Life Coach in Tucson, AZ

All day, people drive up to Tucson City Councilmember Steve Kozachik’s office in midtown, pull out bags of plastic garbage and dump them in a large, orange roll-off container.

It’s been like this for many months, since Kozachik started a test program last year of accepting non-recyclable plastic and transferring it to a company that makes blocks used in construction.

“It’s unbelievably popular,” Kozachik said. “The roll-off is being emptied six days a week now.”

The project has revealed a huge pent-up demand in Tucson to do something better with our waste plastic. And it appears to be a better process than traditional plastic recycling, using improved methods and more types of plastic. Still, it leaves the deeper problem unsolved and may perpetuate the misperception that we are doing something significant if we steer a bit of our plastic away from the landfills.

In May, the city entered into a deal with the company that makes the plastic blocks, ByFusion, to set up a production site at Los Reales Landfill. The city will build a $2.4 million structure in which ByFusion will place its block-making machine to start churning out construction materials from our waste plastic.

The 22-pound blocks are used the same way as cinder block, but they are interlocking, like Legos, so they are easier to use. Non-recyclable plastics will be collected at four sites to make the block, and potentially could divert significant waste away from the landfill.

That is a good thing, on one level. But it also perpetuates a misconception thatthe industry has been spreading for decades — that recycling plastic makes buying plastic ok. It doesn’t.

As PBS Frontline and National Public Radio revealed in 2020, the idea of recycling plastic emerged in the late 1980s and early 1990s as a marketing effort. The oil and gas industry realized that the image of plastics was dangerously bad among the American public, which viewed it, correctly, as polluting.

Their solution: Promote the idea of recycling plastic. I say “the idea” because so little plastic has ever been recycled. They stamped the chasing-arrows recycling symbol on plastic containers, included a code for the type of plastic it is, and, functionally, misled the public into thinking plastic isn’t so permanent after all, that it’s OK to buy it if you put it in a recycling bin at the end.

But very little plastic is ever recycled, in part because it costs too much to recycle most plastics. In Tucson, only four types of plastic are recyclable through the municipal program — largely those used in bottles and jugs.

And much of the American plastic that goes into recycling bins ends up shipped abroad to an uncertain fate. For a couple of decades, China accepted our junk plastic by the containerloads, but it stopped in 2018. As PBS and NPR revealed, Indonesia replaced China as an importer for a time, and plastic exported there might be recycled, might be dumped, might be burned, and might end up in the ocean.

Worse, a recent study found that even the process of recycling plastic can be bad for the environment. The analysis of water discharge from a plastic-recycling plant in the United Kingdom found substantial microplastics were discharged with the wash water used in the plant.

It shouldn’t be surprising that slicing up plastic to recycle it releases microplastic pieces into the environment, but now we know. Trying to save the environment, we still pollute it.

The ByFusion process is better than normal recycling, CEO Heidi Kujawa explained in an email.

“Instead of grinding plastic into particles, we cut the raw material, which is then transferred to a confined chamber,” she said. “Inside this chamber, the plastic undergoes our fusion process, resulting in the formation of the ByBlock. Unlike conventional recycling, where plastic is ground down to particles, our process reduces items like a regular potato chip bag to only 6-8 larger pieces.”

So that is better. But of course the ByFusion process also likely releases some microplastics. And the company acknowledges that using ByBlock will also lead to some plastic debris. An answer on the company’s Frequently Asked Questions page notes:

“Every ByBlock purchase comes with a collection bag for construction debris. Because ByBlock is created using only steam and compression (no melting or extrusion) it is normal to have some pieces fall away when rough handling the material. These can be collected and sent back to ByFusion and we can use the debris to make more ByBlock!”

One of the authors of the recent study, Erina Brown, pointed out in an email to me that their research shows the initial milling and washing of the plastic is what releases microplastics in the typical recycling process.

She went on, “Unless I have misunderstood the meaning of this construction bag (which I understand to be essentially a large bag for manual collection of pieces visible to he human eye), this will be insufficient in collecting the likely majority of ‘pieces fallen away’ during any cutting — the majority of which I expect to be microplastics invisible to the naked human eye.”

Kujawa explained that ByFusion intends to ship only the precise quantity of blocks needed.

