Sam Brown still remembers the thrill of her first dumpster dive. The impulse overcame her shortly after she completed a free course on recycling and composting taught by Washington State University (WSU) Extension in 2002.

The course will be offered to the public again this October.

Brown makes it clear her “dive” was not a course requirement — just an impulse on which she decided to act.

It was while Brown was taking Waste Wise Volunteer training that she discovered other Whidbey Islanders shared her conviction to help change the throw-away mentality that is such a part of today’s consumer lifestyle.

“We visited different recycle sites in Island County and I discovered my classmates shared my enthusiasm for treasures found in other people’s discards,” she said. “They didn’t find it revolting that you were prepared to dive in to retrieve something.”

For Brown, the issues surrounding household trash are much bigger than just rescuing treasures — she is on a personal mission to keep almost anything out of landfills that could be reused or recycled, rather than adding to the bulk of trash.

“I’ll dive into almost any garbage receptacle to retrieve an aluminum can or plastic bottle,” she says proudly. “I take this commitment seriously.” She believes the real progress in reducing trash will come through teaching others better ways to manage household garbage and discards.

Many North Whidbey residents already have met Brown, a Waste Wise Volunteer, staffing a booth at community events. It might have been at the farmers markets this summer in Coupeville or Oak Harbor or a booth at this year’s Holland Happening. She also sorted recyclables after the Penn Cove Water Festival and helped manage recyclables at the Coupeville Arts and Crafts Festival.

“I collect, sort and haul the recycles from the multi-family housing unit where I live because Oak Harbor does not provide this service,” she adds.

“I think education is the key to making a difference — otherwise, we will bury ourselves under huge piles of useless junk,” Brown said. “The throw-away mentality just doesn’t set well with me.”

Brown says Waste Wise training appealed to her because she has always been a recycler, reluctant to give up on anything that could be repaired or used in some other way. But she also believes the class changed her. “I shop and purchase differently now. I go through the dumpster and garbage can in the laundry and office and pull out recyclables. I am still working on the paper monster that tries to take over my house.”

Brown enjoys talking about recycling and sustainability at markets and fairs with people from other areas of the country and the world. She also belongs to a sustainable living group.

“I continue to learn and this group provides a time for discussion and sharing,” she said. “It bothers me that I can’t go to the post office and get a single piece of paper for submitting an address change – it’s a complete packet full of advertising and waste.

During her Waste Wise training, Brown learned about composting, recycling, smart shopping, household hazardous waste, septic systems and sustainable living. These subjects and more will be presented to those who enroll in this October’s class.

Evening classes will be held Tuesdays from 6 to 9 p.m. They will be taught by WSU staff and local experts including Janet Hall, WSU Island County Waste Wise coordinator. The classes are free of charge but applicants must pre-register by Wednesday, Sept. 21.

Applications may be requested by sending an e-mail to Hall at halljn@wsu.edu or telephoning her at 678-7974 or 321-5111, ext. 7974.

“These classes are for people who want to make a hands-on change in their own lives and a difference in the quality of life in Island County,” Hall said. Graduates of Waste Wise training give back to the community as volunteers, sharing their knowledge and experience with others.

“Most of us live on Whidbey Island not necessarily for the ‘convenience’ but because it is special,” Hall said. “We chose this place for the freedom, sense of safety and community, clean air and water, wildlife and natural beauty. Now, our challenge is to be good stewards — to live in a way that will help preserve these qualities.”

Adopting a lifestyle that is more environmentally friendly can actually help reduce the cost of living, Hall said. The trade-off is that it can take a little more time to recycle and look for products that are not packaged for convenience and disposability.

The concept of sustainable living is that by breaking free of old consumer habits, people can simplify their lives and free the time to enjoy a richer quality of life. They treat the earth and environment in ways that encourage, rather than hinder, long-term productivity of the soil and water.