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Show Page 6 THE OGDEN VALLEY NEWS Volume IV, Issue II May 1, 2001 Another Bedtime Story Talking Trash Taking the trash out was always a somewhat of a difficult experience for Michael Weston of Ogden, Utah. Not because he couldn’t find the time or because there was always something more pressing to do, but because all he could think about was just how “wasteful” it really was. The plastic bottles, aluminum cans, cereal boxes and newspaper that caused that garbage bag to bulge seemed to deserve a better fate than that of a landfill. Though not necessarily considering himself a fullblown environmentalist, Weston was concerned about the environment and had heard the disturbing statistics regarding our local landfills and limited resources. After some investigating, Weston found that his only option was to drive all over town to find drop off bins. He found this to be messy and inconvenient. It was then that Weston, who has a knack for business ideas, saw a need in the community. “I knew that recycling was a good thing, but it was just so difficult,” said Weston. “I figured that others might be experiencing the same frustration.” Weston was familiar with other states and even other areas of Utah in which curbside recycling was available. He decided that since it wasn’t offered in Ogden or most of the surrounding areas he, himself would offer it. In February, 2000, MW Curbside Recycling was created and Mike went to work. At the time, Mike was entering his senior year at Weber State University and felt this would be a great time to take the plunge as a business owner. Just like starting any business Mike found it to be challenging. “I was, and still am, a poor college student. I didn’t have a lot of money to invest in a business, but I thought we would see if we could make it work.” Mike sold his car and bought a pickup truck and trailer and then began the search for customers. With a shoestring budget, advertising largely involved handing out informative flyers door-to-door. Slowly customers trickled in. “I actually found that those people most receptive to our service were those who were either from, or had spent time in other states where curbside recycling was mandatory. They have grown accustomed to it and want to keep going. However, as time goes by we have found more and more native Utahns who have caught the vision of recycling.” When it come to recycling, Weston believes education is the key. He feels most people don’t realize their simple efforts do have an impact. Since MW Recycling started, it boasts of recycling nearly 20 tons of newspaper. According to EPA figures, that is the equivalent of preserving 340 trees, 82,000 kWh of energy, 140,000 gallons of water, 1,200 pounds of air emissions and 60 cubic yards of landfill space. MW Curbside Recycling also recycles aluminum, magazines, paperboard, tin and plastics. A year later Weston has yielded somewhere between 150-160 clients for his efforts and after his graduation next month hopes to devote himself full-time to growing the business. In fact, recently Mike has taken his brother, Jared as a partner and both hope to make MW Curbside Recycling a success. “Haven’t yet made a lot of money,” says Mike, “but it feels good to be involved in a good cause.” Recycling Facts: The average American throws away 4 pounds of garbage per day. Through recycling, it is estimated that our national waste stream could be cut by 80%. 75,000 trees are used for the Sunday edition of The New York Times Only 30% of newspaper is recy cled in the U.S. Recycling aluminum uses 95% less energy than producing aluminum products from raw materials. It can take as few as 60 days for an aluminum can to be collected, melted and made into a new can. For more information, contact MW Recycling at 801-627-3056. Happy Mother’s Day By Janet Hoffmann I’m writing this article from the Homestead Resort. My husband and I decided to get away and relax. We were dead tired at nine—now it’s one in the morning and we are both up. Chuck is in a chair reading. I’m sitting on the bed writing this on the stationary the resort provides. The room is too hot, the mattress too hard. The three bears went for a walk but I was too tired to go with them. I just want some sleep! For sleep I love the air cold, the blankets warm and the mattress soft, yet firm. That’s what I’ve always loved about the Valley— the cool summer nights. In South Ogden where I grew up we rarely had a breeze and if there was one, it was usually warm. Now that I’m climatized to the summers in the Valley—I love them. But unfortunately, now there are some warm nights even in the Valley. Is this global warming or hot flashes? My children have been conditioned to the thermostat reading 63 degrees at night. I tell them the coolness makes the air they breathe more stimulating while they sleep. I just know it has to be healthier than breathing in warm, stale air. Our children’s friends freeze when they stay over. We just tell them to dress warm, and then we throw lots of covers over the top of them. Some claim they get sick every time they sleep here. Anyway—you get the picture. We like it cold when we sleep and it’s very warm here tonight at the Homestead. We opened some windows and it is cooling down, but I can’t figure out what to do about the hard bed. Should I call room service and ask for more pillows and then line them up the length of the bed? But room service is probably non-existent after ten. The pillows would probably move anyway. Maybe a pain pill would help? But I don’t believe in chemical warfare. So I guess I’ll just read until I’m too tired to care about the hardness of the bed. It’s good we had a chance to get away so when we return home, we will appreciate the comforts of home. What happened to getting away for rest and relaxation? Well at least we are getting atmosphere, and we are appreciating what we left behind. Am I getting old or what? Murder Mystery Dinner May 3rd Reservations required 508 Ogden Canyon Ogden, Utah 84401 392-6775 PONY DAY CAMPS Presented by Garden of Eden Ranch Beginning Camp June 4 -9, 2001 For ages 6 - 12 years Intermediate Camp - June 25 - 30, 2001 For ages 8 - 12 years Two Experienced Teachers Emphasis on safety, fun and learning Each camp is limited to six children - a deposit is required to reserve a space. Contact: Kristin (801) 745-3757 E-mail: khyeager@att.net UN F GA S E M PO FR NI IE ES ND S |