The owner of the first curbside recycling company in Pillager works his route on Sunday afternoons.聽 It鈥檚 not that Noah Brogle wouldn鈥檛 rather do his pick-ups on weekdays. He can鈥檛. He鈥檚 in high school. 鈥淚t takes probably six hours total,鈥� says Noah. 鈥淪tart at about 12:30, finish about 6:00.鈥�
Since launching his company last December,聽the Pillager High School junior has signed up 75 customers, each paying him $10 a month to haul away their discarded recyclables once a week.
鈥淲e moved to the area about a year ago and the one thing we were surprised by was the lack of recycling,鈥� says Mike Morgan, one of Noah鈥檚 customers. 鈥淪o, when he came, I thought it was a great opportunity and a great idea.鈥�
If homeowners are surprised to find a 16-year-old at their doorstep selling recycling services, those people closest to Noah are not.
Both at home and at school Noah has gained a reputation for being a recycling fanatic.聽 鈥淗e wants to do big things; he wants to make a difference in the world,鈥� says Angie Brogle, Noah鈥檚 mom.
Greg Bennett, Noah鈥檚 junior high baseball coach, laughs as he recounts his first experience with Noah as one of his players.
鈥淲e were at an away game, one of the first of the season. I’m getting ready to get on the bus and I turn around and Noah’s digging through the garbage,鈥� says Bennett.
Puzzled, the coach queried his young player. 鈥淎nd he goes, 鈥楬ey, coach, somebody’s got to recycle.鈥欌��
Noah carried the contents of the trash can onto the bus and recycled it when he returned to Pillager.聽鈥淗appened every game after,鈥� adds Bennett.
Later, as a football player, Noah got the attention of his coaches when he brought his own plate, silverware and cup to a team cookout to avoid using disposable dinnerware. 鈥淚 just think he cares about the earth,鈥� says Chris Berent, one of Noah鈥檚 teachers.
Earlier this season, Noah quit high school football to concentrate on his recycling business.聽 鈥淲e were disappointed when he quit,鈥� says Jason Brogle, Noah鈥檚 father, before noting that now “his coach is one of his customers.鈥�
Noah and his father built the trailer they pull behind a pickup on Noah鈥檚 route. They drop off the recyclables they gather at one of Cass County鈥檚 29 collection sites. 鈥淚 appreciate his initiative,鈥� says Paul Fairbanks, Cass County鈥檚 planner and solid waste administrator.
The notion of curbside recycling has been challenging for the county and its local governments. 鈥淐ass County is 2,500 square miles. You just don鈥檛 have the density of customers to provide curbside recycling,鈥� Fairbanks says.
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