By Lorna Reese

Special to the Islands’ Weekly

A Batman-like hero. A 1940s era sailor. An attractive mother at a picket fence. Mystified by the retro Junk Bond posters you’ve spotted dotting island bulletin boards recently? Sarah Eppenbach, chair of Solid Waste Alternatives Program happily explains.

“Even though the Solid Waste levy recently passed with one of the largest majorities in San Juan County history, we won’t receive any funds for months,” she said. “But we need $3,000 for start-up equipment and supplies for the Dump now so the board decided to initiate a modest fundraising effort that would be fun for Lopez and in keeping with the inventive spirit of other SWAP events – like Trashion-Fashion last summer. Junk Bond revenue will pay for such items as safety vests and Kevlar gloves for volunteers, fire extinguishers, first aid kits, eyewash stations, a computer and printer, walkie-talkies, and groundskeeping tools.“

SWAP board member and vice chair, Kate Scott, came up with the idea of “Junk Bonds” inspired by U.S. War Bond programs used to raise funds during World Wars.

“We liked the play on words, the strong message of unity and the idea of adapting that great poster art to generate public interest. Unlike historic War Bonds, however, our bonds are ‘junk,’” Eppenbach says. “They’re worthless in monetary terms, but priceless in value to our community.”

Scott is the creative artist for the $25 bonds, “redeemable for absolutely nothing” except free shopping at the Take-It-Or-Leave-It. Glen Maxson, SWAP treasurer, produced the posters and placed them on bulletin boards around the island.

Says Maxson, “When you buy a $25 Junk Bond, you get a frameable piece of art signed by Kate Scott, you help out the Dump, and you invest in the island’s future as a clean, healthy environment where we residents recycle more and more and discard less and less.”

Furthermore, say SWAP board members, Lopez Junk Bonds make the ultimate holiday gift. They’re creative and fun, locally made, packable, and mailable. And of course… they’re totally recyclable!

Bonds and a limited run of Lopez Island Dump T-shirts will be sold at the Islander Craft Fair on December 1 and 2 and at the Holiday Stress-Free Arts and Crafts Show at Port Stanley School on Dec. 8.

SWAP has been officially reorganized as a nonprofit support organization to the Lopez Solid Waste Disposal District with revised by-laws and a new board of directors. See www.lopezsolidwaste.org for more information about work being done by both LSWDD and the SWAP boards. LSWDD takes over the Lopez Dump site in January.