Coordinator Update:  Fall 2003

by Diana Rivera

To sit near a sunlit window with a book, or even a newspaper, is a simple pleasure that I take great enjoyment in. There is something about holding a fresh collection of words and turning those crisp, recycled-content pages that is so pleasing; so immediately vital and yet so timeless. However, as much as I love to read the old fashioned way, I must face the fact that a good deal of my future reading will be online, over the Web. And although I will not soon warm to the idea of reading for pleasure on a computer monitor, I’m resigned to work on it.

A recent article in the weekly publication Parade (August 31, 2003), about materials exchange programs throughout the country resulted in a very nice increase in CalMAX exposure. We have had hundreds of calls from people from all over California, and beyond, with questions and interest in various aspects of materials exchange, reuse, and recycling. The Parade article contained a reference to Web sites of the several organizations discussed. Although CalMAX was not specifically mentioned, a large increase in traffic to our Web page occurred. So it seems that information dissemination via the Web can be a most productive way to reach the largest number of people and businesses.

Our regular readers know we have been working on a project that, through the use of customized virtual exchanges, will assist local jurisdictions that are less able to manage materials exchange data. I’m happy to report that with the assistance of our Information Management Branch here at the Integrated Waste Management Board, we have launched eight new Web portals for the following counties:

Amador, Calaveras, and Tuolumne counties
Fresno County
Nevada County
Sacramento County
San Bernardino County
San Diego County
Santa Clara and San Mateo counties
Shasta County

This Web portal project is a cooperative arrangement wherein CalMAX hosts listings and provides data administration for interested California communities, freeing locals to focus on outreach to targeted sectors within their jurisdictions, all with an eye toward the diversion of materials from landfills. We are also helping in outreach and marketing efforts by providing the counties with posters, flyers, and promotional materials.

The portal effort began with Nevada County’s NevCoMAX. Now, with the additional portals, we hope to increase reuse-related Web traffic to help local communities connect with businesses and community organizations. NevCoMAX has been conducting outreach to local business with great looking flyers and stories in local newspapers with distribution throughout the Nevada County and Sierra foothill areas.

The Recycling and Waste Reduction Commission of Santa Clara County and RecycleWorks, a program of San Mateo County, are conducting outreach in their respective counties; to promote reuse, recycling and the use of online resources for business. Also, the Resource Area For Teachers (RAFT) located in San Jose, has been promoting reuse and recycling to school districts in the area. RAFT has received financial help in its efforts from a CIWMB Reuse Assistance Grant awarded in February 2002.

In San Bernardino County, staff has been busy working on finding markets for the large amount of wood available from trees that have been killed by years of drought and bark beetles. The county placed two ads in SBCoMAX for available raw wood, logs, and wood chips.

In this Issue
We have a CalMAX guest article from Mary Simon, Director of RAFT in San Jose. As I understand it, teachers in the San Jose area really love their RAFT; they refer to it as “teacher heaven”. In 2002 RAFT provided more than 200,000 cubic feet of materials to its members.

CalMAX staffer Maggie Coulter visited the Occidental Arts and Ecology Center in Sonoma County, and her article covers many of their sustainability practices.

In the Creative Reuse feature, Sarah Weimer contributes a percussive dispatch about a drumming team from Pasadena that uses reused material for musical instruments.

In the Electronics Update article, Terri Cronin discusses the recently updated Electronic Product Directory, which now has more than 300 listings. Californians can now find a convenient location to unload unwanted or obsolete electronic devices.

Finally, the insert section of the catalog has an update of the Recycling Market Development Zone program.

And after publishing this catalog, I’ll be curling up with a good book, enjoying the changing seasons, and not thinking about the incessant march of technology that threatens my simple pleasures.

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Last updated: December 30, 2008