WSU Lewis County Master Recycler Composter Volunteers

Please click here for a schedule of both WSU Lewis County Master Recycler Composter (MRC) and Master Gardener workshops scheduled for 2024.

Earth Day is EVERY day for Environmental Superheros! Do you want to improve the environment and save money by reducing landfill waste? Do you have questions about what can and can't be recycled? How to make and use compost? How to deal with hazardous waste and what safer alternatives are available? This 8-week Zoom series will run on Thursday evenings from April 11 through May 30 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. It will be taught by WSU Lewis County Master Recycler Composters and guests who will answer those questions and more and will give you the knowledge, skills, and confidence needed to be an Environmental Superhero! Topics will include residential and worm composting, understanding and improving soils, reducing food and consumer waste, living a "green" lifestyle, and more. This series is open to everyone and required to become a WSU Certified Master Recycler Composter volunteer (AKA: Environmental Superhero). In-person tours of the Central Transfer Station and the Floral Park Sustainability Project will demonstrate how solid waste is disposed of, recycled, reused, and composted. Zoom links will be sent to registrants within 2 weeks of the course. For more information about the MRC program, visit https://lewiscountywa.gov/departments/solid-waste/volunteer/wsu-lewis-county-master-recycler-composter-volunteers/.

Repair & Sustainability Fairs: The WSU Lewis County Master Recycler Composter (MRC) volunteers will host two Repair & Sustainability Fairs at Centralia College in 2024. An event was held in Morton in mid-March, and successfully repaired 27 items, including mending a throw pillow, wheeled suitcase, sweater, and repairing a sewing machine, lawn mower, chain saw, sharpening knives and chain saw blades, and providing education on home electrical issues, home plumbing issues and how to start a composting organic material, such as lawn clippings, yard debris, and kitchen scraps at home.

The next Repair & Sustainability Fair will be 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. April 27 at Centralia College in the SWFT Center. A fall event is being planned for Oct. 5 in the same location.

Make plans to attend! Or, if you are handy at fixing broken items, contact us and lend a hand!

If you have something around your home that needs to be fixed, don't throw it out and bury it in the landfill forever. Bring it to this event. Volunteers will be on hand to do their best to make the repairs and teach you how to do it in the process. Some community members will also be on-site offering demonstrations, so you can learn and improve your knowledge as a do-it-yourselfer. Here are some examples of items you can bring to the event: Bikes; Air mattresses; Lawn Mowers; Electric items, such as lamps and fans; Clothing, curtains, and other textiles in need of minor repairs; Tools that need sharpening; Furniture.

Repairs will be on a first-come, first-served basis. The fixer volunteers will try their best to help you repair the item, or give you recommendations on next steps, but there are no guarantees. Please click here for a list of FAQs about Repair & Sustainability Fairs.

At the Centralia event, workshops are also being planned to teach you how to repair certain items or develop a proper maintenance schedule, so you can ward off repairs. Community partners will have information booths on incorporating sustainable practices into your life. There will a "Stuff Swap" table of gently used items that people can take home, and there will be kids activities.

For more information please call Jason Adams, coordinator for the WSU Lewis County MRC Program, at 360-740-1216 or email jason.adams@lewiscountywa.gov.

The Master Recycler Composter (MRC) Volunteer Program is a collaboration between Washington State University Extension and the Lewis County Department of Public Works, Solid Waste Division. The MRCs are volunteers who care about the environment, Lewis County and its citizens. Please click here to read a volunteer job description. MRC Volunteers are passionate about the following topics, and enjoy:

• Recycling and composting
• Re-using or re-purposing items
• Reducing food waste
• Raising community awareness about environmental issues
• Volunteering at special events, such as Christmas Tree Recycling

MRC volunteers are trained on how to reduce waste and increase public awareness about reducing, recycling, and composting in Lewis County. Volunteers agree to give back 25 hours of annual service and complete five hours of continuing education each year. Learn more at this link to the MRC Training Brochure. If you are interested in becoming an MRC volunteer, please fill out the membership application at this link.

Contact the WSU Lewis County Extension Office:

• Office Address: 17 SW Cascade Ave., Chehalis, WA 98532
• Mailing Address: Lewis County Historic County Courthouse, 351 NW North Street, Chehalis, WA 98532
• Contact Person: Jason Adams, program coordinator
• Phone Number: 360-740-1216
• Email: jason.adams@lewiscountywa.gov, swu@lewiscountywa.gov

Floral Street Sustainability Park is a project being developed by WSU Lewis County Master Recycler Composter and Master Gardener volunteers. It is located at the corner of Floral Street and South Tower Avenue in Centralia. Please click here for a brochure that describes the planned development and goals for the park. Volunteers plan to host workshops and classes on waste reduction, composting, chemical-free gardening, and related topics. For more information, please call 360-740-1216 or email jason.adams@lewiscountywa.gov.