What about all that garbage?

What about all that garbage?
The Oregonian
By: Chris Broderick
Published: September 18th, 2009
Website Article

What about all that garbage?
By Chris Broderick, The Oregonian
September 18, 2009, 10:49AM

Something new this year on Cycle Oregon is a bigger effort to reduce the truckloads of trash produced by all these people over seven days. Organizers hired "ZeroHero," a Fort Collins, Colo. company that sets up an elaborate waste recovery plan for large events like this that includes tent-like contraptions with three bins that are spread throughout the tent city and staffed by volunteers who help people sort their compostables, recycling and garbage.
Chris Broderick, The Oregonian Roger Estey, an Ashland Lion's Club volunteer, helps riders sort their trash at a food stop. These "tents" were ubiquitous on Cycle Oregon this year.

Lucas Erickson of ZeroHero said the sustainability benefits are achieved by requiring vendors to use materials that are either compostable or recyclable. The utensils we use aren't plastic -- they are made from potatoes. Paper plates aren't paper -- they are made from a fiber left over from sugar cane processing. And all the thousands of cups are made from a corn byproduct.
"It's tough to produce zero waste, but we shoot for 80 to 90 percent compostable and recyclable," Erickson said.
-- Chris Broderick, cbroderick@news.oregonian.com