ALACHUA COUNTY, FL - Alachua County Public Works invites the public to a free "Waste to Wealth" workshop, featuring Terry McDonald of St. Vincent de Paul, who will be showcasing a material recycling and reuse business model. Participants will learn how these concepts, turning waste to wealth can be put to use in the community. The workshop will be held on June 13, 2011, from 9 a.m. to noon, at the Santa Fe College Center for Innovation & Economic Development (530 West University Avenue, Gainesville), in the Imagination room (DB-125).
Terry McDonald, executive director of the Lane County St. Vincent de Paul, said, “The waste stream presents enormous opportunity.” McDonald continued, “We as a society cast off so much and mindlessly assume it’s going to find a home. And that’s not true. It just finds a holding tank at a dump. Sooner or later we’re going to have to do something with that stuff. Recycling is a long-term need."
Neil Seldman of the Institute for Self Reliance (ILSR) will be on hand to discuss how Waste to Wealth will be incorporated into the County’s Sustainable Solid Waste System.
Recycling-based economic development has been a 30-year focus of ILSR's work. The Institute provides technical assistance linking reuse and recycling with community development and has documented the job creation and value added benefits of reuse and recycling.
Sally Palmi, Alachua County Interim Assistant Public Works Director, said about bringing these two experts to Alachua County, “This workshop, with expertise from Terry McDonald and Neil Seldman, furthers the mission of resource recovery and job creation in Alachua County for a Sustainable Solid Waste System.”
For more information contact Sally Palmi at 352-548-1282, or Alachua County Sustainability Manager, Sean McLendon at 352-374-5204.