To the editor,
Re: Recycle depot needs support of city council, Letters, Oct. 24.
If one is unaware of the enormous positive impact, inspiration, and benefit the non-profit Nanaimo Recycling Exchange has been to Nanaimo, one can spend an hour or so at this depot to see how well it is used. It is open seven days a week, provides a community market/thrift store, propane tank exchange, recovered bike program and free dropoff of most items with minimum fee for a relatively small number of hard-to-recycle items.
NRE’s working self-subsidized model accepts both recyclable materials along with hard-to-recycle materials that other recycling depots don’t accept because they cost money to recycle.
Since 1995, NRE’s ‘eco-educators’ have been visiting schools and community groups promoting recycling and composting and more recently, stewardship of local watersheds and eco-systems with their ‘Down to Earth’ education program promoting local solutions to global problems plus working toward ‘zero waste.’ NRE also sets up informative displays at public and other events.
NRE provides a valuable community asset and is a recognized authority in the region on issues of environmental protection and waste management.
This is the time for the City of Nanaimo and the RDN to come together and assist the NRE with the building of the new facility on Kenworth Road. It would be a huge mistake not to support the NRE in whatever way needed.
Lynn Burrows, Nanaimo
