The Fair Makes it Easier to be Green!

This spring, when you think of where to go for a great, green, family way to spend the day, come visit us at the Dutchess County Fairgrounds. We're building Green into every event! Our first area of focus is recycling.

Recycling at the Fairgrounds: Advocates of the Environment

The Dutchess County Fairgrounds is dedicated to the environment in which we live and work. The Dutchess County Agricultural Society's (DCAS) mission statement confirms our emphasis on managing the facility in an environmentally conscientious manner, and our long-term lessees, including fairground rentals and food services, to work with us to reduce our waste on a year-round basis.

The DCAS seeks to continually reduce the environmental impact of its activities on a local, regional and global level. To carry out its environmental stewardship mission, the DCAS is undertaking a multi-year, phased Green Initiative to make the entire 162-acre site and all its facilities environmentally sustainable.

Recycling at the Dutchess County Fair

During the recent Dutchess County Fair, we recycled:

• 3.18 tons of cardboard;
• 0.70 tons of glass, plastic and tin; and,
• 500 gallons of yellow grease.

Royal Carting Service Company, the Fairgrounds' waste hauler, handled all recycling except for the yellow grease, and disposed of the other 96.68 tons of garbage generated by the Fair.

In 2010, we are increasing our efforts. We are seeking other ways of decreasing the amount of materials we, and the communities around us send for landfill or incineration. We have plans to:

• Add paper to our cardboard, glass, plastic, tin and yellow grease recycling;
• Hold cell phone recycling drives, beginning with the 40th Anniversary Earth day Celebration;
• Pilot the use, on an exploratory basis for specified events, of biodegradable non-paper plates, cups and utensils that will be composted, instead of disposable paper products;
• Provide educational information to the visiting public about:
  • Recycling everyday items such as glass and plastic containers
  • Recycling and re-use of electronics
  • The importance of green cleaning for kitchens and bathrooms
  • Low-mercury lighting