[CALL TO ORDER]
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Y'ALL, PLEASE STAND AND JOIN ME IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE, PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE, ALL TO OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ALL NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVIDUAL WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
[2. FOIA – PUBLIC NOTIFICATION OF THIS MEETING HAS BEEN PUBLISHED, POSTED, AND DISTRIBUTED IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE SOUTH CAROLINA FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT.]
WE HAVE MINUTES FROM AUGUST 30TH.[3. APPROVAL OF MINUTES – AUGUST 30, 2024]
ANY COMMENTS, QUESTIONS, CORRECTIONS, HEARING, HEARING NONE WITHOUT OBJECTION.LET'S JUST JUMP INTO NEW BUSINESS.
[5. UPDATE ON JASPER COUNTY PROPOSED ZONING ORDINANCE CHANGES – GRANT MCCLURE, PROJECT MANAGER, SOUTH COAST OFFICE, CCL]
ONE OF THE THINGS WE WANTED TO DO IS KIND OF FOLLOW ON AS A FOLLOW UP OF, UH, ON THE JASPER COUNTY PROPOSED ZONING ORDINANCE.AND HERE THIS MORNING WITH US IS GRANT MCCLURE.
KNOW GRANT NEEDS TO BE HERE A COUPLE TIMES.
WELL, UM, YEAH, THANK Y'ALL VERY MUCH FOR HAVING ME BACK.
UM, I THINK ABOUT TWO MONTHS AGO I HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF SPEAKING TO THIS GROUP, SO, UM, APPRECIATE, UH, THAT WAS ABOUT PLASTIC BAGS.
BUT TODAY WE'RE GONNA BE TALKING ABOUT OUR WORK IN JASPER COUNTY, UH, WHERE I'VE BEEN SPENDING QUITE A BIT OF TIME, UM, OVER, REALLY OVER THE PAST TWO YEARS, UH, SINCE I STARTED WORKING AT THE COASTAL CONSERVATION LEAGUE.
UM, SO YEAH, LET'S, LET'S GO AHEAD AND GET STARTED.
UM, SO A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND ON, UM, WHAT'S BEEN GOING ON IN JASPER COUNTY, UM, FOR REALLY THE PAST FOUR OR FIVE YEARS.
UM, BACK IN 2019, THERE WAS ABOUT A 5,000 ACRE PROPERTY ALONG THE BROAD RIVER KNOWN AS CHELSEA, UH, WHICH, WHICH SOLD, UM, THERE WAS A FAMILY THAT HAD HAD IT FOR MANY, MANY YEARS.
UM, IT DOES NOT HAVE ANY CONSERVATION EASEMENTS ON IT.
UM, AND SINCE THEN IT HAS BEEN, UH, SHOPPED AROUND TO DEVELOPERS AND SUBDIVIDED.
UM, AND SO THERE'S REALLY TWO, UH, PROJECTS THAT ARE PENDING RIGHT NOW.
ONE OF THEM IS, IS CALLED CHELSEA, UM, SOUTH, AND THAT INCLUDES, UM, OTHER PIECES OF CHELSEA.
IT'S ABOUT A 2000 ACRE PROPERTY, AND THERE'S ANOTHER ONE CALLED TITON HALL, UM, THAT'S ABOUT 1500 ACRES.
SO ONE OF THOSE PROJECTS IS, UH, 60 WEST, WHICH IS, UM, UH, DEVELOPED AROUND IN MISSOURI.
AND THE OTHER PRO UH, PROPERTY IS, IS NOW OWNED BY ROBERT GRAVES, UM, WHO YOU MAY BE FAMILIAR WITH.
UM, HE DID THE PEPPER HALL DEVELOPMENT IS FROM HILTON HEAD, HAS BEEN AROUND FOR A LONG TIME.
UM, AND SO COMBINED, UH, THOSE TWO PROJECTS, UH, IF THEY ARE SUCCESSFUL IN, UH, IN BEING REALLY ANNEXED INTO THE TOWN OF RIDGELAND, THEY, THEY COULD BRING UP TO 5,000, UH, NEW RESIDENTIAL UNITS ALONG THE, THE BROAD RIVER AND WHAT WE CONSIDER A VERY HIGH PRIORITY CONSERVATION AREA.
AND I'LL, I'LL SHOW YOU ALL SOME MAPS IN JUST A LITTLE BIT TO, TO KIND OF, UM, VISUALLY EXPLAIN WHERE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT AND, AND WHY IT IS SUCH A PRIORITY FOR THE CONSERVATION COMMUNITY.
UM, AND SO, SO IN REACTION TO ALL OF THIS POTENTIAL GROWTH, UH, JASPER COUNTY PUT A MORATORIUM ON LARGE RESIDENTIAL SUBDIVISIONS, UM, IN PLACE.
AND THAT MORATORIUM LASTED FOR A LITTLE OVER A YEAR, UH, JUST EXPIRED IN JULY, 2024.
AND THAT WHAT THAT MORATORIUM DID WAS IT ALLOWED THE COUNTY TIME TO ADOPT STRONGER RURAL ZONING STANDARDS.
UM, AND SO THE GOAL WAS TO, UH, MAKE IT MORE DIFFICULT FOR, UH, NATIONAL HOME BUILDERS TO COME IN AND, AND, UH, SUBDIVIDE THE, THE LANDSCAPE.
UM, AND SO WHAT THEY PROPOSED IS ONE UNIT, UH, PER 10 ACRES, UH, WHICH IS A BIG INCREASE RIGHT NOW, UH, BECAUSE THEY'RE FROM RIGHT NOW, BECAUSE THEIR CURRENT ZONING IS, IS ONE TO ONE IN THEIR RURAL AREAS, RURAL PRESERVATION, YOU CAN HAVE ONE UNIT PER ACRE, UM, WHICH I I THINK A LOT OF FOLKS WOULD CONSIDER FAIRLY, FAIRLY SUBURBAN IN CHARACTER.
UM, SO THE GOAL IS TO, TO ADOPT SOME MORE ROBUST ZONING STANDARDS.
THE MORATORIUM ALLOWED TIME TO DEVELOP THOSE.
UM, AND THEY WERE RECENTLY GIVEN FIRST READING, UH, BACK IN JULY.
UM, AS PART OF THOSE, UM, ZONING CHANGES, THEY'RE ALSO CONSIDERING ADOPTING THE SO LOCO STORMWATER MANUAL, WHICH IS OUR REGIONAL STORMWATER MANUAL THAT I BELIEVE BEFOR COUNTY, UM, AS WELL AS PORT ROYAL AND BEFOR HAVE ADOPTED.
UM, AND THEY'RE ALSO CONSIDERING, UH, SOME, SOME MORE ROBUST BUFFER STANDARDS THERE ALONG THE BROAD RIVER.
UH, SO WE CAN MOVE RIGHT ALONG.
UM, I THINK I COVERED A LOT OF THIS INFORMATION.
UM, BUT, UH, JUST, JUST, UM, ONE ADDITIONAL THING THAT I DID WANNA MENTION IS THAT, UM, UH, SORT OF, UH, PRIOR TO THE MORATORIUM GOING IN PLACE, UH, A BROAD RIVER TASK FORCE WAS FORMED, UH, A LAND OWNERS THAT OWNED PROPERTY IN JASPER COUNTY ALONG THE BROAD RIVER.
UM, THIS WAS MODELED AFTER, UH, PERHAPS Y'ALL HAVE HEARD OF THE ACE BASIN TASK FORCE, UH, WHICH IS A, A PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP, UM, AND,
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UH, YOU KNOW, HAS BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN PROTECTING SOMETHING LIKE 250,000 ACRES IN THE ACE BASIN.UM, SO THAT, THAT GROUP MET, UM, AND, UH, THEY CAME UP WITH THE CONCEPT FOR THE MORATORIUM AND HELPED TO DEFINE THE, THE, UH, THE AREA THAT WAS GONNA BE PLACED UNDER THAT MORATORIUM.
UM, AND SO THEY CALLED IT THE YHA DISTRICT.
UM, AND SO I'LL, I'LL SHOW Y'ALL SOME MAPS, UH, HERE ON THE, THE NEXT SLIDE.
SO THIS IS JUST TO ORIENT Y'ALL A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT WHERE SPECIFICALLY WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
OF COURSE, HERE YOU HAVE THE BROAD RIVER, WHICH IS PART OF THE PORT ROYAL SOUND WATERSHED.
UM, YOU'VE GOT SC HIGHWAY ONE 70 RIGHT HERE, SO IF YOU'RE ON THE WAY TO BLUFFTON, UH, PERHAPS YOU'VE, UH, LOOKED OUT ACROSS THIS VAST GREEN SWATH.
UM, BUT YOU CAN SEE, UM, THIS IS CHELSEA HERE IN THE YELLOW, THE AREA THAT WE'RE CALLING CHELSEA.
THIS PIECE WAS ACTUALLY WHAT GAVE IT, IT, UH, CONNECTIVITY TO THE TOWN OF RIDGELAND.
THIS IS AN OLD PUD CALLED GENESIS, AND RIDGELAND ITSELF IS, IS PRETTY FAR NORTH.
UM, SO IT'S A, IT'S A PRETTY FAR, UH, YOU KNOW, LIN'S BOUNDARIES WOULD ESSENTIALLY, IF THIS IS ANNEX, BE STRETCHED ALL THE WAY DOWN TO HIGHWAY ONE 70.
THIS IS THE B-J-W-S-A WATER, UH, PLANT RIGHT HERE AT SNAKE ROAD.
UM, ALSO IMPORTANT, OR, OR MAYBE OF INTEREST TO Y'ALL IS THAT THE, THE B-J-W-S-A WATER CANAL DOES, DOES RUN ALONG, UH, THIS SECTION.
UH, SO YEAH, HOPEFULLY THAT GIVES YOU A CONCEPT OF, OF WHERE CHELSEA IS AT.
AND SO WHY IS THIS AREA A PRIORITY FOR THE CONSERVATION COMMUNITY? UH, THIS IS A MAP FROM THE SOUTH CAROLINA STATE CONSERVATION BANK.
UM, THEY, UH, HAVE A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT SUB MAPS THAT THEY USE TO DEFINE, UM, TO DEFINE WHAT MAKES A LANDSCAPE IMPORTANT FOR CONSERVATION.
UM, AND SO THIS IS THE, UH, THE SECOND LAYER THAT THEY HAVE, WHICH IS FOR ECOLOGICAL PRIORITIES.
UM, ALL OF THIS WOULD, WOULD BE KIND OF THAT CHELSEA AREA ALONG THE BROAD RIVER.
AND YOU CAN SEE THAT IT, IT'S, IT'S BRIGHT RED.
IT'S A HOT SPOT FOR ECOLOGY, UH, FOR WILDLIFE CORRIDORS.
AND WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WILDLIFE HAVE SPACE TO MOVE ACROSS OUR LANDSCAPE.
AND SO ENSURING THAT THOSE LARGE TRACKS ARE KEPT INTACT IS, IS ONE WAY TO GO ABOUT THAT.
UM, THE GREEN SPOTS ARE PROPERTIES THAT ARE ALREADY PROTECTED, UM, WITH CONSERVATION EASEMENTS.
THIS IS A PROPERTY KNOWN AS GLOVER, AND THAT EASEMENT IS HELD BY DUCKS UNLIMITED.
AND THIS IS PART OF, I BELIEVE THIS IS PART OF GOOD HOPE, UM, WHICH GOOD HOPE DOES HAVE A PUD ON IT, BUT A PART OF IT IS ALSO PROTECTED WITH AN EASEMENT.
