Environmental Center awards $7K in grants for ‘Rethink Waste’ projects

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- Four organizations / businesses have won a grant from The Environmental Center’s Rethink Waste Community Grants Program to support waste reduction efforts in four categories: increased diversion through recycling, expanded reuse, education in single-use waste reduction, and finally increased food waste diversion through composting.

Funded projects include:

• Desert Sky Montessori – $1,000 to build and develop a recycling collection facility for various materials not collected in our curbside carts
• Central Oregon Locavore – $2,000 to help with infrastructure needed to implement a sanitary refillable container share and trade program
• Let’s Act Bend – $2,600 for a pilot project to perform waste audits to opt-in businesses to educate them on how they can reduce their waste including single use disposables and food waste
• OSU-Cascades – $1,400 to help implement an on-site composting program for use in the campus landscaping and gardens

Another round of Rethink Waste community grants applications will open in the fall of 2021 or spring of 2022.

The Rethink Waste Project, a program of The Environmental Center, provides waste prevention and reduction education for Deschutes County residents, businesses, and organizations through a partnership with Deschutes County Department of Solid Waste and local garbage and recycling service providers. They offer free presentations around waste reduction, recycling, food waste prevention, and more.

Learn more at: www.RethinkWasteProject.org