2005 Kansas Solid Waste Management
Hall of
Fame
In the 1970's, at the bequest of her daughter, an environmentalist in Oregon, Margaret joined the Sierra Club and was active in the local and state groups for years. She Edited their newsletter called "The Greater Prairie Chicken", although she didn't choose the name. One issue was called "The Lesser Prairie Chicken" when news was slim. Even then, the 3 R's were mentioned.
In the late 1980's, Margaret joined by Ann Morris and other Sierra Club members wanted recycling in Wichita and started Citizens for Recycling. They held the first statewide Recycling Conference in Wichita and set up recycling at three locations in parking lots in Wichita on the first Saturday of each month. Hot or cold, wet or dry, they collected recyclable materials and sold them locally. Even though the Wichita City Council told them that no one in Wichita wanted to recycle, by the end of two years the amount of materials had grown so large that it was too much for volunteers to handle. The City helped set up recycling bins in supermarket parking lots. They are still there and at the present time collect newspapers, magazines & catalogs and metal cans.
When Wes Adell and KDHE started Composting WORKS!, she didn't attend since she already knew all about it. But once Recycling was added she has attended almost every year reporting for her Recycling in Kansas Newsletter. This quarterly newsletter has been continuously published for seventeen years, giving encouragement, examples and statistics on how recycling can succeed anywhere in the world, including Kansas.
Citizens for Recycling is now The Waste Control & Recycling Coalition which meets monthly at the East Heights United Methodist Church and promotes recycling in many ways.
Margaret has served on several local solid waste planning boards and has continually championed open public process, citizen involvement, litter pick up and recycling every where she goes. She and Paul still actively pursue young and old alike at Earth Day and America Recycles Day events in Wichita.
In April 1995, Margaret and her husband, Paul, were featured in the National Geographic in celebration of the 25-year anniversary of Earth Day.
A new group called ProKS is presently operating the new ProKS/Paul and Margaret Miller Recycling Center in a once vacant city-owned building for collecting recyclables under cover. Since September 2004, recyclable materials have been collected three times a week at 725 E Clark, Wichita. The center is open Saturdays from 9 am to 3 pm, and Tuesday and Thursdays from 2 to 4 pm. Marydel Grayum was the prime mover to get the building, Roger Lyon is the operation manager and Mike Hastings is the President. Margaret and Paul are excited about the success of this newest project and encourage everyone to visit.
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Margaret Miller
Recycling Advocate
Publisher of
Recycling in Kansas Newsletter