TDS Christmas Tree-cycling and Wreaths Across America

Texas Disposal Systems offers holiday-related organics processing under two major programs: (1) Christmas Tree Recycling and (2) Wreaths Across America support.

Every year TDS opens up their facilities for free Tree Recycling and holiday organic waste disposal. This includes live Christmas Trees and wreaths, as well as any left over pumpkins. Residents can visit their regional facility or the main landfill in Creedmoor to drop off their trees and organics. From there, we process the trees through chippers into high-quality, rich products like mulch or compost. These products are sold via the Garden-Ville retail centers back into the local community.

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Whole Life Learning Center – Winter Solstice Celebration Market

In mid-December, I finally got the chance to visit the Whole Life Learning Center (WLLC) in South Austin. The WLLC is a mix-use facility with the primary purpose of outdoor education for children. While the focus is for hands-on outdoor learning for kids, there are frequent opportunities for teen and adult environmental education. There’s also an on-site plant nursery, Cultivate Holistic Supply, which offers a slew of organic supplies.

In honor of the Winter Solstice, various vendors came together for a Winter Solstice Celebration Market. The products they offered ranged from hand-made jewelry to organic tinctures and anything you could imagine made from beeswax or honey byproducts.

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Trash Goalie Waste Diversion

As part of my work with Texas Disposal Systems, we support the waste diversion services of the Austin FC Q2 Stadium. This work has included serving as “Trash Goalies” during football (soccer) games!

Being a volunteer Trash Goalie, we helped monitor the eco-waste stations near the concession areas and stadium seating. The eco-waste stations were divided into three separate, labeled bins so attendees could see where their waste should go. Our jobs were to help “block shots” to prevent contamination as well as educate guests on proper disposal practices at the stadium.

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Texas Disposal Systems Job

Continuing my Texas conservation marketing career, I left the Take Care of Texas program to join the Texas Disposal Systems as their first ever Digital Marketing Specialist! (See my previous work from TCOT, including the Texas Trickle.)

The first few days consisted on new employee orientation, as well as advanced defensive driver training for new employees who drives for the company.

On my actual first day on the job, the company marketing director took me on a tour of the landfill and the onsite animal sanctuary. We started off at the main administrative building where I work, which featured several recycled metal art sculptures – like a mama bear and her cubs, as well as a tree with an eagle.

Here is a video tour of the main Creedmoor Facility. It highlights all the operations onsite, like the landfill, composting center, materials recovery facility (MRF), and the exotic animal sanctuary.

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TinyFest Texas

Tour tiny houses, van conversions, skoolies, backyard cottages (ADUs), shipping container home, adventure rigs and more! There were builders and people who were living and traveling tiny every day at TinyFest Austin 2021. As part of the festival, there were several hands-on workshops, speaker presentations, Q & A Sessions and Panel Discussions to answer common questions and “tiny” hurdles.

Pioneer Farms

TinyFest Texas was held Sep 25th – 26th, 2021 in Austin, TX. The festival was located at Pioneer Farms and hosted by TinyFest Events. Pioneer Farms is a 90-acre living history museum depicting life in 1800s Texas, with five restored historic sites and a village. The property also conducts pioneer life skills like glass blowing, blacksmithing, weaving, and carpentry just to name a few!

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