Orcas Island ExchangeThe Exchange to Re-open June 18 – Will Alternate Intake and Sales Days
The Exchange reuse store, located at the Orcas Island Transfer Station, will re-open on Thursday, June 18th, with normal days and hours of operation, Thursday – Monday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. However, due to Covid…
Sew4ZeroWaste Helps Coordinate Orcas Mask Makers
Sew4ZeroWaste is a sewing and recycling craft workshop run by Asifa Pasin, a Board Member at ORS/The Exchange. The group has recently pivoted their focus and has been providing PPE for our local Island community. It…
Islanders Keep Great Islands Clean-Up Alive!
The Great Islands Clean-Up (“GICU”) has been a County-wide celebration for the last seven years. Participants band together and scour the islands to pick up all the litter along the roads and beaches on Orcas, Lopez,…
Compost Inspiration
Greetings Composters! April’s sunny skies have a lot of us out in the gardens…and hopefully working on composting. In this month’s column we are sharing some unique videos to watch for inspiration and instruction while you’re…
Great Islands Clean Up becomes Month-long Individual Effort
The Spring Great Islands Clean Up has been cancelled, but you can still do your part. In honor of Earth Day’s 50th Anniversary this April, Islanders are encouraged to use the whole month to help tidy…
Exchange in The Seattle Times!
Thanks to Orcas art teacher Brook Meinhardt and her “Art Kit” project for kids stuck at home (and parents running out of ideas) The Exchange got some press in the big city. Our thanks to Brook,…
Orcas Residents Supporting Health Care Workers
The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic is causing shortages of personal-protective equipment (PPE) for health care workers and hospice caregivers on Orcas Island. Some island residents have banded together and are actively working to help create solutions. When…
ORS/The Exchange Announces New Board President
Orcas Recycling Services (ORS)/The Exchange has elected Jim “Duff” Duffield as its new president of the board of directors. Duff replaces Tim Blanchard, who has served the board and ORS since its inception. Tim remains on…
Recognition by Zero Waste Washington
Orcas Island Recycling Services/The Exchange was recently recognized by Zero Waste Washington with a number of other zero waste movements across Washington State. Author Mariel Fernandez Thuraisingham writes: “Orcas Island Recycling Services and Exchange began as…
A (not so short) History of Compost
Prehistoric farmers discovered that manure from their domesticated animals – mixed with straw and other brush and crop residues – would gradually change into a fertile soil-like material that was good for crops. The practice of…
