LeRae Haynes
Free Press
The South Cariboo was treated to a unique and entertaining approach to recycling recently when Mary Forbes, Waste Wise community educator for the Cariboo Regional District (CRD) rolled into town with her recycling trailer.
“I go to a wonderful waste conference in Vancouver called ‘Green Chair’, which does zero-waste events like the Vancouver Sun Run, and I got the idea to turn an old tent trailer into a recycle station to take to events,” she says, adding she has used the trailer to put on several zero-waste events in the Cariboo.
“I got invited to 100 Mile House to help with an invasive plant presentation and Horse Lake Community Farm Co-op asked if I could bring my trailer. It was a huge success: people were so engaged.”
She also did some work at 100 Mile House Elementary School, which, Forbes says, she thoroughly enjoyed.
When she went on the hunt for a very light trailer that could be pulled by a Honda Fit, she found one in Vancouver and the transformation began. Friends helped her strip it to the bones, remove the rotting canvas, reupholster and power wash it.
“We cut holes to fit Tim Hortons muffin batter buckets with the bottoms cut out and filled them with leaf bags for the recyclables, and put on a trailer hitch.”
She notes that the trailer came with the ugliest plastic pink sink she’d ever seen.
“It was hideous, with [cigarette] stains – I tossed it and started share-shed hunting and found an amazing enamel sink from the 1950s.
“It was perfect, and looks great with the fir counter tops my hubby built from a tree that fell in our back yard.”
Recyclables at her zero-waste events get washed in this sink, the water is filtered out and used to water a nearby tree when possible and the rest is compost.
“I take this trailer to community events like concerts and festivals – anywhere where people gather and garbage is generated. I do community events free through the CRD; anything that involves reducing waste falls into my bucket of fun.”
A few years ago, Forbes came up with a bike recycling program where she collects bicycles from share sheds and ones that have been donated to Red Shred’s Bike and Board Shed in Williams Lake, repairs them and gives them free to families.
She visits every class from kindergarten to Grade 7 at the schools in the CRD once every two years, including 100 Mile House, finding fun and inspiring ways to imagine a world without garbage and how we can make it happen today.
“I had so much fun in the South Cariboo. If someone wants to book me for a community event, I’ll gladly hook up my trailer and come dressed in a themed costume.
“I will come to your house and help you with composting, answer questions and help you come up with solutions.”
For more information about booking Forbes, phone the Cariboo Chilcotin Conservation Society at 250-398-7929 or e-mail wastewise@ccconserv.org.
