A packed house went green at the community’s first sustainability event.
The Mt Hood Green Scene Fair offered recycling opportunities that included
everything that lurks in the storage shed — from old computers and
Styrofoam blocks to batteries, fluorescent bulbs and scrap metal.

Plenty of information was on hand at the various booths to learn about
composting and worm bins, green building, solar resources, sustainable living
and recognizing invasive species in our community.

The April 24 turnout at Welches Middle School (estimated at more than 400)
was a pleasant surprise to organizer Doug Saldivar.

“I’m really glad that the community is showing so much interest in
sustainability,” Saldivar said. “I’m especially glad that the high school and
middle school kids are here learning and participating. Now that we have seen
how many of us are interested in sustainable living it’s time to start activities
and changes to make this a reality.”

Chris Page of Page’s Mt. Hood Auto & Tire collected tires to recycle.

“One guy brought in about 50 tires,” Page said. “There were tires from the
30s and 40s, and one tire in particular was probably from the 20s. It had
about five tires wrapped around each other. That used to happen back then.”
He felt the tire recycling effort was a big hit.

An electric car was on display courtesy of The Oregon Electric Vehicle
Association. A petite little car with three wheels, it seats one person, and
sports a handy storage area in the rear.

Kids activities included craft making with recycled items, face painting and a
scavenger hunt.

A used book sale by the Friends of the Hoodland Library offered something for
readers of all ages.

There were plenty of feet tapping and fingers snapping as the crowd listened
to guitars, mandolins and ukuleles courtesy of McLundy’s Green Room.
A dramatic production of the Dr. Seuss story, The Lorax, was presented by
Sandy High students.

At day’s end, almost 7,000 pounds of recycled goods were collected.
Discarded batteries alone accounted for 160 pounds, cardboard 400 pounds,
scrap metal 60 pounds and newspaper 60 pounds.

Twenty-seven pairs of glasses were collected, 150 tires, 12 cubic yards of
Styrofoam and 140 flourescent bulbs containing mercury.

The event was sponsored by the Sustainable Hoodland Network, the Villages
at Mt. Hood, and the Clackamas County Office of Sustainability.

The fair was funded by a grant from Portland Recycling Team.

Watch The Mountain Times for follow up Mt Hood Green Scene meeting dates
and times or contact Doug Saldivar at plazatrail@gmail.com.