Everett, Wash.
Published: Monday, September 22, 2008

Mill Creek leader works hard for recycling events

 During my recent vacation, I visited my niece and nephew in Henderson, Nev. The moved there this year from Auburn, and were mortified that they had to go out of their way to request recycling bins from their waste hauler in their gorgeous gated community.

I also visited a nephew and niece in Sacramento, Calif., in another make-me-jealous gated community. I was shocked to find they don't sort their trash at all.

I thought our country recycled.

Not only do neighbors put recycling containers at the curb, when folks go to the dump, they carefully deposit metal, yard waste and electronics in designated bins.

The topic was on my mind, having recently met Donna Michelson, the master recycler of them all. If you have ever shredded paper in the Mill Creek City Hall parking lot, or recycled a TV there, the city councilwoman was behind the activity.

When the former Mill Creek mayor attended an identity theft program about six years ago, the big message was shredding, she said.

"I called a paper recycling company and asked if they would do a community event for me," Michelson said. "The first one said 'Sure.'"

They thought shredding half a truck of paper would be a success.

"Document Destruction Day" was huge. At 10:30 a.m. the day of the shred, they had to call for another truck. At 11 a.m. they called for truck number three.

Michelson stayed to make sure every scrap of paper was destroyed.

"I work an event," she said. "I don't want a dud event."

She offered residents a Household Hazardous Waste Round Up, calling the Snohomish County Solid Waste Department to have them park a trailer at city hall for collection of paint and waste.

Tim Burns, Mill Creek City Manager, helps on the recycle and shred days.

"I thought the events were extremely valuable," Burns said. "We were overwhelmed."

As a homeowner, he has wondered what to do with pesticides and paint.

"Donna is very civic minded," Burns said. "She does these neat things."

The competitive runner, 59, who has been married for 36 years, said she knew folks could drive certain types of waste, such as paint, to Everett. But she thought it would be handy to have a Mill Creek collection day.

Her message is as green as Kermit the Frog.

"Please don't put pesticides and fertilizer down the drain," Michelson said.

On hazardous waste day, she had companies on hand to gather microwaves and TVs.

"It was so much fun," she said. "People were so appreciative."

At least one of her projects will be appreciated for decades. As part of the city council, she had a hand in seeing that Mill Creek build a fabulous trail that goes from town almost to Everett. When it was built, the trails preserved trees, which are homes for nocturnal animals.

"You never get nature back," she said. "How sad if we mowed it down."

Columnist Kristi O'Harran: 425-339-3451, oharran@heraldnet.com
© 2009The Daily Herald Co., Everett, WA