Recycle Rutherford is holding its fall meeting in the second floor courtroom of the Historic Rutherford County Courthouse at 7:00 o'clock this coming Monday evening (10/24/2016). The public is encouraged to attend.

Featured speaker is Energy Engineer Leslie Marshall with General Mills' Murfreesboro facility.

This firm has pledged to reduce energy usage at all of its North American facilities. Marshall will discuss the company's annual energy needs, waste generation, and recycling efforts. She will also share how much energy the Butler Drive facility needs, and the results of those efforts over the past two-years.

Recycle Rutherford President Glenn Himebaugh indicated that with the Walter Hill Landfill nearing it closure time, our community could learn much from the work being done at General Mills.

Marshall noted that last year improvements compressed air usage, heat recovery, recycling, electricity conversion from biogas and other projects at the local facility, resulted in a 12 per cent reduction in electricity and gas usage, relative to the pounds of product.

She said, "This saved hundred of thousands at the Murfreesboro site."

As part of their sustainability goals, the company researched methods to take its waste and generate 10 per cent of the plant's electrical needs. In the past, the waste had been spread over area farm fields.

Marshall holds a BS degree in mechanical engineering from Cornell University. She is a member of the advisory council for MTSU's Engineering Technology Department, Rutherford County's Workforce Council for Manufacturing, and a member of this city's Earth Day committee.

For more information about Recycle Rutherford's Monday night's meeting, contact President Himebaugh at 615-893-8668. Dr. Himebaugh's e-mail is gah@cannet.com.