Terrebonne Parish News
Make the 3 Rs of Trash Work for You
4-H Livestock Exhibitors Attend Animal Nutrition Seminar
4-H Seafood Cookery a Huge Success
Beef and Poultry Cookery
Calling all Junior Leaders
4-H Officer Training
Upcoming Activities
Trash is everyone’s problem. We all create it. Every time we empty a plastic milk jug or read a newspaper, we create trash or what will eventually become trash. Of course, things wear out, spoil or are no longer useful, and those are trash, too.
We’ll always have some materials that have to end up in the garbage, but have you looked at your trash recently? There’s a lot of good stuff in there!
Dr. Karen Overstreet, an LSU AgCenter family, child and consumer science specialist, said the key is to buy materials that can be reused or recycled.
Simply substituting one material for another will not solve the problem. It doesn’t help to replace plastic with paper if it will all end up in the landfill. Every material has properties that make it appropriate for specific uses.
“Landfill space is not the only reason we should be concerned about trash,” Overstreet said. “Manufacturing new products requires energy and natural resources. The fewer new products we have to make, the more resources we conserve and the less potential there is for additional environmental damage.”
Overstreet said the three ways to decrease pressure on landfills and to conserve energy are to reduce, reuse and recycle.
She said source reduction is the first step in reducing the amount of trash we create. Trying to figure out how to eliminate some of the potential trash can even become a family game. Some of the same ideas that will reduce your trash will also save you money.
“Use a canvas tote or reusable bag when shopping,” she said. “Buy product concentrates and avoid extra packaging. Fabric softeners, cleaning products and juices are a few of the products sold in concentrated form.”
Buying refillable product containers and buying multipurpose products will also reduce packaging.
“Instead of using wrapping paper, wrap gifts in the comic section, or select an appropriate section, such as sports for a sports fan, food pages for someone who likes to cook. Use old maps for someone who likes to travel,” she said.
Second, she said, there is no perfect solution to environmental problems.
“Sometimes solving one problem creates another. What we strive for is balance that will have the least-harmful effect overall,” she explained.
Reuse may take a little more time, but it will also save some money. Use cloth instead of paper napkins. Use plastic grocery bags to line small garbage cans. Use rechargeable batteries.
Overstreet said in addition to reducing use and reusing whenever you can, the final strategy for reducing trash is by recycling.
“Since many products can’t be reused in their original form, recycling remains a viable option,” she said. “There are few materials that can’t be recycled, but sometimes the cost or effort doesn’t make it practical.”
She said you should stop bagging your grass clippings. Follow recommended mowing practices, then leave the clippings on the lawn to return nutrients to the soil.
For more information on how you and your family can reduce reuse and recycle, contact your local LSU AgCenter Extension Service office, or visit the Web site at lsuagcenter.com.
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Land O Lakes Purina and Honor Show Chow collaborated with South Louisiana Seed, Raceland Ag Service and White Castle Co-op to sponsor an animal nutrition seminar for 4-H and FFA youth livestock exhibitors in our area. Livestock members and their families enjoyed a sponsored meal, guest speaker; break out sessions conducted by LSU Ag Center Specialist and had the opportunity to win numerous door prizes. Each livestock exhibitor received a livestock feed measuring cup just for attending. Special thanks to the businesses listed above for providing this wonderful educational opportunity for our youth and supporting our area 4-H and FFA programs.
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4-H members exhibited 169 dishes at the 4-H Seafood Cookery held on Saturday, September 26, at SLECA. Grand champion winners included Bonnie Gilmore, Mulberry (Shrimp Main Dish); Jena Pellegrin, Lacache Middle (Fish and Other Seafood); Neil Monnier, H.L. Bourgeois (Shrimp Appetizer or Salad); Cindy Edwards, Terrebonne High School (Crab); Abigail Landry, St.Francis (Crawfish); Jeanne-Morgan Gernon, South Terrebonne High School (Oyster). Congratulations to all participants.
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4-H members are set to invade Bourg Elementary School on Saturday, October 17, 2009, to exhibit their ground beef and poultry dishes. Members will also be grilling chicken for the Chicken-queing contest. Additional information and rules can be found in your child’s newsletter or by visiting our Web site.
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Attention seventh through 12th graders: Become a junior leader and participate in fun and exciting community service activities, fundraisers and trips. Find out more by joining us on Monday, October 19, 2009, from 6:00 p.m -7:30 p.m at the Terrebonne Parish 4-H Office located at 511 Roussell Street. We hope to see you there!
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4-H officers from 36 parish school clubs will be given the opportunity to participate in officer responsibility and duty workshops and mock 4-H Club meetings on Tuesday, October 20, 2009, at Southdown Elementary in Houma. The workshop registration will begin at 4:30 p.m. and will end at 6:30 p.m. 4-H Club officers are encouraged to attend!
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October 15
Enrollment Cards Due
October 19
Junior Leader Meeting
October 20
Officer Training
October 27
Fashion Club Workshop
October 30
Broiler Orders Due
Pet Photos and Stories Due
November 2
Terrebonne Parish Livestock Validation
November 11-13
4-H Challenge Camp
November 14
Fall Vegetable Field Day
If you have any questions concerning the 4-H youth development program, call 985-873-6495, visit the Louisiana Cooperative Extension Service office at 511 Roussell Street, Houma, Louisiana or email Shaney Hill or Cherie Roger.
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