OH, THE OTHER GREEN, ALL UNDER EASEMENT ARE PROTECTED.
IS THAT CORRECT? THAT'S, THAT'S, THAT'S RIGHT.
SO THIS IS ALL ALONG THIS SAVANNAH RIVER, UM, CORRIDOR THERE, WHAT'S YELLOW? I THINK YELLOW IS MODERATE, MODERATE PRIORITY.
UM, SO NOT, UH, STILL IMPORTANT, BUT NOT AS HIGH PRIORITY AS AS RED.
AND WHERE'S GREGORY NICK? OKAY.
UM, I'LL SHOW YOU THAT ON THE NEXT MAP.
UM, WELL, NOT THIS ONE, BUT, UH, THIS IS THE LOW COUNTRY SENTINEL LANDSCAPE MAP.
UM, Y'ALL, I, I THINK WE LOOKED AT THIS MAP A COUPLE WEEKS AGO.
UM, BUT JUST FOR PERSPECTIVE, UM, THIS IS, UH, THE SENTINEL LANDSCAPE, LIKE THE, THE KIND OF PRIORITY.
AND THEN OF COURSE THERE'S A LARGER AREA AROUND THAT.
UM, BUT, YOU KNOW, ALL OF THIS WOULD FALL WITHIN THE SENTINEL LANDSCAPE.
UM, AND THEN WE CAN GO ONTO THE NEXT MAP.
SO, SO THIS ORANGE PIECE RIGHT HERE IS GREGORY NECK, UH, 4,400 ACRES PERMANENTLY PROTECTED AT THE HEADWATERS OF THE PORT ROYAL SOUND.
OF COURSE, Y'ALL ARE FAMILIAR WITH THAT.
UM, WITH THE GREEN SPACE, UH, PROGRAM HAVING CONTRIBUTED A MILLION TOWARDS ITS PROTECTION.
UM, AND, UH, YEAH, SO WE WANT TO ENSURE THAT WE'RE BUILDING ON THOSE, THOSE PAST SUCCESSES AND CREATING CONNECTIVITY ACROSS THE LANDSCAPE.
UM, AND THEN CHELSEA WOULD BE DOWN HERE.
UM, THIS WAS THE MAP THAT THE BROAD RIVER, UM, THE, UH, BROAD RIVER TASK FORCE CAME UP WITH AND KIND OF DEFINING WHERE THE MORATORIUM WOULD BE, AND IT DID CHANGE SLIGHTLY.
UM, SO I'LL SHOW Y'ALL WHAT THEY ACTUALLY ENDED UP ADOPTING ON THE NEXT SLIDE HERE.
SO THIS IS A, UH, THEY CAME UP WITH THE HAW CULTURAL HERITAGE DISTRICT.
IT REALLY FOLLOWS ALONG HIGHWAY 4 62 AND HIGHWAY ONE 70, UH, REALLY FROM ACHIE, UM, DOWN TO O PT AREA, AND ACROSS TO, UH, THE CITY OF HARVILLE'S MUNICIPAL BOUNDARIES.
UM, SO THIS IS HARDY, ALL OF THIS BLUE.
UM, THE YELLOW IS THE TOWN OF RIDGELAND.
AND THEN THE GREEN IS THAT, THAT YHA DISTRICT, UM, WHICH IS THE, THE AREA THAT THEY ULTIMATELY DECIDED TO PLACE SOME MORATORIUM ON AND ARE NOW CONSIDERING ADOPTING THE MORE ROBUST, UM, STANDARDS.
UM, SO, YOU KNOW, THIS, THIS AREA IS REALLY COMPROMISED OF LARGE FAMILY PROPERTIES, FARMS, AND FORESTS, UM, AND, UH, ALSO SOME REALLY INTERESTING CULTURAL RESOURCES.
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OF THOMAS HAYWARD IS OVER THERE.UM, THERE ARE, UH, FAMILY CEMETERIES, UM, AND, AND, UH, UH, HONEY HILL BATTLEFIELD, WHICH IS ACTUALLY A REVOLUTIONARY WAR, UH, BATTLEFIELD IS WITHIN THIS DISTRICT.
UM, SO, SO LOTS OF ECOLOGICAL AS WELL AS CULTURAL RESOURCES FALL WITHIN NEW HA DISTRICT.
AND SO IN, IN REACTION, UM, TO, UH, THIS, UM, DEVELOPMENT THREAT AT CHELSEA, UM, THERE WAS REALLY AN OUTPOURING AND OPPOSITION, UM, TO THE ANNEXATION FROM THE COMMUNITY.
SO JUST WANTED TO INCLUDE THESE SLIDES TO GIVE YOU A PICTURE OF, UM, OF WHAT THE COMMUNITY, HOW THE, HOW STRONGLY THE COMMUNITY FEELS ABOUT PROTECTING, UM, THESE SENSITIVE LANDS ALONG THE BROAD RIVER.
UM, SO WE HAD BILLBOARDS GOING UP ALONG 4 62 FOLKS, UH, PACKING, PACKING MEETINGS AND, AND BLUE SHIRTS.
UM, AND, UH, WE WERE SUCCESSFUL IN AT LEAST STALLING, UH, THE, THE TON HALL AND CHELSEA ANNEXATIONS.
UM, BUT THEY ARE STILL, THEY AREN'T DEFEATED.
UM, THEY'RE KIND OF BOTH IN LIMBO.
UM, SO, UH, WE, WE SHALL SEE, UH, TOM WILL TELL, BUT, UH, WE'RE SUCCESSFUL IN AT LEAST DELAYING THOSE ANNEXATIONS BACK IN MARCH.
SO I WANTED TO INCLUDE THIS SLIDE TO GIVE Y'ALL A SENSE OF WHAT THIS AREA LOOKS LIKE.
UM, THIS IS, UH, PHOTOS TAKEN, UH, OF JASPER COUNTY, NATIVES AT BOWEN HALL BOAT RAMP, UM, CRABBING, UM, YOU KNOW, THIS IS BOLAND HALL HERE.
UH, IF YOU'VE HAD A CHANCE TO GO ON A CRUISE FROM PORT ROYAL SOUND FOUNDATION, THEY OFTEN WIND UP THE CREEK, UM, ALONG THE JASPER COUNTY SIDE FROM THEIR DOCK.
UM, SO YOU MAY HAVE SEEN SOME OF THESE LANDSCAPES BEFORE.
UM, THIS IS THE BROAD RIVER BRIDGE, UM, ALONG HERE.
UM, AND THEN OF COURSE, JASPER COUNTY WOULD BE ON THIS, THIS BANK.
UM, SO YEAH, IT'S, YOU KNOW, IT'S A BEAUTIFUL AREA, UM, WITH LOTS OF HISTORY AND, AND CULTURE AND, UM, YOU KNOW, WE'RE, WE'RE FIGHTING TO TRY TO KEEP, UH, PRESERVE SOME OF THAT, THAT CULTURE IN ECOLOGY.
SO GETTING A LITTLE BIT MORE, UM, GRANULAR HERE.
I WANT TO TALK ABOUT, UH, SPECIFICALLY WHAT SOME OF THE ZONING CHANGES LOOK LIKE.
I MENTIONED EARLIER, UH, THE RP 10.
AND, UH, REALLY THE GOAL IS TO SUPPORT RURAL LAND USES, UM, BY ALLOWING FOR LARGE LOTS AND TRYING TO LIMIT THE NUMBER OF SUBDIVISIONS ON, ON THESE LARGER TRACKS.
UM, IT PERMITS A DENSITY OF ONE UNIT PER 10 ACRES.
UM, THIS, THIS WAS DONE IN PARTS OF CHARLESTON COUNTY, I BELIEVE, ON JOHNS ISLAND.
UM, THEY HAVE RP 10, OR THEY CALL IT AG 10 OVER THERE FOR AGRICULTURAL 10.
UM, THEY ALSO, EVEN I THINK ON GUATEMALA ISLAND, IT GOES UP TO AG 20.
UM, SO IT'S, UH, FAIRLY, IT'S NOT UNPRECEDENTED, UNPRECEDENTED FOR RURAL ZONING TO BE, UM, SCALED UP TO THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, ONE TO 10 OR ONE TO 20, UM, PER ACRE DENSITY.
UM, ADDITIONALLY, UM, YOU KNOW, IT, IT DOES LIMIT THINGS LIKE HEAVY INDUSTRIAL USES, UM, AND, AND LARGE HOUSING DEVELOPMENTS.
AND, UM, AND, AND ALSO RESORT STYLE DEVELOPMENTS WITH, WITH LOTS OF, YOU KNOW, PROLIFERATION OF DOCKS AND DECREES.
UM, ANY PROPERTY THAT IS LESS THAN 10 ACRES IS GONNA BE EXEMPT FROM THE RP 10 ZONING.
UM, SO THEY WILL STAY AT ONE UNIT PER ONE ACRE.
IF YOU'RE A PROPERTY OWNER THAT OWNS LESS THAN 10 ACRES, UM, ADDITIONALLY ABOUT, SO, SO THAT MEANS ABOUT 4,000 PROPERTIES WITHIN THE U-HAUL DISTRICT WILL ALL AUTOMATICALLY BE EXEMPT FROM THESE, THIS REZONING THAT'S PENDING.
UM, ADDITIONALLY, UH, YOU KNOW, IT, IT REALLY DOES GET AT, UH, TARGETING THOSE, THOSE LARGER TRACKS, AND THAT'S, THAT'S THE INTENT IS TO KEEP THEM THAT WAY, KEEP THEM, UM, INTACT.
UM, ALSO MUCH LIKE BEAUFORT COUNTY AND SOME OF THE OTHER JURISDICTIONS, THERE IS AN EXEMPTION FOR FAMILY ESTATES.
UM, AND I BELIEVE THE COUNTY IS WORKING THROUGH HOW THEY WANT TO APPLY THAT, UM, WITHIN THE YHA DISTRICT.
UM, WE ARE SUPPORTIVE OF THAT EFFORT AND WOULD LIKE TO SEE AN EXEMPTION FOR FAMILY COMPOUNDS, UM, FOR, FOR HEIRS PROPERTY.
AND, UM, AND FOR, UH, FOLKS THAT HAVE BEEN ON THE, THE LAND, I THINK IN THEIR ZONING ORDINANCE, IT'S 30 YEARS OF CONTINUOUS OWNERSHIP, UM, AS THE THRESHOLD TO APPLY FOR A FAMILY ESTATE.
AND SO IN ADDITION TO THE RP 10, UM, THERE IS A VILLAGE COMMERCIAL ZONING THAT'S BEING PROPOSED.
AND THE GOAL WITH VILLAGE COMMERCIAL IS REALLY TO FOCUS ON BUSINESSES THAT ARE PROVIDING SERVICES TO THE COMMUNITY.
UM, SO, UM, THIS IS COOLER'S, UH, CORNER, UM, ALONG HIGHWAY 4 62.
UM, I WANNA SAY IT'S LIKE 1100 OR 1200 SQUARE FEET.
THE ACTUAL BUILDINGS, IT'S, IT'S PRETTY SMALL.
UM, SO THERE IS A SQUARE FOOTAGE LIMIT WITH THIS VILLAGE COMMERCIAL.
UM, AND THE GOAL IS TO, UH, PROTECT THINGS LIKE FAMILY, BUSINESSES, RETAIL, UM, SMALL RETAIL AND, AND, AND CHURCHES.
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EXAMPLE OF WHAT IT MIGHT LOOK LIKE HERE AT, AT FULLER'S CLUB.OKAY, SO, SO WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE? UM, SOME OF THE NEXT STEPS, UH, WE, WE STILL NEED A SECOND PUBLIC HEARING.
