With the passage of health care reform and rising prescription drug use, increased focus on national health systems should be accompanied by discussion of safe disposal options for this immense industry. Medicines come in a variety of forms; from pills to injections to salves to radiation treatment. All produce discards inevitably from their applications, and the utmost concern and scrutiny needs to be employed in handling these potentially hazardous and infectious wastes.
For the most part, training and public health guidelines for health professionals have kept the problems at a minimal level. However, the amount of household generators and private practices has risen in the past couple decades, simply from the development and propagation of new medicines and treatments. The EPA estimates that 45 million Americans are drinking water with traces of medications flushed down the toilet that don’t get filtered at water treatment facilities. Home care nurses, private vets, self-medicators, all fly under the radar, which is better at preventing large-scale generators like hospitals and pharmaceutical factories from improper disposal.
I’ve had several sorters tell me their greatest fear is reaching into a pile of recyclables only to have their hand come back out with needles stuck in it. We average one or two gallon jugs full of used needles a month here at the Boulder County MRF, not to mention the free-floating needles that pass through the system. We’ve had scalpels and IV tubes make appearances, leading me to believe some commercial generators are not following the guidelines. We’ve had one or two sticks in the past before my time here, and the resulting hospital visits and bills accompanying them were not gravy, let alone the fear of the punctured worker. The cost of those bills is more than enough to set up a public drop-off box at the county’s hazardous waste facility, which I am currently lobbying for. There are other options communities across the country have employed. You can see these and more at http://www.safeneedledisposal.org/assets/pdf/med-govt.pdf.
So what are you supposed to do with your old prescriptions, used insulin needles and bloody gloves..? Well, first you should be familiar with your municipality’s hazardous waste guidelines. Most will tell you where certain items need to go; pills and outdated medicines need to go in the trash, needles should be put in a puncture-proof screw-on container like a milk gallon or coffee container and then thrown in the trash, BUT NEVER THE RECYCLING! It should be noted that those little orange pill bottles are made of a recyclable plastic (medical marijuana patients rejoice!), but never leave anything in them. Needles can also be collected through private take-back programs, or incinerated with home devices. Bloody objects should go in the trash, but if they’re big like a mattress for instance, you should call your county’s accident clean-up people. If this is not possible, wrap the object in layers of plastic and drive it to the landfill, checking their list of accepted materials beforehand.
It sucks that the majority of medical waste needs to be landfilled, but at the moment there aren’t any better options; no one wants to recycle contaminated materials. Waste-to-energy incinerators are used by private take-back companies; incineration is generally a better look than landfilling. Perhaps the biggest problem with the medical waste stream is that the compositions of its materials are rarely known, usually involving crazy chemicals, micro-bacteria, viruses and heavy metals. I am not familiar with what is done to discards from radiology clinics, MRI rooms, chemotherapy machines and the like, but you would hope that someone has implemented safe disposal measures. Considering some of the decisions made before my generation though, you never know.
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Hard-to-Recycle Item #5: Wine Corks
A hard-to-recycle item because they don't fit into any single-stream recycling category, wine corks have wide reuse potential and are actually compostable if creativity or collecting things isn't your strong point. Harvested sustainably mostly in the Mediterranean region (but can be found in Maryland!), corks come from the bark of cork oak trees, which can be harvested every 9 years, live up to 200 years, and are an important part of carbon sequestration in their region (ReCORK). It is estimated that 13 billion corks are manufactured and sold annually (ReCORK), so it is important that we divert this biodegradable and useful material from entering the landfill. Start collecting your corks, and when you have the right amount, try one of the options below.
The easiest way to get rid of corks is to find a friend who likes to pursue some of the artistic activities in this article. Otherwise, you could send them to ReCORK, run by Amorim, one of the largest producers of cork wine closures. They've partnered with SOLE, a leading footwear manufacturer, to grind corks they receive into, most notably, sandals, but also gets mixed in unique blends developed by SOLE to produce all types of shoes and comfy footpads. SOLE claims to have distribution with REI and Zappos, as well as with numerous professional sports teams, and claim their cork material products will hit stores in Spring 2010. Unfortunately, you have to pay to ship your corks unless you have a minimum of 15 lbs., in which case they will send you a prepaid mailing label. You could partner with other wine-loving friends to accomplish this, or you may be lucky to find one of their public collection partners in your area, like a winery or restaurant or alternative recycling center.
If you're ambitious and possess the technical know-how, in which case you probably wouldn't need to read this, you could create your own boat out of wine corks! Since corks naturally float, someone with engineering skills and dreams like former White House speechwriter John Pollack can create an amphibious vessel for an old school voyage down a cherished waterway, like the Douro River in Portugal, which Pollack successfully navigated and wrote a book about. If, like most of us, you find yourself less inclined to attempt such a journey, the buoyant qualities of cork also allow other nautical accessories to be created. Try fastening one or two to a key chain or sunglasses strap (I believe the official word is crockers) so they'll float if you or your boat gets sacked by a particularly tremendous wave.
Another brilliant, engineering feat accomplished with cork reuse, but with grander implications than Pollack's boat, is Corky, a battery-less mouse that runs on the continuous motion of ones hand, similar to windable flashlights. Created by Adele Peters for the Greener Gadgets convention going down this week in New York City, it is unclear when such a magnificent product will hit stores, and whether its positive response will garner revamping efforts in offices across the world.
I guess you could say my personal interest with corks (other than drinking wine, obviously, although I've had my share of corkless wines) began when my dad started collecting them to create trivets/hot pads with wooden frames for gifts. This activity requires some woodworking experience and/or equipment. Simply measure the size of several rows of corks, depending on your preference or design you can arrange in a similar design to this picture (alternating horizontal and vertical like the center gives the plate more frictional support), and then cut a flat wood piece (stained/treated wood provides aesthetic enhancement) that will allow all the corks to fit. Use wood glue to make the corks stick, and four side pieces are optional to frame the hot plate. Let the piece dry and then try it out with your favorite dish!
Other reuse options include running dull razors through a cork to get a few more uses out of it, creating your own cork board for posting notes and other things, cutting a slit in the top of a cork to hold recipes, slicing into thin circles and gluing to chair/table legs to prevent wood floor degradation, making coasters, picture frames, glass-covered coffee tables, igloo lanterns?, candle bases, wreaths, holders on fishing hats, hanging fly-swatters on hiking hats, flooring, the list goes on. The internet abounds with helpful hints on any of these activities, but you can also let your own creative synergies guide you.
