A lack of curbside recycling in Carson Valley could easily sap the enthusiasm of would-be go-greeners, but a Minden couple has changed that.
"This is a good time to start this," said Amber Emery, owner of Carson Valley Recycling. "When we started talking about this a couple of years ago, people said we were ahead of the times. Well, not any more."
It was 2006. Al Gore was promoting his global warming film, "An Inconvenient Truth." Amber Emery, a manicurist, and her husband Wes Emery, a contractor, saw a promising business opportunity in creating a niche service, curbside recycling. They talked to county and town officials, courted Douglas Disposal, and two years later Carson Valley Recycling was born.
"We were ready for a change from our regular jobs," Wes Emerysaid. "We wanted to do something different and positive for the environment."
Last month, the couple rented an office/warehouse near the airport. They also bought a customized dump truck that will be making the rounds.
"A lot of people don't recycle because they don't want to waste gas driving to the transfer station," Wes Emery said. "And those that do recycle won't have to do the driving any more, and they won't have the mess of keeping everything in the garage for a month, or whatever."
The company has worked out an agreement with Douglas Disposal. Twice a week, Carson Valley Recycling will pick up subscribers' recyclable goods on regular trash days.
"We wouldn't be here without Douglas Disposal," Amber said. "In no way are we competing with them, but rather, we are complementing each other."
Those within Douglas Disposal's range but not regular customers can still sign up with Carson Valley Recycling. Those that cannot use the service are residents within the town propers of Gardnerville and Minden. Neither town board has approved the service.
"The people of Minden and Gardnerville can contact their board members if they are interested in the service," said Wes. "We understand that we need to run a clean-as-possible operation. That's one of the reason we chose the blue bag service."
Rather than using bins, the Emerys have opted to use a mix of 13-gallon and 30-gallon recyclable blue bags for pickup. Included with a $10 a month subscription, customers pay 22 or 44 cents per bag, depending on size, and stickers to mark the bags. Customers can leave for pick up either eight 13-gallon bags a month or four 30-gallon bags a month, or a combination, plus one bonus bag. Bags need to be left on the opposite side of the driveway on regular garbage pick-up days by 4 a.m. so as not to interfere with Douglas Disposal services. Bags can be secured with rocks on windy days.
"There's no denying that we abuse or resources," Amber said. "I'm not going to get into an argument about whether global warming exists, but we do now that we are affecting our environment, and we can do a better job of protecting it."
On their Web site, Amber has posted facts about recycling she got from Earth 911.
"The EPA estimates that 75 percent of what American's throw in the trash could actually be recycled," says one entry. "In 2006, about 50 billion plastic bottles were consumed, and only 23 percent were recycled, which leaves 30 billion bottles in landfills. It takes 700 years before plastic bottles in landfills decompose."
Amber and Wes emphasized what kinds of things recyclable materials are transformed into: five plastic bottles can make enough fiber to fill a ski coat; 25 recycled bottles can make a fleece coat; recycled glass can be recreated into sports turf, kitchen tiles and sand for depleted beaches. Recycled cardboard makes new cardboard, and recycled paper makes new paper. Aluminum is 100 percent recyclable; it takes 60 days for a recycled can to make it back onto store shelves.
"America has all this great new technology, but it takes a lot of resources to make it happen," Amber said. "When you throw out recyclable material, you are wasting our natural resources."
Amber and Wes will be setting up a compactor and baling machine inside their warehouse. Once a month they'll make a trip to Reno recycling centers. Some of their operation costs will be covered by money they receive for the material, especially aluminum.
"That's why we are able to keep subscription rates low," Wes said, "Because we get reimbursed for certain materials."
Carson Valley Recycling will pick up aluminum, both transparent and opaque plastics, glass, tin cans, cardboard, paperboard, plastic grocery bags, newspaper, office paper, magazines and catalogs.
"Our first pickup date will be June 2," Wes said. "We already have hundreds of people interested in subscribing."
The Carson Valley Recycling office is located at 2222 Park Place, Suite 1F, off Airport Road in Minden. Regular business hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. The office location is not a drop-off center. For more information call 267-6524 or visit www.carsonvalleyrecycling.com.