THERE'S BEEN ONE PUBLIC HEARING THAT WAS HELD AT THE COURT, ROYAL SOUND FOUNDATION, I BELIEVE THE COUNTY IS, UH, TAKING SOME OF THE FEEDBACK THAT THEY HEARD AT THAT PUBLIC HEARING AND WORKING THROUGH HOW THEY CAN FIND SOME MIDDLE GROUND.
UM, AND ADDITIONALLY, UM, THE COUNTY IS, UM, I THINK, UM, PO IS TO ADOPT IT.
UM, BUT JUST, JUST, UM, HEARING A LOT OF PUSHBACK FROM THE DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY.
UM, AND SO, UM, WE'RE HOPEFUL THAT THEY'LL ADOPT STRONG RURAL ZONING, UM, AND THAT WILL MAKE CONSERVATION OUTCOMES MORE FEASIBLE AND STYMIE AND COMPATIBLE DEVELOPMENT.
SO I DID WANNA TALK ABOUT A COUPLE OF OTHER THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON IN JASPER COUNTY, BECAUSE I DO THINK THERE'S REASON TO BE OPTIMISTIC ABOUT THE FUTURE OF JASPER COUNTY.
UM, ACTUALLY, I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF REASON TO BE OPTIMISTIC, UM, BECAUSE IT HASN'T, IT REALLY HASN'T BEEN RUINED YET, AND ESPECIALLY THE YHA DISTRICT, IT IS SO BEAUTIFUL, SO UNTAPPED.
UM, AND SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S GOING ON AS A PARKS AND RECREATION MASTER PLAN, THIS WILL BE JASPER COUNTY'S FIRST.
UH, THEY'VE NEVER HAD ONE BEFORE.
UM, I GOT A CHANCE TO MEET WITH THE CONSULTANTS A COUPLE WEEKS AGO, AND I THINK THEY'RE GONNA BE GREAT.
UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THEY'VE DONE IS THEY'VE ALREADY GONE OUT AND VISITED ALL THE DIFFERENT BOAT RAMPS ACROSS THE COUNTY.
UM, THEY ACTUALLY HAVE 11 BOAT RAMPS IN JASPER COUNTY, UH, WHICH IS PRETTY COOL TO HAVE, UM, ALL THOSE OPPORTUNITIES TO GET OUT AND SEE.
UM, AND SO, SO WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT THIS.
UM, AND, UM, IT GOES, IT MESHES WELL WITH ANOTHER EFFORT THAT'S TAKING PLACE IN JASPER.
UM, IF YOU WANT TO MOVE ON, UM, WHICH IS A SALES TAX REFERENDUM THAT IS ON THE BALLOT, UM, THIS NOVEMBER FOR JASPER COUNTY VOTERS.
IT IS A TRANSPORTATION WITH GREENBELT, UM, PENNY, UM, SIMILAR TO WHAT'S BEING PROPOSED IN BEAUFORT COUNTY.
HOWEVER, THE PERCENTAGE IS QUITE A BIT HIGHER FOR CONSERVATION PROJECTS.
IT'S 20% OR 94 MILLION OVER 15 YEARS.
UM, SO WE'RE VERY EXCITED ABOUT IT.
JASPER COUNTY HAS NEVER HAD A LOCAL CONSERVATION FUND BEFORE.
OF COURSE, THERE'S A LONG HISTORY OF THAT IN BEAUFORT COUNTY, UM, YOU KNOW, WITH, UM, THE, UH, RURAL AND CRITICAL PROGRAM AND NOW THE, UM, GREEN BELT PRO, UH, GREEN SPACE PROGRAM, EXCUSE ME.
UM, BUT THIS IS REALLY A FIRST OF ITS KIND, UM, FOR JASPER COUNTY.
AND, UH, YOU KNOW, IF YOU HAVE THAT NEST EGG OF LOCAL CONSERVATION FUNDS, IT BECOMES MUCH EASIER TO THEN GO TO THE STATE CONSERVATION BANK AND GET MATCHING DOLLARS OR EVEN TO TAP INTO THE GREEN SPACE PROGRAM OR, UH, FEDERAL FUNDING THROUGH DOD, UH, WHICH HELPED CONTRIBUTE TO THE PROTECTION OF GREGORY NECK.
UH, THEY ACTUALLY GAVE $6 MILLION FOR THAT, THAT PROJECT.
UM, SO, UM, YEAH, WE'RE, WE'RE EXCITED.
I THINK IT WORKS GREAT, UM, WITH THAT PARKS AND RECREATION MASTER PLAN ALSO BEING IN THE WORKS.
UM, AND OBVIOUSLY THE COMMUNITY IS, IS FIRED UP ABOUT, UH, PROTECTING, UM, YOU KNOW, THAT, THAT BEAUTIFUL LANDSCAPE ALONG THE BROAD RIVER.
UM, AND SO, UM, ALL OF THOSE THINGS, I THINK ARE REASONS TO BE OPTIMISTIC.
AND SO LASTLY, UM, WHY, WHY SHOULD YOU CARE? WHY AM I GIVING THIS PRESENTATION TO THE BEAUFORT COUNTY, UH, NORTHERN REGIONAL PLAN IMPLEMENTATION COMMITTEE, UM, WITH ALL MUNICIPALITIES PRESENT? UM, I THINK, YOU KNOW, ONE REASON I THINK YOU SHOULD CARE IS BECAUSE THIS COMMITTEE WAS REALLY FORMED OUT OF THE, WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THE ORIGINS OF THIS COMMITTEE, IT WAS FORMED OUT OF WHAT WAS DEEMED THE ANNEXATION WARS OF THE EARLY TWO THOUSANDS.
UM, HERE WE HAVE, UM, TWO VERY CONTROVERSIAL ANNEXATIONS GOING FORWARD, UM, THAT COULD REALLY CHANGE WHAT, UM, WHAT OUR REGION LOOKS LIKE.
UM, ALL OF THAT TRAFFIC, UM, YOU KNOW, IF THAT'S APPROVED, YOU GOTTA THINK, UM, YOU KNOW, 5,000 UNITS ALONG THE BROAD RIVER BETWEEN TWO DEVELOPMENTS, ALL OF THAT TRAFFIC ALONG 4 62 AND HIGHWAY ONE 70, AND OUR REGIONAL ROADWAYS.
UM, WE ALSO, YOU KNOW, WE KNOW THAT OUR WATER QUALITY, UM, IS, IS REGIONAL IN NATURE AS WELL.
IT DOESN'T HAVE JURISDICTIONAL BOUNDARIES.
AND SO WHAT HAPPENS ON THAT SIDE OF THE SOUND AFFECTS THE HEALTH OF THE ENTIRE WATERSHED.
UM, AND ADDITIONALLY, UM, YOU KNOW, WE WANT TO, WE WANT TO ENCOURAGE RIDGELAND TO GROW, BUT WE WANNA ENCOURAGE THEM TO DO IT, UM, THROUGH INFILL DEVELOPMENT AND SMART GROWTH STRATEGIES.
WE DON'T NECESSARILY WANT THEM REACHING ALL THE WAY DOWN TO HIGHWAY ONE 70 TO GRAB UP TRACKS OF LANDS, UM, AND TO, AND TO GROW IN THAT WAY.
UM, AND SO, UM, TO THE EXTENT THAT THIS COMMITTEE IS ABLE TO ENCOURAGE RIDGELAND, UM, TO FIND SOLUTIONS TO GROW, UM, BUT IN A WAY THAT IS SUSTAINABLE, UM, THAT'S, THAT WOULD BE, UH, VERY HELPFUL.
UM, AND, AND YEAH, I, YOU KNOW, JASPER COUNTY, UM, ALSO, UH, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE, THERE ARE GROWTH BOUNDARIES, I BELIEVE IN JASPER COUNTY.
UM, BUT IT SEEMS LIKE THEY'RE FREQUENTLY IGNORED OR
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HAS A REPUTATION FOR EXTENDING BEYOND IT.UM, AND SO THERE'S A LOT OF DEVELOPMENT ALREADY ON THE BOOKS OVER THERE.
UM, AND THIS IS REALLY AN OPPORTUNITY TO PROTECT, UM, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S LEFT AND WHAT'S, WHAT'S MOST IMPORTANT.
UM, REALLY I THINK THE FEATHER IN THE CAP OF, OF JASPER COUNTY.
SO, UM, YEAH, THAT'S, THAT'S ALL I GOT.
I KNOW THAT WAS A LOT OF INFORMATION, UM, BUT IF I HAVEN'T BEEN AT YOUR MEETINGS, IT'S BECAUSE I'VE BEEN, UH, OVER THERE IN, IN JASPER COUNTY.
UH, JUST SO WE MISS YOU AT OUR MEETING,
UM, I GUESS SOME MORE TO COME AFTER THE, UH, ELECTIONS.
YEAH, HOPEFULLY WE HAVE SOME GOOD NEWS AFTER THE ELECTIONS.
I'VE BEEN WORKING, WE'VE BEEN WORKING HARD TO SUPPORT THAT REFERENDUM EFFORT.
AND YEAH, WE SHARE THAT ONE 70 CORRIDOR WITH JASPER COUNTY PEOPLE, AND THAT'S THAT MONEY POTENTIALLY FOR THE INFRASTRUCTURE THERE WITH COUNTY.
I HAD A QUESTION, HOW COUNTY COUNCIL AND JASPER COUNTY, HOW MANY SEATS ARE UP? SO IT'S KIND OF INTERESTING.
UM, SO, UH, COUNCILMAN COY GARBA PASSED AWAY.
UM, AND SO THAT, THAT SEAT IS BEING FILLED.
UM, THE GUY'S RUNNING UNOPPOSED, I THINK HIS NAME IS ZILLOW.
UM, AND THEN THERE IS A RACE BETWEEN JOHN KEMP AND UM, UH, VICE CHAIRWOMAN CLARK.
IT'S KIND OF INTERESTING, BUT THEY'RE, THEY'RE RUNNING AGAINST EACH OTHER.
THERE'S A LOT OF POLITICAL BACKSTORY THERE THAT I'M NOT FULLY PRIVY TO THAT.
UM, AND THEN I THINK THERE'S MAYBE ONE OTHER SEAT THAT'S UP.
UM, NONE OF THOSE, WELL, IT'S A GUY, UM, I THINK THERE, I THINK IT'S FOR THE VACANT, UM, SEAT FOR COY GARBA.
IT'S, UM, VAN GEEN IS THE GUY'S NAME, HE'S THE REPUBLICAN, AND THERE'S A DEMOCRAT, UM, I CAN'T REMEMBER HIS NAME, BUT HE IS, UH, HISPANIC GUY.
UM, SO THEN THEY'RE RUNNING AGAINST EACH OTHER, SO, OKAY.
SO THERE'D BE CHANGES ON COUNTY COUNCIL.
SO, MR. CHAIRMAN, UM, I, I DO, I DO WANT TO PIGGYBACK ON A COMMENT, UH, UH, GRANT MADE ABOUT GROWTH, SMART GROWTH, AND I, I'VE SHARED THIS WITH COUNCIL AND I WANT TO JUST BRING UP AT THIS TABLE HERE THAT I BELIEVE THAT WE SHOULD BE GROWING VERTICAL VERSUS HORIZONTAL AND HORIZONTAL, JUST REACHING TO ALL KINDS OF COMMUNITY.
CAUSE A LOT OF ISSUES AND STUFF WHEN THERE'S OPPORTUNITY TO GROW, UH, MUNICIPALITIES VERTICAL AND FILLING, UH, DONUT HOLES.
