SYM encourages and values good environmental stewardship. We do, however, place people and safety first. SYM's green efforts include: - Regularly distributing refillable water bottles and encouraging local institutions to give out water. However, there is currently only one reliable and safe place to obtain public water in our service area. We also make use of plastic bottled water, but we encourage recycling in the many recycling trash cans now located in our service area.
- Separating trash and recycling at all our events. Recycling is taken to city recycling bins in our service area.
- Always posting ministry needs on our web site ahead of any purchase of new materials. We encourage reusing items people already have purchased.
- Delivery of goods and street food in reusable ziplock bags. The street youth often reuse these bags for long periods of time to keep their belongings dry in their backpacks. We also keep used ziplocks and use them for distributing dog food. We encourage our donors and volunteers to reduce packaging for meals that are not on the street.
- We teach the street youth to reuse and recycle by modeling this critical behavior.
- We encourage our street youth to take the public bus rather than rely on individual vehicles and rides. The ministry works have to combine rides and trips to reduce overall vehicle miles.
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