YOUR TURN: Fall means festivals, recycling and the annual mulch sale
This past weekend was a little bit too warm, don't you think? We've been dabbling in some nicer temperatures, and it never fails that a North Carolina September will inevitably have some days pushing 90 degrees and man, it just wears you out.
Gaston County Solid Waste and Recycling did a phenomenal job on Saturday in the heat, servicing nearly 225 cars that brought Household Hazardous waste to Dallas Park for the quarterly collection event. If you missed it, you'll have one more chance in 2024 to bring us your materials on Nov. 16.
This weekend marked the Autumn Equinox, the midway point between solstices. All days moving forward will have more darkness than light, until the shortest day of the year for the Northern hemisphere, the winter solstice. Some people welcome the darkening days, enjoying more time to light candles and cozy up. To others, it can feel like time is fleeting. My old boss Tony Pasour used to hasten us at the museum saying "Daylight's burning! Time's a-wastin'!" That feels especially urgent when the daylight starts a-missing. Our morning walks have been getting darker and darker, since elementary school doors open at 7:05 a.m., and we were walking as the sun was rising, now we are arriving as the sun is rising. We may have to be conventional and drive and that makes me a little sad.
We'd like to think that we can beat the rhythms of our planetary cycles, but we are drawn to seasonal changes.
Although modern society has reduced our dependence on sun, we are still wired to it, feel our ancient ties to diurnal rhythms. Depending on your view, you may think we have progressed a lot. We can stay up with our electric light, be entertained at all times of the day with our technology, and have access to a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables that no other generation could have dreamed of getting in the cold, dark winter months. But having no end to light, entertainment and food can also drive us away from the most basic of needs: being intimately tied to a place, and the people who exist there with you. Now is the perfect time as the season of fall festivals ramps up to really be outside and engaged with the people and places that make Gaston County unique and reconnect your body and spirit to this rhythm of time and season.
Of course, there is a balance to be had between slowing down as the darkness demands it, but also soaking up every bit of the golden light of fall with pumpkins, hayrides and football games is critical now before we all go into holiday mode and then the hibernation of January and February.
One of the best resources to find out what is going on around the county is GoGastonNC.org. This is the county's tourism webpage and is an amazing catalog of upcoming local events as well as restaurant listings, concerts and one of my favorites - unique "trails" of BBQ places or local craft breweries to check out.
They need your organization's upcoming events too, if you want to submit to them.
Gaston County is a dynamic and growing space, and we need to take into account our environmental impacts in all this growth. I hope that with the right opportunities for networking and conversations there can be community support for more sustainable initiatives that promote the longevity of our county resources. How we invite people to play (such as staying on the trails when you go to a park), and how we invite people to be responsible (such as offering trash or recycling containers that get regular attention) will be paramount in the coming years.
It means that we need to be advocates for our beautiful county if it's down by the river or along the roadways. Reducing litter means covering your load when you drive, including loads of mulch. Oh yes! Mulch sales for our very affordable $2-cash-per-scoop start Saturday, Sept. 28, 8 a.m. until noon and then 1 until 4 p.m. and will run subsequent Saturdays until we either run out, or the demand dies. You can call the recycle hotline at 704-922-7729 to hear if the sale has changed as the message will be updated as needed.
So as we look ahead to the beautiful fall days, I invite you to recycle, bring your own containers for beverages, and to-go boxes, where and when you can. Although these are small actions, in a world full of things you cannot control, this is something that you can.
If you choose to purchase something larg(er) like a house, car, appliance, consider your options as they impact the air around you, and your energy use. So as you enjoy your warm apple cider, try it in a reusable mug.
As you shop at the fair or festival, grab that reusable bag from your car to take with you.
When you start seeing holiday must-haves for gifting, consider the local artisan or vendor first so we can keep our arts communities and small shops thriving here at home.
In choosing to attend Cotton Ginning Days, or an event at the Schiele Museum or Gaston County Museum, to venture out to a local restaurant new or old, or to slow your pace on a local trail you are taking in all the unique opportunities this county has to offer.
Learn more, become an ambassador and celebrate this place, knowing we have a deep history and you are a vital part of its future: environmentally, culturally and economically.
Becca Hurd is the recycling coordinator for Gaston County.
This article originally appeared on The Gaston Gazette: YOUR TURN: Fall means festivals, recycling and the annual mulch sale
