grateful to Gillian and Gene Rogers for donating that Umbrella to the Fearrington FHA. Despite the dubious weather forecast, we were fortunate not have even one drop of rain during the event.

Planning ahead, consider circling the third Saturday in October (October 19, 2024) on your calendar, when we will have the opportunity to replicate our spring community recycling efforts.

Jason Welsch

Moderator, Fearrington Green Scene

After Action Report FHA / GREEN SCENE SPRING EVENT, Saturday, May 20, 2023

We had 272 vehicles come through  -  a "record turnout" for the approximately ten years that I have been involved with this event. Those residents dropped off:

• 6,060 pounds of paper which was shredded and will later be bundled and sent to be recycled at a Georgia Pacific Company toilet tissue factory in Savannah, Georgia. 
• Recycled paper is proven to save trees and other resources: using less tree fiber, less fresh water, less energy, and producing less waste than traditional virgin fiber paper. One ton of magazine paper made from virgin fiber requires fifteen trees. Those trees can remain in the ground if we widely and effectively increase our use of recycled paper.
• 6,060 pounds of recycled paper can save approximately 51 trees, 1,140 gallons of oil, six cubic yards of landfill space, 12,000 kilowatts of energy, and 21,000 gallons of water. This represents a 192% energy savings, a 174% water savings, and 180 pounds less air pollution!
• 41.5 pounds of medications, which is a lot of chemical stuff that won’t be flushed down the toilet and end up in wastewater discharge, lakes, and rivers where it could be dangerous for fish, birds, and other wildlife.

The North Chatham Volunteer Fire Department provided important fire safety information for residents. For those who brought their rechargeable extinguishers, they checked the pressure gauge on top to assure it was in the green safe zone, and loosened any content that had settled on the bottom by using a hard rubber mallet to pound on the bottom of the extinguisher, and explained how to use the extinguisher to put out a fire.

The department is not equipped to recharge, refill, and tag any extinguishers and explained that as long as the gauge is in the green zone and the content is loosened, no recharging of a private home's extinguisher is required by NC fire code. Annual recharging is required only for buildings where there is group assembly, group educational, group institutional, residential care and long term care facilities, and hotels/motels. 

I suspect that the blast email alert that our FHA Communications Director sent out to the entire community earlier that week played a very positive role in the impressive turnout numbers.

Some might also credit the increased participation to the friendly, welcoming demeanor of the parking lot "Greeters" Jon Darling, Marilyn Racine, Wendy Snodgrass. And we thank Amy Ghiloni, ReMax United Realty, who donated the seed packets that were given out to each attendee.

Obviously, the success of this event depended primarily on the dedicated efforts of the volunteers who put in the HOURS of effort to make it happen. The other volunteers included: Gene Rogers, Maggie Tunstall, Maarten Simon Thomas, Mike Petruska, Cheri Derosia, Phil Ghiloni.  THANK YOU, once again, for your time and talents !  And CONGRATULATIONS on a job well done !

Planning ahead, consider circling the third Saturday in October 2023 (October 21, 2023) on your calendar, which is when we will have the opportunity to replicate or surpass our recent efforts.

Sincerely,

Jason Welsch, Moderator

Fearrington Green Scene

Announcing the 2023 FHA/GREEN SCENE Annual Spring Recycling Event

FOR FEARRINGTON AND GALLOWAY RIDGE RESIDENTS ONLY.

FHA In Partnership with The GREEN SCENE

Saturday, May 20, 2023  Only Between 9:00am and Noon

3 Events — 1 Day: Gathering Place Parking Lot.  

This Event is Sponsored by the FHA and by 

Fearrington Resident & FHA Vice President Amy Ghiloni.

 

1. FREE SHREDDING

Have your confidential documents destroyed on-site, free of charge. Watch as Shimar Recycling Inc. shreds your documents.

Guidelines:

• Bound paper stacks one inch thick or more need to be separated 
• Remove rubber bands and heavy banker's paper clips from papers 
• Paper should not be in binders or heavy plastic.

2. PRESCRIPTION MEDICINE DISPOSAL

The Chatham County Sheriff’s Department will be available to safely dispose of all your old, unused, or expired prescription medications safely and legally.

All you need to do is leave them in the original packaging and hand them to the sheriff deputy on duty at the Gathering Place. No liquid medication or "sharps" (needles) are accepted. Remember: NEVER FLUSH medicines as they cause environmental issues.  

AN ALTERNATIVE TO THROWING AWAY YOUR CURRENT UNUSED, UNWANTED PRESCRIPTION MEDICINES: consider donating them to Chatham Cares Community Pharmacy [CCCP] in Siler City, a non-profit community-based organization operated by a licensed pharmacist and committed to reducing health disparities by providing access to quality pharmacy services to the low-income, uninsured, and underinsured residents of Chatham County. Read all about it here.

3. FIRE EXTINGUISHER CHECK Spring 2023 Information -- Stopping Fires In Your Home With Smoke Alarms And Fire Extinguishers. 

