Green is a common color in The Woodlands, and it is also a way of life that is growing as a result of education and awareness efforts.
Villages in The Woodlands boast a high rate of curbside recycling participation, but that is only part of a bigger picture, said Lynne Aldrich, manager of environmental services for The Woodlands Township.
The Environmental Services office initially focused its efforts on recycling but expanded to cover areas such as litter abatement, composting and soil conservation, and mosquito control and education.
"It all ties together," Aldrich said. "It turns out that there's a lot involved in source reduction."
Composting reduces the amount of solid waste produced by a household by transforming organic matter into a fertilizer and soil conditioner.
"Then you use the compost on the landscape, which helps the soil hold water, as opposed to having runoff," she said, adding that excess runoff also impacts mosquito control.
Houston-based recycling contractor Waste Management reports The Woodlands has a set-out rate of between 70 and 80 percent of recyclables. This is a measure of how many of the carts are brought to curbs on any given day.
"The participation rate is actually higher than that," Aldrich said.
A regular survey conducted by the township suggests a participation rate of more than 90 percent.
"We try to do targeted education based on audits and feedback we get from Waste Management," she said. "One of the biggest problems is people putting plastic bags in the recycling carts. Those absolutely should not go into the curbside [recycling] program because they get tangled up in the [sorting] machines."
Another recycling program issue is food contamination.
"Pizza boxes have grease on them, and even though—yes—corrugated cardboard can be recycled, food-contaminated cardboard cannot," she said.
While some cities are working toward a zero-waste goal, the plan in The Woodlands, for now, is education and awareness and how to think of using resources differently.
"More and more, you see people who don't want landfills in their backyard, so what are we going to do?" Aldrich said. "You may have people who say, 'Well, it's Texas—we have lots of space.' But nobody wants to be next to that."
Throughout the year, Environmental Services holds classes, seminars and outreach events for residents.
"Education on recycling is part of what we do, but I think we have a receptive audience," Aldrich said. "People move here who care about the natural environment. That's one of the reasons you come to The Woodlands."
Upcoming Environmental Services events
Landscaping solutions
Sept. 279 a.m.–noon8203 Millennium Forest Drive
Composting classes
Oct. 4, Nov. 1, Dec. 610–11 a.m. 8203 Millennium Forest Drive
3R Bazaar
Nov. 159 a.m.–1 p.m. Saturday 8203 Millennium Forest Drive
What's allowed in curbside bins?
Paper such as newspapers, mail, magazines, office papersFlattened boxes 24 inches or smaller, up to three larger boxes allowed per binRinsed green, brown or clear glass bottlesAluminum containers/cans, crushed if possiblePlastics No. 1 through No. 7. Check the container for a recycling arrow and for the plastic number. Rinse and put caps on.Cartons from juice boxes, milk, soup, broth or wine, once-refrigerated cartons such as milk or egg substitutes
Not allowed in curbside bins:
- Food contaminated items
- Wax or plastic-coated cardboard or boxes
- Pie pans, aerosol cans or scrap metal
5310 Research Forest DriveThe Woodlands 281-210-3900
Hours: Wed. 4–7 p.m.Sat. 9 a.m.–2 p.m.
Accepted: Mixed paper, newspapers, magazines, cardboard, aluminum, tin cans, plastics Nos. 1-5 and No. 7, yard waste, glass bottles, jars and food containers, sorted by color.
1122 Pruitt RoadSpring 281-367-7283
Hours: Mon.–Sat. 8:30–11:30 a.m.; 12:30–4:30 p.m., closed Sundays.
Household chemical waste facility is open every Wednesday and third Saturday of the month.
Accepted: Plastic containers, yard debris, aluminum cans, cardboard, glass, metals, paper, batteries, automotive products, electronics. Fees apply for tires, gasoline, electronics, paint and home improvement debris.
