recycling

Recycling contamination

Anonymous — Fri, 15 Dec 2023 17:13:34 +0000

Recycling contamination Anonymous (not verified) Fri, 12/15/2023 - 10:13

Kate Huun and Lauren Mullen

Recycling is a tricky process that takes practice and vigilance since guidelines are often changing. According to EcoCycle, Boulder’s recycling company, there are some items that regularly contaminate their recycling machines. On campus, the Grounds and Recycling Operations Center (GROC) sorts through recycling to process them and ensure their longest and best use. Here are some common contaminants and why these items need to stay out of our recycling bins.

Plastic bags

Recycling facilities cannot handle plastic bags because they jam the processing equipment and can cause the entire recycling facility to shut down. Some recycling facilities have scheduled time daily to clear out plastic bags from the machinery since this contaminant is so common and damaging.

What you can do with plastic bags:

Reuse them.
Recycle them at CHaRM in Boulder.
Drop them off at participating grocery stores that accept used bags.
Throw them into the landfill. Although these bags will sit in this landfill for years, it is a better option than clogging recycling equipment.
The best option is to avoid plastic bags altogether. Plus, Colorado state law mandates that stores charge customers for plastic bags.

Shredded paper

This type of paper is too small to sort, and the pieces fall between the cracks of sorting machines, stick to the belts and make a mess on the floor. Follow these guidelines for disposing of shredded paper on campus.

Scrap metal

Pieces of scrap metal of any size can cause significant damage to recycling equipment. Similar to plastic bags, you can take pieces of scrap metal to CHaRM in Boulder.

Hazardous waste

You can take paint, automotive fluids, car batteries and pesticides to the Boulder County Household Hazardous Waste Facility. Hazardous waste includes anything that can poison, corrode, explode or burst into flame when mishandled. Do not dispose of hazardous waste in the trash, down the drain or onto the ground since these disposal methods could lead to health and environmental problems.

Did you know vapes and other nicotine products are also considered hazardous waste? Stop by drop boxes on campus at the University Memorial Center on the first floor across from Starbucks or at the West Boulder Recycling Center on 63rd Street to properly dispose of vapes and other nicotine products.

Non-recyclable plastics

Determining which plastics to recycle can be tricky. Plastic lids, chip bags, Styrofoam and other plastics not listed in EcoCycle’s recycling guidelines are not recyclable in your curbside bin or on campus because facilities aren’t able to implement systems to recycle them. These types of products must go to landfills, which means you can throw them away.

Flattened containers

Single-stream equipment separates “flats” (like paper) from “round” objects (like containers). With flattened containers, the equipment may mistakenly send them to the wrong side of the facility and contaminate the process. You can help recycling facilities’ sorting process by avoiding flattening materials like cans, plastics and other non-paper or non-cardboard goods.

Caps and lids

Previously, recycling facilities could not recycle lids and caps. Updated guidelines now allow for plastic cap recycling. Here are some things to know if you want to recycle caps and lids.

For plastic bottles or jars, follow these guidelines:

Empty all liquids and rinse the containers.
Screw the cap back on and put it all in the bin.
Large yogurt lids can go in the bin with their container or by themselves.
Loose plastic lids should be put in the trash.

For glass bottles or jars, follow these guidelines:

Empty all liquids and rinse the containers.
Remove all metal and plastic lids from glass bottles and jars before recycling.
Put metal lids into bin by themselves.
Loose plastic lids should be put in the trash.

Liquids

When recycling bottles and jars, empty and rinse all containers before throwing them in the recycling bin. Removing the liquid helps recycling facilities work more efficiently since they don’t have to stop and clean up sticky, smelly messes.

Frozen food boxes

Frozen food boxes are made from paper that uses plastic resin to protect the food from freezer burn. Recycling facilities cannot separate this plastic from the paper before it enters the pulping process. If you have these types of boxes, opt to throw them in the trash instead of the recycling bin.

