Author’s Note: This is the third in a series featuring people from our list of well over 100 curbside recyclers.
Heath, Brooke and Riley Owens
Heath has been an independent local contractor for the past five years. Brooke is the Human Resources director at BNSF Railway. Their son, Riley, is in second grade.
Q: How long have you been on curbside, and why did you sign up?
Going on year three. Brooke: We probably would have done it sooner, but we didn’t know it was a service until we saw it on Facebook. We had been using the trailers. They pick it up, why not? We started recycling even more. Heath: A lot of metro areas have curbside recycling and if we get behind this it’s good for our community.
Q: What do you recycle?
A lot of boxes (corrugated and paperboard), aluminum cans, plastic. Heath: We try to recycle every plastic. Brooke: We look to see what’s recyclable.
Q: How has this service influenced your opinion of recycling?
Brooke: We’ve always believed in recycling. (Being on curbside) helps us make others aware of services available. Heath: It’s a big learning curve . . . (I like) you don’t have to sort.
Q: Why do you feel it is important to recycle?
Riley: So you can create more things rather than leaving them on the beach for animals to die. Heath: Everything about the process of making plastic is toxic to humans. We need to find a better way . . .
Q: Other “green” practices at your home?
The family planted drought-resistant grass and incorporated recycled rubber mulch from KAB during recent landscaping. Brooke: (We plan to) xeriscape more.They have upgraded lighting to more efficient LED and replaced disposable batteries with rechargeable equivalents. More efficient windows are planned. Reducing the amount of one-use plastic is a priority, with changes such as refillable waterbottles.
Q: Future plans?
Brooke: Be mindful and teach Riley . . . to take care of Mother Earth. Heath: I want to be a green builder. I don’t want to do what’s easy (and help the landfill grow). We have dominion over our planet . . . doesn’t give us the license to trash what God gave us.