Quetzal Mural Project Brings South Omaha Community Together
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Quetzal Mural Project Brings South Omaha Community Together.
You may drive past murals in South O on a daily basis, but you may not know all that goes into these beautiful pieces of public art. The South Omaha Mural Project has made its mark around the area, giving a glimpse into the rich cultural history of the neighborhood. Richard Harrison started the organization when he and his daughter Rebecca were painting a mural in Little Bohemia and recruited other artists to create murals in different ethnic neighborhoods.
The organization’s latest mural, the Quetzal Mural, was completed in early October. Daniel Castaneda, lead muralist, said the quetzal is the focal point because it symbolizes freedom in both Mayan and Aztec cultures. The mural highlights the legend of the quetzal bird and includes images of several animal spirits.
“The legends say that when the warrior Tecún Umán was fighting against the conquerors from Spain, when he was hit, a quetzal came and landed on his chest, and that’s how it got the red color on his feathers,” Casteneda said.
The team behind the mural invited community input and even invited people to join in on a community paint day to help complete the mural. Murals typically take about two months to complete, the Quetzal Mural was completed well under that timeline.
Harrison said the South Omaha Mural Project will continue to create more murals and partners like the South Omaha Neighborhood Alliance make it possible.
“We’re always working to improve South Omaha neighbors, neighborhoods and their territories from Dodge, south, and from 72nd, east,” he said.
To learn about future mural projects, stay up to date on the South Omaha Mural Project Facebook page. If you’re an artist interested in joining the newly-formed South Omaha Art Club, Harrison suggests checking out the organization’s website for future meeting dates.
Nebraska Recycling Council Gives a Glimpse into What Goes into Glass Recycling.
Recently, the Nebraska Recycling Council released a report on glass recycling in Nebraska. The report analyzed the use of glass, how much goes into the landfill and suggested actions to improve glass recycling in the state. The market value of glass flint in the Midwest is $57.50/ton delivered, the report states, while the landfill disposal fee is $1.25 per ton for all waste disposed in municipal solid waste landfills in Nebraska. It’s not hard to imagine that glass contributes considerable weight.”
The report also noted that there is a strong market for local producers and the use of glass. Nebraska wine producers used approximately 380,000 bottles in production in 2023.
Glass is one of the most versatile recyclable materials, and Omaha is working to make consumer recycling more accessible. There are currently eight drop-off locations in the city. For curbside glass recycling, residents can contact Glassman Recycling and Repurposing.
But if you’re interested in recycling glass, you might not know all the do’s and don’ts of recycling glass. Allison Majerus, program director at the Nebraska Recycling Council, shared the basics.
“Do keep your glass bottles and jars separate from other recyclables. Do wash the glass bottles and jars before placing them in a glass recycling drop-off. You can keep the labels on the containers. Don’t bag your glass before placing it in a recycling drop-off,” Majerus said.
She said Omaha’s glass is hauled to Ripple Glass in Kansas City due to its relatively close proximity.
“Distance to a processing facility is important because of the sheer weight of glass!” Majerus said.
She noted that the best part of recycling glass is that it can be recycled over and over again, and even if it breaks, it can still be recycled.