recycling – Kristen Baumlier

Part of being a mid-career artist is that you end up with lots of old projects and art in your attic, studio, and storage areas.
Over time, I decide to keep only key elements or what I think are the best pieces and move the other work out of my space.
I recently recycled some of my old set lists from performances, donated some props and costumes from shows to the thrift store, and recycled some of my old video footage tapes that were not the final masters.

Each year I seem to value space more than keeping all my old objects. This past weekend was a big project – moving out some of my old steel sculptures and objects from projects.

This past weekend I made a trip to the scrapyard and brought some of my past steel objects which included:

– My Good Citizen Portable Flagpole/ Cart – which I used to wheel around Oakland, CA in the role of Good Citizen in the Good Citizen Project in 1994
– My Portable Cheesekick Contraption – from my Buns of Butter project (where you could put a huge hunk of cheese in it – and kick it as a workout)
– My Oil Rig Hangers and Oil Toybox – from my Stretching Oil Production Installation

For my steel objects I got $48.00 – and a bunch of space in my basement and attic.

May they rest in piece.

Paper, plastic, or aluminum? Tomorrow – November 15^th is America Recycles Day, the only nationally recognized day to promote recycling in the U.S. In my area there is a paper and used book drive at several libraries, an environment and recycle day event at a school, and a rain barrel workshop at the zoo.

Today, over 87 percent of people have access to community recycling programs, and over 50% of the population have curbside collection programs. Recycling started with paper, plastic and aluminum has now expanded to recycling paint, batteries, cellphones, printer ink cartridges, and used computers and electronics.

Since 1997, November 15 has been America Recycles Day – where events are planed to educate and motivate others about what can be accomplished when we recycle. “I Recycle” events taking place this month, all designed to educate, motivate and inspire individuals to recycle more.

Keep America Beautiful, Inc., established in 1953 created the toolkits, resources, and website for the event, and is the nation’s largest volunteer-based community action and education organization. The organization has over 1,200 affiliate and participating organizations.

“Recycling not only protects the environment, it strengthens the community,” said Matthew M. McKenna, president and CEO of Keep America Beautiful, Inc. “The simple act of recycling creates the impetus for innovation in industry and fosters green jobs. Recycling can save communities money through more efficient waste management, and significantly reduces energy costs and demands on our natural resources. Ultimately, recycling improves a community’s cohesion and impacts the local quality of life.”

Alcoa and Alcoa Foundation are also among the national sponsors providing resources and supporting events. The company’s recycling website offers a host of resources including a free Aluminate iPhone app to help individuals recycle more.

Paula Davis, president, Alcoa Foundation says that “If all Americans recycled just one more can per week, we could reach our 75 percent recycling goal in the U.S. and save enough energy to power almost 300,000 average U.S. homes for a full year. Every step counts.”

Image Source:
America Recycles

Links:

Find an America Recyles event near you: http://americarecyclesday.org/join-event

America Recycles Day

Keep America Beautiful

Alcoa Recyling Page