SO I JUST WANNA MAKE THAT COMMENT HERE.
LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU AGAIN AT SOME TIME.
YEAH, WE'LL SEE AT THIS POINT.
YEAH, I UNINTENTIONALLY JUMPED OVER AN ITEM THERE, AND I WANNA GO BACK TO IT JUST TO GIVE THAT OPPORTUNITY.
UH, ARE THERE ANY CITIZEN COMMENTS THAT, THAT ANYONE LIKE TO MAKE? IF SO, YOU'VE GOT THREE MINUTES.
[6. BEAUFORT COUNTY RECYCLING PROGRAM – VALENTINA PALACIO, ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION COORDINATOR]
BEAUFORT COUNTY RECYCLING PROGRAM PRESENTATION.UH, VALENTI CIO, IS THAT CORRECT? VALENTINO PALACIO.
I WORK AT PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT.
UM, I'M THE ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION COORDINATOR, SO I WORK WITH THE SOLID WASTE AND RECYCLING PROGRAM, AS WELL AS THE STORM WATER MANAGEMENT PROGRAM.
AND JUST HELP WITH ALL EDUCATION AND OUTREACH FOR BOTH OF THEM, BECAUSE THERE'S STATE COMPLIANCE AS WELL AS JUST IMPORTANCE OF COMMUNITY EDUCATION FOR BOTH OF THESE THINGS.
SO TODAY, I'M AWARE THAT SOME OF YOU HAVE ALREADY RECEIVED THIS PRESENTATION, SO BEAR WITH ME AT LEAST IT'S A NEW PRESENTER.
SO A LITTLE SWITCH UP HERE AND THERE.
UM, BUT YEAH, I'M GONNA BE TALKING ABOUT THE NEW RECYCLING STANDARDS AND THE SHIFT FROM, UH, TO OUR NEW RECYCLING PROCESSOR.
SO WHY RECYCLING? SO RECYCLING, IT CREATES JOBS, IT HELPS PROTECTION WITH THE ENVIRONMENT, HELPING WITH LITTER, ALL OF THAT.
IT'S LESS ENERGY INTENSIVE TO CREATE OR TO MELT DOWN RECYCLED MATERIALS AND CREATE THEM INTO NEW ONES.
UM, SAVES SPACE IN OUR LANDFILL, WHICH LANDFILL IS A BIG, OUR LANDFILL IS COMING TO SHORT END OF LIFE AS IT'S BEEN PROJECTED.
UM, ALSO TURNS WASTE INTO A NEW RAW MATERIAL RATHER THAN EXTRACTING, EXTRACTING RAW MATERIALS.
AND THEN IT ALSO SAVES NATURAL RESOURCES, REDUCES GHG EMISSIONS
[00:25:01]
AND INCREASES ECONOMIC SECURITY.SO OUR RECYCLING NOW GOES TO I TWO.
THIS IS, UH, PICTURES OF THE RECYCLING FACILITIES.
SO AS YOU CAN SEE THERE, THIS IS JUST TO SET THE FOUNDATION.
THIS IS HOW ALL OUR RECYCLING IS PROCESSED, ALL HANDS SORTED.
SO WHEN I'M GONNA BE DIVING INTO A LITTLE BIT MORE OF THE NUANCES, I JUST WANT YOU ALL TO KEEP THAT IN MIND, BECAUSE THAT'S A LOT OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE BEEN RE REEDUCATING THE PUBLIC ABOUT OF THESE STANDARDS AND REVISIONS.
THEY'RE MOSTLY BECAUSE THIS IS THE INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WE HAVE IN PLACE IN OUR LOCAL COMMUNITY AND INFRASTRUCTURE IS KEY TO WHY WE TAKE CERTAIN RECYCLING AND HAVE CERTAIN RESTRICTIONS ON WHAT WE CAN RECYCLE.
UM, SO THAT'S THE HAND SORTERS, AND THEY HAVE ALL THESE VARYING BINS THAT THEY PLACE THIS, THE CATEGORIZED RECYCLING.
AND THEN THERE'S THAT HOPPER THAT IT, LIKE YOU JUST, THEY FORKLIFT ALL THE MATERIALS IN THERE, AND THEN THEY, IT GETS FED DOWN THROUGH THE CONVEYOR BELT AT VARYING SPEEDS AS THE PERSON THAT CONTROLS THE CONVEYOR BELT, UM, DEEMS IT NECESSARY.
AND THEN HERE'S THE MURF, ESSENTIALLY, AND THEY, THE TIPPING FLOOR AND ALL OF THAT.
WHAT LOCATED THAT? THAT'S IN HARDY, SO IT'S IN INDUSTRIAL PARK.
SO THESE ARE THE BIGGEST RECYCLING CONTAMINATION ITEMS THAT WE'VE EVALUATED IN BEAUFORT COUNTY.
SO BAG RECYCLABLES IS A BIG ISSUE.
UM, PEOPLE JUST PUT THEIR RECYCLABLES IN A BAG AND LOCK IT UP, AND THEN JUST THROW IT IN THERE.
AND, UM, MIKE, WHICH IS THE OWNER OF IT RECYCLING, WAS SAYING ALMOST 85 TO 90% OF BAG RECYCLABLES HAVE, ARE ALL CONTAMINATING CONTAMINATED, ESSENTIALLY.
SO THERE'S OTHER, THERE'S FOOD SCRAPS IN THERE.
I LEARNED FIRSTHAND EXPERIENCE IN HILTON HEAD WHEN I WENT OUT THERE WITH SOME, UM, IT TWO RECYCLING OUTREACH THAT THEY WERE DOING THERE.
I OPENED ONE UP AND IT, I REALLY REGRETTED OPENING IT UP BECAUSE IT, THERE WAS DIAPERS, COCKROACHES.
SO I, I HAD TO LEARN MY LESSON THE HARD WAY.
UM, SO ALSO BAG RECYCLABLES IS JUST, THE PLASTIC FILM IS NOT THE SAME AS LIKE THE PLASTIC WATER BOTTLES THAT MAY BE IN THE BAG OR THE CANS THAT MAY BE IN THE BAG.
IT'S ESSENTIALLY CONTAMINATION.
THE NEXT THING IS BULKY ITEMS. SO WE'VE SEEN BIG WATER JUGS THROWN INTO THE PLASTIC RECYCLING, AND IT'S NOT THE, THE SAME NUMBER OF RECYCLING THAT IS THE, IT'S NOT A ONE OR A TWO, WHICH IS WHAT WE ACCEPT.
SO THAT'S A CONTAMINATION AS WELL AS LAUNDRY BASKETS OR FIVE GALLON BUCKETS.
LIKE ALL OF THAT IS NOT THE SAME TYPE OF PLASTIC.
AND THEN ALSO WHEN IT COMES DOWN TO THE INFRASTRUCTURE, LIKE THAT HOPPER THAT I SHOWED IN THE PICTURE, THAT ONLY HAS AN OPENING OF, I DON'T, I THINK IT WAS LIKE THREE TO FIVE FEET.
SO ALL THAT STUFF, IT JUST WOULDN'T EVEN PHYSICALLY GO THROUGH THAT CONVEYOR BELT TO BE FED AND TO THE PEOPLE THAT ARE SORTING.
AND THEN PLASTIC FILM, AS I'VE SAID, PEOPLE THROW PLASTIC BAGS IN THE BOTTLES AND JUGS PLASTIC RECYCLING.
WE HAVE A DESIGNATED PLASTIC FILM RECYCLING, UM, AND THEN CROSS CONTAMINATION.
SO WHEN PEOPLE ARE DRINKING THEIR BEERS, THEY JUST PUT 'EM BACK IN THE, IN THE CARDBOARD BOX THAT THEY BOUGHT IT IN, AND THEY JUST DUMP THAT INTO THERE.
AND THAT'S CLEAR CONTAMINATION SINCE ALL THAT'S IN THERE.
SHOULD BE GLASS RATHER THAN HAVING THE CARDBOARD AND ALL OF THAT.
SO THE NEXT SLIDE, SO I JUST KIND OF WANTED TO EXPLAIN LIKE SOME OF THE HIGHER CONTAMINATION RATE OF THE CENTERS.
SO CURRENTLY THE BIGGEST PROBLEM CENTERS HAVE BEEN, WE'VE IDENTIFIED THROUGH HAVING MEETINGS WITH MIKE AND JUST THE DATA THAT WE'VE BEEN GATHERING SINCE AUGUST.
UM, AND THEY'VE BEEN SHANKLIN AND ST.
HELENA, SO KIND OF THE ONES THAT ARE HERE IN BUFORT.
SO A BIG THING WITH THIS THOUGH, IS THERE'S A SOLUTION TO THIS.
WE HAVE, AS I MENTIONED, UM, IN BLUFFTON AND HILTON HEAD, WE'VE HAD REPRESENTATIVES FROM I TWO VOLUNTEERS THAT THEY'VE GATHERED UP BECAUSE THEY HAVE A NETWORK IN HILTON HAD BLUFFTON.
SO WHEN THE NEW STANDARDS WERE GETTING, OR THE CONTRACT WAS GETTING TRANSFERRED TO I TWO, MIKE WANTED TO DEPLOY THIS OUTREACH EFFORT FOR, I THINK IT WAS SIX WEEKS THAT THEY HAD, UM, VOLUNTEERS OUT THERE AT THE RECYCLING BINS, GREETING, GREETING PEOPLE THAT ARE COMING TO RECYCLING AND BEING LIKE, HEY, LET'S JUST DOUBLE CHECK YOUR BAG AND JUST SEE WHAT WE CAN LEARN HERE.
[00:30:01]
REMEMBER NOT TO BAG OR REMEMBER NOT TO CROSS CONTAMINATE.SO THAT REALLY, HE GAVE FEEDBACK AND DATA POINTS BACK WITH THAT.
AND THAT WAS SUPER BENEFICIAL FOR HILTON HAT AND BLUFFTON, THEREFORE PUTTING SHANKLIN AND ST.
HELENA BEHIND BECAUSE HE DIDN'T HAVE, UM, AS MUCH OF A NETWORK OUT HERE IN BEAUFORT.
SO THAT'S GONNA BE A CALL TO ACTION FOR YOU ALL, IF YOU ALL WOULD BE ABLE TO, IF YOU HAVE ANY ORGANIZATIONS THAT WE CAN REACH OUT TO WITH A SET OF VOLUNTEERS TO BE ABLE TO GO AND JUST HAVE THAT REFRESHER FOR THESE TWO CENTERS, UM, THAT WOULD DEFINITELY KICK THESE TWO DOWN TO THE, DOWN TO THE LIST.
UM, AND, AND YOU CONTAMINATION, YOU ASKED KEEP BE BEAUTIFUL BOARD TO HELP.
'CAUSE I I KNOW THEY'D LOVE TO, THEY MET YESTERDAY.
YEAH, WE, I HAVEN'T, I HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO GET TO THAT, BUT I WAS GONE YESTERDAY.
BUT YES, THAT, THAT IS A GREAT RESOURCE.
I HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH THAT CHOICE.
HENER ARE THE LARGER, UH, CENTRALIZED CONVENIENCE CENTERS.
HOW DO YOU APPLY THIS CONCEPT TO THE RURAL PARTS OF THE COUNTY? LIKE BIGGEST DATA IN SHELDON AND THE DALE? THAT'S SOMETHING THAT OUR, UM, RECYCLING PROJECT OR THE SOLID WASTE AND RECYCLING, UM, PROJECT MANAGER OR PROGRAM MANAGER IS TRYING TO WORK TOWARDS GETTING RECYCLING TO ACCESSIBLE IN THE SMALLER CONVENIENCE CENTERS THROUGHOUT THE RURAL AREAS.
