Local cafe owner redefines recycling

Gary and Paulette Njirich, owners of Libby Café, have recycled material to create a special Christmas project. They used old, disused cans and colored lights to make Christmas Trees, which they then put on either side of Libby Café’s doors.

As Gary tells it, Paulette built the trees out of Christmas lights and empty number 10 cans that used to contain ingredients used in the kitchen, such as tomatoes. He said Paulette saved and assembled the cans for the trees over a period of five or six years.

“There’s an accumulation of over 200 number 10 cans,” said Gary.

Paulette built the trees by stacking the cans on their sides and into the shapes of trees, and then screwing them to a wooden frame behind the pile. She then wired each of the cans with the colored lights. In addition, Paulette wired the trees so that they would light up in time with the music that plays outside the café as opposed to constantly remaining lit.

“They’re connected to a computer that plays the music, which is coordinated to the various connections that the lights are put into,” said Gary.

According to Gary, the trees remain lit and synchronized to the music after the café closes, and the system remains active until 10:30 p.m.

“Trying to coordinate the music with the trees was not an easy job,” said Paulette. “I had to do all of the assembly myself.”

Gary said Paulette undertook the task several years ago after seeing another resident with a similarly made decoration.

“She saw a little six-can tree in a yard display about eight or nine years ago, and thought that it would be a good idea and that we could make it bigger and better, as she always does with everything,” said Gary.

Paulette said that she put the trees together in order to provide some lights and music for the downtown area.

“I thought it would be better than sending 200 cans to be crushed and put in a landfill,” said Paulette. “Instead of putting 200 cans in the garbage, I made Christmas trees out of them. It’s recycling at its finest. I really hope someone enjoys my ‘garbage.’”