Many fairgoers chose to recycle during the fair
RECYCLING: Jeff Wherley stands with bags of recyclables on the last day of the Coshocton County Fair. He said that more than 100 pounds of materials were recycled this year at the fair. BEACON PHOTO BY BETH SCOTT
COSHOCTON – Last year, more than 200 pounds of plastics and aluminum was recycled at the Coshocton County Fair. This year that number decreased to just over 100 pounds, but Jeff Wherley of Coshocton County Recycling and Litter Prevention believes that is mostly due to a lower attendance at the fair this year.
“I don’t think it’s because people aren’t using them,” he said. “I think it’s because there aren’t as many people here as there was last year.”
Recycling plastic containers and aluminum bottles has been offered to fairgoers at the fair for at least 21 years, maybe longer. There were six recycling bins located throughout the fairgrounds, and Wherley said he would like to have more in the future.
“What impresses me the most is when I find milk cartons and oil containers in the bins, which means the vendors are using the containers too,” said Wherley. “They’re too big to fit through the whole in the containers, so they’re taking the time to take the lid off, put their recycling in the container, and then replace the lid. That proves to me that people clearly want to recycle. If you are of the mind to recycle, there’s plenty opportunity to do that.”
Statistics show that in the United States, more people recycle than vote. The Coshocton County Recycling and Litter Prevention Office recycles 100 tons of material each year.
“It’s easy to do, it’s a positive thing, and it makes people feel like they’re a part of something important,” said Wherley. “And it is important.”
Every time someone recycles, even if it’s just an aluminum can, natural resources such as trees, oil, and minerals are saved. Recycling just one aluminum can saves enough energy to run a television for three hours.
“Every bit that’s in recycling is not going into the landfill,” said Wherley. “We’ve been spoiled in this country because we have so much room. Other countries, they don’t have the room, and they recycle all the time.”
Wherley is passionate about recycling and enjoys his job.
“The thing I love most about this job is I never walk into a room and have people say, ‘Oh God, it’s you,’” said Wherley. “They say, ‘Oh hey, it’s the recycling guy!’ I have kids and I want them to grow up in as clean and efficient world as possible.”
beth@coshoctoncountybeacon.com
Category: People & Places