Wrappers and packets

Wrappers are made of a mix of materials, including cellophane, plastics and aluminum. Therefore, recycling facilities cannot effectively recycle these items. However, some companies use candy and chip wrappers to create new products such as bags and home decor.

Ceramics, Pyrex and mirrors

Most waste facilities cannot melt ceramics, Pyrex or mirrors. You should throw broken plates, other broken ceramics, Pyrex and mirrors in the trash since they can contaminate the glass stream in recycling facilities. If your ceramic dishes, Pyrex and mirrors are reusable, donate them to a local charity or donation center.

Compost

Items that you can compost cannot be recycled. Keep compostable items out of recycling bins, including compostable cutlery, cups, etc. CU Boulder Facilities Management and Dining Services composts food scraps and yard waste. People living in Boulder can also compost food scraps and yard waste in curbside bins. However, due to changes in composting guidelines, items like paper and compostable plastics are not accepted in Boulder.

Learn more about recycling contamination

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The impact of recycling on climate change

Anonymous — Fri, 15 Dec 2023 17:06:45 +0000

The impact of recycling on climate change Anonymous (not verified) Fri, 12/15/2023 - 10:06

Celeste Robinson and Kate Huun

When considering climate change mitigation and reducing your carbon footprint, you probably think of driving less and turning out the lights. But did you know that organic and inorganic waste is also a massive contributor to global greenhouse gas emissions? A zero-waste lifestyle keeps material out of landfills and reduces your carbon footprint.

The benefits of recycling

As climate change and waste are ever-growing problems worldwide, it is essential to understand how these two significant issues affect each other. Recycling helps combat the climate crisis by limiting the use of raw materials and reducing waste going into landfills.

Project Drawdown estimates that recycling between 2020 and 2050 will reduce emissions by 5.5 to 6.02 gigatons of carbon dioxide, equivalent to taking over one billion cars off the streets for one year. Recycling is a practical yet easy change to help curb greenhouse gas emissions and limit the climate crisis.

When an item is recycled, it is processed and turned into something new rather than created out of virgin material or disposed of and treated as waste in a landfill.
Recycling to create something new generally uses less energy than creating a product from raw materials.
Recycling aluminum is incredibly energy efficient. Using aluminum scraps to make aluminum cans saves 95% of the energy used to create an aluminum can from raw materials. Producing 40 aluminum cans requires the amount of energy in one gallon of gasoline and can be significantly decreased by using recycled aluminum scraps.
The less energy used to produce a good, the fewer greenhouse gases are emitted in the process. This benefits climate change, as greenhouse gas emissions drive the current climate crisis.

How to positively impact climate change through recycling

You can make a difference in reducing climate change by making recycling an integral part of your lifestyle and routine.

Buy products made from recycled materials. This will support the market for recycled items and encourage the continued recycling of materials and the production of items made from recycled materials.
Recycle everything that you can. Learn what is recyclable.
Limit the number of disposable items you purchase in the first place to reduce the production of disposable items.
Swap out disposable items for reusable items. Switch to reusable water bottles, shopping bags, food storage containers and other reusable products.

Upcycled vs. downcycled materials

There are many pathways for recycled products. Turning an item into a new version of the same product is ideal when possible. Other options include turning the recycled material into new products.

Upcycling turns a recycled material into something of equal or greater value or quality than the original product. Sometimes, the term upcycling refers to the reuse of an item instead of throwing it away. Upcycling lengthens the life of a given material. Industrial upcycling depends on the materials. Here are some easy-to-upcycle materials.

Paper: Recycled office paper is upcycled as new office paper. Paper is also downcycled and turned into toilet paper, paper towels and notebook paper, generally because of contamination and lack of adequate sorting.
Cardboard: Recycled cardboard may become new cardboard. When downcycled, it becomes paper bags, packaging or paperboard.
Metals: Recycled aluminum cans can become new aluminum cans, and recycled steel cans will turn into steel cans. When downcycled, metal can become bike or car parts, appliances, rebar and other metal products.