UM, THAT'S JUST SOMETHING LOGISTICAL.
IT HAS BEEN JUST REALLY HARD, BUT I KNOW THERE'S A MEETING COMING UP WITH IT RECYCLING TO JUST BE LIKE, OKAY, WE FINALLY WERE ABLE TO DO THE TRANSITION, WHICH WAS A HUGE STEP.
LIKE I CAN'T, LIKE, I'LL TALK ABOUT IT A LITTLE BIT MORE, BUT THERE'S JUST SO MUCH MORE TRANSPARENCY, SO MUCH MORE INFORMATION AND MEETINGS, UM, WITH IT RECYCLING ON WHAT WE ARE RECYCLING AND ALL THIS STUFF THAT I'M GIVING YOU IS ALL FROM MIKE HIMSELF.
UM, BUT I'M, WE REALLY WANT TO GET ACCESSIBILITY TO ALL THE SMALLER CENTERS FOR THE RURAL, MORE RURAL PARTS OF BEAUFORT COUNTY TO BE ABLE TO START SMALL, AT LEAST WITH CERTAIN RE LIKE THE EASIEST RECYCLING RECYCLABLE MATERIALS.
WELL, I, I JUST THOUGHT I'D ASK BECAUSE WITH THE LIMITED SPACE AT THESE, UH, YEAH.
WITH THE WAY THEY'RE BUILT CENTERS, I'D LIKE TO SEE HOW YOU WORK THAT OUT.
YEAH, WE, I KNOW, UM, OUR PROGRAM MANAGER, SHE DID ORDER THESE QUAD BINS.
SO THEY, THEY'RE JUST LIKE A BIG BIN AND IT'D JUST BE SEPARATED BY A SECTION.
SO RATHER IT BE, IT'D BE THIS ONE, BUT IT WOULDN'T JUST BE ONE FOR ONE FOR EACH RECYCLABLE ITEM.
IT'D BE THE SAME BIN, BUT IT'D JUST BE SEPARATED OUT FOR EACH ITEM.
UM, BUT IT JUST HAS BEEN COMING DOWN TO JUST TRYING TO SORT OUT THE LOGISTICS AND IT DOESN'T, IT'S NOT AS MUCH, UM, VOLUME.
SO IT'S A DIFFERENT DIFFERING SCHEDULE.
SO IT'S KIND OF JUST A MATTER OF TRIAL AND ERROR AND JUST TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW OFTEN THEY WOULD HAVE TO BE PICKED UP, HOW THAT ROUTE WOULD BE REINSTATED.
BUT IT'S DEFINITELY ON THE RADAR.
I MEAN, A LOT IT'S PRODUCED A LOT.
I'VE BEEN RUNNING A LITTLE BIT OF A LITMUS TEST WITH ABOUT 15 FAMILIES ON ST.
HELENA, WHERE WE USE A DIFFERENT LID.
SO SEGREGATED BY PAPER, PLASTIC, GLASS, AND METAL.
AND WE STARTED WITH COLORED BAGS, BUT THEN WE PUT A LID IN THE OUTSIDE TRASH CAN.
IT'S ACTUALLY BEEN PRETTY EFFECTIVE.
UH, THE PROBLEM IS THE KIDS LIKE THROWING STUFF JUST LIKE THAT.
UM, BUT I'LL GET YOUR CONTACT AFTERWARDS.
'CAUSE I THINK YES, PLEASE DO.
SORTING IT BEFORE SORTING IT IS SUPER HELPFUL.
I MEAN, IT, IT'S, IT'S THE FIRST LINE OF DEFENSE.
THAT'S WHY EDUCATION IS SO IMPORTANT BECAUSE THE, THE EPICENTER IS JUST THE, THE, THE CONSUM, THE PRODUCER OF THE RECYCLABLES IS, IT'S THE EASIEST TO DO SORTING AT HOME FIRST.
THIS IS MORE A QUESTION FOR THE TO TOWN, THE TOWN AND THE CITY.
ARE Y'ALL USING I TWO RECYCLE YOUR CONTRACTOR NOW? NO, YOU'RE NOT.
SO YOU USING ANOTHER FIRM? WE USE CAPITAL WASTE.
I THOUGHT CAPITAL WAS PART OF IT.
WHAT'S THAT? CAPITAL WAS DOING I TWO, IT'S VALENTINA.
UM, I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S THEIR SUBCONTRACTOR, BUT WE, I KNOW WE DON'T HAVE TO FOLLOW THESE RULES.
BECAUSE CURBSIDE IS COMPLETELY DIFFERENT.
WELL, WE HAVE PROBLEMS WITH CURBSIDE.
SOME OF MY NEIGHBORS WILL PUT THEIR RECYCLABLES IN A PLASTIC BAG.
SO I'M ASSUMING THOSE THINGS AREN'T GETTING, YOU KNOW, THE LANDFILL, RIGHT? THEY'RE GOING RIGHT IN THE LANDFILL.
I DO HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT CONTAMINATION.
ARE GLASS BOTTLES WITH LABELS IN THEM CONSIDERED CONTAMINATED? NO.
SO THAT, I MEAN, MIKE, HE WAS TALKING TO US.
[00:35:01]
OF, UH, SO HE JUST PROCESSES IT SO HE DOESN'T BREAK IT DOWN AND SAND IT DOWN BEFORE.SO HE GETS ALL THE BOTTLES AND MAKES SURE IT'S SORTED, CLEANS IT OUT AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.
AND THEN HE JUST GIVES THOSE BOTTLES TO, UM, I BELIEVE GLASSWORKS RIGHT NOW.
UM, IS THE PERSON THAT WE SELL OUR GLASS TO.
SO THEN THEY HAVE THE INFRASTRUCTURE IN THE MACHINERY ENOUGH TO SEPARATE THAT OUT.
SAME WITH LIKE PLASTIC POLARIS AND WHISKEY BOTTLES AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
IS THAT CONTAMINATED OR NOT? SO THE, THE ONE THAT'S THE THING THAT WE'RE TRYING TO, UM, INCENTIVIZE CITIZENS TO DO IS TO TAKE THE BOTTLE, THE PLASTIC CAPS OFF OF, FOR EXAMPLE, THE BOTTLES, BUT THEN ALSO WINE BOTTLES THAT HAVE LIKE MAYBE A SCREW OFF OR THE WHISKEY BOTTLES THAT HAVE LIKE A CORK IN THEM, OR I MEAN VICE VERSA.
BUT WE'RE TRYING TO DO THAT, BUT WE REALIZE IT'S, IT'S NOT AS REALISTIC TO LIKE, WE'RE NOT GONNA CATCH EVERY SINGLE ONE.
BUT IT'S A, IT'S, IT, IT DOES CLEAN UP AND LIKE MAKES OUR RECYCLING MORE VALUABLE IN THE LONG RUN.
IT IS, IT'S BECAUSE WITH THE HIGHER CONTAMINATION IN OUR RECYCLABLES, PEOPLE ARE GONNA START BEING LIKE, OKAY, THIS IS, IT'S TOO MUCH WORK FOR, WE GET ALL THIS GLASS FROM YOU, BUT IT HAS A, A X PERCENTAGE OF PLASTIC AND IT'S JUST NOT THE BANG FOR THE BUCK THAT THEY WANT.
SO THAT'S WHY WE TRY AND DO IT AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.
BUT FOR NOW, MIKE HAS REALLY GREAT RELATIONSHIPS WITH ALL THE, UM, VARYING, UM, PEOPLE THAT BUY OUR RAW MATERIALS.
MY QUESTION IS ON THE SAME LINE.
I I NEED TO HAVE AN UNDERSTANDING OF THE CONTAMINATION, UH, IMPACT THAT YOU, YOU ARE SEEING AT THIS TIME.
UM, 'CAUSE I'M NOT TOO SURE AND MY RECYCLING WHETHER I AM, AND I COULD TELL YOU THAT I RECYCLE, MY WIFE DOESN'T NECESSARILY RECYCLE 'CAUSE SHE THINKS IT'S WORK.
BUT, UM, TELL ME ABOUT THE CONTAMINATION.
WHAT IS BEING CONTAMINATED AT THIS TIME? YEAH, SO AS I, AS THE PREVIOUS SLIDE SHOW DEMONSTRATED, THE BIGGEST CONTAMINATION, UM, WE'VE SEEN IS, LIKE I SAID, BAG RECYCLABLES.
UM, HAVING DIFFERENT MATERIALS PUT IN A, THE CERTAIN MATERIALS, SO HAVING LIKE CARDBOARD IN THE GLASS WITH, IN THE CONTAINERS, UM, BULKY ITEMS. I WENT TO SHANKLIN AND I SAW A BIKE IN THE TIN CAN BIN AND THE RECYCLING BIN.
AND THAT'S JUST, THAT IS A BULKY ITEM THAT DOESN'T GO IN ALUMINUM OR THE TIN CAN PLACE LIKE CROSS-CONTAMINATION OF ITEMS, CROSS-CONTAMINATION OF ITEMS. SO THAT'S THE BIGGEST THING.
AND THEN THERE'S OTHER NUANCES WITH PLASTIC.
SO WE, RIGHT NOW WE DON'T TAKE LIKE THE SALAD BINS THAT ARE PLASTIC, WE ONLY TAKE BOTTLES, JUGS AND JARS.
SO LIKE THE PEANUT, LIKE WHEN YOU HAVE PEANUT BUTTER, YOU HAVE THAT RINSED OUT AND THEN YOU, THAT YOU CAN PUT IN THERE.
BUT IF YOU HAVE, FOR EXAMPLE, THE SALAD CONTAINERS OR YOUR CLAMP SHELL WHERE YOU PUT YOUR FRUITS AND VEGETABLES, YOU CAN'T, WE DON'T PROCESS THAT RE WE DON'T ACCEPT THAT RECYCLING TYPE OF RECYCLABLE MATERIAL.
AND, AND YOU HAVE A LIST OF THOSE THINGS OUT THERE.
UH, WHAT WE DO ACCEPT, UM, AND, AND I'LL GO OVER WHAT A COMMON CONTAMINANT FOR EACH ITEM IS.
SO THESE ARE THE THINGS THAT WE DO ACCEPT.
SO WE ACCEPT PLASTICS, NUMBER ONES AND NUMBER TWOS, BOTTLES, JUGS AND JARS.
UM, METAL FOOD AND BEVERAGE CANS.
SO YOUR SODA CAN, UM, YOUR ALUMINUM TIN CANS, SO MIXED PAPER.
SO THAT'S GONNA BE YOUR SCRAP PAPER, YOUR JUNK MAIL, UM, AS WELL AS PAPERBOARD GOES INTO THE MIXED PAPER.
SO YOUR CEREAL BOXES, YOUR SHOE BOXES, ALL OF THAT.
UM, CORRUGATED CARDBOARD, YOUR CLASSIC SHIPPING BOX, UM, GLASS BOTTLES AND JARS.
SO WE TAKE, WE TAKE ALL, UM, ALL COLORS OF GLASS, UM, BROWN, GREEN, UM, CLEAR.
AND THEN WE DO ACCEPT PLASTIC FILM, BUT THAT'S GONNA BE IN THE SHED.
SO YOUR GROCERY BAGS FROM WALMART, FOR EXAMPLE, OR ANY YOUR MAILERS THAT YOU GET, LIKE FROM AMAZON, THOSE ALL CAN GO IN THE PLASTIC FILM RECYCLING AND BUBBLE WRAP STUFF LIKE THAT.
AND THEN YOUR LIKE PAPER TOWEL OVER WRAP.
