A lot has changed since 1987, the year the Metropolitan Environmental Trust was founded, but the mission of Tulsa’s main recycling group has not.
Now, that’s about to change, too.
Trustees of The M.e.t. are working on a new mission statement to show the broad range of environmental issues it's involved in.
"Recycling and litter are not the only issues now that people look to when it comes to environmental issues," said The M.e.t. Executive Director Graham Brannin. "The scope has broadened and the areas of interest have changed, and so The M.e.t. needs to look at those and see where we best fit."
Trustees expect the updated mission statement will help give the Tulsa area coveted "green branding."
"There is a great value to that, and when you're trying to bring or keep a good, professional workforce in your communities — you want families and folks to move here, businesses, those kind of things — that has become more and more important, and our communities recognize that," Brannin said.
The M.e.t. does a lot more now, like help with environmental compliance efforts, education and collecting items that are difficult to dispose of. Its most visible work, however, will remain the same.
"What everybody knows us for is our depots, our recycling depots. Those are going to maintain their operations in serving the communities and employing our adults with developmental disabilities," Brannin said. "All of that is going to continue."
Since 1993, The M.e.t. has processed more than 91,000 tons of recyclable materials and 864,000 gallons of liquids like used motor and cooking oils.
