Residents in Thurston County use an estimated 90 million plastic shopping bags per year. On average, each bag is used for only 12 minutes. Besides the energy and resources used to make bags, they can affect our environment and create a financial burden on local government when we are done using them.

Thurston County Solid Waste has been busy this summer working with the community to discuss issues related to plastic bag use. They are seeking input from residents, businesses, and non-profits on how we can reduce our use.  They encourage residents to get involved through the below activities:

Check out the webpage set up by Thurston County Solid Waste, full of information and studies, at www.ThurstonSolidWaste.org/plastics.  There, the public can sign up for periodic emails about the project and planned activities.

At the website, you can also take the Plastic Bag Survey – over 1,700 residents have completed it. We have been surveying at stores and special events as well  – participants get a free reusable bag. 

Eight community meetings have been scheduled for mid-August to mid-September. These are all listed on the web site as well. Thurston County Solid Waste hopes you will join them for these important discussions.

If you are a member of a community group, you may want to know that Solid Waste staff is available for presentations on the topic of plastic bags.  They also have several copies of the entertaining documentary “Bag It” if you would like to coordinate a viewing for your church, neighborhood, or community group. To view a trailer for the film, just go to their website You can also rent the movie for home use on services such as Amazon or Netflix. For more information, please contact Loni Hanka at hankal@co.thurston.wa.us or (360) 867-2282.

The Thurston County Solid Waste Advisory Council meets the 2nd Thursday of each month from 11:30-1 at Thurston County Public Works, 9605 Tilley Road SW, Olympia, WA 98512. The public is always invited to attend and share their comments. Mark Daniels of the American Progressive Bag Alliance (the Plastics Industry) has been invited to do a presentation at the next meeting on August 9. 

Community input is critical as the folks from Solid Waste work to identify possible solutions to the growing problem of single-use shopping bags. Visit their webpage and send them an email from there, or give them a call and share your thoughts.

For more information, contact:
Terri Thomas
Education & Outreach Specialist III
Thurston County Solid Waste
9605 Tilley Road SW
Olympia, WA 98512-9140
Phone: 360-867-2279
Fax: 360-867-2295
www.ThurstonSolidWaste.org
  
  

The Griffin Fire Department was formed on September 11, 1962. The name Griffin comes from Judge Griffin, who donated land for a new school after the old Schneider’s Prairie Schoolhouse burned to the ground in the summer of 1926.

The Griffin Fire Department covers approximately the same area as the Griffin School District. The department patch pictures a griffin (a mythical beast who rises from the ashes) holding a hose and axe.

The Griffin Fire Department invites all to join their 50 year anniversary celebration, and meet their members. They will have refreshments, fire extinguisher demo, burn prop demo, vehicle extrication demo, blood pressure checks, CPR demo, 9v replacement batteries for smoke detectors, smoke detectors, smoke house for kids, address signs, and fire extinguishers. The Washington State Patrol, Thurston County Sheriffs Dept., Medic One, and Airlift NW will be joining the fire department to meet and answer your questions.

Open House
September 8
9:00am to 3:00pm
Griffin Fire Department Headquarters
3707 Steamboat Loop NW, Olympia, Washington 98502

Help get out the word about this event. Click here to download the flyer and pass it on to a friend.

We hope to see you there!

Call the fire department at 866-9000 for more information.
 
 

The Griffin Fire Department is moving to an electronic means of sending their periodic newsletter to residents within the fire district. However, to make this move successful, they need to begin to accumulate a list of email addresses for property owners in our area.

By moving to an electronic newsletter, the Griffin Fire Department can dramatically reduce the cost of producing and distributing its newsletter.

Please add yourself to their email list by downloading a copy of their form, filing in your name and email address, and sending it to the Griffin Fire Department.

Click here to download a copy of their form. It is a PDF form, so you can fill it out right on your computer using Acrobat Reader. Click the “Print Form” button and drop a copy off at the fire department headquarters (Monday thru Friday from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm).

You can choose to fax completed forms to the Griffin Fire Department. Their fax number is 866-6927.

Depending on how your computer is set up, you may find you can click the “Print Form” button (in the upper right corner of the form) and then print to a PDF file. Then you can email your form directly to admin@griffinfd.org

Contact the Griffin Fire Department at 866-9000 for more information.

Thanks for helping the Griffin Fire Department build their email database and reduce the costs of producing their newsletter.