With all these options for corks, there should be no reason to throw them in the trash. In compost, cork acts like wood chips, aerating the pile and breaking down over several compost cycles (Dan Matsch). If a reuse or recycling option can't be achieved, go ahead and throw your corks in that compost pile. Remember that wine bottles also have reuse potential in the home/garden, as either hanging scarecrow glass to shoo away birds and other critters, or as fruit-fly traps. If you keep a little wine (I hear fruit flies prefer red) or vinegar in the bottom of a bottle, and keep the bottle near the center of fruit fly activity, like a kitchen sink, fruit flies will be naturally attracted to the liquid and usually end up over-indulging, getting stuck or drowning, leaving them, indubitably, worse off than someone with a wine hangover.
The easiest way to get rid of corks is to find a friend who likes to pursue some of the artistic activities in this article. Otherwise, you could send them to ReCORK, run by Amorim, one of the largest producers of cork wine closures. They've partnered with SOLE, a leading footwear manufacturer, to grind corks they receive into, most notably, sandals, but also gets mixed in unique blends developed by SOLE to produce all types of shoes and comfy footpads. SOLE claims to have distribution with REI and Zappos, as well as with numerous professional sports teams, and claim their cork material products will hit stores in Spring 2010. Unfortunately, you have to pay to ship your corks unless you have a minimum of 15 lbs., in which case they will send you a prepaid mailing label. You could partner with other wine-loving friends to accomplish this, or you may be lucky to find one of their public collection partners in your area, like a winery or restaurant or alternative recycling center.
If you're ambitious and possess the technical know-how, in which case you probably wouldn't need to read this, you could create your own boat out of wine corks! Since corks naturally float, someone with engineering skills and dreams like former White House speechwriter John Pollack can create an amphibious vessel for an old school voyage down a cherished waterway, like the Douro River in Portugal, which Pollack successfully navigated and wrote a book about. If, like most of us, you find yourself less inclined to attempt such a journey, the buoyant qualities of cork also allow other nautical accessories to be created. Try fastening one or two to a key chain or sunglasses strap (I believe the official word is crockers) so they'll float if you or your boat gets sacked by a particularly tremendous wave.
Another brilliant, engineering feat accomplished with cork reuse, but with grander implications than Pollack's boat, is Corky, a battery-less mouse that runs on the continuous motion of ones hand, similar to windable flashlights. Created by Adele Peters for the Greener Gadgets convention going down this week in New York City, it is unclear when such a magnificent product will hit stores, and whether its positive response will garner revamping efforts in offices across the world.
I guess you could say my personal interest with corks (other than drinking wine, obviously, although I've had my share of corkless wines) began when my dad started collecting them to create trivets/hot pads with wooden frames for gifts. This activity requires some woodworking experience and/or equipment. Simply measure the size of several rows of corks, depending on your preference or design you can arrange in a similar design to this picture (alternating horizontal and vertical like the center gives the plate more frictional support), and then cut a flat wood piece (stained/treated wood provides aesthetic enhancement) that will allow all the corks to fit. Use wood glue to make the corks stick, and four side pieces are optional to frame the hot plate. Let the piece dry and then try it out with your favorite dish!
Other reuse options include running dull razors through a cork to get a few more uses out of it, creating your own cork board for posting notes and other things, cutting a slit in the top of a cork to hold recipes, slicing into thin circles and gluing to chair/table legs to prevent wood floor degradation, making coasters, picture frames, glass-covered coffee tables, igloo lanterns?, candle bases, wreaths, holders on fishing hats, hanging fly-swatters on hiking hats, flooring, the list goes on. The internet abounds with helpful hints on any of these activities, but you can also let your own creative synergies guide you.
With all these options for corks, there should be no reason to throw them in the trash. In compost, cork acts like wood chips, aerating the pile and breaking down over several compost cycles (Dan Matsch). If a reuse or recycling option can't be achieved, go ahead and throw your corks in that compost pile. Remember that wine bottles also have reuse potential in the home/garden, as either hanging scarecrow glass to shoo away birds and other critters, or as fruit-fly traps. If you keep a little wine (I hear fruit flies prefer red) or vinegar in the bottom of a bottle, and keep the bottle near the center of fruit fly activity, like a kitchen sink, fruit flies will be naturally attracted to the liquid and usually end up over-indulging, getting stuck or drowning, leaving them, indubitably, worse off than someone with a wine hangover.
Monday, February 15, 2010
Ambition - Labor pt. 4
With the Winter Olympics in full swing up in Vancouver, the culmination of four years of training is coming to fruition for Olympic athletes. Some have only this platform to showcase their talents and unique sports, giving a new meaning to the sporting mantra of pacing yourself. The desire for gold drives the ambitions of many like American Hannah Kearney, but for a lot of athletes, including the Jamaican bobsled team of '88 (strangely denied participation in the past few games), just getting to the games and crossing the finish line is a victory in itself.
Recently, in a rare, warm spell here in Colorado, I played basketball with a blind student on CU's campus. His name was Ethan, and he came up to me and asked if I wanted to play one-on-one. Hungry for some real competition, I, of course, indulged. He wanted me to play him like I would anyone else, but I couldn't bring myself to unleashing my normal buffalo mode. I did have an impressively hot hand from the perimeter that day, however.
Surprisingly, the final score was not a shutout. Ethan was able to dribble the ball to within four feet of the basket and make lay-ups and baby hook shots even with my arms stretched in the air scoring around seven points. This was possible due to his ability to distinguish black and white shapes, and shadows of movement. When he was guarding me, he was able to tell when I dribbled the ball through my legs or when I posited a spin move. He was also able to tell when I swished a shot calling it "the greatest sound in basketball." His sense of hearing helped him identify a stray rebound, closing in on the bouncing object, or when he wanted to pass it to me, he asked that I clap, and he would sling the ball with decent accuracy in my direction. He asked for any tips, but sadly, because I've never sat and thought about such a dilemma, I was unable to offer any enlightenment other than practicing free throws because of the straight-on, fixed nature of the shot. I also said something about the practicality of handoff plays if we were playing a team game. (I will save these tips for my coaching debut at the special Olympics).
Ethan's favorite team was the Lakers, his favorite players Kobe and Shaq, hearing of their dominant exploits back in the early 2000's when he arrived in America from Ethiopia. He's gone to games, where he listens to the commentators with headphones, hopefully sitting close enough to hear actual sounds from the game e.g. shoes squeaking, players and coaches calling out plays, the substitution and shot clock buzzers, and of course, the rim shots and nothing-but-nets. Above all else, Ethan is a successful example of being able to follow your passions with the proper drive and confidence in your abilities just like the Olympic athletes.
