The Sierra Club Hoosier Chapter and Winding Waters Group have been busy this summer! Have you been able to join us in our activities? We still have many more to enjoy while the weather is warm!
Check out our calendar of events for August and September! We have a book club, hikes, and democracy training, to name a few of the many ways you can participate and make a difference. Look for us at Columbus Pride in September, too!
Still looking for more? You can find the national Sierra Club on Facebook and the web. And if you missed last month’s newsletter, you can find it here.
Toter Recycling Tips
Did you ever wonder what actually happens to all of the items you put in the recycling? We wondered too! In July, Winding Waters group members toured the Rumpke Recycling Facility in Cincinnati to learn what happens after your toters are emptied. Click here to make a reservation for your own tour!
Here are a few takeaways from the tour:
Avoid “wishcycling”
Wishcycling is throwing items YOU think are recyclable in the recycle bin which are actually non-recyclable. Wishcycled items must be removed at the processing end, lowering efficiency and raising recycling costs, and those items end up in the trash anyway. Each community’s recycling program is a little different, so please research YOUR recycling system (city toter, community dumpster, drop-off facility, etc.), and keep non-recyclables out of the recycle bin. Although your community might be slightly different, check Rumpke’s link on what can generally be recycled.
Plastic bags
Please don’t put plastic bags of any kind in the recycling. Plastic bags gum up the machinery and increase the cost of sorting recyclables at the facility. Recycle your plastic bags and plastic wrap at your local grocery store instead.
To wash or not to wash?
You do not need to wash your recycling items. Scraping or draining out your bottles and jars is sufficient, because all materials are sanitized before processing anyway. Save your water, soap, and money, and stop washing your recyclables.
Upcoming meetings
The Winding Waters Group meets at 6pm in the Red Room at the Bartholomew County Public Library on the first Wednesday of the month.
Our next meeting is on August 6, 2025, where Hoosier Chapter Director Robyn Skuya-Boss will be speaking. RSVPs are not required for Winding Waters Group meetings, which are free to attend.
What: Winding Waters Group monthly meeting When: 6 August, 2025 at 6pm Where: The Red Room at the Bartholomew County Public Library, Columbus IN.
Please contact Winding Waters Group Chair Julie Lowe at j_lowe66@yahoo.com for more information.
For the full schedule of Hoosier Chapter events, click here!
Member Spotlight: Dave Wildemann
A longtime Columbus resident, I discovered the Sierra Club Winding Waters Group 2 years ago through my interest in native plants and the Winding Waters Group native plant sale.
This chance meeting turned into the discovery of many shared interests such as hiking, kayaking, environmental conservation, forest protection, invasive species removal, renewable energy, and social justice.
This year I joined the Winding Waters Group executive committee and now help plan our activities. I look forward to meeting you at one of our monthly gatherings at the Bartholomew County Public Library, or on the trail at one of our outings. Please come join us!
Thank you for all you do as we enjoy, explore, and protect the planet.
Jennifer Ehara Winding Waters Group Executive Committee