Downcycling turns a product into a different product, but the cycle is not infinitely repeatable. An example of downcycling is when a plastic bottle gets turned into a fleece jacket. PET plastics, like soda bottles, are hard to recycle infinitely because when they become a new product, the plastic gets weaker each time. Virgin materials also often have to be added to the new product to account for the weakening that the recycling process causes.

Some materials are challenging to upcycle or downcycle and often end up in landfills. However, you can repurpose some items to keep them out of landfills. Here are examples of materials that are hard to recycle.

Plastic bags: Plastic bags cannot be put in a regular recycling bin, making collection more complex. Also, the material used for plastic bags is generally hard to recycle.
Electronics: Electronics contain toxins such as lead and mercury, which can make them more dangerous to recycle. Collection is often an issue as curbside recycling companies don’t accept electronics. You must take electronics to a special facility for recycling.
Styrofoam (or polystyrene): Products made from Styrofoam are typically contaminated with food and have an incredibly low density. Because of this incredibly low density, it is not cost-effective to transport polystyrene because it takes up a lot of space and offers very little recyclable material.

The climate impact of waste disposal

Different types of waste impact the environment differently. However, all items placed in a landfill negatively impact the environment.

Organic waste decomposes and creates carbon dioxide and methane gas. Methane is produced when no air is present, while carbon dioxide is the natural product when anything rots in the air.
Inorganic waste includes products made from natural resources such as water, fuel, metal and timber, which causes greenhouse gas emissions, particularly carbon dioxide and other pollutants.
Plastic waste produces greenhouse gas emissions during every stage of its lifecycle. Plastic extraction and transportation depend on oil, gas and coal. The production and disposal of plastics release tons of carbon emissions.

The waste management process, including transportation and incineration, contributes to greenhouse gas emissions.

Start recycling

Recycling is easy in Boulder, both on campus and in the community. With plentiful recycling bins and curbside pickup, you can choose to live sustainably by recycling. You can learn more about ways to incorporate sustainable habits through the Environmental Center.

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CU Boulder's zero waste program crushing cardboard waste: 40,000 pounds of cardboard diverted from landfill

Anonymous — Tue, 12 Dec 2023 22:13:49 +0000

CU Boulder's zero waste program crushing cardboard waste: 40,000 pounds of cardboard diverted from landfill Anonymous (not verified) Tue, 12/12/2023 - 15:13

The week before classes start is always a busy and exciting time for campus, over 7000 students move into the residence hall during this time. This year the Zero Waste program provided recycling services for over a dozen welcome events, recycled 20 tons of cardboard and film plastic, and sponsored an on-campus reuse sale.

Every year when students move in on campus over a dozen staff and volunteers from the Environmental Center work to make sure as much of their incidental waste, including cardboard boxes and plastic grocery bags, is recycled. Meanwhile, staff from Facilities Management run extra shifts to keep up with overflowing cardboard recycling dumpsters and recycling carts. During move in week facilities crews will sometimes dump cardboard dumpsters at some residence halls as many as 7 times during a 12 hour day. This year volunteers and staff worked through heat advisories, flood watches, and broken trucks to divert 40,000 pounds of cardboard from the landfill in five days. This is over twice as much as we recycled in 2019.

The mountains of cardboard boxes are taken to the Boulder County Recycling Center where they are bailed and sent to paper mills to be recycled back into new boxes. CU earns recycling rebates when waste is cleanly sorted by staff and volunteers. These efforts help to offset the costs of running the Zero Waste program at CU Boulder. When disposing of waste, use the proper bin. If you are unsure, check out the Eco-Cycle A-Z guide. “Recycling and composting properly is the easiest way for Buffs to get involved in climate action on campus. When the 35,000 members of the campus community do their part every day, it makes a big difference.” Angie Gilbert, E-Center Recycling Program Manager.

