Minutes from Chestertown’s Environmental Committee
Thursday, June 15th at 7pm.
In attendance Margo Bailey, Ruth Menefee ,Shane Brill and Ford Schumann. In Jon Handley’s absence Margo will chair the meeting. Waste pollution in various forms. Discussion and Solution.
- Straws- not recycled and a big polluter. Suggest we ask all the eating establishments to ask their servers to ask the customer if they’d like a straw.
- Styrofoam containers- not recycled and one of the most dangerous polluters. Ruth will research the cost of alternative take out containers.
- Short term solutions- educate the public on bring their own containers be it foil bag, cardboard box, glass box or #1 clam shell
- Long term solution- investigate Stryfoam ban in Montgomery Co. and Washington D.C. Also if you get a take out container have the server if they also want a bag.
- Downtown recycle bins. Too many folks dump their trash in the recycle bins. Need to have the recycle bins clearly marked. Ruth will think a other solutions.
- Cigarette butts- except for two cigarette receptacles there are no others in the town leading to a huge improper butt disposal which wash away into the storm drains. See if the town would purchase several containers to be placed around outdoor eating establishments and town parks. They can be purchased for a little as $54.
- Film Series- it was decided to finish this year’s series with topics on environmental waste. These will be “Trashed”, “Bag It”, and “Garbage Dreams”. We need to find a way to get more publicity for these films. Can we show trailers online or through Constant Contact. Margo will obtain permission to show these films.
- New theme for our monthly program. Possible title Shore Trashed or Program to Detox your Lives. We will work on this at a later meeting. In the meantime we should all read the Mayors Climate Agreement to determine if we’re missing some actions.
- Recycling. We need to get Ford a ward map so he can determine which wards recycle best. From that we could ask Council members to participate in a contest on which wards recycle the best. Continuing problem- lack of recycle bins.
The meeting was adjourned at 8:30.
Submitted by Margo Bailey