BACKHAULSUMMIT2012 KAWERAK BACKHAUL REPORT

The Bering Strait Region

Kawerak is our regional non-profit corporation, incorporated under State Law in 1973, to provide services throughout the Bering Strait Region. Kawerak received an EPA IGAP consortia grant in 2010 to help coordinate regional backhaul & recycling issues.

So what do we do? We collect! we stage! …and we backhaul!

We host regional trainings and do community education!

We help our villages backhaul! e-waste, batteries, scrap metal, white goods, fluorescents, ballasts, Freon, aluminum…

To make that happen we partner with local, regional and statewide entities.

VILLAGES NOME A regional airlines backhauls our materials from the villages to Nome, non-revenue & space available.

NOME ANCHORAGE SEATTLE From Nome we fly the materials to Anchorage (year round) or we wait for summer and barge them to Seattle.

Seek partnerships and build working relationships with local TRIBAL governments

Tapped into the various statewide RESOURCES available for environmental programs

Sought a partnership with the City of Nome to help improve their Recycle Center BEFORE AFTER

How can YOU build a regional backhaul program? (glad you asked!)

Identify Transportation Companies Airlines Rail companies Barge lines Road system Ferry Other? What works best for you? What are your options?

Identify Recycling Companies What types of materials are you working with?  Metals, e-waste, paper, plastics, lead-acid batteries Where do your transportation carriers go?  Anchorage? Seattle? Is the recycler community-oriented? Alaskans for Litter Prevention And Recycling

Involve Your Community Educate! Raise Awareness! Planning! Ladies in Wales taping household batteries. Community members in Teller sharing vision drawings. Youth group making recycle boxes out of cardboard.

Identify LOCAL/REGIONAL partners Tribal governments Municipalities (City) Native corporations National Park Service Health corporation College branch Schools Fisheries Non-profits Other?

Pick up the phone! Send an Ask questions Research online Learn about what systems are in place Tap into Alaska’s tribal environmental family Host a meeting How do you start a relationship with those agencies?

Encourage hub community to coordinate the effort Host quarterly teleconferences with all communities invited Take advantage of conferences – meet with each other Encourage your hub community to apply for EPA Consortia Communicate challenges to see if someone has found a solution Share success stories Share, share, share! How can we work together to create a regional program?

Read the Yukon River Inter-Tribal Watershed Council’s Backhaul Manual!

Strengthens everyone’s program Networking creates opportunity Information sharing (research, stats, anything!) Resource sharing (share costs, purchase equipment together) Helps workers to feel supported = happy workers = longevity REGIONAL APPROACH

Keep in contact with village program coordinators Coordinate receiving and shipping of materials (backhaul) Negotiate with transportation & recycling companies Bring in trainers (HAZMAT, Freon removal, water testing…) Pass on information between communities Regional planning (TEP, QAPP, ISWMP, etc.) Host teleconferences REGIONAL APPROACH

How do you let your community know about your program? Events (Clean Up Day, aluminum can drive) Present at school assembly Articles in the newspaper Newsletters Get on the radio Host a potluck Create flyers or posters Other?

AGREEMENTS MOA Memorandum of Agreement MOU Memorandum of Understanding LOU Letters of Understanding LOS Letters of Support Resolutions

Show your appreciation! “Those who don’t appreciate, depreciate,” ~ Anahma’s dad.