A ritual since 2009, we’re pleased to give you the official Pickathon 2013 Waste Summary (aka..a letter from Jake Hofeld, Pickathon Director of Recycling):

First off, I just want to say thank you for the last 8 years working as the recycling crew lead at Pickathon. All the hard work by everyone has culminated in Pickathon receiving the 2013 special Recycler of the Year award from the Association of Oregon Recyclers. I also want to thank all of the folks within Clackamas County for the nomination and all of their support over the years.

With that said, let’s get down to the numbers. We have been tracking volumes of waste generated by Pickathon since 2009 – this includes the total volume of waste generated and the total volume of recovered waste (recycling and compost) that is being diverted from the landfill. Because the number of people attending the festival has not remained constant since 2009, the numbers have been broken down on a per person basis to allow year-to-year comparisons. In 2013 we managed to reduce the total waste generated by the festival by another 5% vs. 2012. This shows that the folks visiting the festival understand our commitment to sustainability and are continuing to do their part. Since 2009, the total waste being generated by Pickathon has reduced by 23%. This is due in large part to the elimination of disposable cups and dishware. What’s even more amazing is that since 2009, there has been a reduction of 40% in the amount of waste going to the landfill, meaning that now more than ever before we are diverting what waste is generated through recycling and compost. While there is always room for improvement, we are very proud of these results.

Special thanks go out to all of those on the recycling volunteer crew. Their commitment to the cause blows me away every time. Whether it’s jumping into a dumpster to get that one last aluminum can or driving a golf cart precariously overloaded with compost containers, these folks do one of the dirtiest jobs at the event with smiles on their faces and we wouldn’t be where we are without them. As always, feedback from those attending the festival helps us to make each year more sustainable than the last.

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And thank you, Mr. Hofeld!

And of course, most importantly, thank you to everyone that found themselves at Pickathon this year and participated in this effort. We couldn’t do it without you.

Looking forward to 2014!