“In the event that cuts are required during the construction process, builders can conveniently sweep up the offcuts and send them back to us. These off-cuts can then be converted back into new ByBlocks through our recycling process, ensuring a closed-loop system and minimizing any potential waste.”

It’s a better, more conscientuous process, but the fact is, plastic is plastic. Once it is made, it is destructive no matter what we do with it. I asked Kozachik about that, and he noted that he has received some criticisms from people, but he says it’s worth a minor amount of microplastics production to make use of all this previously unusable plastic waste.

“It would be wonderful if we could say, ‘Stop using plastic.’ It’s not going to happen.”

The oil and gas industry is counting on us not going that direction. They are depending on plastics as a “plan B” that will make up an increasing portion of their revenue as demand for more traditional oil and gas products decline.

And that’s the real problem. A powerful industry needs us to keep buying single-use plastics, relying on us believing that they will be recycled somewhere somehow, when they very rarely will be, even with innovative products like ByBlock.

The plastic itself remains the problem.

TV

AUTO RACING

5 p.m., FS1 — NASCAR Xfinity Series

BOXING

7 p.m., ESPN — Top Rank

FOOTBALL

9 a.m., FOX — USFL: Michigan vs. Pittsburgh

Noon, NBC — USFL: New Orleans at Memphis

4 p.m., CBSSN C— FL: Ottawa at Montreal

COLLEGE BASEBALL (SUPER REGIONALS)

9 a.m., ESPN — Alabama at Wake Forest, Game 1

9 a.m., ESPN2 — Duke at Virginia, Game 2

Noon, ESPN — Kentucky at LSU, Game 1

Noon, ESPN2 — South Carolina at Florida, Game 2

Noon, ESPNU — Tennessee at Southern Miss, Game 1

3 p.m., ESPN2 — Texas at Stanford, Game 1

3 p.m., ESPNU — Indiana State at TCU, Game 2

6 p.m., ESPNU — Oral Roberts at Oregon, Game 2

COLLEGE TRACK AND FIELD

6 p.m., ESPN2 — NCAA Outdoor Championships

GOLF

4:30 a.m., GOLF — DP World Tour/Ladies European Tour, third round

11:30 a.m., GOLF — PGA: RBC Canadian Open, third round

2:30 p.m., CBS — PGA: RBC Canadian Open, third round

2:30 p.m., GOLF — LPGA: ShopRite LPGA Classic, second round

5:30 p.m., GOLF — Champions: American Family, second round

HORSE RACING

1 p.m., FOX — Belmont Day

3:30 p.m., FOX — The 155th Belmont Stakes

LACROSSE (MEN’S)

Noon, ABC — PLL: Whipsnakes vs. Atlas

MLB

10 a.m., BSAZ — Arizona at Detroit

11 a.m., MLBN — Miami at Chicago White Sox

1 p.m., MLBN — LA Dodgers-Philadelphia OR Texas-Tampa Bay

4:30 p.m., FOX — Boston at NY Yankees

7:30 p.m., MLBN — Seattle at LA Angels (JIP)

NHL FINALS

5 p.m., TBS — Vegas at Florida, Game 4

5 p.m., TNT — Vegas at Florida, Game 4

SOCCER (MEN’S)

Noon, CBS — Manchester City vs. Inter Milan

TENNIS

2 a.m., TEN — Junior Finals

6 a.m., NBC — French Open, women’s singles, Paris

2:30 a.m., TEN — French Open, women’s doubles (Sun.)

3 a.m., TEN — French Open, women’s doubles (Sun.)