UM, SO PLASTIC'S NUMBER ONES AND TWO.
SO HERE I HAVE A PICTURE OF THE TYPES OF ITEMS THAT YOU WOULD COMMONLY RECYCLE, UM, THAT YOU WITHOUT THE TOPS, WITHOUT THE TOPS
UM, SO YEAH, SO THIS IS THE REVISED, UM, STANDARDS THAT WORKING WITH
[00:40:01]
I TWO HAS DEVELOPED.UM, SO IT'S REMOVING ALL CAPS AND, UM, ON BOTTLES AND JUGS.
SO A BIG THING WITH THAT IS JUST, IT COMES OUT TO INFRASTRUCTURE.
SO WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT TRYING TO CRUSH A PLASTIC BUTT WATER BOTTLE THAT HAS A CAP IN IT, IT TAKES A LOT OF FORCE.
THERE'S AIR TRAPPED IN IT AND SHIPPING AIR IS JUST, IT'S, IT'S NOT, IT DOESN'T FEED INTO THE MARKET WELL ENOUGH.
UM, SO RIGHT NOW WITH THE, WHEN THEY BAIL ALL THESE THINGS AT I TOO, IT'S NOT GETTING COMPRESSED ENOUGH AND THEREFORE IT'S, IT'S NOT A SUFFICIENT, UH, AN EFFICIENT WAY OF, UM, PROCESSING THE MATERIAL.
SO THAT'S WHY WE HAVE REMOVING ALL CAPS AND BOTTLES.
BUT, UM, YEAH, SO ANOTHER THING IS, MUST BE LARGER THAN A CUP, NO LARGER THAN A GALLON.
SO GOING BACK TO THAT PICTURE I INITIALLY SHOWED YOU ALL, UM, IT'S JUST THE OPENING AND WHERE THE HOPPER, IT CONVEYS ALL THE STUFF ONTO THE BELT AND THEN ALSO NO SMALLER THAN A OR, AND IT NEEDS TO BE LARGER THAN A CUP.
IT'S BECAUSE THESE PEOPLE ARE HAND SORTING THIS.
SO JUST THINKING OF THE WAY IT'S PROCESSED AND JUST IT COMES OUT TO JUST SUCH SIMPLE THINGS.
IT'S LIKE THE TYPE OF EQUIPMENT, UM, AND ALL OF THAT TYPE OF EQUIPMENT IS EXTREMELY EXPENSIVE.
SO THIS IS WHAT WE GOT RIGHT NOW.
UM, HOPEFULLY WITH MORE UPGRADES AND TECHNOLOGY AND JUST MORE PEOPLE, UM, INVESTING IN THIS, IT WILL GET HIGHER TECH AND BE ABLE TO ACCEPT MORE.
BUT FOR NOW, THIS IS WHY WE HAVE THESE TYPES OF STANDARDS.
UM, AND THEN ANOTHER THING IS LIKE, NOT TO TRYING NOT TO FLATTEN OR CRUSH YOUR MATERIALS.
'CAUSE AGAIN, THIS IS HAND SORTED.
IT'S A LITTLE HARDER TO GRAB A BOTTLE THAT'S HALF THE SIZE THAN A ORIGINAL SIZE.
AND THEN, SO BIGGEST CONTAMINATION IN THE PLASTICS IS YOGURT CONTAINERS.
AGAIN, IT'S NOT THE TYPE OF PLASTIC, IT'S, THEY'RE USUALLY FIVES OR SEVENS.
UM, THE CLAM SHELL OR TAKEOUT, THOSE ARE ALSO MORE OFTEN THAN NOT, UM, A DIFFERENT NUMBER.
AND THEN, UM, SINGLE USE CUPS, PLASTIC UTENSILS, ALL OF THAT'S THE WRONG NUMBER.
AND THEN NO PLASTIC BAGS AND THE PLASTIC BOTTLES AND JUGS.
UM, SO YEAH, SO THEN CORRUGATED CARDBOARD.
SO JUST MAKING SURE TO FLATTEN THE BOXES, UM, KEEPING CLEAN AND DRY SO WITH NO RESIDUES LEFT OVER ON THEM.
UM, AND REMOVING ALL PACKAGING FROM THE INSIDE.
SO WHETHER IT BE TISSUE PAPER, AIR PILLOWS, UM, PACKING PEANUTS, ALL THAT STUFF THAT COMES IN THERE.
WHAT ABOUT TAPE ON, WHAT ABOUT TAPE ON A LOT OF THESE BOXES? SOME OF 'EM COME WITH PAPER TAPE, SOME COME WITH, YEAH, PLASTIC SO THAT THE TAPE IS FINE.
UM, AGAIN, ONCE IT GETS SHIPPED OUT, THEY ESSENTIALLY, THEY PUL IT AND THEY PUT IT IN WATER TAPE FLOATS, ALL THE PULP GO, GOES TO THE BOTTOM.
UM, OR THEY HAVE A FORM OF SEPARATING IT.
SO COMMON CONTAMINANTS WITH THIS IS TAKEOUT BOXES THAT HAVE FOOD AND GREASE AND RESIDUE, UM, SO DIRTY.
SO I MEAN, IT IS CORRUGATED CARDBOARD, BUT IT IS CONTAMINATED WITH GREASE AND FOOD RESIDUE.
SO JUST TRYING TO BE WARY OF NOT LEAVING YOUR STUFF OUTSIDE AND KEEPING IT DRY AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.
AND ALSO, EVEN FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT HAVE CURBSIDE, JUST TRY TO BE AWARE OF WHEN YOUR RECYCLING IS.
I KNOW THOSE BOXES GET REALLY BULKY, BUT TRYING TO BE AWARE OF THE WEATHER, JUST BE LIKE, OH, IS IT GONNA RAIN? SHOULD I PUT THIS OUT NOW OR LATER OR WHAT? BUT SOMETIMES YOU GOTTA DO WHAT YOU GOTTA DO.
UM, JUST TRYING TO KEEP IT AS CLEAN AS WE CAN.
UM, THE NEXT THING IS METAL BEVERAGE CANS OR IN FOOD CONTAINERS.
SO, UM, MAKE, JUST MAKING SURE TO RINSE OUT ANY RESIDUE AGAIN, UM, AND TRY NOT TO CRUSH AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.
AND THEN COMMON CONTAMINANTS OR CRUSH CANS.
AND THEN ALSO, UM, BULKY ITEMS AND LIKE PAINT CANS AND THEN SCRAP METAL.
SO WE GET TO SEE SCREWS IN THERE.
WE SEE, UM, ALL TYPES OF STUFF THAT PEOPLE ARE STEEL ARE JUST NOT, NOT THESE TYPE OF RECYCLABLE MATERIALS.
UM, SO YEAH, SO NEXT IS GLASS BOTTLES AND JARS AND THE REVISED STANDARDS IS TRYING TO REMOVE ALL CAPS.
UM, SAME THING, NOT LIKE I, FOR EXAMPLE, I USE LIKE FACE SERUM OR LIKE A LITTLE SUNSCREEN THAT'S REALLY SMALL AND IT COMES IN IN A GLASS CONTAINER, BUT IT'S VERY, VERY
[00:45:01]
SMALL.SO AGAIN, THINKING BACK TO THE WAY IT'S PROCESSED, ALL THOSE WORKERS ARE DOING THIS HAND HAND SORTING AND IT'S TOUGH TO SEE THAT SMALL VI LIKE LITTLE CONTAINER GLASS JAR.
SO THAT'S WHY WE TRY AND WE WANT PEOPLE TO BRING THE BIGGER CONTAINERS THAT WAY.
IT'S JUST A HIGHER RECOVERY RATE.
UM, AS WELL AS TRY NOT TO BREAK YOUR GLASS.
I MEAN, IT NATURALLY HAPPENS, BUT THAT JUST COMES DOWN TO WORKER SAFETY.
AND, UM, JUST IN GENERAL, WE CAN'T HAVE GLASS, JUST BROKEN GLASS JUST BEING CIRCLED AROUND.
UM, THERE'S A LOT OF HANDS THAT GO ON ON THE RECYCLING AFTER YOU DROP IT OFF AT THE CENTER.
UM, SO JUST TRY TO BE AWARE OF THAT.
AND THEN AGAIN, JUST RINSING OUT RESIDUE.
JUST QUICK RINSE OF ALL YOUR RECYCLABLES AND GLASS JARS AND BOTTLES.
UM, SO COMMON CONTAMINANTS ARE SMALL GLASS BOTTLES, SO PERFUME BOTTLES THAT ARE SMALL, UM, AS WELL AS CERAMIC POTTERY.
SO BROKEN PLATES, UM, THEY'RE CERAMIC, THEY'RE NOT GLASS.
AND THEN OVEN WEAR AND PYREX, I DUNNO IF I SAID THAT CORRECTLY, BUT, UM, THAT'S A DIFFERENT CLASS OF GLASS, SO, UM, THAT ISN'T, IS NOT ACCEPTED.
PRODUCTS CLEAN, UM, DRY AND FLAT, UM, AND JUST TRYING TO, AND NO, JUST IMPORTANT THING IS JUST TRYING SHREDDED PAPER JUST BECOMES MORE OF A CONTAMINANT THAN ANYTHING THAT CAN BE RECYCLED.
YOU TRY AND GATHER UP A BUNCH OF SHRED OF PAPER AND IT'S NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE.
SO JUST MAKING SURE NOT TO SHRED YOUR PAPER.
UM, AND YEAH, JUST MAKE, JUST MAKING A NOTE BECAUSE I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW THIS, THAT, UM, CEREAL BOXES AND CAR AND SHOE BOXES, THAT'S CONSIDERED PAPERBOARD, NOT CORRUGATED CARDBOARD, WHICH IS WHERE I USUALLY WOULD'VE PUT IT.
WHAT ABOUT MAGAZINES? MAGAZINES IS, IS MIXED PAPER.
SO COMMON CONTAMINANTS ARE, UM, RECEIPTS, UM, SINGLE USE PLATES, NAPKINS, AND PAPER CUPS.
UM, HARDBACK BOOKS ARE ALSO, AND THEN AS I MENTIONED, SHREDDED PAPER.
AND SO NEXT THING IS PLASTIC FILM.
SO WE DO HAVE THE PLASTIC FILM RECYCLING.
UM, THIS IS ACCEPTED AT THE, FOR BEAUFORT COUNTY CENTERS.
AND THEN ALSO YOUR GROCERY STORES ACCEPT A LOT OF THIS TYPE OF STUFF AS WELL AS STYROFOAM, WHICH IS A VERY BIG, UM, PROBLEM ITEM IN GENERAL.
JUST IT'S DIFFICULT TO DIFFICULT, BUT, UM, JUST TRYING TO BE, MAKE, UTILIZE OTHER RESOURCES OTHER THAN JUST THE COUNTY.
UM, CONVENIENCE CENTERS, ESPECIALLY LIKE THOSE OF YOU THAT HAVE CURBSIDE THAT YOU CAN'T NECESSARILY PUT PLASTIC FILM IN YOUR CURBSIDE, YOU CAN GO AND TAKE IT TO YOUR LOCAL GROCERY STORE.
ALMOST EVERY SINGLE ONE HAS EXCEPT PLASTIC BAGS AS WELL AS, UM, OTHER COMMODITY ITEMS SUCH AS STYROFOAM AND WHATNOT.
SO PLASTIC FILM RECYCLING, I'D LIKE TO SAY IT'S KIND OF A BANDAID.
