On December 1, 2009, the City of Rolla put out the following notice asking for help naming Rolla's new recycling mascot:
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Date: Tuesday, December 01, 2009 9:41 AM
From: Scott Grahl
To: Citywide Email; City Council
Subject: City of Rolla Weekly Updates (Dec. 1-8, 09)
Visit us at
www.rollacity.org
.
Weekly Updates (Dec. 1-8, 2009)
Environmental Services
Dept. needs help
naming new mascot
The City of Rolla Environmental Services Department is getting a recycling mascot, and we need your help to name him. He is seven-foot-tall and is a “walkabout.
A walkabout mascot is an inflatable costume with a person inside. The mascot will be able to interact with the public, moving about freely and mainly unrestricted. He will attend area parades, and other public events such as Earth Day, as well as attend speaking engagements at schools.
The deadline for suggestions to name the new mascot is Dec. 31, 2009. So please put your thinking caps on and send your suggestion to the City’s Environmental Services Department at waste@rollacity.org. For more information, please call 573-364-6693
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This notice generated the following email exchange, which is color coded below:
Rolla City Council member Donna Hawley is in red;
The City of Rolla and its administrative officials are in black;
My writing is in green;
Editorial comments are in blue.
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Date: Tuesday, December 01, 2009 10:45 AM
From: Donna Hawley
To: Scott Grahl
Subject: RE: City of Rolla Weekly Updates (Dec. 1-8, 09)
Is there a picture of the new ES mascot? Probably would be beneficial in coming up with a name.
Donna
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Date: Tuesday, December 01, 2009 11:59 AM
From: Scott Grahl
To: Donna Hawley
Subject: RE: City of Rolla Weekly Updates (Dec. 1-8, 09)
Donna,
Yes, there is a picture of the new recycling mascot. It’s posted along with an article on the City’s Website at
http://www.rollacity.org/events.shtm#mascot. I’ve added the photo to the City of Rolla Weekly updates (see attached) I’m sending the Chamber today as well. Thanks for mentioning it.
Scott A. Grahl
Communications Coordinator
City of Rolla
Rolla's Recycling Mascot
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Date: Tuesday, December 01, 2009 1:46 PM
From: Donna Hawley
To: Steffanie Rogers
Subject: FW: City of Rolla Weekly Updates (Dec. 1-8, 09)
Steffanie,
How much will the new Environmental Services mascot cost?
Donna
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Date: Tuesday, December 01, 2009 2:14 PM
From: Steffanie Rogers
To: Donna Hawley
Subject: RE: City of Rolla Weekly Updates (Dec. 1-8, 09)
Good afternoon. The estimated cost is $5,000 which will be covered by a Solid Waste District grant.
Thanks,
Steffanie
Steffanie Rogers
Finance Director
City of Rolla
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Date: Wednesday, December 2, 2009, 8:46 AM
From: Donna Hawley
To: "Steffanie Rogers"
Subject: RE: City of Rolla Weekly Updates (Dec. 1-8, 09)
Please send me the application and criteria for a grant geared toward purchase of a giant green recylcing superhero.
Donna
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Date: Wednesday, December 02, 2009 10:49 PM
From: Tom Sager
To: Steffanie Rogers; City Council; John Butz; Scott Grahl; Brady Wilson; Mayor Bill Jenks; Administration Mailbox; Steve Hargis
Subject: Rolla Green Mascot
Ladies and gentlemen: May I be so bold as to suggest that this $5,000 grant be used to expand the composting operation to include kitchen waste and to generate methane and electric power from compost? I believe this would be a far more appropriate use for this money then adopting a mascot. Lets get our priorities straight! -Yusha
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Date: Thursday, December 3, 2009, 10:43 AM
From: Brady Wilson
To: "Tom Sager" ...
Subject: RE: Rolla Green Mascot
Thanks for your perspective on the matter. I suspect we could debate “priorities” all day long and not get a consensus. Anyway, the grant was awarded to the City of Rolla to be used for enhancing educational efforts pertaining to recycling. I believe a mascot will be a beneficial tool when it comes to the hundreds of school-aged children that we visit with each year. Additionally, the compost facility and processing equipment are owned by the Phelps County Landfill Board. Therefore, I believe it would be that entity that will need to be involved in decision making and budgeting for expenses regarding expansion of that facility.
Regards,
Brady Wilson
Director of Environmental Services
City of Rolla
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Date: Thursday, December 03, 2009 11:24 AM
From: Tom Sager
To: Brady Wilson ...
Subject: RE: Rolla Green Mascot
IF you are dead set on having a mascot how about a giant worm or fungus - one of nature's true recyclers. Far more educational than the Jolly Green Giant and I bet I could make you one for FAR LESS THAN $5K!
Best wishes -Tom
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Date: Thursday, December 3, 2009, 11:48 AM
From: Brady Wilson
To: "Tom Sager" , ...
Subject: RE: Rolla Green Mascot
Brilliant! A fungus would be wonderful!
The giant green guy that was sent around is actually just a “likeness” of what we had in mind and the final product may vary from that. The “suit” is more complicated than it appears. There is a frame/harness inside along with a cooling vest and a fan/ventilation system to keep the thing inflated.
I appreciate the offer to make a suit for us. No offense, but I’ve seen the line of T-shirts that you produce, and we are interested in more of a quality product.
Keep the good ideas coming!
Brady Wilson
Director of Environmental Services
City of Rolla
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Date: Tue, December 8, 2009 6:34:31 PM
From: Tom Sager
To: Brady Wilson ...
Subject: RE: Rolla Green Mascot
Brady,
I see two problems with the recycling super-hero mascot (Jolly Green Giant or JGG):
First, assuming the JGG is to be used to educate young children, what is he going to do? Fly from house to house sorting through people's trash pulling out the glass bottles and aluminum cans? Domestic recycling is a group effort, where each household ideally should sort its own trash and modify its buying habits so as to reduce waste. I don't see how the JGG fits into this model.
As I mentioned in my previous email, nature's recyclers are worms, fungi, bacteria, etc. - hardly what we would consider super-heroes, although they perform an indispensable function within our ecosystems.
Second, there is cognitive dissonance between a super-hero who on the one hand has a mission to reduce waste, and on the other hand cost $5,000 and requires considerable energy input to run the pump, ventilator, cooling vest, etc. I have found that young children pick up on these dissonances: not on a logical level, but as feelings and attitudes. "Do as I say, not as I do" doesn't work very well with young children.
I think the most widely celebrated cartoon environmental super-hero is Dr. Seuss's Lorax, who "speaks for the trees, for the trees have no tongues" and is "shortish. And oldish. And brownish. And mossy." and speaks "with a voice that that is sharpish and bossy."
I used the Lorax story for a child's game at my Earthday displays last year. The Lorax game was a great hit with children at
Earthday celebrations and elsewhere.
Again, if you and the Council are not dead set on spending $5K on the JGG, I think we could come up with something far more appropriate and far cheaper.
Best wishes,
Tom
PS: I was disappointed to read that you are passing off the kitchen waste composting project that we discussed last summer to the Phelps County Landfill Board. I'll contact them at some time in the future.
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