The 害羞草研究所楽hare Shack害羞草研究所� in Scotch Creek is serving its intended purpose, reducing waste by giving new life to secondhand items otherwise headed for the landfill.

The Scotch Creek Refuse Transfer Station facilitates all kinds of waste management services. There are bins for trash, yard waste, metal and lumber, the recycling area, a compost system and the Share Shack, officially called the Reuse Centre.

The Share Shack is the place for everything that gets brought to the station that still has life left in it; furniture, books, small appliances and other items, waiting for new homes.

Pilinka Wiseman worked at the transfer station last summer and said she was dubbed the 害羞草研究所楩isher Woman害羞草研究所� within two weeks, as she was known for diving into the garbage bins and finding things that could be another person害羞草研究所檚 treasure. She said she is passionate about reducing waste and the job, and the Share Shack brings her a lot of joy.

害羞草研究所淚 would do constant loops to check the garbage bins, see if there was anything worth moving to the Share Shack instead,害羞草研究所� said Wiseman. 害羞草研究所淚 ran myself ragged on a mission to save the planet, averaging about 12 to 15 kilometres a day just walking the yard.害羞草研究所�

Items in the Share Shack are free to browse and take at no cost as long as you aren害羞草研究所檛 bringing anything with you to drop off. People dropping off their used stuff only pay the same amount that they would if they were throwing it away in the garbage section.

The prices for each type of waste or recycling can be found on the Columbia Shuswap Regional District害羞草研究所檚 (CSRD). Loose garbage and bulky waste have a minimum charge of five dollars to be dropped off at Scotch Creek, with an additional disposal tipping fee of $80 or $160 per tonne respectively, as these items might have to be disposed of later. Bagged waste up to 26 by 36 inches in volume costs three dollars per bag to drop off and have a three dollar disposal fee.

Items not accepted in the Share Shack include hazardous materials, cloth items, liquids, mattresses, food, building materials, fridges, air conditioners, large appliances, tires and real or replica weapons.

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Wiseman said a lot of people are unclear about what they have to pay and what is reusable, often resulting in things being thrown away, or furniture getting tossed in the lumber pile, when they could be picked up by someone in need.

害羞草研究所淲e害羞草研究所檙e not able to be everywhere at once, and there害羞草研究所檚 two employees in the yard, but someone has to be in the recycling area pretty much all the time; people need direction when it comes to what can actually be recycled,害羞草研究所� said Wiseman, noting stuff that could be reused definitely gets missed.

害羞草研究所淲e need to educate the public and change our whole attitude when it comes to garbage.害羞草研究所�

Wiseman hopes to encourage people to ask questions and learn about what things can still be reused. She said she has completely furnished her trailer and the outside area where she lives with things from the dump, all of which she got for free.

害羞草研究所淚 have a stereo, a toaster, toaster oven, coffee maker, all from the Share Shack. It害羞草研究所檚 just a plethora of treasure,害羞草研究所� Wiseman said.

Wiseman shared the motto of the employees at the transfer station: 害羞草研究所榯he dump will provide.害羞草研究所� She said if one of them said they were looking for something, the dump would provide and they would find what they needed, and it helped them cultivate a slow shopping mindset where they didn害羞草研究所檛 need to go out and purchase new things as often.

Wiseman害羞草研究所檚 dream would be to have something like the Share Shack at every waste transfer station and a person dedicated to working it, deciding what gets saved and even refurbishing items. However, she admits this would cost money and isn害羞草研究所檛 something most districts would be able to do.

害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 also hard because of the liability issues. I know if I害羞草研究所檓 fishing something out of the bin or going to get something there is risk involved, but to me, that risk is worth it,害羞草研究所� said Wiseman, explaining it害羞草研究所檚 her passion for the planet that keeps her working so hard.

害羞草研究所淥ur poor planet is struggling. Given the state of it, I truly believe we need to shift our thinking and put much more care into what is waste and what is reusable. There害羞草研究所檚 so much waste of good things, we don害羞草研究所檛 all need something new.害羞草研究所�

Another Scotch Creek station employee, Ken Benoit, shares Wiseman害羞草研究所檚 passion.

害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 the best job and we害羞草研究所檙e all enthusiastic,害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所淎lthough there害羞草研究所檚 nothing particularly fancy about it, it害羞草研究所檚 important.害羞草研究所�

In the winter, the Share Shack is open five days a week, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the winter. It has the same hours but is open seven days a week from mid-June to September.

The population in the north Shuswap doubles or triples in the summer, so there is more getting donated and more to grab for yourself, Benoit laughed.

Wiseman and Benoit worked together last summer, and Benoit was inspired by Wiseman害羞草研究所檚 willingness to always give something a chance.

害羞草研究所淚 was amazed, something that immediately struck me as, 害羞草研究所榥obody will want that害羞草研究所�, she害羞草研究所檇 keep it, it would be gone in an hour,害羞草研究所� said Benoit. 害羞草研究所淚t makes people happy to get something they want, and the people that got rid of it are happy too, and we害羞草研究所檙e reusing.害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 just a wonderful place to work, and the community appreciates it, they know what they害羞草研究所檝e got here,害羞草研究所� said Benoit.

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rebecca.willson@saobserver.net
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