Governor Jay Inslee visited the Lopez Dump this summer while on-island to deliver the commencement speech for high school graduates.
On June 10, 2017, before going to speak at the Lopez High School graduation ceremony, Washington Governor Jay Inslee paid a visit to the famous free store, affectionately called the “Take It or Leave It”(TIOLI), at the Lopez “Dump.” The Lopez Island Solid Waste Disposal District (LSWDD) is a drop box facility that is committed to a zero waste future and operates TIOLI. Inslee is pictured above with Facility Manager, David Zapalac, and is shown with his new free bird house and free button up shirt. During his graduation speech, Inslee proudly opened his jacket to reveal his new “used” shirt that he had just obtained from his recent visit to TIOLI.
In 2016, the Take It or Leave It diverted 132 tons of material out of the waste stream and into reuse and recycle. Textiles, such as the shirt Governor Inslee wore, are part of this diversion. Clothing and textiles that are not taken and put into reuse by Lopez residents are recycled through a partnership with the Value Village. Lopez Island has a population of 2,400 full time residents, yet will recycle an average of 3,000 pounds of textiles every quarter, equaling 6 tons of recycled textiles a year. LSWDD is honored that our State’s Governor is similarly committed to this cause.