Pilot Recycling Project Kicks-off

NEWS RELEASE

Osage Nation tests going green

By ON Communications

PAWHUSKA, Okla. (March 2, 2015)—Osage Nation Assistant Principal Chief Raymond Red Corn is working with several of the Nation’s departments to recycle what has been for years and years, “a tremendous amount of waste.”

The ‘going green’ initiative is starting off as a pilot project led by Red Corn with ten of the Nation’s departments spread out across the Osage Reservation. The departments have been selected due to location and the amount of recyclable materials the programs produce. Some of the programs currently involved include; Archives, Food Distribution, Environmental Natural Resources, the Office of the Chiefs, Osage News, Social Services, and the Wahzhazhe Cultural Center.

Not all recyclable materials are going to be recycled. For now, the focus is office paper, plastic bottles, aluminum cans, and cardboard boxes.

Fi Davis, director of Food Distribution, said a previously owned industrial size baler was purchased at a reduced price and it will be used at this work site due to the large number of boxes delivered there. All of the program’s food products are delivered in cardboard boxes.

“A few of the boxes are used to load food for our clients but we still have a majority of the boxes leftover that we dispose of through the city’s waste disposal that goes to a land fill,” Davis said.

All of the recyclable paper product from the Nation’s programs and departments will now go to Food Distribution to be compacted by the baler. Davis said he supports the initiative and is pleased his program can play in integral part in the process.

Also important to the success of the project is the involvement of the mail room staff. They are doing the majority of pick-up and deliveries.

Red Corn said the Nation is looking into which company will offer the best price for the materials and that the Nation looks forward to making a profit while being earth friendly.

“[The initiative will] reduce the amount of waste the Osage Nation puts into our local landfills. Our waste goes to Osage County,” he said.

Long term goals include raising awareness about the importance of recycling in the community and eventually including Osage Casinos.

“Recycling is a low cost, high impact way to help our environment by leveraging positive employee attitudes that already exist. The most common reaction we get when asking departments to join the effort is, ‘it’s about time,’” said Red Corn who added, “We agree, and pledge to do what is necessary to make this program work without adding costs or additional manpower. With everyone’s help we can make this work.”

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Osage Nation Communications 918-287-5599