By JOHN E. WEARE, Keep Alliance Beautiful
Blake and Jenn Weisgerber
Blake is an Alliance native who is enjoying retirement after decades as a hostler at BNSF Railway. Jenn is originally from Scottsbluff and currently provides daycare.
Q: How long have you been on curbside, and why did you sign up?
Blake: From the beginning because it was convenient for them to come get it. You’d go to one (of KAB’s trailers) and it was full and you’d go to another one.
Q: What do you recycle?
Blake: Newspaper, paperboard, all types of plastic – plastic wrap, plastic bottles and toys, I did the frame for a toy lawn mower once; (also) glass, tin, aluminum, anything and everything you’ll take from me. I keep scrap iron and have people take it.
Q: How has this service influenced your opinion of recycling?
Blake: Makes me research what can and can’t be recycled. I try to give you guys what I can every time. (Before signing up for curbside) I was loading the car with 200-300 pounds every two to three weeks.
Q: Newest thing you’ve added to the bag?
Blake: Any type of plastic wraps, not just bags, styrofoam, anything – for the longest time I didn’t think I could recycle it.
Q: Why do you feel it is important to recycle?
Blake: Because humans are the worst thing that could happen to the planet Earth . . . if you took away humans it would thrive. I started (recycling) 25 years ago because Boy Scouts had a newspaper drive.
Q: Other “green” practices at your home?
The couple recently added a used compost barrel to their backyard. Blake asked a local man if he could take it off his hands after seeing the horizontal cylinder idle for months. He also repurposed a stock tank as a swimming pool for their grandchildren, and employed bricks from a demolished bar as pavers. Blake: I recycle and reuse whenever I can. We take clothing to the Mission Store or Goodwill.
Q: Future plans?
Blake has collected numerous panes of glass he’d like to make into a greenhouse. Composting is also something new for the Weisgerbers this spring, which will eventually provide organic material for their container garden – sourced from spent feed totes. Blake: I want to reduce what I throw away (even) further.