Prioritizing reuse and waste reduction holds greater potential for advancing towards a circular economy and achieving zero waste goals than recycling alone. This year the Environmental Center partnered with Resource Central to pilot a sale of reused home good items from last semester’s move out donation drive. CU students were able to pick up gently used storage units, mirrors, chairs and other furniture items for an average price of $4, without even having to leave campus. Students interested in furnishing their own living spaces sustainability are encouraged to check out a local thrift store or visit Resource Central.

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Q&A with Environmental Center's recycling operations center lead

Anonymous — Tue, 12 Dec 2023 20:20:39 +0000

Q&A with Environmental Center's recycling operations center lead Anonymous (not verified) Tue, 12/12/2023 - 13:20

Megan Adam

John LaBar (he/him/his), originally from Cincinnati, Ohio, is a dedicated student at CU Boulder. He’s currently majoring in EBIO (ecology and evolutionary biology) and minoring in philosophy. Over the past year and a half, John has been actively involved with the CU Boulder Environmental Center, where he serves as the recycling operations center (ROC) lead. Beyond his academic and environmental interests, John enjoys music and hiking. However, his true passion lies in ecology - he’s fascinated by the study of nature, biology and ecosystems. With a strong commitment to sustainability and waste reduction, John is dedicated to making a meaningful impact, both on campus and within his community.

What are some of the key tasks or projects John has been involved in as a student staff member at the Environmental Center?

As a student staff member at the Environmental Center, John’s main focus is at the GROC (Grounds & Recycling Operations Center), but he also takes on additional responsibilities. He explains, “I also work events and am a certified driver on campus for Zero Waste.” However, one of his favorite tasks is training and getting to know new team members.

What is a typical day like for John?

A typical day for John starts early, but he admits, “I wake up early, but rot in bed until I have to rush to bike to class.” During the afternoon, you’ll find John dedicating his time to the ROC (Recycling Operations Center). After wrapping up his work there, he heads back home to tackle his academic commitments. In the evening, John takes some time to relax and enjoy some downtime with his roommates. He explains, “I often make some food and wind down the night playing games with the roommates or watching a show.”

What plans and goals does John have for after graduation?

As for his plans after graduation in December 2023, John acknowledges, “I’m definitely still figuring that out.” However, he has a clear aspiration in mind, stating, “I am hoping to go to grad school and study more ecology.”

What does John’s ideal vision of sustainability look like?

In sharing his ideal vision of sustainability, John emphasizes the importance of thoughtful product design, stating, “Products need to be designed with their end state in mind.” He highlights the detrimental impact of products designed for disposability, saying “The millions of products that are manufactured every day whose purpose is essentially to be thrown away are costing us more and more over time.” Furthermore, his vision extends to fostering a sense of personal responsibility towards the natural world. Overall, for John, sustainability encompasses both conscious product design and a widespread commitment to responsible living for the benefit of the environment.

What advice does John have for students who want to live more sustainable lifestyles but aren’t sure where to start?

John believes that, “It all starts with having a mindset of reducing your own waste, which takes effort and awareness.” He suggests several practical steps, starting with mindful choices in eating and shopping. He notes, “There are always ways to lower your impact, starting with how you eat and how you shop.” While acknowledging that going vegan is an optimal choice, he also recommends a simpler approach, stating, “just buying the local/in-season produce or fish rather than meat is a good place to start.”

Additionally, John encourages students to reconsider their reliance on convenient but wasteful options like Amazon and UberEats. He points out the benefits of in-person shopping, explaining, “going to a real store and picking things up yourself can only reduce the amount of waste required to do the same task.” John’s advice centers on the “reduce, reuse, recycle” mantra, emphasizing that meaningful change starts with a conscious effort to reduce waste and promote reuse.

John LaBar (he/him/his), originally from Cincinnati, Ohio, is a dedicated student at CU Boulder. He’s currently majoring in EBIO (ecology and evolutionary biology) and minoring in philosophy.