I MEAN, GRANT CAME AND TALKED TO YOU ALL A MONTH A COUPLE MONTHS AGO NOW ABOUT THE PLASTIC BAG ORDINANCE IN THE LOOP POLES THAT ARE IN THERE AND HOW WE'RE TRYING TO, UM, MAKE IT BETTER.
UM, BUT AT LEAST FOR NOW, WE DO HAVE SOMEWHERE IT IS IN THE WASTE STREAM AND WE HAVE A WAY OF RECOVERING IT.
BUT, UM, JUST WE NEED TO TRY AND AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE STEER AWAY FROM THAT AND JUST USING REUSABLE OPTIONS, WHATNOT, SO WHAT NOT TO RECYCLE.
SO THIS IS A REALLY GREAT RESOURCE.
UM, ALSO THIS PRESENTATION, I HOPE LIBBY WILL MAKE IT AVAILABLE TO YOU ALL BECAUSE I'M GOING THROUGH A LOT AND A LOT OF, UM, KEY THINGS.
BUT THIS IS, UH, SC FORMERLY KNOWN AS DH NOW DES PUTS OUT THE RECYCLINGS DIRTY DOZEN.
AND THIS ALL, UM, THE DIRTY DOZEN.
THIS, THIS EVEN APPLIES TO CURBSIDE.
SO THIS IS A GREAT RESOURCE, A GREAT THING TO PRINT OUT, PUT ON YOUR REFRIGERATOR, UM, SHARE WITH OTHERS.
THESE ARE THE COMMON THINGS THAT CAN'T BE RECYCLED AND OFTEN ARE MISTAKENLY RECYCLED.
UM, SO YEAH, SO WHY CAN'T WE RECYCLE EVERYTHING? SO THESE ARE JUST A FEW REASONS WHY, AND I'VE KIND OF BEEN REITERATING THIS THROUGHOUT MY PRESENTATION, BUT ENDANGERMENT OF WORKERS, UM, AS WELL AS INFRASTRUCTURE AND COSTLY ADAPTATION OF MACHINERY.
SO ALL OF THIS IS DRIVEN BY A MARKET.
THERE HAS TO BE A DEMAND AND THERE HAS TO BE JUST A, A, A MANUFACTURER TO BUY THESE RAW MATERIALS BACKED FROM US.
[00:50:01]
LOCATION.SO WE ARE A LITTLE BIT ISOLATED.
THERE IS A TWO BIG MANUFACTURING COMPANIES THAT ARE USUALLY THE ONES THAT BUY THESE THINGS.
SO IT'S A LITTLE TOUGH TO FIND PEOPLE THAT ARE USED THAT NEED THESE MATERIALS TO MANUFACTURE WHEN THEY'RE SO FAR AWAY BECAUSE THEN HAULING COSTS JUST BECOME THROUGH THE ROOF AND IT JUST DOESN'T EVEN MAKE SENSE TO, UM, SO THAT'S WHY THEY ACCEPT THE CERTAIN THINGS THAT WE DO.
'CAUSE WE DO HAVE A MARKET DEMAND FOR THEM.
SO THESE ARE WAYS OF YOU TO MINIMIZE YOUR ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT IN GENERAL.
UM, SO WE ARE START OFF WITH REFUSING, SO REFUSING UNNECESSARY FREE HANDOUTS.
FOR EXAMPLE, UM, BA BAGGING SMALL, LIKE NOT BAGGING SMALL ITEMS. SO A LITTLE THING THAT I DO IS IF I GO TO A CVS AND I'M BUYING A COUPLE THINGS LIKE TOOTHPASTE AND A DEODORANT, I'LL USUALLY JUST WALK OUT WITH MY HAND IN MY HAND INSTEAD OF GETTING A BAG AND JUST HAVING THAT EXTRA UNNECESSARY THING.
CONVENIENCE FOR ALL OF PROBABLY 30 SECONDS IT TAKES TO WALK OUT OF A CVS TO YOUR CAR.
UM, JUST LITTLE THINGS LIKE THAT, JUST TRYING TO BE CONSCIOUS AND MINDFUL, UM, WITH THE CON WITH WHAT YOU USE.
SO REDUCING KIND OF ALL OF THIS KIND OF GOES HAND IN HAND, BUT REDUCING DEPENDENCY ON SINGLE USE ITEMS. SO ALSO THINKING DIGITAL, UM, TRYING TO DO CORRESPONDENCE, UM, WITH, WITH LIKE DOCUMENTS, DOCUSIGN INSTEAD OF WRITTEN.
OBVIOUSLY WE NEED TO HAVE PRINTED OUT THINGS FOR CERTAIN THINGS, BUT, UM, ANY WAY THAT YOU CAN BETTER, THAT IS GREAT.
UM, SHOPPING LOCAL, UM, AND COMPOSTING IN YOUR BACKYARD IS GREAT.
YOUR REDUCED YOUR S SHOPPING LOCAL IS JUST CRUCIAL.
UM, JUST FIRST OF ALL, IT'S GREAT FOR OUR LOCAL ECONOMY AS WELL AS JUST THINKING ABOUT, UM, THE WHERE EVERYTHING IS COMING FROM, UH, IS REALLY IMPORTANT.
SO REUSING, SO INVESTING IN REUSABLE PRODUCTS.
SO REUSABLE COFFEE CUPS, UM, BRINGING YOUR WATER BOTTLE.
ONCE YOU GET USED TO IT, YOU'LL GET USED TO IT AND IT'S THE BEST THING.
I DON'T LIKE DRINKING OUT OF ANYTHING THAT ISN'T MY OWN WATER BOTTLE NOW.
UM, SO LITTLE THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO UPCYCLING PRODUCTS, UM, USING YOUR WAIST AND HAVING ARTS AND CRAFTS OR DOING, UM, TURNING OLD CLOTHES INTO RAGS FOR YOUR KITCHEN, FOR EXAMPLE, THAT IT'S ALL FREE CLOTH THAT'S JUST SITTING THERE WAITING TO BE USED RATHER THAN JUST THROWING IT AWAY OR EVEN DONATING.
UM, THAT WAY YOU COULD BREATHE NEW LIFE INTO SOMETHING YOU ALREADY HAVE INSTEAD OF BUYING NEW RAGS.
UH, RECYCLING IS THE, IS THE LAST THING.
SO APPROPRIATELY DISPOSING OF WASTE AND JUST BEING EDUCATED IN THE RECYCLING PROGRAM IN YOUR AREA.
IT VARIES FROM COUNTY TO COUNTY, EVEN TOWN TO TOWN.
SO JUST TRYING TO BE AS UP TO DATE AS YOU CAN.
SO ANOTHER IMPORTANT THING WITH RECYCLING IS TO CLOSE THE LOOP.
SO TREX DECKING IS REALLY GREAT, UM, FOR YOUR DECK.
UM, HAVING REUSABLE GROCERY BAGS THAT ARE, WERE MADE FROM PLASTIC WATER BOTTLES, LITTLE THINGS LIKE THAT.
UM, GETTING GLASS STORAGE CONTAINERS, ALL THESE TYPES OF THINGS AND RECYCLING TIPS.
SO A FEW TIPS ARE KEEPING YOUR RECYCLING BINS ACCESSIBLE.
SO OUT OF SIGHT OUTTA MIND, IT'S SUCH A THING.
SO MAKING SURE THAT YOU HAVE IT SOMEWHERE WHERE YOU'RE AWARE, UM, THAT IT'S THERE AND HAVE THAT CONSTANT REMINDER LIKE, OH YEAH, I'LL RECYCLE IT HERE.
INSTEAD OF BEING LIKE, OH, I'LL THROW THIS AWAY.
AND THEN YOU'RE LIKE, OH SHOOT, I FORGOT THAT I HAVE IT IN MY GARAGE.
SO JUST HAVING THINGS, ACCESS, ACCESS ACCESSIBLE, UM, BREAKING DOWN BOXES RIGHT AWAY.
SO JUST GETTING IT, GETTING IT DONE WITH INSTEAD OF BEING LIKE, OH, I'LL DO IT LATER, I'LL DO IT LATER.
AND THEN RINSING ITEMS RIGHT AWAY AS WELL.
JUST TRYING TO JUST DO IT AND TRY AND CREATE A HABIT.
SO IF YOU'RE UNSURE, IT'S BETTER TO HONESTLY JUST THROW IT AWAY FOR THE MOST PART THAN TO RECYCLE SOMETHING THAT YOU'RE UNSURE OR JUST GO AND DO A QUICK SEARCH, UM, AND MAKE SURE THAT WHAT YOU'RE RECYCLING IS PROPER AND THEN EDUCATING YOURSELF IS HUGE.
UM, SO AS I MENTIONED, IT WOULD BE GREAT FOR SOME OF YOU THAT MAYBE HAVE CONNECTIONS OR KNOW ORGANIZATIONS NORTH OF BROAD, UM, THAT I COULD REACH OUT TO OR SEND THAT INFO TO MIKE.
THAT WAY WE CAN GET A CAMPAIGN GOING FOR SHANKLIN AND ST.
HELENA FOR, UH, THE NEW RECYCLING STANDARDS AND JUST KIND OF HAVING THAT OUTREACH THERE FOR ALL THE CITIZENS THAT ARE COMING AND RECYCLING AND
[00:55:01]
THEN SPREADING THE WORD AND SUPPORTING LOCAL GREEN, UM, ORDINANCES AND LEGISLATION.SO WHAT GRANT, UM, WAS TALKING ABOUT ANY SUPPORT THAT YOU CAN HA DO IN ALL OF THESE THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING IS GREAT AND GETTING INVOLVED IN YOUR COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE DOING THIS TYPE OF STUFF.
AND ANOTHER THING THAT YOU COULD DO IS ADOPT A HIGHWAY GROUP ORGANIZING ONE AND DOING GLITTER CLEANUPS FROM IN AREAS WHERE YOU SEE FIT AND WHERE YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE CLEANER.
SO OTHER OPPORTUNITIES, UM, YOU CAN REACH OUT TO ME TO, SO I COULD FORWARD YOU THE CONTACT FOR THIS.
UM, BUT IT'S, UM, ONE OF MY FRIENDS AT SEA GRANT IS RUNNING THIS RESILIENT COASTAL COMMUNITIES PROGRAM AND SHE NEEDS A FEW, UM, BOTH LIKE REPRESENTATIVES AS WELL AS COMMUNITY MEMBERS OF THESE AREAS.
UM, SO IF YOU'RE IN ANY OF THESE AND YOU WOULD LIKE TO, UM, TAKE PART IN THIS, PLEASE LET ME KNOW AND I CAN DIRECT YOU HER INFORMATION.
UM, I'M NOT TOO WELL VERSED IN WHAT IT IS, BUT I INCLUDED A LITTLE, UM, BRIEF, UM, DESCRIPTION OF WHAT THE PRO WHAT THE PROGRAM SHE'S RUNNING IS DOING.
AND THEN THIS IS MY CONTACT INFORMATION.
PLEASE, PLEASE JUST REACH OUT.
I WOULD LOVE TO COME TO ANY GROUP OF PEOPLE THAT, UM, WOULD LIKE TO SEE, SEE THIS PRESENTATION, YOUR CHURCHES, YOUR VOLUNTEER ORGANIZATIONS THAT YOU'RE ALSO A PART OF, UM, AS WELL AS ANYTHING THAT I CAN HELP IN.
PLEASE FEEL FREE TO REACH OUT.
UM, IS THERE ANY QUESTIONS? I TALKED A LOT.
UM, I REALLY APPLAUD ALL THE EFFORTS TO, TO EDUCATE THE CONSUMER, NOT TO DO THE RIGHT THING, BUT IT IS A COMPLEX PROCESS, EXTREMELY, YOU KNOW, AND, AND I CAN'T IMAGINE IT'S TOP OF MIND FOR MOST PEOPLE.
