406 Forum

How important is recycling to you?

Follow-up: Recycling bins are leaving Big Sky Town Center Oct. 1. Who should be responsible for ensuring Big Sky residents can recycle?

Amy Gale, Big Sky, Mont.
Operations, Big Sky Sotheby’s International Realty

“Recycling is super important to me. It’s something we should do for our environment, for our kids. I recycle at home, I recycle here [at work]. It’s a daily thing for me.”

Follow-up: “It’s usually the city that would take responsibility for it, but we’re unincorporated. I’m grateful Town Center has done it for so long, but we need to come together as a community and make an effort. Maybe it’s not one spot, maybe it’s a couple so the burden doesn’t fall on one group.”

Steve Noland, Anaconda, Mont.
Owner, C and S Jewelry Design Studio

“We try to recycle everything we can, even our jewelry. It’s pretty important – the world is already covered in plastic.”

Follow-up: “There’s got to be a community leader of some sort. That’s who would be responsible. I would have a local vote and see what they want to do. If it was a larger community, it would probably be mandatory.”

Richard and Cherie Crain, Helena, Mont.
Richard: Pastor, North Hills Missionary Baptist Church; Cherie: retired

Cherie: “I like recycling because it cuts down on waste, product containers, oil, tires, whatever, rather than going to landfills and polluting our oceans. Also, recycling can be used in other products: jewelry, clothing, materials for building, automobiles, and, as Seinfeld would say, “Yada, yada, yada.”

Follow-up – Richard: “The first thing I’d think of would be the local government.” (Upon being told Big Sky is unincorporated): “So you would be in a county. Out of curiosity, there [are] no city fathers here at all? I feel whatever the nearest to a government entity [would be responsible]. Recycling needs to be at the local level.”