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How fast fashion impacts sustainability

Anonymous — Mon, 02 Oct 2023 20:45:13 +0000

How fast fashion impacts sustainability Anonymous (not verified) Mon, 10/02/2023 - 14:45

Ryan Zabors , Kate Huun

Did you know that your fashion choices can positively impact the environment? When you choose clothes made with recycled fabrics, you can help save water and lower carbon emissions. Other actions, like buying second-hand and repairing clothing items, also help promote sustainability. To learn more and track your impact, download the AWorld app.

Do your part for sustainable fashion

It feels good to get a new item and show off your style but consider where the clothing comes from before you buy. In the current age of limitless information at our fingertips, it takes just a few minutes to research the source of your clothes. Thinking about sustainability when buying clothes helps reduce the number of harmful pieces produced and ensures you get a high-quality and long-lasting product.

Fast fashion is a large-scale issue spreading worldwide across multiple billion-dollar companies. As scary as it sounds, consumers can impact the market. Many companies have started listening and changing their ways. Businesses like Zara and H&M have committed to sourcing their products only from recycled materials and have started integrating that into their newer pieces. While a step in the right direction, how we spend our money can encourage other companies to follow suit. Fighting with your wallet is one of the most impactful ways to make a company listen. Educate yourself on what's going on behind the scenes to help you make informed decisions.

It's essential to be conscious about where your clothes come from. Still, for the benefit of the environment, it’s even more important to ask yourself whether you really need an item before you make a purchase.

Tips to practice sustainable fashion

Invest in durable clothing that will last longer.
When possible, buy from sustainable brands and B corps.
Research slow fashion brands that incorporate mindful clothing production.
Instead of throwing clothing away, trade, sell or donate items.
Have a clothing swap with your friends to refresh your closet for free.
Sell your clothes at consignment shops for cash or store credit.
Sell clothing online.
Donate clothes to a local thrift store and shop at thrift stores. Learn the benefits of thrifting.
Repair damaged clothing instead of throwing it out. Check out YouTube channels for tutorials.
Repurpose items, like using an old piece of clothing for a costume. Old T-shirts make great cleaning cloths and dusters.
Have fun and get creative!

What is fast fashion?

Fast fashion designs, creates and markets clothing to make fashion trends quickly and cheaply available to consumers. This isn't a new concept. From a business perspective, it fits the goal of creating supply to match the changing demand. Social media and increased online presence have caused the issue of fast fashion to grow. With fashion trends spreading sporadically and fizzling out of the spotlight in a matter of weeks, the supply has to follow these sudden waves of demand. This has led some companies to make large amounts of a product very cheaply and unsustainably.

Fast fashion in action

This issue stretches over the entire fashion industry, with many companies to blame for their unsustainable practices, including the popular fast fashion brands Shein and PrettyLittleThing. One common mission for lower-end, high-volume clothing companies is to make higher-end fashion accessible and affordable for everyone. At face value, the concept sounds great until you look at how companies operate.

To cut costs and make their pieces more affordable and current, these companies often produce more than is possible to be sustainable. The goal is to produce as much as possible at a very low cost. This model has led to reports of low wages for workers and other negative impacts.

While Shein is one example of how fast fashion runs, it's not the sole perpetrator of pollution released from the production of clothes. Most big brands have to follow a similar model to meet the constant demand for new clothes.

We can help break this wasteful cycle by incorporating sustainable practices into our buying decisions and investing in durable clothing from trusted brands.

Facts �鶹��Ƶ Textile Waste from the Council for Textile Recycling

Textile waste accounts for 5% of landfill space, according to the U.S. EPA.
The U.S. generates an average of 25 billion pounds of textiles annually, or around 82 pounds per U.S. resident.
Only 15% of that gets donated or recycled; the remaining 85 percent goes to landfills, with 21 billion pounds of textile waste going to landfills annually.
The average U.S. citizen throws away 70 pounds of textiles.
These numbers are growing exponentially.