Now that the inmates are gone, the ghosts here in MRFtown are whispering. They're saying we need to start hiring some folks to reward production goals met and to boost our product quality. Somewhere in the last couple weeks we were able to diminish our tipping floor piles, monstrous mountains of trash, that when I arrived and up until a couple weeks ago, were overflowing out the door. I'd like to think that my gophering efforts to help fix machinery, (and the massive dent I put in Eco-Cycle's shop maintenance budget), had a hand in this, but the true saviors of MRFland are the laborers who put work in to catch up with the production curve. I'm hoping a worker appreciation barbecue is in order. Somehow finding myself in charge of the employment task force and with this lull in material coming in, I need to keep pushing the Operations Manager, Jerry, on the bbq, but mostly to hire a few of the better contract workers, some who've been here for nearly a year still technically working for a labor source. These guys are determined to have a job, and if the recession has had any visual impact for me, it is most evident in the struggles of our workers.
I can't tell you how many little struggles I've heard when a worker comes in to the production office with a story. One forklift operator had something stuck in his eye for two weeks, and the dusty environs of the MRF irritated it even further. One of the line leaders didn't come in to work for a week with mental health problems amounting to depression and suicidal thoughts. Another guy whos been here for a year is considering another job that pays a dollar more an hour, but hates starting new jobs, especially when his wife's ex-husband is the business owner. Misplaced checks, multiple family members working different shifts, lunch/small theft are all a reality of working here. These guys must have immense determination to come back to work here every day amidst all their personal problems. Struggle brings strength, and what doesn't kill you makes you stronger. It has yet to be seen whether this saying applies to economic theory, or perhaps even labor relations.
In other news, a massive flock of blackbirds returns daily to feed on our outdoor glass piles where we dump our compactor residue around lunchtime. One has to wonder if or when the little bits of glass cullet, inseparable from any existing food residue, will kill them.
Recently, in a rare, warm spell here in Colorado, I played basketball with a blind student on CU's campus. His name was Ethan, and he came up to me and asked if I wanted to play one-on-one. Hungry for some real competition, I, of course, indulged. He wanted me to play him like I would anyone else, but I couldn't bring myself to unleashing my normal buffalo mode. I did have an impressively hot hand from the perimeter that day, however.
Surprisingly, the final score was not a shutout. Ethan was able to dribble the ball to within four feet of the basket and make lay-ups and baby hook shots even with my arms stretched in the air scoring around seven points. This was possible due to his ability to distinguish black and white shapes, and shadows of movement. When he was guarding me, he was able to tell when I dribbled the ball through my legs or when I posited a spin move. He was also able to tell when I swished a shot calling it "the greatest sound in basketball." His sense of hearing helped him identify a stray rebound, closing in on the bouncing object, or when he wanted to pass it to me, he asked that I clap, and he would sling the ball with decent accuracy in my direction. He asked for any tips, but sadly, because I've never sat and thought about such a dilemma, I was unable to offer any enlightenment other than practicing free throws because of the straight-on, fixed nature of the shot. I also said something about the practicality of handoff plays if we were playing a team game. (I will save these tips for my coaching debut at the special Olympics).
Ethan's favorite team was the Lakers, his favorite players Kobe and Shaq, hearing of their dominant exploits back in the early 2000's when he arrived in America from Ethiopia. He's gone to games, where he listens to the commentators with headphones, hopefully sitting close enough to hear actual sounds from the game e.g. shoes squeaking, players and coaches calling out plays, the substitution and shot clock buzzers, and of course, the rim shots and nothing-but-nets. Above all else, Ethan is a successful example of being able to follow your passions with the proper drive and confidence in your abilities just like the Olympic athletes.
Now that the inmates are gone, the ghosts here in MRFtown are whispering. They're saying we need to start hiring some folks to reward production goals met and to boost our product quality. Somewhere in the last couple weeks we were able to diminish our tipping floor piles, monstrous mountains of trash, that when I arrived and up until a couple weeks ago, were overflowing out the door. I'd like to think that my gophering efforts to help fix machinery, (and the massive dent I put in Eco-Cycle's shop maintenance budget), had a hand in this, but the true saviors of MRFland are the laborers who put work in to catch up with the production curve. I'm hoping a worker appreciation barbecue is in order. Somehow finding myself in charge of the employment task force and with this lull in material coming in, I need to keep pushing the Operations Manager, Jerry, on the bbq, but mostly to hire a few of the better contract workers, some who've been here for nearly a year still technically working for a labor source. These guys are determined to have a job, and if the recession has had any visual impact for me, it is most evident in the struggles of our workers.
I can't tell you how many little struggles I've heard when a worker comes in to the production office with a story. One forklift operator had something stuck in his eye for two weeks, and the dusty environs of the MRF irritated it even further. One of the line leaders didn't come in to work for a week with mental health problems amounting to depression and suicidal thoughts. Another guy whos been here for a year is considering another job that pays a dollar more an hour, but hates starting new jobs, especially when his wife's ex-husband is the business owner. Misplaced checks, multiple family members working different shifts, lunch/small theft are all a reality of working here. These guys must have immense determination to come back to work here every day amidst all their personal problems. Struggle brings strength, and what doesn't kill you makes you stronger. It has yet to be seen whether this saying applies to economic theory, or perhaps even labor relations.
In other news, a massive flock of blackbirds returns daily to feed on our outdoor glass piles where we dump our compactor residue around lunchtime. One has to wonder if or when the little bits of glass cullet, inseparable from any existing food residue, will kill them.
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Sustainability Conference Debates Eco-Business
The University of Texas at Austin held its 2010 Sustainability Conference this past Friday, Feb. 5th, featuring keynote speakers a.k.a. corporate PR representatives from Walmart and Frito-Lay, as well as an impressive array of panel speakers comprised of local political and business leaders, professors, nonprofit managers, and other green company reps. Hosted by the McCombs School of Business for the third year in a row, the conference provided an intimate atmosphere for sustainability professionals and environmental newbies alike to discuss current and past trends in business and government sectors with regards to improving our world through sustainable recommendations. The conference was well-run and provides a working model for similar events to be hosted by other schools, but improvements could still be made. A lot of the attendees, and speakers even, seemed more concerned with helping their bottom lines through sustainability initiatives than actually helping the environment. Ironically, the billionaire figurehead for the business school, Red McCombs, has had his share of the negative environmental spotlight. See Jeff's piece in High Country News.