The mission of the North Chatham Volunteer Fire Department is to protect lives, property and the community environment from the destructive effects of fire, disaster or other life hazards by providing public education, incident prevention and emergency response services. The department will have staff and firefighters on hand at the event to check your fire extinguisher and to advise on how to safely use it. 

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REMEMBER that we are no longer able to accept Household Hazardous Waste at our events; however, the County Will Accept Such Waste on This Same Day.

One of Chatham County’s 2023 Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) Events will be held on this same day (May 20, 2023) at the County’s Main Recycling Facility approximately 13 miles from Fearrington Village, at [click the address for a MAP] 28 County Services Road, (which is just 6 miles west of Pittsboro, off Hwy 64), between 9:00 am - 3:00 pm on the following schedule:

After the County's May event, there will be six more REMAINING 2023 COUNTY HOUSEHOLD HAZARDOUS WASTE EVENTS scheduled for the following Saturdays 

(Chatham County Residents Only). No decal is required. Must show ID at HHW events.

• June 17
• July 15*
• August 19
• September 16
• October 21
• November 18*

*The Sheriff’s Office will be on-site during these HHW events to conduct a medicine takeback. Learn more details below.

No business waste and no trash will be accepted.

Note that household fire extinguishers must be recycled at one of these scheduled Hazardous Waste Collection Events and cannot be recycled at the County regional Collection Centers. If it is from a business it will NOT be accepted at HHW events. Contact a private company for disposal options.

At HHW events, the county accepts such items as oil-based paints, solvents, stains, bleach, aerosols, cleaners, pesticides, brake fluid, fluorescent light bulbs, propane tanks, etc. Residents can bring 20 gallons of latex paint cans per HHW event. If you have a 1-gallon paint can that has half a gallon of paint in it, it will count as 1 gallon. Latex paint can be safely dried out and put in with your regular trash.

For a complete list, please visit the www.chathamcountync.gov/hhw or contact the Solid Waste & Recycling Division at 919-542-5516 or recycle@chathamcountync.gov.

For information on what items are accepted by the County's HHW program, be sure to visit their website.

After Action Report for the May 21, 2022 FHA/GREEN SCENE Annual Spring 3-in-1 Community Recycling Event

A belated but very sincere THANK YOU to Gene, Maggie, Amy, Phil, Jon, Maarten, Mark, Marilyn, and Jim for their generous participation and support some weeks ago in the semi- annual Fearrington "3-in-1" FHA/GREEN SCENE COMMUNITY RECYCLING EVENT in The Gathering Place parking lot.  I was disappointed to have had to be in New York on May 21st,  but I was very confident that the team of "regulars" and a few "new faces" would successfully accomplish the goal.  And, from all indications,  my confidence turned out to be very justified.

In all, about 140 vehicles came to the event for one or more of the three services being offered.

The sprinkling of feedback that I have since received, along with the tangible results that I'm about to share, suggest that everyone's efforts where well received and much appreciated by the community.

We collected and shredded 3,540 pounds (1.77 tons) of paper, which was sent to a Georgia Pacific Corp. mill in Savannah, Georgia to be recycled as toilet paper.

According to the EPA, each ton of recycled paper fiber saves:

• 17 trees (thus, for example, we saved 29 trees helping to lower carbon emissions)
• 3.3 cubic yards of landfill space
• 360 gallons of water
• 60 pounds of pollutants
• 10,400 kilowatts of electricity
• The energy equivalent of 165 gallons of gasoline

The Chatham County Sheriff's office folks collected 14.4 pounds of no-longer-needed pharmaceuticals.  That's a lot of pills!  Pills that won't be flushed down the toilet to end up impacting fish and bird life in Jordan Lake, or end up in a landfill.

And, by checking -  and re-charging when necessary  -  dozens of community fire extinguishers, the folks from the United Fire and Safety Equipment Company have helped to make Fearrington a safer place to live.

The cost of some of the three vendors at the event was borne by a combination of a payment from our FHA annual budget, as well as a generous contribution from Amy Ghiloni and her ReMax United Real Estate office.

Once again, my sincere THANKS to each of you for your time and talents on a job well done!   

Jason Welsch
Moderator, Fearrington Green Scene

Announcing the 2022 Annual Spring 3-in-1 FHA & GREEN SCENE Community Recycling Event for Saturday, May 21, 2022

 

FOR FEARRINGTON AND GALLOWAY RIDGE RESIDENTS ONLY.

FHA In Partnership with The GREEN SCENE

Saturday, May 21, 2022  Only Between 9:00am and Noon

3 Events — 1 Day: Gathering Place Parking Lot.  

MASKS REQUIRED DURING THE EVENT!

This Event is Sponsored by the FHA and by 

Fearrington Resident & FHA Vice President Amy Ghiloni.

 

1. FREE SHREDDING

Have your confidential documents destroyed on-site, free of charge. Watch as Shimar Recycling Inc. shreds your documents.

