Recycling to regenerate life.

Paper, plastic, bottles, cans, batteries, light-bulbs--can the daily storm of debris generated by a facility be managed and put to good use? Through an imaginative recycling effort, Sharon Health Care Center, an 88-bed United Methodist Homes skilled nursing and rehabilitation facility in Sharon, Connecticut, has tamed the tempest by implementing a facility-wide recycling program that incorporates an additional environmentally friendly twist--they recycle water.

In July 2002, a committee formed to look at recycling options contacted Sharon Health Care Center's waste-management vendor, which also services another organization housed at the same location Beginning Years Children's Center (an infant, toddler, and preschool program). "Because recyclers purchase items from waste-management companies based on weight, our vendor eagerly agreed to provide containers for each type of solid recyclable," explains Peter Belval, Sharon Health Care Center's administrator. Because the items are separated at the point of collection, it eliminates that step in processing at the vendor's site.

Watching the paper, plastic, and other detritus of daily operations being put to good use, Skip Dunn, a volunteer who, twice a week, handles the daily passing of water pitchers to residents, pointed out another unrecognized wasteful habit. He told Belval, "You know, Peter, I really do enjoy passing the water pitchers, but it really bothers me that when I finish collecting all the old water, I just pour it down the drain. How can we reuse this water?" Seeing the frustration on Dunn's face, Belval realized how much it must bother this man to throw away perfectly usable water.

A rose-growing hobbyist for nearly 28 years, Belval hit on an imaginative idea. "In summer," says Belval, "1 used to fill a sprinkling can and water the rosebushes I planted along the front of the building, then make my way to the Butterfly Garden, which was created as part of a Sharon Audubon Society summer student project. Since I watered the gardens at least twice a week, I thought that reusing the water that nourishes our residents might be a practical and poetic way to nourish the earth."

With this goal in mind, a 32-gallon barrel was purchased and attached to a rolling base. "Now when Skip goes on his water rounds, he puts the barrel in a convenient location and dumps the unused water into it. When the barrel is full, I roll it out to the gardens, which saves me a lot of trips to the faucet," explains Belval. When Dram is not at the facility, students from Maplebrook School take over the daily water-passing duties. "We explained the purpose of water recycling to them and let them know that they are doing a really good thing to help the environment--and not just doing extra work. Helping nature has given them a real sense of satisfaction and pride," says Belval.

This program provides aesthetic benefits, as well. Visitors, residents, and families pause to enjoy the well-watered blossoms outside and inside the building. Because the flowers are so abundant, each day a flower-filled vase is placed by the visitor sign-in book. "There's a lot of speculation on what the color du jour will be," says Belval. The Butterfly Garden is a lovely sloped location surrounded by huge rocks that gives Belval another source of blooms when it's too early in the season for roses, "The water is primarily for the residents' nourishment, but what they don't finish eventually nourishes the gardens," reflects Belval.

The beautiful flowers that benefit from the nurturing water are also used as prizes for bingo, card games and the like. "Often the winning resident gets to choose between a candy bar and a rose. I'm happy to say the rose is usually chosen," Belval says with a smile. "It's so nice to know that these gifts from the garden bring our residents so much pleasure." One day he presented a rose to an 89-year-old lady, who smiled sweetly and said, "It means a great deal to me to know that someone cares to give me a rose. I dry each one I receive and keep them in my room to remember the kind gesture."

You might think that water recycling would be a seasonal program, especially in Connecticut, but it doesn't matter if it's raining or snowing; Belval is out there putting the water back into the ground. "It may not be serving an immediate purpose, like hydrating roses, but it does go back into the environment, and seeing me out there does amuse some of our residents and visitors," he says.

According to Belval, a recycling program is easy to institute. If a facility wants to focus on recyclable items, the best place to start is with its waste-removal company. Because it receives the monetary benefit of the program, it might be willing, even eager, to set a facility up with the appropriate containers. If water recycling is an appealing idea, it takes no more than an inexpensive barrel on wheels and someone willing to return the water to the soil to reap beautiful, bountiful rewards.

For more information, contact Sharon Health Care Center Administrator Peter Belval at [phone] or e-mail [e-mail]. To comment on this article, please send an e-mail to hoban1203@ nursinghomesmagazine.com.