The abundance of topics covered (all interesting to me) had to be split into two separate, unofficial tracks of panels, policy and marketing (I chose policy), so that two panels were always going on at the same time. This led to the frustration of not being able to be in two places at once, alas Superman, and my idea for the suggestion box for next year: to spread the conference out over two days. I told this to my brother, a McCombs student and planning committee member, so hopefully this will be addressed next year. In honor of doppleganger week (I think Facebook should now have dopplegangbanger week) and continuing the Just the Two of Us theme, this dilemma also inspired a brilliant coaching strategy if you have identical twins on your team (Bill Self may already employ this with the Morris brothers); switch the two players' jerseys in select games so the defense never knows the strengths of which player is coming at them. Wise and otherwise, my two aliases, and the name of a Baldurdash spin-off, by far the silliest thing about the conference had to be the use of compostable cups, napkins and utensils... but with the absence of compost bins. This is not good since trade shows and conferences have an enormous impact on waste emissions. People like the Frito-Lay representative are under the impression that these bioplastics made from corn stock will degrade in landfills, but simply put, sun, oxygen and microorganisms that eat that material are not permitted in the sealed landfills. The lack of available recycling bins also irked me, a campus-wide problem needing to be addressed by green groups at UT.
The conference and surrounding campus weren't the only people with waste management problems; I and I fell victim to some strange stomach bug. While fighting dysentery from either my breakfast taco or something I ate at lunch, your resilient and fearless reporter was able to keep a critical eye on the events, however. The Walmart (Warmall?) representative was not as convincing a speaker as the chum from Frito-Lay, perhaps because he was younger and it was the first thing in the morning when he spoke. Nonetheless, both companies have set global goals of using renewable energy, being zero waste, decreasing their supply footprint, and selling products that sustain people and the environment. This last goal is laughable considering their current globalized manifestations as two of the biggest companies exemplifying the consumeristic American lifestyle, obesity, plastics and all. Walmart has over 8,000 stores worldwide registering two million customers weekly, and Pepsico, which owns Frito-Lay, is a $43-60 billion dollar company that produces the two largest subsets of landfill items, food/chip bags and beverage containers. While it's true their green initiatives combined with the scale of their companies have the chance to make a huge impact, that same ginormous scale of production places them in league with some of the largest waste-producers and is enough to make myself force vomit saturated fats all over their corporate jets.
One panel was smart to raise the point that while they should be congratulated for taking steps to alleviate their footprints, for something is better than nothing, they still should be avoided by conscientious consumers since they aren't sourcing locally through their support of national distribution systems and factory farming, putting small businesses and local entrepreneurs in jeopardy. Their companies are so big that it's impossible to keep track of all their practices, have a small footprint, and "sell products that sustain people and the environment." To be fair, I've listed some of their initiatives and statistics in a Word document, although a lot of them are buried in the percentage game. Notable improvements being made by both companies include modifying their distribution trucks to get better gas mileage, reducing waste sent to landfills from their outlets and factories, and using less or alternatively sourced energies. Frito-Lay should be commended for developing a compostable bag for their Sun Chips line, their "Prius brand" produced in solar-powered factories, while overcoming the necessity for an oxygen barrier by inserting a nano-thin aluminum barrier between two layers of PLA (biodegradable plastic). They plan to showcase this technology in the future by wrapping a building in Arizona and California with the material so daily travelers can see the degradation over time created by exposure to the elements. This technology will have tremendous benefits for end-of-life consumer packaging; now they just need to extend it to all their product lines.
As far as sustainable policy trends, urban planners are realizing the need for a transport mode shift, more public transportation options, sourcing fresh food within 100 miles of a city, and building communities in walking distance of shops and restaurants in what is called an "urban village" model. Portland is the Mecca of this model, where nearly 50% of the population uses public transportation or bikes to work, and progressive communities across the country are increasingly following their lead. This main recommendation stems from the suburban sprawl development of the past half century, hence our reliance on cars to get around. In the future, people will hopefully be able to walk/bike to wherever they need to go. The call for a national building code to make buildings more energy-efficient was echoed as was the need for toxic releases laws for companies to disclose any toxic waste or ingredients they may be producing. The innovative ways businesses are starting to achieve standards without legislation is remarkable, but without some government or outside pressure, markets can deviate substantially from what free market theory suggests. The line between ethics and economic theory has grown thinner from generations ago. Tim Mohin from AMD brought up the point that young people are increasingly graduating into the workplace looking to devote their careers to jobs that have redeeming value, and businesses are having to accomodate that if they want talented workers. Way to go Generation X, Y and Millenials! Keep up the pressure on the oppressor!
Unfortunately, this recession has not been good on small businesses and nonprofits, leaders of innovation and sustainable thinking. It has forced companies to make more efficient use of their resources, but has stymied investment in new products and research. While green products have definitely begun to dominate a share of the marketplace, consumers and businesses with tight budgets are choosing cheaper alternatives. Countries without as many regulations as America, due in part to free trade legislation, have cheaper resources to exploit and price those resources below their true values, and so rainforests and other diverse habitats are continuing to disappear, and fossil fuels are continuing to be extracted and used up. However, businesses employing these practices with no regard for the environment or communities around them will ultimately fail because they are not sustainable. Hope lies in communicating the science available to endangered or impoverished communities across the globe as well as supporting microfinancing, small interest-free loans to poor people in developing countries looking to start their own businesses. Going back in time, ancient communities had sustainable systems, and somewhere along the way that systems link was broken and was replaced by this industrial mega-rape in the name of more profits. That link needs to be repaired by voting with our dollars to support transparent, localized production based in sound science and human rights.
The abundance of topics covered (all interesting to me) had to be split into two separate, unofficial tracks of panels, policy and marketing (I chose policy), so that two panels were always going on at the same time. This led to the frustration of not being able to be in two places at once, alas Superman, and my idea for the suggestion box for next year: to spread the conference out over two days. I told this to my brother, a McCombs student and planning committee member, so hopefully this will be addressed next year. In honor of doppleganger week (I think Facebook should now have dopplegangbanger week) and continuing the Just the Two of Us theme, this dilemma also inspired a brilliant coaching strategy if you have identical twins on your team (Bill Self may already employ this with the Morris brothers); switch the two players' jerseys in select games so the defense never knows the strengths of which player is coming at them. Wise and otherwise, my two aliases, and the name of a Baldurdash spin-off, by far the silliest thing about the conference had to be the use of compostable cups, napkins and utensils... but with the absence of compost bins. This is not good since trade shows and conferences have an enormous impact on waste emissions. People like the Frito-Lay representative are under the impression that these bioplastics made from corn stock will degrade in landfills, but simply put, sun, oxygen and microorganisms that eat that material are not permitted in the sealed landfills. The lack of available recycling bins also irked me, a campus-wide problem needing to be addressed by green groups at UT.
