Recycling Contest

In March of 2022, we asked our community: How would you like to be the
face of recycling in Moscow?

You may have already seen some of our handsome Inland North Waste trucks making the rounds, but our largest and most recognizable truck, our Cardboard Recycling Truck, was without a design. That was, until we had some passionate community members share with us how they waved back to their community by going above and beyond with regard to recycling.

We had so many thoughtful entrees and were thankful we were able to celebrate
the many ways in which our community members make the world a better, more sustainable place. Find some of our favorite entrees below:

 

OUR RECYCLING CONTEST WINNER: JENNY KOSTROFF

Read her entree by scrolling below!

Sage Francetich, Broker/Owner of Blue Sky Real Estate

The Green Team, Gritman Medical Center

Sandi Klingler, The Girl on the Bike

  • Broker/Owner of Blue Sky Real Estate

    “Hi Inland North Waste,

    My friends, family, and I all make sure to mark our calendars for recycling and garbage pickup days. Beyond the mixed recycling bin pickup days, I have a compost station that I allow others in Moscow to use freely; especially those who can't have compost piles because they're in living situations that don't make it very feasible nor successful in large quantities. I do monthly recyclable bag and glass dropoffs at the recycling center, and I use reusable bags very frequently at grocery stores and when I'm running errands. I only wear reusable masks! My partner and I even have produce bags that we use regularly!”

  • Gritman Medical Center

    The Gritman Medical Center Green Team is committed to reducing, reusing and recycling for the preservation of our planet and greater community.  Our Green Team is made up of Gritman employees and volunteers dedicated to minimizing our environmental impact through up-to-date sustainability practices and encouragement of these practices throughout our organization.  

    Since its inception in 2017, the Gritman Green Team has diverted tons of material from local landfills through our efforts to recycle plastic film, cardboard, electronics, tin and aluminum, paper and plastic. In addition, Gritman works to recycle and reuse hospital blankets, articles of clothing and sends other materials to the Washington State University College of Veterinary Medicine for their use.  

     Green Team efforts diverted 24,000 pounds of recycling from regional landfill sites in their first year. By 2019, far more than 12 tons of waste had been diverted annually because of the Green Team’s dedication. Each Gritman-owned and occupied building has at least one single-stream recycling bin, and other measures are taken throughout the Gritman hospital and clinic system to further expand reuse efforts and save costs for our patients. 

    Our volunteer team’s efforts have been recognized by the City of Moscow with the 2018 Earth Day Nonprofit Organization Award and the 2019 Earth Day Green Neighbors Award. In addition, Gritman hosted the 2019 City of Moscow Arbor Day Celebration as a result of our contributions to sustainability in the community. 

  • The Girl on the Bike

    Thanks for running the recycling contest! I've been a Moscow resident since 1977 and an avid recycler most of my life, or for as long as recycling has been available in town.

    In addition to recycling anything and everything we can, we don't own a dryer and line-dry the laundry. We bike or walk as much as we can, for fun and for the fact that with an e-bike, it's easier to get around Moscow than in a car! We're conscious about packaging and make a habit of buying in bulk and making our meals at home to avoid take-out packaging, especially styrofoam. Basically, we try to do everything we can to lessen our impact on the earth: we entertain ourselves simply, and appreciate this sweet little town. Thank you for all that you do to keep Moscow beautiful!

 
 

Our 2022 Recycling Contest Winner

We are so excited to announce the winner of INW’s Recycling Contest and want to thank everyone for
their wonderful submissions. We are so fortunate for community members like you to help make our world
a better, more sustainable place through recycling.

So, without further ado: the next face of recycling in Moscow is … Jenny Kostroff! Read her submission to learn more about how she has helped our communities' sustainability efforts below:

 
 

Dear Inland North Waste,

I am writing because I love recycling. I always have. I am the person who loves to help people sort their recyclables at the drop center to get them in the correct containers. I dumpster dive at work to pull the recyclables out of the trash and get them in the bins to go down to be recycled. When you first offered toters for recycling for businesses, I was over the moon and signed up right away for my work. So when I saw your contest to get a picture on a truck, I had to write to you.

“When you first offered toters for recycling for businesses, I was over the moon and signed up right away for my work …”

Before I became the Executive Director of Heart of the Arts, Inc. to run the 1912 Center, there was no such thing as recycling at the building. Everything went into the trash from all the events that were held at the building unless someone carted off what they brought themselves. So when I started working for our community at the building I knew it was my job to wave back and help everyone to see that we can do better to get recyclables out of the waste stream. So I personally bought blue bins for every room at the building and I started hauling the recyclables down to the sorting station every week.

I got the kitchen team on board from the Friendly Neighbors, the senior meal program at the center, and soon our dumpster was less full and the paper, cardboard, cans and glass and plastic bottles were getting a second chance at becoming resources for others to use again. It felt great to do this for our community. I continue to educate our community here and help them to sort trash and I put out blue bins, higher than the trash cans, at events. Do people get it right? Not always. But I like to help them to try (even pulling recyclables out of the trash). Because by trying harder, we can collectively make an impact. We still only have one small dumpster at the 1912 Center because I believe that we can work to keep the trash down by recycling our hearts out. I believe in our community!

“…soon our dumpster was less full and the paper, cardboard, cans and glass and plastic bottles were getting a second chance at becoming resources for other to use again. It felt great to do this for our community.”

I really love where we live. And I never knew that I would want to be pictured on a truck. But I do. I want to wave at everyone as they put their bins out around town, to remind them to do better and sort their trash for the greater good of our community. I want to smile at them when they do. I would be proud to win this contest and I promise I would continue to help wave back every day in gratitude for the honor.

 
 

We want to give a special thanks to Jenny for all her efforts in sustainability for our community. Stay tuned for her smiling face on the side of our recycling truck!