Chumash Recognized as ‘True Recycling Champions’

The Chumash of Santa Ynez Valley and their casino received recognition from Mike Stoker, the regional chief of the federal Environmental Protection Administration, as part of America Recycles Week. Stoker, a former Santa Barbara County supervisor, called the tribe “true recycling champions” for diverting as much as 2.9 million pounds of waste from the landfill in 2018. Among their efforts has been a food diversion program to prevent waste that gave more than 8,000 pounds of food to Veggie Rescue to add to its healthy meals for those struggling with food insecurity.