Yesterday, Lake County and SWALCO launched their new recycling campaign called "Recycling First, Trash Last" http://recyclefirsttrashlast.org/

This is a huge coup for the County, for SWALCO and for the members of Incinerator-Free Lake County and the Woods and Wetlands Group of the Sierra Club who asked the county back in 2009 to redouble our recycling efforts in the county rather than include incineration technologies in our Solid Waste Plan. The Board listened to us and formed the Recycling Task Force. Members of both groups served on the task force along with elected officials including Ann Maine and Pat Carey and many other stakeholders within the county. This campaign is an outgrowth of that effort.

Congrats and thanks to all involved including Walter Willis, Pete Adrian and Merleanne Rampal at SWALCO for supporting this recycling effort and this fantastic campaign and the Lake County Board for listening to concerned citizens and taking action! Special thanks to County Board Members Pat Carey, Ann Maine, Melinda Willen Bush, Ann Bassi, Terry Wilke, Craig Taylor and IL House Rep. Sandy Cole for supporting us throughout this effort and advocating for the plan. Thanks also to Barry Matchett from ELPC, who advised us early on to not just be against something but challenged us to offer a better alternative.

"Never doubt that a group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever does." - Margaret Mead