Participation Opportunities
In 2018, Bainbridge Island Zero Waste volunteers received the Nonprofit of the Year award from the Washington State Recycling Association. Our work depends on your help. Please read on to find out how you can become involved in our efforts. If you have questions and/or are interested in anything you see below or something not listed that you might want to initiate, contact Zero Waste director Diane Landry.
Zero Waste Meetings – We have had virtual meetings on an irregular basis during the pandemic. Check the ZW front page under events to find out when the next meeting is. If you deal with waste reduction in a unique way and would like to be considered as a speaker at one of our meetings, or if you have a speaker or topic you would like to suggest for a meeting, please contact Diane Landry.
Farmers Market Green Team (GT) – We have not yet resumed waste management service for the 2022 Bainbridge Island Farmers Market season. When we do, we aim for at least five members on the team, who rotate Saturdays. At the market, there are two discard stations, each with a recycling, compost and landfill container. A green team member arrives around 11:30am to begin sorting compost, recycling and landfill and remains on site till about 15 minutes after the market close. If you would like to join the crew, please email us.
Farmers’ Market Booth – Every second Saturday, April-October, 10am-2pm, Zero Waste sets up a booth. We focus on a different theme each month (e.g, clothing, kitchen/bath reuse, plastic). If you would like to engage people in conversation related to the theme, learn more yourself, or just talk about zero waste and have an hour or two to hang out at the booth, please email us.
Discard Station Ambassador – Help festival guests decide in which container (recycling, compost or landfill) to toss their discards.
On July 4th, we set up and manage 11 discard stations (recycling – compost – landfill) throughout the downtown area and continuously staff them from 7am-5pm. Volunteers select a station for a two-hour shift and stay there to make sure people throw their discards in the right spot. We need close to 50 volunteers. Please email us to help.
Styrofoam Recycling Collection – For years we have held two collections a year. Currently our host site, backhauler and processor are unavailable and the collections have been temporarily suspended.
Rotary Recycling Green Team (GT) – This is not under the Zero Waste purview, but many of the Rotary GT recycling volunteers are also Zero Waste volunteers. Held sometime between the end of June and the first two weeks of July, this event includes a six-day donation intake period, a prep day, Preview Night, and Sale Day. You choose your hours (8am-8pm) to push a shopping cart through the halls and around the grounds of Woodward Middle School checking on discard stations and finding treasures for the Lawn of Opportunity. Try it for a couple hours and you’ll be hooked! Email us to help.