The conference and surrounding campus weren't the only people with waste management problems; I and I fell victim to some strange stomach bug. While fighting dysentery from either my breakfast taco or something I ate at lunch, your resilient and fearless reporter was able to keep a critical eye on the events, however. The Walmart (Warmall?) representative was not as convincing a speaker as the chum from Frito-Lay, perhaps because he was younger and it was the first thing in the morning when he spoke. Nonetheless, both companies have set global goals of using renewable energy, being zero waste, decreasing their supply footprint, and selling products that sustain people and the environment. This last goal is laughable considering their current globalized manifestations as two of the biggest companies exemplifying the consumeristic American lifestyle, obesity, plastics and all. Walmart has over 8,000 stores worldwide registering two million customers weekly, and Pepsico, which owns Frito-Lay, is a $43-60 billion dollar company that produces the two largest subsets of landfill items, food/chip bags and beverage containers. While it's true their green initiatives combined with the scale of their companies have the chance to make a huge impact, that same ginormous scale of production places them in league with some of the largest waste-producers and is enough to make myself force vomit saturated fats all over their corporate jets.
One panel was smart to raise the point that while they should be congratulated for taking steps to alleviate their footprints, for something is better than nothing, they still should be avoided by conscientious consumers since they aren't sourcing locally through their support of national distribution systems and factory farming, putting small businesses and local entrepreneurs in jeopardy. Their companies are so big that it's impossible to keep track of all their practices, have a small footprint, and "sell products that sustain people and the environment." To be fair, I've listed some of their initiatives and statistics in a Word document, although a lot of them are buried in the percentage game. Notable improvements being made by both companies include modifying their distribution trucks to get better gas mileage, reducing waste sent to landfills from their outlets and factories, and using less or alternatively sourced energies. Frito-Lay should be commended for developing a compostable bag for their Sun Chips line, their "Prius brand" produced in solar-powered factories, while overcoming the necessity for an oxygen barrier by inserting a nano-thin aluminum barrier between two layers of PLA (biodegradable plastic). They plan to showcase this technology in the future by wrapping a building in Arizona and California with the material so daily travelers can see the degradation over time created by exposure to the elements. This technology will have tremendous benefits for end-of-life consumer packaging; now they just need to extend it to all their product lines.
As far as sustainable policy trends, urban planners are realizing the need for a transport mode shift, more public transportation options, sourcing fresh food within 100 miles of a city, and building communities in walking distance of shops and restaurants in what is called an "urban village" model. Portland is the Mecca of this model, where nearly 50% of the population uses public transportation or bikes to work, and progressive communities across the country are increasingly following their lead. This main recommendation stems from the suburban sprawl development of the past half century, hence our reliance on cars to get around. In the future, people will hopefully be able to walk/bike to wherever they need to go. The call for a national building code to make buildings more energy-efficient was echoed as was the need for toxic releases laws for companies to disclose any toxic waste or ingredients they may be producing. The innovative ways businesses are starting to achieve standards without legislation is remarkable, but without some government or outside pressure, markets can deviate substantially from what free market theory suggests. The line between ethics and economic theory has grown thinner from generations ago. Tim Mohin from AMD brought up the point that young people are increasingly graduating into the workplace looking to devote their careers to jobs that have redeeming value, and businesses are having to accomodate that if they want talented workers. Way to go Generation X, Y and Millenials! Keep up the pressure on the oppressor!
Unfortunately, this recession has not been good on small businesses and nonprofits, leaders of innovation and sustainable thinking. It has forced companies to make more efficient use of their resources, but has stymied investment in new products and research. While green products have definitely begun to dominate a share of the marketplace, consumers and businesses with tight budgets are choosing cheaper alternatives. Countries without as many regulations as America, due in part to free trade legislation, have cheaper resources to exploit and price those resources below their true values, and so rainforests and other diverse habitats are continuing to disappear, and fossil fuels are continuing to be extracted and used up. However, businesses employing these practices with no regard for the environment or communities around them will ultimately fail because they are not sustainable. Hope lies in communicating the science available to endangered or impoverished communities across the globe as well as supporting microfinancing, small interest-free loans to poor people in developing countries looking to start their own businesses. Going back in time, ancient communities had sustainable systems, and somewhere along the way that systems link was broken and was replaced by this industrial mega-rape in the name of more profits. That link needs to be repaired by voting with our dollars to support transparent, localized production based in sound science and human rights.
Thursday, February 4, 2010
5 Steps to Divert Your Super Bowl Waste
Over 100 million Americans and international viewers will gear up to watch this year's Super Bowl featuring Peyton's Colts versus Payton's Saints, the two best NFL teams from this season, both possessing tricky offenses and superior defensive capabilities, going head to head in a brutal, four hour match up that could be one of the best Super Bowls ever (although the last two are pretty hard to beat). This grand fiesta de football Americain may qualify as a national holiday, yet no matter what team you're rooting for, everyone involved must realize the huge environmental toll Super Bowl parties place on the Earth.
Like a lot of other holidays, consumption increases. Americans drink around 10.5 million barrels of beer that Sunday (Oregon Department of Agriculture). 14,500 tons of chips are consumed (About.com). To compliment those chips, twelve million pounds of guacamole is devoured (California Avocado Commission). TV sales rise 60% in the week before the game (Earth911.org). The Super Bowl as a national marketing event and all the man-hours going into it grosses nearly $10 billion, a good thing for our rebounding economy.
To balance this increased consumption, hosts and attendees should strive to make their Super Bowl parties zero waste events. Here are some tips to consider to help you with this effort.
1. Set up recycling bins and compost bags throughout the party. Depending on the size of your house, you may only need one of each or several.
2. All beverage containers should be recycled! This is a no-brainer. If you don't have curbside collection in your municipality, collect the cans and bottles and drop them off at your nearest recycling facility. Buying bulk containers like two liter sodas and mini-kegs (full kegs if you're gnarly) and serving in glasses is even better. Some red Solo cups claim to be made of recyclable plastic, but make sure your local recycling center takes these before you buy them. Reuse plastic as much as possible.
3. Try to avoid buying anything with plastic in it or around it. The only trash you should have at the end of the night is empty food bags. One of Eco-Cycle's clients is a sub shop in Boulder called Cheba Hut that gives us chip bags as their only waste. If they can do it, you can too!
