OKRA Lunch and Learns

How You Can Reduce Your Food's Environmental Impact

June 1, 2023 Noon to 1:00 p.m. CST

Stephen Sturdivant will review important ways we can combat climate change, water pollution, and species extinction through our food choices. Mr. Sturdivant is an environmental engineer and Regional Coordinator for the US EPA Region 6's Sustainable Management of Food Program.

Join to learn

  • How food waste can adversley impact the environment
  • Food Waste composition
  • Food: Too Good to Waste Implementation Guide and Toolkit
  • Food waste sort and audit
  • Share table

Recording Coming Soon

Proper Management of Medical Sharps and Pharmaceuticals in Oklahoma Communities

May 18, 2023 Noon - 1:00 p.m. CST

Hanz Atia, Product Stewardship Institute will be presenting the results of the ongoing progress of the take back pilot program in Oklahoma. 

The Oklahoma Meds and Sharps Disposal Committee (OMSDC) is a coalition focused on statewide solutions for the safe disposal of medical sharps and pharmaceuticals in Oklahoma.

Join to learn

  • Why it's important and how to properly dispose of medical sharps and pharmaceuticals
  • The work that OMSDC has been up to
  • The resources available to you and your community
  • How to get involved

Recorded Presentation Coming Soon

Crystal with MWC folks

A Recycling Slam Dunk, without the Junk - Part 2

March 1 , 2023 Noon to 1:00 p.m. CST

Join OKRA as we hear Crystal Bennett , Municipal Manager Republic Services visit with the Midwest City Public Works Department about how they put together their very successful "Super Recycler Program." Learn how you can conduct a program in your community.

Recording Coming Soon

Republic Services and MWC audit a recycling bin to educate citizens and improve program

A Recycling Slam Dunk, without the Junk - Part 1

February 15, 2023 Noon to 1:00 p.m. CST

Join us as we walk the streets with Republic Services as they conducted a recycling bin audit with the City of Midwest City for their Super Recycler Program.  See how bins are tagged if there is a problem or rewarded as a "Super Recycler" if it is perfect.

This competition happened during the first two weeks of October 2022.

Recorded Presentation

Processing Recyclables: Gathering Valuable Information through Waste Audits

April 13, 2022, 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. CDT

 

Registration 

About this event

Recycling can be confusing for residential customers. There are rules about what can go in your bin and what can't, and that information changes from time to time. So, the wrong things end up in recycle bins, sometimes accidently, and sometimes deliberately.

Understanding why some items don't belong in your recycle bin becomes clear when you get to look at the equipment inside a materials recovery facility (MRF, pronounced "murf") and how that equipment sorts recyclables. If you live in an area that has single-stream (everything goes in the same bin) recycling then your recyclables go to a MRF.

Come and learn how Republic Services and Batliner Recycling do frequent audits to help determine the type of contamination that is making its way to recycle bins so they can do targeted education and outreach to address that contamination.

You will get to see first hand some of those contamination items and the insides of the Batliner facility and how the sorting process happens.

 

Learn how recycling can be easy if you follow three simple steps.

 

Opportunities for Glass Recycling in Oklahoma: Engage with Experts

March 8, 2022 12:00 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. CDT

Blair Pollock from Orange County, North Carolina will share about the county's highly successful glass recycling program.  Chris Knight with the City of Stillwater will talk about their experiences with glass recycling.  Lydia Gibson from Ripple Glass will will be speaking about hub and spoke opportunities in Oklahoma, Robert Hippert from O-I will be speaking on what the container glass industry expects from a quality standpoint for furnace ready cullet.  Patrick Riley with the Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality will talk about grant opportunities for equipment available through the DEQ. This expert panel will be available for questions and discussion on glass recycling.

 

Recorded Presentation

 

Thank you to co-sponsors:

Glass Recycling Coalition

Glass Recycling Foundation

2021 

OKRA Lunch & Learn - Recycling: As Easy As 1-2-3

August 13, 2021  12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. CDT

Learn how recycling can be easy if you follow three simple steps.

About this event:

When it comes to recycling at home, everyone has a part to play.  Beginning with the way you sort materials, and ending with an efficient recycling pickup, we can make sure recyclables are handled properly for a cleaner environment.

Come and learn from Crystal Bennett, of Republic Services, who will introduce us to these simple guidelines to become a better recycler.  Working together, we can make sure recyclable materials don't end up in our lakes and landfills.

Recorded Presentation

Presentation Slides

 

April 23, 2021

OKRA's 2nd Lunch & Learn to continue the conversation about recycling glass

Presented by Josh Boyer,  Regional Program Manager for Ripple Glass

Mr. Boyer spoke on the benefits of recycling glass and how to increase glass recycling in Oklahoma communities. He also discussed what happens to glass collected in Oklahoma.

Recorded Presentation

February 11, 2021
Pennsylvania Resources Council Traveling Glass Recycling Bin Program.

Presented by Ashley DiGregoroi, Recycling Markets Program Manger for the Pennsylvania Resources Council (PRC)

Recorded Presentation

 

Presentation Slides