At WCBR, we believe in saving the only planet we have. And we’re stepping up to do it, every day and in many ways.

For instance, you know that we have a lot of renovation and other construction going on around our campus, such as the revamp of Monticello apartments. But did you know that we will recycle most, if not all, of the materials? That includes everything from the kitchen cabinets to used appliances, which will be auctioned to associates.

Sharon Evans, Director of Environmental Services, recently clued us in to a number of ways we’re preventing our castoffs of many sorts from ending up moldering in a landfill.

For instance:

• First, Sharon says, “We have the regular recycling,” which is handled across our campus by Republic, the company with which we contract for this purpose. The items involved include glass bottles, paper, cardboard, plastic, metal, paper containers and cartons. These are placed in the blue containers around campus or a clear trash bag, and don’t have to be separated. (Remember, any recyclable items that held food or beverages should be rinsed before they are placed in the bins or bags.)
• Republic has recently partnered with a new company to close a gap in our recycling regimen. It will now accept the clear food containers from dining. And remember, the take-out cardboard/paper containers in dining were already biodegradable.
• Have you noticed those three nice composite benches around the grounds? We expect a fourth one soon. We get one each time we recycle more than 500 pounds of plastics in a six-month period. It’s all part of the Trex Recycling Program.

The Trex program is another fascinating example of how a nonprofit like WCBR can work with a private company for the benefit of us all. Trex Company, Inc., is a major manufacturer of wood-alternative composite decking, railing, and other outdoor items made from recycled materials. It’s the world’s largest manufacturer of wood-alternative decking and railing, and it’s headquartered only a couple of hours away in Winchester.

Its wood-alternative products are made of 95% recycled materials, and Trex is one of the largest plastic film recyclers in the United States.

The idea of becoming part of the Trex Initiative came in 2019 from the late Mary Jane Wiecking, a resident who had already participated in the program at her home in Cumberland County, Virginia. So, WCBR Environmental Services quickly registered with Trex. You can find the Trex collection bins in convenient locations across campus.

The square cardboard containers can be found in the Pantops lobby, in some Blue Ridge trash/recycle rooms, in the cart room off the main lobby, in the back hallway near Purchasing, and in the back hallway by Facilities. We are encouraged to deposit used plastic film materials in the bins.

The recycled-material benches can be seen outside the north door of the Blue Ridge garage, below the Health Center, and uphill from the Facilities building.

They’re nice to have. But it’s even better to know that as time goes by, we’re doing more and more to send less and less to landfills.