4. Make as much fresh food as possible like chili, dips or casseroles. Compost all food waste if it can't be saved for later. Similarly, if you're buying disposable plates and utensils, try to buy those manufactured with recycled content. Most paper plates can be composted, but a lot of the ones with painted designs have an oily layer on them that can't be recycled/composted. There are compostable plastic utensils made out of biodegradable corn stock; try to find these at your local supermarket. Of course, the better option is to use washable plates, utensils and bowls.
5. To offset the enormous energy all those big-screen HD TVs across the nation use, turn off as many lights in the house as possible. Turn off your computers and other appliances that may require lots of power.
Following these tips should boost your waste diversion rate to 80-90%, which qualifies as zero waste ("or darn near!"). Remember to have a designated driver or couch to crash on if you're going somewhere and plan to drink a lot. Watch those commercials but don't believe everything you see. Pepsi's hyped their decision to forego their usual tacky Britney Spears spots with some green messages. There will probably be some other companies that decide to do the same. While many of these green initiatives are well-intentioned, a lot just want you to buy their product because you think they are changing the world. Until our consumption rate goes down, and our reuse and waste diversion rates go up, the environmental health of our world will continue to worsen. As Margaret Mead put it, "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens watching the Super Bowl can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has." Go Saints!
Like a lot of other holidays, consumption increases. Americans drink around 10.5 million barrels of beer that Sunday (Oregon Department of Agriculture). 14,500 tons of chips are consumed (About.com). To compliment those chips, twelve million pounds of guacamole is devoured (California Avocado Commission). TV sales rise 60% in the week before the game (Earth911.org). The Super Bowl as a national marketing event and all the man-hours going into it grosses nearly $10 billion, a good thing for our rebounding economy.
To balance this increased consumption, hosts and attendees should strive to make their Super Bowl parties zero waste events. Here are some tips to consider to help you with this effort.
1. Set up recycling bins and compost bags throughout the party. Depending on the size of your house, you may only need one of each or several.
2. All beverage containers should be recycled! This is a no-brainer. If you don't have curbside collection in your municipality, collect the cans and bottles and drop them off at your nearest recycling facility. Buying bulk containers like two liter sodas and mini-kegs (full kegs if you're gnarly) and serving in glasses is even better. Some red Solo cups claim to be made of recyclable plastic, but make sure your local recycling center takes these before you buy them. Reuse plastic as much as possible.
3. Try to avoid buying anything with plastic in it or around it. The only trash you should have at the end of the night is empty food bags. One of Eco-Cycle's clients is a sub shop in Boulder called Cheba Hut that gives us chip bags as their only waste. If they can do it, you can too!
4. Make as much fresh food as possible like chili, dips or casseroles. Compost all food waste if it can't be saved for later. Similarly, if you're buying disposable plates and utensils, try to buy those manufactured with recycled content. Most paper plates can be composted, but a lot of the ones with painted designs have an oily layer on them that can't be recycled/composted. There are compostable plastic utensils made out of biodegradable corn stock; try to find these at your local supermarket. Of course, the better option is to use washable plates, utensils and bowls.
5. To offset the enormous energy all those big-screen HD TVs across the nation use, turn off as many lights in the house as possible. Turn off your computers and other appliances that may require lots of power.
Following these tips should boost your waste diversion rate to 80-90%, which qualifies as zero waste ("or darn near!"). Remember to have a designated driver or couch to crash on if you're going somewhere and plan to drink a lot. Watch those commercials but don't believe everything you see. Pepsi's hyped their decision to forego their usual tacky Britney Spears spots with some green messages. There will probably be some other companies that decide to do the same. While many of these green initiatives are well-intentioned, a lot just want you to buy their product because you think they are changing the world. Until our consumption rate goes down, and our reuse and waste diversion rates go up, the environmental health of our world will continue to worsen. As Margaret Mead put it, "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens watching the Super Bowl can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has." Go Saints!
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Hard-to-Recycle Item #4: TP, SP?
Warning! Don't eat while reading this!
This week's Hard-to-Recycle item is one of the most difficult materials to recycle by the sheer nature of its use and our consumption of it, but it's cost to the environment is one of the highest out there, and therefore makes it deserving of discussion. Toilet paper, tissues, moist toilettes, napkins, diapers and tampons can all be lumped into a category I will call sanitary paper/fiber. With a pun about how it's literally a pain in the ass to recycle out of the way, (everyone say poop!) I will try to address the most eco-friendly choices you can make regarding these products. By NO means should any of these used products be put in the recycling! Some things were meant to be disposed of. I can't tell you how many diapers come out on the sorting lines every day. Hopefully, the offending young parents of Boulder County will read this post and this particular contamination problem will be allayed, but doubts remain.
Toilet paper can be traced back to ancient times, mainly from quotes about the Far East (leave it to the Chinese to invent all the necessary things in life), but its modern commercial use and production only goes back as far as the late 19th century. Benjamin Franklin and the rest of the founding fathers must have been struggling; you would think the developer of electricity and libraries would have thought of a clever way to clean his arse. Conversely, bidets were around as early as 1700, but only for royalty or noble usage (I feel like I should put quotes around noble usage), and for some reason never caught on in America, unfortunately (yes, I am a fan). History majors would have a unique and fascinating thesis in studying bathroom habits for the last few hundred years, but I digress.
The convenience of disposability and the fact that soiled sanitary paper can't really be reused makes it near impossible to recycle. The eco rule holds that one should use cloth napkins instead of paper ones, handkerchiefs instead of Kleenex, and even cloth diapers if possible. Cloth toilet paper (and tampons) would just be disgusting unless one washed them right after use, but this extra water usage would negate the positive impact you'd be having on the environment for using the cloth in the first place. Still, one can decrease the pain inflicted on forests by buying and using less sanitary paper in general. The rule (from Elaine on Seinfeld) is three good sheets, and when I say good, I mean the multi-layered kush stuff not the sandpaper single-layer stuff (please ask Matthew Sanchez for his opinion on cheap toilet paper which he turned into a song accompanied by Davey Rogner on guitar). I would also argue that the multi-layered toilet paper is not only more comfortable but more eco-friendly than the cheaper, single layered rolls (lord knows I've bought my share of .99 cent 4-packs) because you use less sheets as the multi-layered absorbs more. All college students should take this into consideration.