RADIO

MLB

10 a.m., 1490-AM — Arizona at Detroit

1 p.m., 1490-AM — LA Dodgers at Philadelphia

All events are Tucson times. Schedule subject to change and/or blackouts

Legend: (JIP) — joined in progress

Channel guide: BSAZ is Bally Sports Arizona (Ch 26 on Cox, Ch 31 on Comcast, Ch 686 on DirecTV) CBSSN is CBS Sports Network (Ch 312 on Cox, Ch 274 on Comcast, Ch 221 on DirecTV, Ch 158 on Dish) ESPN (Ch 24 on Cox, Ch 2 on Comcast, Ch 206 on DirecTV, Ch 140 on Dish) ESPN2 (Ch 25 on Cox, Ch 30 on Comcast, Ch 209 on DirecTV, Ch 143 on Dish) ESPNU (Ch 330 on Cox, Ch 266 on Comcast, Ch 208 on DirecTV, Ch 141 on Dish) FS1 is Fox Sports 1 (Ch 27 on Cox, Ch 32 on Comcast, Ch 219 on DirecTV, Ch 150 on Dish) GOLF (Ch 65 on Cox, Ch 28 on Comcast, Ch 218 on DirecTV, Ch 401 on Dish) MLBN is MLB Network (Ch 305 on Cox, Ch 271 on Comcast, Ch 213 on DirecTV, Ch 152 on Dish) TBS (Ch 30 on Cox, Ch 37 on Comcast, Ch 247 on DirecTV, Ch 139 on Dish) TEN is Tennis (Ch 315 on Cox, Ch 277 on Comcast, Ch 217 on DirecTV, Ch 400 on Dish) TNT (Ch 29 on Cox, Ch 36 on Comcast, Ch 245 on DirecTV, Ch 138 on Dish)

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TUCSON, Ariz. (13 News) - It’s less than a week ahead of Monsoon 2023 and the Tucson Department of Transportation and Mobility is preparing for Operation Splash.

From now until June 14th, more than 500 barricades will be placed at 150 problem spots across Tucson.

“Our main goal, again as the Department of Transportation and Mobility is to keep the public safe,” said Amanda Valenzuela, Public Information Coordinator, City of Tucson Department of Transportation and Mobility.

To do that, crews have to make sure washes are cleared and barricades are placed ahead of the storms.

“Our crews have been clearing out flow lines, clearing out excess debris, to allow stormwater to flow through it,” said Valenzuela.

Marana and Pima County just opened their free sandbag locations, so residents like Jake Kromer can prepare. He calls it the calm before the storm.

“I just heard online that stations opened up and just figured with past flooding in the past couple of years we’ve had, I wanted to get a head start on it and be prepared for anything that happens,” said Kromer.

Tucson will open its sandbag locations at Hi Corbett Field ahead of our first big forecasted storm.

In the meantime, road crews want to remind *you to never enter a flooded roadway. If you see a barricade blocking a road, turn around, don’t drown!

Not only is it unsafe, but it’s also illegal.

“We want to make sure that you’re alert, and paying attention to these barricade signs and not enter a roadway if you see those signs,” said Valenzuela.

Something you can do right now while we’re still dry is scope out different routes around town, so you know more than one way to get where you need to go.

Starting June 15, road crews will be on-call 24/7 through mid-September. If you see flooding or debris in the middle of the road during the monsoon, you can always call their customer service line at (520) 791-3154.

Be sure to subscribe to the 13 News YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/@13newskold

Copyright 2023 13 News. All rights reserved.

Dr. Kelly Patriquin, DVM, and Doug Patriquin, CEO, are the owners of Dr. Kelly’s Surgical Unit, a specialized veterinary practice offering affordable and convenient surgical care for pets at six locations in the Phoenix and Tucson metro areas. (Provided photo)

Due to overwhelming demand, Dr. Kelly’s Surgical Unit, a convenient veterinary clinic that offers specialized pet care at a fraction of the price of traditional vets, will open a new brick-and-mortar location in Tucson in July 2023. The new facility will have the capacity to complete 60 to 80 surgeries per day, focusing on low-cost operations such as dental work, spays and neuters, mass and tumor removals, bladder stones, and other procedures.

LEARN MORE: Top 10 dog names for 2022

“Our business strategy was created to provide worried parents with a reliable location for their pets' care,” says Douglas Patriquin, Co-Owner and CEO of Dr. Kelly’s Surgical Unit. “We take great pride in offering treatments and procedures at just a third of the typical price so that more pets can receive the high-quality care that they deserve.”

Many community members are faced with difficult financial decisions, and pet care is no exception. There is a high demand for easily accessible, low-cost pet care, but unfortunately, many financially exploitative veterinary clinics prey on pet owners in need. Dr. Kelly's brings trustworthy care to Tucson, allowing pet parents to receive the treatments they want without having to make the considerable financial sacrifices requested by many traditional veterinarian offices.