Guidelines:

• Bound paper stacks one inch thick or more need to be separated 
• Remove rubber bands and heavy banker's paper clips from papers 
• Paper should not be in binders or heavy plastic.

2. PRESCRIPTION MEDICINE DISPOSAL

The Chatham County Sheriff’s Department will be available to safely dispose of all your old, unused, or expired prescription medications safely and legally.

All you need to do is leave them in the original packaging and hand them to the sheriff deputy on duty at the Gathering Place. No liquid medication or "sharps" (needles) are accepted. Remember: NEVER FLUSH medicines as they cause environmental issues.  

AN ALTERNATIVE TO THROWING AWAY YOUR CURRENT UNUSED, UNWANTED PRESCRIPTION MEDICINES: consider donating them to Chatham Cares Community Pharmacy [CCCP] in Siler City, a non-profit community-based organization operated by a licensed pharmacist and committed to reducing health disparities by providing access to quality pharmacy services to the low-income, uninsured, and underinsured residents of Chatham County. Read all about it here.

3. FIRE EXTINGUISHER CHECK

Stopping Fires In Your Home With Smoke Alarms And Fire Extinguishers

Spring 2022 Information | Have you tested or used your fire extinguisher in the past year? United Fire and Safety Equipment Company will be at The Gathering Place for the annual recertification of your fire extinguishers at a cost of $9.95 by cash, check, or credit card. They will also sell new smoke alarms and new extinguishers. If your extinguisher can be refilled, the costs will be the same as last year: $20.50 (2.5 lbs), $27.50 (5 lbs), $36.50 (10 lbs), or $47.50 (20 lbs). The cost of a new fire extinguisher is $65.50 for 2.5 lb size. (A new extinguisher is more expensive this year because the steel canister is made in China and the cost of canisters has increased dramatically.)

___________________________________________

REMEMBER that we are no longer able to accept Household Hazardous Waste at our events; however, the County Will Accept Such Waste on This Same Day.

One of Chatham County’s 2022 Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) Events will be held on this same day (May 21, 2022) at the County’s Main Recycling Facility approximately 13 miles from Fearrington Village, at [click the address for a MAP] 28 County Services Road, (which is just 6 miles west of Pittsboro, off Hwy 64), between 9:00 am - 3:00 pm on the following schedule:

After the County's May event, there will be six more REMAINING 2022 COUNTY HOUSEHOLD HAZARDOUS WASTE EVENTS scheduled for Saturdays, June 18th, July 16th, August 20th, September 17th, October 15th, and November 19th.

For information on what items are accepted by the County's HHW program, be sure to visit their website.

After-Action Report on the FHA/GREEN SCENE May 15, 2021 Annual Spring 3-in-1 Community Recycling Event

WEIGHTS & MEASURES

194 vehicles brought 4,560 pounds (2.28 tons) of paper for shredding (which the Shimar Recycling shredding company bailed and shipped to a Georgia Pacific toilet paper manufacturing plant in southern Georgia).

EMBEDDED ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS FROM THIS COLLECTION
Recycling 4,500 pounds of paper had the additional estimated associated (embedded) effects of saving 41 trees, 912 gallons of oil, 7.2 cubic yards of landfill space, 9,600 kilowatts of energy and 27,840 gallons of water, and represents 240 pounds less of air pollution!

ORGANIZING CREDITS:
The FHA and the Fearrington GREEN SCENE partnered again this year to organize and conduct this event. We express special appreciation to:

• Fearrington residents Amy and Phil Ghiloni and her company ReMax/United of Southern Village
  
  
  
• The FHA Board of Directors
• Maggie Tunstall, Chairperson of the event for the FHA
• Jason Welsch, Chairperson of the event for the GREEN SCENE

EVENT PARTICIPATION CREDITS:
Most importantly, the almost 200 residents who brought their recyclables to the event; and the following VOLUNTEERS who worked at the event -- Maggie Tunstall, Amy & Phil Ghiloni, Gene Rogers, Bil Rosenfeld, Stewart Priddy, Pam Bailey, Jon Darling, and Jason Welsch.

PARTICIPATING SERVICE PROVIDERS:
We also appreciate the good work performed by the crew from Shimar Recycling, Inc. of Durham, the Chatham County Sheriff's Department in collecting 36.2 pounds* of no longer wanted or expired medicines for proper disposal (compared to 13.2 pounds last year), and Leon Hooker and his crew from United Fire & Safety Equipment Co. in Goldsboro for inspecting, refilling and servicing expired fire extinguishers, or selling 40 new extinguishers, and answering questions about extinguishers.

Lt. Jessica Norton reported that the total weight of medicines collected by the Sheriff's Department for proper disposal throughout the County at this event was their second highest one-day collection since January first.

This was a great community event for which we all offer thanks to everyone listed above.

The NEXT 3-in-1 Recycling Event will be the Annual Fall event on 

Saturday, October 16, 2021.