The status of the current environmental health crisis is no secret. Sanders County Solid Waste Refuse employees understand this crisis. They are jump starting Earth Day (April 22) with Beautification Days beginning this Thursday and recycle, recycle, recycle!

County Solid Waste Refuse members encourage residents to take advantage of the recycling programs they will have available Thursday, Saturday and Sunday only.

For those looking to get rid of unused paint, Thompson Falls refuse site on Airport Road will have a designated “Paint Swap: Leave and Take” event. Anyone who has paint in usable condition is welcome to bring it to the site and exchange it for another available paint. Refuse management reiterates this service is for “usable” paint only. Paint that is not functional should be left to dry out and taken to the household bin for disposal.

All recyclable commodities will be accepted as well. These include cardboard, paper, metals such as tin and aluminum, and batteries. Do not leave plastic bags with mixed materials. These are not accepted as contamination results when materials are not separated.

Sanders County Solid Waste reported 1,000 tires were accepted last year, free of charge. “The cost to the county was $1,500 to get rid of the tires.” To offset this cost, they had to start charging $2 per tire, but will offer a deal during Beautification Days. Tires will be accepted for $1 each, or $1.25 with rim. The Tire Depot in Pablo will pick-up and dispose these tires.

Yard debris will be accepted Thursday, Saturday and Sunday as well. Branches will be accepted without a fee but leaves and needles will be assessed a $10 per yard fee due to the quantity of smoke produced upon burning.

Even though plastics are not accepted in the county, waste management highly encourages residents to team up and recycle plastics at Missoula’s Pacific Steel & Recycling center. They understand this is inconvenient, but for now it is the best option available for being responsible with our exponentially growing plastic problem.

In addition to taking part in making the county beautiful this weekend, you may be looking for some earth-friendly event ideas for April 22.

Earth Day Network designated Earth Day 2018 as the day to “fundamentally change human attitude and behavior about plastics” due to its destructive nature. Visit earthday.org where you will find a plentitude of scientific information outlining the effects of plastics on human hormones, marine life health, and clogging waterways and landfills; basically, filling our world with plastic litter. The website will aid you in determining your contribution to the plastic-waste crisis by calculating your consumption and developing a “Personal Plastics Plan” to reduce your plastic footprint.

There are many other ways each one of us can help to make our environment a healthier place. With spring upon us it is time to get out and plant flowers, trees, and some hardy vegetables. Simply get out, go for a walk or hike and pick up litter along the way; purely make a conscious effort to appreciate the gifts Mother Nature has given to each of us.

Earth Day began in 1970 when John McConnell, activist from San Francisco, and Wisconsin Sen. Gaylord Nelson invited Americans to take part in a demonstration supporting environmental concerns. Millions of people participated and hence continues today, reaching its 48th anniversary.