Recycling Program at the Minibeast Zooseum

Minibeast Zooseum and Education Center

Recycling Program

2003 Winner of the Tricounty Waste Reduction Award!

WHY WE RECYCLE AT THE MINIBEAST ZOOSEUM

Each year we host thousands of visitors, many of them school-aged children on field trips, and this results in the production of large amounts of organic and inorganic wastes. (In the first three years of operation the facility produced more than 2500 pounds of mixed organic and inorganic waste that had to be taken to the landfill. Additionally, our trail and landscape maintenance generated more than a hundred cubic yards of organic wastes, while our office produced thousands of pounds of waste, primarily paper and cardboard.) The staff of the Minibeast Zooseum decided that a permanent program for reusing and recycling virtually all organic and inorganic wastes generated at the Zooseum would be a worthwhile endeavor from both an environmental and educational standpoint. Since our educational mission is to help people learn about invertebrate animals – "nature's invincible recycling crew" – it only made sense to combine a much-needed recycling program with hands-on learning. It is our hope that Zooseum visitors take the lessons learned here and apply them to their own situation at home and work.

RECYCLING PROGRAM GOALS

The goals of our Minibeast Zooseum recycling program are:

Combine our waste reduction/recycling program with hands-on education.
Increase the amount of materials that are recycled and used onsite.
Increase the amount of materials taken off-site for recycling, thereby reducing the amount of materials that must go to the local landfill.

Our primary goal is to make it possible for school students (and other visitors) to participate in sorting and recycling their lunch waste when they visit the Minibeast Zooseum. Their participation in our recycling program allows all visitors to see recycling/composting methods in use, as well as watch compost critters in action. Basically, we make our own worm bedding with shredded waste paper and the students and other visitors provide the worm food! In addition to feeding the worms and using the vermicomposting station, they also have a chance to see a large compost heap and a display featuring live compost critters. All of these "working displays" help us in our efforts to effectively teach about the importance of invertebrates as recyclers.

We also recycle all of the organic wastes that come from our trail, landscaping, and garden maintenance by shredding, chipping and/or composting. The products derived from these recycled organic raw materials are used at the Minibeast Zooseum as soil conditioner/fertilizer and trail cover (for erosion control) – all of which, of course, serves to reinforce the values and benefits of recycling to our visitors.

OTHER RECYCLING AND REUSE

Beginning in 1997, the Young Entomologists' Society made a conscious effort to become more "paperless"; as a result our catalog, handouts, publications and many letters are now produced and sent electronically, saving tons of paper (trees!) and hundreds of gallons of fuel usage for mail delivery.
The Minibeast Zooseum staff and volunteers now recycle virtually all of our office waste (primarily paper and cardboard). Cardboard cartons and padded envelopes are also reused and/or recycled. All one-sided waste paper is cut into scratch pads for additional use, and then recycled after this second use. A portion of our paper waste is also shredded and used as packing material in our daily mail order shipments (and worm bedding).
We collect plastic and paper grocery bags for reuse in our gift shop and at convention sales. We also used over 10,000 compressed plastic grocery bags to "stuff" a gigantic 10 foot nylon tarantula that sits on top of our building.
We sort, store and recycle all the plastic, metal and glass containers and other materials (such as batteries) brought onsite.
Our entrance drive and parking lot are made from crushed/recycled concrete.
Many recycled materials, including salvage lumber and building supplies, are used in exhibit construction whenever possible; many of these materials are donated by local residents and businesses.
Tin cans, plastic containers and styrofoam are reused as project materials, bug cages and pinning boards.
All of the computers currently in use in the exhibit and multipurpose rooms were received as part of the computer recycling/donation programs at Ford Motor Co., Romulus MI, and EDS, Lansing MI.
Toner cartridges from laser printers and copy machines are sent back to the manufacturer for reuse.
Used motor oil and antifreeze from Society vehicles is recycled at local oil and antifreeze reclaim centers.
We participate in the Ingham/Eaton/Clinton book recycling program and Mid-Michigan Freecycling Network

THE ZOOSEUM FREECYCLES – HOW ABOUT YOU?

One person's "trash" is another's treasure... so don't throw a good thing away! Get rid of good stuff that you no longer want by participating in the Mid-Michigan Freecycling Network (http://yahoo.groups.com/group/mmfn). You can save the environment, help those in need, and get free stuff. The Mid-Michigan Freecycle Network is part of a growing international movement (there's probably a group in your area too) with the goal of decreasing landfill use by giving new life to good used stuff. Whether you are looking to donate, or looking to find an item large or small (electronics, appliances, furniture, automotive parts, sports equipment, dorm lofts, book, toys, clothing and more), this is a great forum for you. So don't trash it, freecycle it!

We eagerly accept unwanted and surplus materials/supplies for reuse at the Minibeast Zooseum -everything from building materials to furnishings and equipment to office supplies. Click here learn more about this exciting recycling program or contact us by e-mail if you have items to donate. If you are looking for places in Mid-Michigan that take other reuse items that we do not need, check the Tri-County Area Reuse Guide.

FREE INK JET CARTRIDGE RECYCLING KITS AVAILABLE
Do the right thing and recycle your non-printhead ink jet cartridges!
Here's three reasons why you should:

Free for you (just use the postage-paid envelopes we provide)
Funds for the Minibeast Zooseum (we receive a small donation for each cartridge sent in)
Good for the environment (reduce landfill waste through reuse)

Need more kits? Have large lots of cartridges? Call 517-886-0630 or send e-mail to YESbugs@aol.com to request more kits. Or, you can pick up mailers and drop off cartridges off at the Minibeast Zooseum (see address below).
Minibeast Zooseum and Education Center
Young Entomologists' Society, Inc., 6907 West Grand River Ave., Lansing MI 48906-9158
What we do: operate the award-winning Minibeast Zooseum and Education Center (voted one of 5 best children's nature museums in the USA by Child magazine); provide innovative, age-appropriate educational presentations, displays, memberships and information (1.49 million people served to date); publish Minibeast World and Cyberbugs Minibeast e-Magazine; maintain international leadership in entomology/ arachnology youth education with the world's largest kid's bug club and world-class information center; fund our 501 (c) 3 nonprofit, tax-exempt educational operations through dues, donations, program fees and proceeds for sales of educational materials.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

We would like to thank the Clinton County Department of Waste Management and the Clinton County Board of Commissioners for providing the funds to purchase equipment for sorting, storing and processing recyclable materials at the Minibeast Zooseum. We would also like to thank Brian Rose, ESC Services of Fenton, Michigan, for the donation of an Earth Machine composting system. We also appreciate the participation of student visitors, Zooseum volunteers and staff in our recycling program at the Minibeast Zooseum.

You Can Do It Too!

Composting and Recycling Links

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