Dr. Kelly's Surgical Unit, unlike most veterinary practices, specializes in affordable surgical care. They currently have 6 doctors in 5 locations in the Arizona market. This new Tucson location will be the first brick-and-mortar in the city supporting two mobile surgical units. Their unique service menu and convenient access model enable them to serve the entire Phoenix and Tucson metro areas, thanks to business partners all over town.

The practice is unique in that it provides amenities such as an extensive surgical prep area, large surgical areas that can accommodate two surgical doctors, a recovery area for post-operative care, in a highly efficient building, with the floor plan designed to accommodate the specialized services they provide; each doctor can perform 18+ complex surgeries per day.

Dr. Kelly's Surgical Unit was founded in 2016 by Dr. Kelly Patriquin, DVM, and Doug Patriquin, who sought to establish a veterinary clinic that could serve more pets. Since its inception in 2016, the clinic has performed over 100,000 affordable pet surgeries, assisted over 150,000 clients, and served over 80 different pet rescue organizations. The clinic expanded by 60% in 2022, 50% in 2021 and another 64% in 2022. In 2023, they anticipate another 50% growth while adding 2-3 more locations including the Broadway Blvd location.

The East Tucson location of Dr. Kelly’s is located at 8860 E Broadway Blvd., on the southeast corner of Broadway and Camino Seco. For more information, visit https://www.drkellysvet.com.

Story by Brandon Huffman

The Hotline is delighted to provide Pac-12 fans with a weekly dive into the recruiting process through the eyes and ears of Brandon Huffman, the Seattle-based national recruiting editor for 247Sports.

The following report was provided to the Hotline on June 7 …

It has long been stated that the Pac-12 must retain the best high school players in its footprint. That necessity has never been more glaring than after the 2023 NFL Draft, when the top two picks were from Southern California but played for Alabama (Bryce Young) and Ohio State (CJ Stroud) instead of Pac-12 schools.

With the conference in transition — USC and UCLA are joining the Big Ten next summer — the following five defensive prospects in the high school class of 2024 are critically important to the Pac-12’s recruiting fortunes.

(For the top offensive recruits in the class, go here.)

1. DL Aydin Breland (Santa Ana, Calif.) High school: Mater Dei 247 Sports national rating: Five stars; No. 2 defensive lineman Comment: Breland is the top defensive lineman out West and the No. 1 prospect in California at any position. The West Coast usually has a few elite interior linemen, but they often leave the footprint for powerhouses in other conferences. Oregon and USC — the two programs best positioned to keep Breland in his home region — are all on his short list. So, too, is Colorado.

2. EDGE Elijah Rushing (Tucson) High school: Salpointe Catholic 247 Sports national rating: Five stars; No. 1 edge rusher Comment: Rushing attends high school in the shadows of Arizona Stadium, and the Wildcats have a real chance to land him. (He took an official visit last weekend.) UCLA also has welcomed Rushing onto campus, while Oregon is expected to have its version, as well. That means three of his five visits are to current Pac-12 schools. Now they need to close.

3. CB Zabien Brown (Santa Ana, Calif.) High school: Mater Dei 247 Sports national rating: Four stars; No. 5 cornerback Comment: Brown is the top cover cornerback in the West and has two national heavyweights in hot pursuit, Alabama and Ohio State, along with two schools out west, Oregon and USC. The latest buzz indicates he plans to stay home and sign with USC, but the Trojans have to withstand his scheduled official visits to Tuscaloosa and Columbus.

4. CB Marcelles Williams (Bellflower, Calif.) High school: St. John Bosco 247 Sports national rating: Four stars; No. 7 cornerback Comment: Williams has strong Pac-12 ties: His oldest brother, Max, plays at USC while another brother, Macen, plays at Arizona State. If history is an indicator, he’ll stay in the Pac-12 footprint. He visited UCLA, but our view is that a decision to play close to home would mean signing with USC, not the Bruins. A visit to Oklahoma this weekend looms large.

5. LB Brayden Platt (Yelm, Wash.) High school: Yelm 247 Sports national rating: Four stars; No. 8 linebacker Comment: The No. 1 overall prospect in Washington, Platt toured UCLA last month for his first official visit. Soon after, the Bruins received a commitment from his teammate, Isaiah Patterson — they would love to make it a package deal. But Oregon may be the more likely candidate for Platt, who is one of the premier throwers in the country (shot put and javelin) and plans to pursue both football and track in college. Oklahoma is the other school in the mix.