I haven't really counted this past year, or any year for that matter, but each American uses about 24 rolls of toilet paper annually on average, which leads to an astounding sum of 26 billion toilet rolls consumed as a nation, yielding $2.4-5.7 billion each year (Wikipedia). That's a lot of money, and that's a lot of trees, seven million to be exact. Luckily, a growing number of those toilet paper rolls are being manufactured using post-consumer fiber, or in layman's terms, recycled paper. Look for labels that may include the recycling loop, or say somewhere the product is made using post-consumer fiber. Abbreviations such as PCF or TCF mean the paper is totally/partially chlorine-free, chlorinated paper being another leachate problem that affects septic tanks and landfills once the soiled paper in question reaches there. If you need further help, all those street canvassers from Greenpeace asking for your donations and signatures were able to pull together this guide to sustainable tissue paper purchasing. Greenpeace was also able to take a break from aggravating whale hunters and launched a successful campaign against Kimberly-Clarke, one of the largest tissue paper corporations in the world and the maker of Kleenex, that effectively compels the company to stop using trees from Canada's ancient Boreal forests, the world's largest terrestial storehouse of natural carbon and a sacred habitat for caribou and migratory birds, as well as a commitment not to use virgin fiber wherever possible. Greenpeace kept up extraordinary pressure on the company throughout the 5-year campaign and was able to move from conflict to agreement. This is the type of pressure needed to persuade unruly companies employing harmful environmental practices for profit. Next up is Georgia-Pacific, but the Boreal forests of Ontario are still in danger from other lumber practices.
One brilliant but expensive idea that's highly unlikely to catch on is a machine that converts office paper into toilet paper all at the office! For $95,000, a Japanese company will send you a ginormous machine that will convert 16 pounds of 8x11" printer paper into two rolls of toilet paper. If that last sentence didn't describe enough logistical problems with the machine, then imagine having to wait two hours for the whole process to complete itself when you're trying to answer nature's call.
So remember, when you're wiping up whatever bodily fluid, secretion or excretion that decides to make a journey from one of your orifices, try to use cloth/fabric instead of paper wherever possible. As Douglas Adams writes in The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, "the towel is about the most massively useful thing an interstellar hitchhiker can have." If necessity requires that you use paper, use as little as possible; or in other words take what you want, but use (efficiently and effectively) all that you take. The plus side of sanitary paper is that it will decompose, eventually, somewhere far from home, and so should not pose a waste stream problem unless wrongfully disposed of in the recycling (in which case I've trained a pack of wolves that will track the scent of you and your baby's waste back to you for an unpleasant reckoning). However, the threat to forests like the Boreal and Central American rain forests by using virgin fiber is real. Look for the paper brands that have post-consumer content in them, or buy the toilet paper converter machine, but never, ever, buy that cheap sandpaper substance. The eradication of single layer toilet paper must be a goal for all of us, as should changing the financial incentive to use virgin materials by buying recycled products.
This week's Hard-to-Recycle item is one of the most difficult materials to recycle by the sheer nature of its use and our consumption of it, but it's cost to the environment is one of the highest out there, and therefore makes it deserving of discussion. Toilet paper, tissues, moist toilettes, napkins, diapers and tampons can all be lumped into a category I will call sanitary paper/fiber. With a pun about how it's literally a pain in the ass to recycle out of the way, (everyone say poop!) I will try to address the most eco-friendly choices you can make regarding these products. By NO means should any of these used products be put in the recycling! Some things were meant to be disposed of. I can't tell you how many diapers come out on the sorting lines every day. Hopefully, the offending young parents of Boulder County will read this post and this particular contamination problem will be allayed, but doubts remain.
Toilet paper can be traced back to ancient times, mainly from quotes about the Far East (leave it to the Chinese to invent all the necessary things in life), but its modern commercial use and production only goes back as far as the late 19th century. Benjamin Franklin and the rest of the founding fathers must have been struggling; you would think the developer of electricity and libraries would have thought of a clever way to clean his arse. Conversely, bidets were around as early as 1700, but only for royalty or noble usage (I feel like I should put quotes around noble usage), and for some reason never caught on in America, unfortunately (yes, I am a fan). History majors would have a unique and fascinating thesis in studying bathroom habits for the last few hundred years, but I digress.
The convenience of disposability and the fact that soiled sanitary paper can't really be reused makes it near impossible to recycle. The eco rule holds that one should use cloth napkins instead of paper ones, handkerchiefs instead of Kleenex, and even cloth diapers if possible. Cloth toilet paper (and tampons) would just be disgusting unless one washed them right after use, but this extra water usage would negate the positive impact you'd be having on the environment for using the cloth in the first place. Still, one can decrease the pain inflicted on forests by buying and using less sanitary paper in general. The rule (from Elaine on Seinfeld) is three good sheets, and when I say good, I mean the multi-layered kush stuff not the sandpaper single-layer stuff (please ask Matthew Sanchez for his opinion on cheap toilet paper which he turned into a song accompanied by Davey Rogner on guitar). I would also argue that the multi-layered toilet paper is not only more comfortable but more eco-friendly than the cheaper, single layered rolls (lord knows I've bought my share of .99 cent 4-packs) because you use less sheets as the multi-layered absorbs more. All college students should take this into consideration.
I haven't really counted this past year, or any year for that matter, but each American uses about 24 rolls of toilet paper annually on average, which leads to an astounding sum of 26 billion toilet rolls consumed as a nation, yielding $2.4-5.7 billion each year (Wikipedia). That's a lot of money, and that's a lot of trees, seven million to be exact. Luckily, a growing number of those toilet paper rolls are being manufactured using post-consumer fiber, or in layman's terms, recycled paper. Look for labels that may include the recycling loop, or say somewhere the product is made using post-consumer fiber. Abbreviations such as PCF or TCF mean the paper is totally/partially chlorine-free, chlorinated paper being another leachate problem that affects septic tanks and landfills once the soiled paper in question reaches there. If you need further help, all those street canvassers from Greenpeace asking for your donations and signatures were able to pull together this guide to sustainable tissue paper purchasing. Greenpeace was also able to take a break from aggravating whale hunters and launched a successful campaign against Kimberly-Clarke, one of the largest tissue paper corporations in the world and the maker of Kleenex, that effectively compels the company to stop using trees from Canada's ancient Boreal forests, the world's largest terrestial storehouse of natural carbon and a sacred habitat for caribou and migratory birds, as well as a commitment not to use virgin fiber wherever possible. Greenpeace kept up extraordinary pressure on the company throughout the 5-year campaign and was able to move from conflict to agreement. This is the type of pressure needed to persuade unruly companies employing harmful environmental practices for profit. Next up is Georgia-Pacific, but the Boreal forests of Ontario are still in danger from other lumber practices.
