Reflections on Recycling
The Town of Patagonia recently marked the first anniversary of its drop-off recycling program. It has been very well received and this community can be proud of having recycled in excess of a ton of materials every week through the inaugural year of Patagonia Recycles.
Hats off to Mayor Andy Wood for having the vision and determination to bring a comprehensive recycling program back to Patagonia, to Town Manager Ron Robinson for supporting the program with administrative, budgetary and personnel resources, and to the cadre of volunteers who pitch in every week to help unload the recyclables, greet customers and explain the rules. Summer Smith’s enthusiastic support and oversight of the program throughout the first year has been instrumental in putting the program on a firm foundation.
While the program is going well, there are ways in which it could be improved. One is to increase the participation of town residents. Although 60 to 100 vehicles come through the recycling line every Thursday, only a small percentage of town residents take advantage of this service. Reducing the amount of tailpipe emissions from vehicles waiting in line to be unloaded would shrink the program’s carbon footprint, a goal the staff and volunteers would love to reach. No doubt some readers will have suggestions on how to achieve that end as well as other ideas for increasing the reach and effectiveness of the program.
While we can feel good about keeping over a ton of materials out of the landfill each week, that number pales in comparison to the 5-10 tons of trash the town still sends to the landfill every week. Clearly, we need to focus more effort on reducing what we acquire and reusing what we have rather than recycling as the answer to our tendency to overconsume.
If this challenge seems insurmountable, we can take heart in knowing that people around the world, including some right here in Patagonia, are showing how we can move toward creation of a zero-waste world. We live in the Information Age. We can’t blame inaction on a lack of knowledge, so let’s come together to support and learn from one another how to consume less and have more.
A few of us making drastic changes won’t cut it. All of us making incremental but meaningful changes will help us, one community at a time, build a world in which we all can thrive without depleting our finite natural resources and degrading Mother Earth’s beauty.
I invite comment, opinion and ideas respectfully offered. I can be reached at Brantownb@gmail.com.
Bob Brandt
Patagonia
Hermosa Project Update
The end of the year is a time for reflection and we’re thinking back on how momentous 2024 has been for Hermosa’s partnership with Santa Cruz County.
In February, history was made with a $2.16 billion dollar investment – the largest in Southern Arizona’s history – providing the resources to create the economic value we’ve long envisioned.
Both the Department of Defense (DOD) and the Department of Energy (DOE) also awarded grants to Hermosa, recognizing its role in reinforcing America’s resource security. These investments prove how Hermosa can support Southern Arizona, and in turn, how Southern Arizona can help support the country.
Infrastructure investments were significant, but investments in our community were just as meaningful. In 2024, the South32 Hermosa Community Fund awarded over $230,000 to 28 local groups promoting education and civic engagement across Santa Cruz County. We also celebrated a $206,000 donation to the Santa Cruz County School Superintendent’s Office to support five programs aimed at advancing STEM and improving access to education.
We’ve also continued our push to bring local voices to the table. Community members have eagerly participated in our development, and we’ve taken steps to broaden their involvement. Efforts include reimagining the Community Advisory Panel, establishing a Workforce Development Taskforce, and inviting a record number of visitors to tour our next-generation mine under construction.
Most importantly, we started conversations with local government officials from the Town of Patagonia, the City of Nogales and Santa Cruz County to develop a Community Protection and Benefits Agreement. This legally-binding agreement will solidify commitments in areas such as environmental monitoring, community giving, transparency and workforce development.
Community transparency and dialogue remain the foundation of South32’s approach to responsibly developing and operating Hermosa. We look forward to continuing these efforts in 2025.
Recently, out-of-state voices have shared incorrect and misleading information about Hermosa’s water and sustainability efforts. I wanted to provide facts on how we are developing the project to use less water, wherever possible. We understand the concerns about water and how it is a precious resource in Southern Arizona. We’ve designed the Hermosa to minimize its use. Community input helped us integrate Rapid Infiltration Basins (RIBs) into our plans, ensuring water remains in the Patagonia Mountain watershed.
Our underground footprint, advanced monitoring systems, and use of dry stack tailings mean our total water use is 90 percent less than other regional mines. This means we will use 0.4 gallons of water per pound of metal produced, compared to five gallons used by others.
Working with our team and stakeholders on a project with the potential to partner with the community to bring jobs to Santa Cruz County continues to be the most rewarding experience of my career. Since 2018, our growing South32 Hermosa team has remained committed to delivering the positive impact our project can have across Southern Arizona.
Now, after six years of hard work and a strong 2024, we’re seeing a bright future emerge and can’t wait to build on our progress together in 2025.
Pat Risner
President, Hermosa Project
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Errors and Omissions
In the January, 2025 issue of the PRT, Bunker DeFrance’s podcast was incorrectly listed as “Old West Radio.” The correct title of the podcast is “Voices of the West.” We apologize for this error.