I THINK A LOT OF THE PROBLEM, THE INCREASE IN, IN REFUSE, IF YOU WILL, UM, HAS BEEN A GENERATED AS A RESULT OF INCREASED HOME DELIVERY.
IN FACT, MY, MY RECYCLING IS MUCH BIGGER THAN MY GARBAGE.
UM, IS THERE ANYTHING UPSTREAM TO TAKE CARE OF AND ELIMINATE AND MAKE IT SIMPLER, UH, TO REDUCE THE AMOUNT OF, IS THERE ANYTHING WE'VE DONE AT THE PACKAGING SCHOOLS OR ANY OF THE INDUSTRIES TO CUT DOWN ON THE AMOUNT OF REVENUE THAT THEY SENT DOWN TO THE CONSUMER TO TRIBUTED? A HUNDRED PERCENT.
I ACTUALLY, UM, IT WAS REALLY COOL.
YESTERDAY I WENT TO COLUMBIA, UM, TO THE SUSTAINED SC SYMPOSIUM.
SO THERE IT WAS ALL SOUTH CAROLINA BASED LEGISLATURES AND, UM, PRIVATE COMPANIES AS WELL AS MUNICIPALITIES.
AND ONE OF THE PANELISTS WAS A, UM, HE WORKED, HE WAS A PRESIDENT OF ATLANTIC PACKAGING, SO HE KIND OF BROUGHT TO THE TABLE A LOT OF REALLY INTERESTING POINTS AND EXPLAINING THAT, THAT IT HAS TO COME FROM THE TOP AS WELL.
A LOT, IT'S A LOT OF PRESSURE TO PUT ON THE CONSUMER AND THE CITIZENS.
UM, SO THERE NEEDS TO BE MORE ACCOUNTABILITY AT THE MANUFACTURING LEVEL AS WELL AS EVEN HAVING STANDARDIZATION STATEWIDE AND REGULATION THAT WAY.
UM, BUT ATLANTIC PACKAGING IS GENUINELY DOING A REALLY GREAT JOB, UM, TALKING ABOUT THEIR, UM, WORK, ALL THESE DIFFERENT COMPANIES THAT THEY WORK WITH AND CREATING MORE ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY PACKAGING IN GENERAL.
SO, UM, THERE ARE COMPANIES THAT ARE OUT THERE DOING IT.
IT ALSO HAS TO COME AS A COLLABORATIVE EFFORT WITH THE COMPANY.
SO FOR EXAMPLE, IT'S SOMETHING THAT AMAZON, IT HAS TO BE MORE, UM, MINDFUL OF AND TRAINING WITH THEIR WORKERS WITH BEING LIKE, OKAY, THIS IS A SMALL BOX.
I MEAN THIS IS A SMALL ITEM AND WHY ARE WE PUTTING IT IN THIS BIG BOX? UM, BUT THEY HAVE GOTTEN BETTER.
UM, THERE ARE SORT OF OPTIONS THAT YOU CAN DO ON AMAZON TOO, SO YOU CAN SELECT AN AMAZON DELIVERY DAY.
THAT'S WHAT I TRY AND DO WHERE IT SAYS, OH, WHERE IT SAYS, OH, DELIVER IN FEWER BOXES.
SOMETIMES IT DOES NOT DELIVER IN FEWER BOXES, BUT I TRY.
SO, UM, THOSE ARE LITTLE, LITTLE THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING, BUT IT WAS REALLY INSPIRING, HONESTLY, GOING TO THAT, UM, SYMPOSIUM THAT I WENT YESTERDAY.
JUST HEARING THESE, UM, PACKAGING AND MANUFACTURING COMPANIES, UM, TALKING ABOUT INVOLVING, LIKE BEING MORE ACCOUNTABLE FOR THEIR END PRODUCT INSTEAD OF JUST GETTING IT TO THE CONSUMER AND JUST BEING LIKE, OKAY, WASHING MY HANDS, I'M DONE WITH THIS.
LIKE, NO, YOU'RE, YOU SHOULD BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR SOMETHING THAT COULD POTENTIALLY BECOME LITTER, CAN POTENTIALLY
[01:00:01]
BECOME, UM, WASTE.AND YOU HAVE TO TAKE ACCOUNTABILITY FOR THAT AND TRY AND FIND A CIRCULAR SOLUTION FOR YOUR, EVERYTHING YOU'RE PUTTING OUT.
SO THERE ARE THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING AND IT WAS REALLY GREAT TO SEE THAT IT'S ALL SOUTH CAROLINA BASED.
SO, UM, I WOULD REALLY, UM, IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN ANY OF THIS, REALLY DIRECT YOU TOWARDS SUSTAIN SC THEY DO, THEY'RE BASED OUT OF COLUMBIA AND DO REALLY GREAT WORK.
AND IT'S, UM, THE WHOLE THING WAS CONSERVATION AND COMMERCE.
SO EVERYTHING WAS VERY INTEGRATED AND INTERCONNECTED.
UM, SORRY, I, I WAS JUST GONNA ADD TO THAT IF YOU DON'T MIND.
SO IT'S INTERESTING, UH, AMAZON IS ACTUALLY ONE OF THE, UH, OBVIOUSLY LARGEST COMPANIES IN THE WORLD, BUT THEY ACTUALLY DO CARE WHERE MOST COMPANIES DON'T.
BUT THEIR BUSINESS MODEL, YOU SHOULD HOLD ACCOUNTABLE.
THEY CARE AT A 3000 FOOT VIEW, BUT THE WAY THAT IT WORKS IS HUB AND SPOKE.
SO THEY DON'T CARE WHAT THE SPOKES DO.
SO IF YOU THINK ABOUT TOP DOWN, IT ACTUALLY CAN ALSO WORK FROM THE BOTTOM UP BECAUSE THE DISTRIBUTORS IN THE IN THE STATE ARE CHANGED, HAVE RULES BECAUSE AMAZON'S GLOBAL, OR WHAT'S CALL IT NATIONAL RULES, WON'T COMPLY WITH THE CONTAMINATION, CROSS-CONTAMINATION EFFORTS IN A SINGULAR COUNTY OR STATE OR, OR PICK UP ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD OR EVEN JUST AT, AT HOME.
SO IT'S ACTUALLY INTERESTING WHERE IT WORKS BOTH WAYS.
THEY'LL MEET YOU THERE, SO AT THE LOCAL COUNTY LEVEL NEIGHBORHOOD TO TO, TO MUNICIPALITY, TO COUNTY, YOU CAN START INSTITUTING RULES AND THEN GO TO SUSTAIN SC TO BRING THAT LEGISLATURE WITH DELEGATIONS THAT, THAT REALLY DO CARE.
NUMBER ONE THROUGH THREE PRIORITY FOR ALL OF 'EM IS TECHNICALLY ENVIRONMENT.
SO THAT'S ACTUALLY HOW I, I'VE BEEN DOING A LOT OF HOMEWORK ON THIS, UM, IN MY SPARE TIME.
AND, UH, IT CAN WORK BECAUSE LIKE THE LOCAL DELIVERY, UH, THIRD PARTIES, BECAUSE AMAZON DOES SO MUCH, THEN THEY RELY ON SO MANY OTHER PEOPLE NOW, UM, LEGISLATURE THAT HAPPENS HERE AROUND LIKE HOW MANY, LIKE EVEN LIKE CHOOSE A DELIVERY DAY TO HAVE THREE BOXES LIKE THAT CAN ACTUALLY BECOME MANDATORY.
AND, BUT IT JUST TAKES A CONCERTED LOCAL EFFORT INTO TO BUBBLE IT UP TO THE LOCAL DISTRIBUTORS YEAH.
WHICH THEN CAN ACTUALLY BUBBLE UP NATIONALLY.
AND ALSO A BIG TOPIC THAT WE TALKED ABOUT WAS CONSUMER DEMAND ALSO, UM, DRIVES A LOT OF THIS CHANGE.
SO JUST MAKING SURE TO TRY AND BUY AS SUSTAINABLE AS YOU CAN.
IT DEFINITELY, UM, IT IS BEING RECOGNIZED.
UM, A COUPLE YEARS HAVE BEEN MAYBE LONGER THAN THAT.
UM, THERE WASN'T REALLY A MARKET FOR PLASTIC RECYCLING, BUT AT THIS MEETING YOU WERE AT IN SOUTH CAROLINA, IS ANYONE RECYCLING PLASTIC, DO YOU KNOW? OR WHERE IS THE MARKET FOR THE PLASTIC? I'M NOT REALLY SURE.
I CAN, I CAN DEFINITELY ASK EVEN MIKE, OUR PROCESSOR YEAH.
TO SEE WHO HE GETS THAT INFORMATION.
HE, WHO HE SELLS OUR STUFF TO.
UM, BECAUSE THAT'S A BIG THING TOO.
LIKE IT WOULD BE LIKE BRINGING MANUFACTURING BUSINESSES TO SEAFORD COUNTY AND THEN THAT WAY, ALL OF OUR STUFF, LIKE HOW COOL WOULD IT BE IF IT JUST IS, IS A PRODUCT THAT'S PRODUCED AND OUR PLASTIC IS GENERATING A PRODUCT THAT IS GETTING BROUGHT BACK INTO THIS COMMUNITY IN SOME WAY OR ANOTHER? UM, YEAH, JUST TRYING TO THINK OF CIRCULAR IS JUST REALLY IMPORTANT AND KNOWING WHERE EVERYTHING GOES.
AND GLASSWORKS MOVE FROM CHARLESTON TO BUFORD, SO, YEAH.
I'M JUST, UH, PLASTIC WORRIES ME.
THERE'S A COMPANY IN VIRGINIA, I MEAN, PLASTIC IS TOUGH.
THAT BUYS THE PLASTIC TO TURN IT INTO, UH, BRANCHES.
UH, BUT THEY, THEY SOURCE IT FROM THE FOLKS THAT WON'T OR CAN'T SELL IT OR RECYCLE IT.
UM, IT TAKES AN ARMY, BUT THEY'RE LOSING MONEY YEAR AFTER YEAR.
BUT THEY'RE, THEY'RE ON THEIR WAY.
THANK YOU ALL FOR HAVING ME, FOR BEARING WITH ME.
WE'RE AT THE END OF OUR AGENDA.
[7. SELECTION OF NEXT MEETING AGENDA ITEM(S)]
UM, ON, ON OUR, UH, TOPIC LIST FOR FUTURE DISCUSSION.WE'VE HAD THINGS AND WE'VE KIND OF SELECTED TWO BEAUFORT HOUSING AUTHORITY FOR NEXT MONTH AND ALSO THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERAN AFFAIRS MILITARY, UM, ENHANCEMENT.
AND, UH, GRANTING COMMITTEE IS ALSO GONNA GIVE A REPORT ON, UH, SOME OF THEIR FUNDING AVAILABILITY.
UH, IS THERE ANY OTHER TOPIC THAT YOU WANT TO ADD TO A FUTURE AGENDA? OKAY.
UM, OUR NEXT MEETING IS ON THE 22ND OF NOVEMBER.
UH, THERE IS NO MEETING IN DECEMBER.
SO THIS WILL BE OUR NEXT MEETING WILL BE OUR LAST OF THE YEAR.
AND SO UNLESS THERE'S ANY OTHER TOPIC YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT, ANYTHING ELSE THAT YOU WANNA BRING UP.
[01:05:02]
ALRIGHT.AND, UH, WITHOUT OBJECTION, THE MEETING IS ADJOURNED.