Our May theme is “A Grand Place to Grow.”
May is the perfect time to both Spring Clean and begin your garden! Whether you’re clearing out clutter and heading to a RecycleSmart event or starting your vegetable or flower garden for the season, every small step adds up to a cleaner, greener community. Sustainability starts right at home—and our friends at RecycleSmart and MSU Extension want to help you find new ways to make life more sustainable in Grand Traverse County!
Green Events to Mark on the Calendar:
Spring is just around the corner and our Resource Recovery Department is here to help you with your Spring cleaning. Mark your calendars for these upcoming events:
May 4-10: International Compost Awareness Week
May 15: Household Hazardous Waste Drop Off and Scrap Tire Event, Call 231-632-5162 to Sign Up!
May 19: Pollinator planters for downtown event on May 19th at Clinch Park
All of May: Brush Drop Off Site is open for the Season and New Pizza Box and Paper Cup Recycling Program Begins
Learn more about upcoming events here.
More Info on Upcoming Green Events…
International Compost Awareness Week: International Compost Awareness Week (ICAW) is the largest and most comprehensive education initiative of the compost industry. It is celebrated during the first full week of May throughout the US and internationally. The goal of ICAW is to work together to raise public awareness on why we all should be composting our organics and using compost to create healthier soil.
Household Hazardous Waste & Scrap Tire Event (Grand Traverse County Residents Only): May 15 from 1pm - 6pm. Sign up is open!
Brush Drop-Off: The brush site will open for the 2025 season on April 15th. Be aware that the conditions at the site can be difficult for non all-wheel drive vehicles when there is any standing water.
Learn more about Grand Traverse County’s Resource Recovery Program, Recycle Smart, here.
Composting Best Practices:
MSU Extension is a valuable resource to Grand Traverse County and they focus on providing successful information and resources about composting and gardening, to anyone of any level. Composting is a smart gardening practice because it recycles and reuses valuable nutrients through organic matter returned to the garden. It is a free source of organic matter or natural fertilizer for your garden!
Learn more about Composting, here.
Recess Event on May 7:
Recess is an afterwork networking event for business professionals in Grand Traverse County. Recess 2025 is brought to you by us. Our theme this year is “Grand Traverse County: A grand place to live, work and play.” At each Recess we will be delivering Public Service Announcements relevant to what’s going on in the county that month.
In May our mini theme is “A Grand Place to Grow”. Nate Alger will discuss recent news in the county. Lydia Gulow, our Resource Recovery Director, will announce upcoming events and sustainability practices in Grand Traverse County. Nate Walton, PhD and Consumer Horticulture Educator at MSU extension will educate on composting and the resources they offer.
Recess will be at Goodwill’s Food Rescue location in Traverse City on May 7th from 5pm-7pm with a $10 cover charge. Enjoy hors d'oeuvres, beverages and prizes while mingling with your peers and friends!