May 2024

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We're looking for an Executive Director!

Our Executive Director, Haley, is headed back to school and we're hiring for a strategic and passionate leader to take her place. The ideal candidate has experience managing others, adapts to challenges, financial excellence, effective communication skills, and nonprofit values.

The full job description and application can be found HERE.

Highlights from the Clothing Swap

By Madeline Ferber

Our second ever Earth Day Clothing Swap went off without a hitch two weeks ago, on April 20th. With the help of our 21 amazing volunteers, NRC was able to directly rehome over 500 items of clothing, and donate 435lbs of leftover items to Goodwill. Thanks to our talented volunteer menders, more than 20 items were given new life with simple repairs.

All in all, it was a fun-filled day full of community, connection, and waste diversion!

Major thanks to all our volunteers and partners, without whom we wouldn't have been able to make this happen!

Lincoln Earth Day Coalition for all their hard work putting together an amazing event.

Lincoln Goodwill for their help providing us racks, hangers, and an outlet for excess donations.

Catholic Social Services, People's City Mission, and Uribe for loaning us extra hangers so we never ran out.

Carol Wells with Lincoln Repair Cafe, Shawn Roberts, Malisa McCown, and Emily Dvorak for their services at the mending station.

And all of our other volunteers, whose hard work made for a smooth and successful event!

ISRI Rebrands as The Recycled Materials Association

By Haley Nolde

I recently attended the last ISRI (Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries) Convention EVER! On the final day of the event, ISRI rebranded as ReMA (Recycled Materials Association) which reflects a broader movement within our industry. Around the world recyclers are changing the way we communicate. The public shies away from terms like “scrap” and it’s important we improve the narrative of recycling. Materials should be seen as valuable commodities, not waste. From packaging to infrastructure we all rely on recycled materials. Let’s change the way we present our industry- it’s essential to global economic and environmental sustainability.

“The organization’s new identity includes a new tagline – Sustainable. Resilient. Essential. – which emphasizes the industry’s core benefits to society and attributes. The recycled materials industry is Sustainable – helping protect the environment. It is Resilient – providing materials that strengthen the economy. It is also Essential – by ensuring the things we need are there to make everyday life better.” -ReMA

April Recycling Equipment Site Visits

By Allison Majerus

Program Directors Allison Majerus and Carina Olivetti conducted a series of recycling equipment grant site visits last month in central Nebraska, connecting with a variety of awardees doing great work!

Using grant funds:

Large black and yellow trommel screener equipment, with a pile of screened compost behind

City of Minden purchased a trommel screener to assist with their compost operations.

Small red forklift in a warehouse setting

City of Kearney Recycling Center purchased a forklift to assist with their recycling operations.

Crossroads Center purchased two trucks to assist with hauling materials from their textile bins across central Nebraska

Grand Island Clean Community System purchased twenty recycling bins to assist with their recycling efforts at community events.

We congratulate these awardees and recognize them for their work and thank the Nebraska Environmental Trust for their financial support!

International Compost Awareness Week (ICAW)

May 5th – 11th

ICAW started in Canada in 1995 by the Compost Council of Canada. The US Composting Council got involved shortly after, and the two organizations collaborated by promoting it in each of their countries.

ICAW is the largest and most comprehensive education initiative of the compost industry. It is celebrated nationwide and in other countries each year during the first full week of May. The goal of ICAW is to work together to raise public awareness on why we all should be composting our organics and using compost to create healthier soil.

This year, the annual week-long event will be held on May 5th – 11th. During the week, thousands of volunteers around the world will hold educational activities working together to get the word out about the many benefits of recycling organics and the importance of returning organic matter – compost – back to our soils. The program includes poster and video contests in the fall and activities and events held during the week in May. Throughout the week of ICAW, community and business events are held to encourage and celebrate composting - all types of composting – from backyard to large-scale are promoted.

The Nebraska Composting Council is hosting a tour on May 10th at Soil Dynamics in Ashland, Nebraska to celebrate Nebraska Compost and ICAW. This will be an informal guided tour where participants can ask questions with facility operators and network with fellow compost enthusiasts.

Show up at Soil Dynamics (16494 292nd St., Ashland, NE 68003) at 10am, wear old shoes or boots, bring your own water and a hat if you’d like. If you have any questions call NRC Program Director Carina Olivetti at (402)436-2384 ext. 104.

Events