One brilliant but expensive idea that's highly unlikely to catch on is a machine that converts office paper into toilet paper all at the office! For $95,000, a Japanese company will send you a ginormous machine that will convert 16 pounds of 8x11" printer paper into two rolls of toilet paper. If that last sentence didn't describe enough logistical problems with the machine, then imagine having to wait two hours for the whole process to complete itself when you're trying to answer nature's call.
So remember, when you're wiping up whatever bodily fluid, secretion or excretion that decides to make a journey from one of your orifices, try to use cloth/fabric instead of paper wherever possible. As Douglas Adams writes in The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, "the towel is about the most massively useful thing an interstellar hitchhiker can have." If necessity requires that you use paper, use as little as possible; or in other words take what you want, but use (efficiently and effectively) all that you take. The plus side of sanitary paper is that it will decompose, eventually, somewhere far from home, and so should not pose a waste stream problem unless wrongfully disposed of in the recycling (in which case I've trained a pack of wolves that will track the scent of you and your baby's waste back to you for an unpleasant reckoning). However, the threat to forests like the Boreal and Central American rain forests by using virgin fiber is real. Look for the paper brands that have post-consumer content in them, or buy the toilet paper converter machine, but never, ever, buy that cheap sandpaper substance. The eradication of single layer toilet paper must be a goal for all of us, as should changing the financial incentive to use virgin materials by buying recycled products.
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
MLK Day of Service
Recycling program kicks off at Casa de la Esperanza on Day of Service
By Magdalena Wegrzyn
© 2010 Longmont Times-Call
LONGMONT — Jose Jimenez, 11, held up a dirty diaper with one glove-encased hand.
“I’m brave,” he called out as the other volunteers at Monday’s clean up of Casa de la Esperanza inched away from the offending piece of garbage.
Jimenez grimaced and gingerly threw the bundle into an outstretched trash bag.
At the end of the day, 16 trash bags of assorted litter — including plenty of diapers that had just missed the Dumpster — were collected by children in Casa de la Esperanza’s resident services program.
The cleanup was part of a new campaign sponsored by Eco-Cycle and the city’s public works department to encourage recycling at apartments. During the next 10 months, Eco-Cycle will provide residents at 10 apartment complexes in Longmont education and resources to recycle.
The first site was Casa de la Esperanza, a 32-unit community that houses migrant farm workers and their families. The rest of the sites have not yet been determined.
Eco-Cycle launched the campaign Monday to coincide with the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday, which Congress designated a National Day of Service in 1994. It was also a day off for students in the St. Vrain Valley School District.
As part of the program, volunteers helped sort the collected litter into recycled items and trash. The children also painted blue single-steam recycling bins, which will be distributed to each family.
Javier Gonzalez, 9, painted “Recycling Only” on his bin in olive green paint. The third-grader at Indian Peaks Elementary said his teachers have taught him about the importance of recycling.
“Trash makes landfills, which sometimes produce the greenhouse effect,” he said, never taking his eyes off his bin.
Western Disposal will provide four bins for recycling alongside the Dumpsters at Casa de la Esperanza. Eco-Cycle will monitor both the trash and recycling bins for two months to see if the approach is working, said Cynthia Ashley, community campaign manager for Eco-Cycle.
“Our goal is to have as much in the recycling bins as in the garbage,” she said.
Apartment recycling can be difficult because property management companies don’t always provide residents with accessible resources, Ashley said. And even if they do, education is essential.
“It’s very hard to get residents to do it without education, and that doesn’t happen just by sticking a sign on a bin,” she said.
Casa de la Esperanza, which is owned and operated by the Boulder County Housing Authority, supplied recycling bins for residents years ago, said program coordinator Carlota Loya-Hernandez. But the recycling program was canceled because it wasn’t working, she said.
“The education component was missing,” she said.
Children of residents are now “immersed in recycling” at school and bring that knowledge home to parents, she said.
“We are definitely ready for it,” she said. “It’s something that has been missing for a while.”
By Magdalena Wegrzyn
© 2010 Longmont Times-Call
LONGMONT — Jose Jimenez, 11, held up a dirty diaper with one glove-encased hand.
“I’m brave,” he called out as the other volunteers at Monday’s clean up of Casa de la Esperanza inched away from the offending piece of garbage.
Jimenez grimaced and gingerly threw the bundle into an outstretched trash bag.
At the end of the day, 16 trash bags of assorted litter — including plenty of diapers that had just missed the Dumpster — were collected by children in Casa de la Esperanza’s resident services program.
The cleanup was part of a new campaign sponsored by Eco-Cycle and the city’s public works department to encourage recycling at apartments. During the next 10 months, Eco-Cycle will provide residents at 10 apartment complexes in Longmont education and resources to recycle.
The first site was Casa de la Esperanza, a 32-unit community that houses migrant farm workers and their families. The rest of the sites have not yet been determined.
Eco-Cycle launched the campaign Monday to coincide with the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday, which Congress designated a National Day of Service in 1994. It was also a day off for students in the St. Vrain Valley School District.
As part of the program, volunteers helped sort the collected litter into recycled items and trash. The children also painted blue single-steam recycling bins, which will be distributed to each family.
Javier Gonzalez, 9, painted “Recycling Only” on his bin in olive green paint. The third-grader at Indian Peaks Elementary said his teachers have taught him about the importance of recycling.
“Trash makes landfills, which sometimes produce the greenhouse effect,” he said, never taking his eyes off his bin.
Western Disposal will provide four bins for recycling alongside the Dumpsters at Casa de la Esperanza. Eco-Cycle will monitor both the trash and recycling bins for two months to see if the approach is working, said Cynthia Ashley, community campaign manager for Eco-Cycle.
“Our goal is to have as much in the recycling bins as in the garbage,” she said.
Apartment recycling can be difficult because property management companies don’t always provide residents with accessible resources, Ashley said. And even if they do, education is essential.
“It’s very hard to get residents to do it without education, and that doesn’t happen just by sticking a sign on a bin,” she said.
Casa de la Esperanza, which is owned and operated by the Boulder County Housing Authority, supplied recycling bins for residents years ago, said program coordinator Carlota Loya-Hernandez. But the recycling program was canceled because it wasn’t working, she said.
“The education component was missing,” she said.
Children of residents are now “immersed in recycling” at school and bring that knowledge home to parents, she said.
“We are definitely ready for it,” she said. “It’s something that has been missing for a while.”
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