• The best kept secret about energy company employees is that they are among America’s most avid environmentalists. A group of BP employees get together every year to assist recycling and sustainable living.
  

BP COORDINATOR JEFF DINGLER says that many volunteers for the Sustainable Living in Houston event were part of BP’s Challenge Green Team. Sustainable Living in Houston is a not-for-profit group providing education and resources for Greater Houston residents interested in a broad range of sustainable living issues. The group’s vision is to get all business, government entities and households involved in sustainable living practices.

BP employees participated in an event known as a “Drop and Swap” which runs for more than 12 hours. During the morning, people are encouraged to drop off recycling and swap items. Then, in the afternoon, citizens can come by and pick items from the swap collection. The majority of the BP group assisted during the morning recycling and swap drop off. Volunteers helped unload vehicles, segregate recycling material and sort swap clothing and goods.

Swap & carry

In the afternoon, volunteers helped clean up the recycling venue, sort clothing and other goods for the swap, set up for an indoor swap area, oversee the actual event and help swap customers carry out items to their cars. Afterward, the volunteers helped clean up the swap area and box up the remaining swap items for delivery to a charity.

The BP Challenge Green Team has been active on the company's WestLake Campus, but they were ready to branch out into local events involving local nonprofit organizations. “Katy has fewer recycling options than the City of Houston,” says Dingler, “and many BP employees and their families live in the Katy area. This event seemed like an ideal opportunity to publicize BP’s commitment to the environment while helping local residents recycle.”

According to the New York Times, Houston is among the worst recycling cities in America. Sustainable Living in Houston is committed to changing that reputation.

Landfill black hole

Dingler says that the Drop and Swap is a creative approach to keeping material out of landfills by getting individuals to reuse items or to make sure recyclable items are directed away from the black hole of a landfill. Keeping items in use or traditional recycling are two of the best ways to avoid waste.

“Drop and Swap is an excellent opportunity for people to recycle common recycling items, as well as donate usable charitable items,” Dingler says. “This is an area where it is often difficult to recycle, so this activity is popular. I was amazed at the amount of glass that was dropped off for recycling, as well as the volume of e-waste such as computer monitors, CPUs, cameras, phones, batteries and other items. Unfortunately, we could not recycle televisions at the event due to the high cost of TV recycling.”

Dingler says the afternoon portion of the event was successful because more than half of the swap material found new homes to be reused.

Finally, the next event they will lead is the Rivers, Lakes, Bays 'N Bayous Trash Bash, on March 27. To sign up to participate, contact Camilla Fell, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , Heather Wu, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

TO LEARN MORE about ways to reuse, recycle, buy food locally/organically and work toward more bicycle and pedestrian friendly communities, check out the Sustainable Living in Houston website: www.sustainliving.org

Next Event Date: March 27