The Search Continues

The Search Continues

By: Matthew Wall

A couple of weeks ago in my Public Relations Campaigns class my group, JEWN Communications, were assigned the task of developing and conducting a full scale PR campaign for the city of Norman. Our mission: to raise awareness, participation, and communication to the residents of Norman about the newly voted approval of a curbside recycling program.

Along with raising awareness about the new curbside program our group was also concerned about Norman’s older recycling effort: the drive-by recycling centers. For some time now Norman has operated three of these drive-by recycling centers. But since Labor Day only one center remains. That center is located in the Hollywood Shopping Center on McGee Drive and Lindsey Street. The other two centers were located on the eastside of Norman and middle of historic downtown. The eastside center, which was located in a shopping center parking lot on 12th and Lindsey Street, was closed due to new ownership. The third center was located in a parking lot on 24th and Main Street and is the center that closed after Labor Day weekend.

In the wake of these closings and waiting the start of the curbside program on March 1, 2008, Norman residents are left with the inconvenience of traveling across town to drop off their recyclables. However, Norman officials have been searching diligently for a place to relocate the eastside center. On August 31, The Norman Transcript posted their two cents on where the eastside center should go saying, “We’d suggest the bins be relocated to the southeast corner of Griffin Park at 12th Avenue NE and Robinson Street. Those large parking lots sit idle for most of the week, especially now that baseball and softball seasons are over. Or, the city ought to find money to pay for some space. If the eastside recycling site brought in 617 tons of recycled material and saved that much landfill space, it seems reasonable to us that the city ought to find some of those savings and pay for the sites. When curbside recycling starts next spring, the city is asking citizens to pay to be green. Shouldn't we expect the same level of commitment from the city?”

Norman Director of Utilities Ken Kominske was interviewed by The Oklahoma Daily on September 21, 2007 and assured OU Students and residents of Norman that the city was busy looking for new locations and negotiating with some. In regards to the westside center Kominske said, “One possible [new] location is the Sooner Mall,” he also stated, “They want to promote a ‘go green’ attitude.” However, there was no mention on where the relocation of the eastside center would be.

Global Warming hits home.

With the outbreak of rampant wildfires in southern California and Al Gore being awarded the Nobel Peace Prize it seems as if the dangers of global warming are finally hitting home, too bad it is literally…

A recent study came out that said in the past three years 24% of the North-pole’s ice caps have melted, far faster than was previously believed.

Never in our history has such a large problem been eclipsed by so many smaller issues. And the problem is that it is almost impossible to gain universal momentum on such a ”macro-issue.” You see, for the average person it is difficult to feel the effects of global warming or to even consider them believable, and here in lies our paradox: We won’t understand this crisis until it is too late.

So what can we do…? Act.

The new recycling initiative here in Norman is just that, a chance to act. A small opportunity to get off the couch and make an impact. No matter how small or trivial it might be. Because to save our planet, and it is nothing less, we have to engage every citizen in a small way. Once everyone is doing something we will have the headway for the big pushes and sacrifices. It doesn’t help that the American people haven’t been called to task for really anything in the past 25 years, but I don’t believe we have forgotten what it is to sacrifice for the greater good. The beauty of such a small initiative is that it is exactly what we should be doing to get everyone on same page about something as big as global warming.

So, on March 1st, 2007 when you receive your recycling bins, don’t throw them in the corner only to be forgotten, look at them and spend some time thinking about the big difference such a small action can make.

P.S. A note on the dangers of traditional waste management.

Norman's Going Green Event

JEWN Communications is our PR Campaigns group which is currently representing the city of Norman's curbside recycling initiative. On November 11, JEWN Communications will have a booth set up at the Norman library as a part of the Native American Heritage festival.

The festival will last from 1-6 p.m. Featured speakers of the event include NASA astronaut, John B. Herrington, and teen novel author, Cynthia Leitich Smith. Performances will be showcased by the Oklahoma Fancy Dancers and storytelling will be told by Kricket Roads Connywerdy. The event will also have a taco sale, an outdoor tipi and various activities for children.

Our booth will have information about Norman's new curbside recycling plan, activities for children to enjoy, and many other surprises! We hope that you will be able to join us as we promote "Norman's Going Green"!

For directions to this event, please click here.

Norman Curbside Recycling

Curbside Recycling Fact Sheet
• Norman curbside recycling will begin March 1, 2008
• Waste Management/Recycle America is the recycling company that has been chosen by the city of Norman
• Articles that can be recycled using curbside recycling include:
o Newspapers
o Magazines
o Aluminum steel and tin cans
o No. 1 and 2 plastics
o Glass
• Recyclable products will be picked up at the homeowner’s curbside in an 18 gallon, uncovered bin
• The recycling bin will be issued to the homeowner by Recycle America
• The program will cost Norman homeowners an extra $3 per month
o This charge will be added to the homeowner’s monthly water bill
•Curbside recycling is not offered to apartment dwellers or rural communities.