Boulder Colorado Recycling Program
January 25th, 2009 Categories: Boulder Subdivisions and Neighborhoods, Focus on Boulder
Boulder just begun single-stream recycling and curbside composting for residential trash customers. I went back and forth on writing a blog about this new program. I finally decided to write on this topic after hearing so many people in the community talking about it. I can’t count how many times I have been standing in line at the coffee shop or the grocery store to hear conversations about how great it is to have incorporated this progressive recycling system. The Boulder community actually cares about this a great deal and this news has made the headlines. The new service has already started in some neighborhoods and will continue to be implemented through February 2009. Read more about how this is just a part of a larger effort to help the city become a zero-waste community.
Did you know that about 80% of what Americans throw away is recyclable, yet our recycling rate is just 28% according to the Environmental Protection Agency. A fact such as this concerns Boulder residents and one of the reasons Boulder Colorado is an ideal place to call home. Our progressive environmental movement demands that recycling be not only convenient, but necessary.
The larger plan includes efforts such as expanded recycling programs, curbside composting service, commercial food waste collection, construction and demolition debris recycling, future landfill bans for electronic equipment, and possible ordinances such as local take-back laws where manufacturers of specific materials, such as electronics, are required to either take back their product for recycling at the end of its useful life, or to support the infrastructure that recycles the material. The purpose of the plan is to create a model of how government leadership can take future generations into consideration by creating new rules and strategies for Zero Waste and for a sustainable economy and ecosystem. Congratulations, Boulder! Once again, we honor our reputation for being eco friendly.
What exactly does single-stream recycling mean? One word: convenience! Specifically, this program allows customers to mix all recyclables in one cart. Since customers no longer need two carts for recycling, the third cart is used for compostable materials. Single-streamrecycling will be collected every other week, alternating with compost collection. Go ahead! Put your office paper, yogurt tubs, egg cartons, newspapers, and soda cans all in one bin! It’s ok! Now, those of you who don’t normally compost because of the hassle, can participate. This system makes it easy for those of us who don’t have room or a garden for the compost – just throw it in the bin. By increasing the use of organic composting and recycling it can really help in the fight against global warming, since decomposition in landfills creates methane gas – which the EPA has said is a more potent greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide.
Other cities around the United States also have recycling programs similar. Some other communities diverting 50%, 60%, even 70% of their waste from the landfill have achieved these same goals in part by switching to single-stream. Some of the communities currently using single-stream include San Francisco, Toronto, Denver, Tucson, San Jose, Philadelphia and Dallas.
Living in Boulder Colorado has it’s perks and this is one of them. If you care about the environment and reducing waste in your neighborhood, then this is the place to do it. This is why so many people are moving to our wonderful city. It’s progressive, caring, and proud. It wouldn’t be the beautiful, serene place it is without citizens that want the best for it. Let me know what you think about this new program. Will you be participating?