Did you know that your fashion choices can positively impact the environment? When you choose clothes made with recycled fabrics, you can help save water and lower carbon emissions.

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Reduce, Reuse and Recycle like a Sustainable Buff

Anonymous — Thu, 04 May 2023 06:00:00 +0000

Reduce, Reuse and Recycle like a Sustainable Buff Anonymous (not verified) Thu, 05/04/2023 - 00:00

Reduce, reuse and recycle have been ingrained into our heads since we were kids. One of my favorite CDs as a kid was Jack Johnson’s Curious George, which featured this song and is probably the first time I heard of the three Rs. To this day, the song still gets stuck in my head.

Reducing, reusing and recycling can be pretty easy. The most challenging part, in my opinion, is just being mindful of the products we use every day.

Reducing, for example, may seem hard. Like many people our age, I love to shop and spend money. However, I try to buy things that I know I can use for a long time, rather than cheaper items that might not last as long. I also try to think about what I am buying and whether I really need it. Less consumption means less will end up in a landfill.

As for reusing, this is super easy! I have started to pay attention to things that I throw out a lot, like paper towels or snack bags. I realized that there were reusable alternatives to these items and invested in some. I saw a video of people cutting up old towels and pillowcases and decided to follow suit. I used these squares and some reusable kitchen towels, and now I only buy small packages of paper towels for the really gross stuff.

As for snack bags, I went to Target and bought some of their reusable ones. They’re more expensive than the Ziploc kind, but I won’t have to buy another set for a much longer period of time.

Recycling took me a while to get used to. Recycle bins weren’t very accessible to me before moving to Boulder, but now I do my best to recycle everything I can. I recommend checking out this guide to ensure you recycle things properly. Plastics are labeled with different numbers, which can be confusing. Keep in mind, every city has different guidelines on what can and cannot be recycled, so make sure you stay informed!

If you’re passionate about recycling or want to be more involved, CU’s Environmental Center has opportunities to volunteer. Get involved with Ralphie's Green Stampede, which helps make Buffs sporting events zero waste, or help with move out.

Sam, a Sustainable Buff and CU Boulder student, talks about the three Rs - reduce, reuse and recycle.

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Career Q&A with the recycling supervisor at CU

Anonymous — Tue, 04 Apr 2023 06:00:00 +0000

Career Q&A with the recycling supervisor at CU Anonymous (not verified) Tue, 04/04/2023 - 00:00

Robert Allen, the recycling supervisor at CU, sat down and chatted about his job at the Grounds and Recycling Operation Center, affectionately named “The ROC.”

What made you want to get into recycling?

A recycling lead position opened up and my wife, who also works here at CU, told me about it. I've always been passionate about the environment - at least to the extent that I have always wanted to do the right thing and promote that attitude and conviction to others. Not to the extent that I went to school for Environmental Sciences, or anything like that. But, a job where I have an opportunity to work toward saving the world? Yeah, I’m into that.

What keeps you motivated?

I would say it's a couple of things. One is the environmental impact. The ability to make a difference. Whether it's through recycling, or composting, or finding ways to reuse materials by way of donation or upcycling. Another part is making things just a little bit better for the crews - the guys who pick up all this stuff. I like finding ways to make their workflow a little bit better. So, there's a technical, operational aspect to my work, and there's the “save-the-world” aspect. Very fulfilling on both counts. Plus, I really like the people that I work with.

What does your career trajectory look like?

I am always eager to take it to the next level. I don't know exactly what that means in terms of what other opportunities might present themselves or where, specifically, I would like to go. I have a wide range of interests and I like to learn new things and gain new skills.

Is it fun to drive the trucks?

Yeah, I mean, driving around this beautiful campus – how could you not enjoy it? It can be a little nerve-wracking sometimes. You have to navigate areas with people walking all around you, bicycles zipping through, skateboards and those other crazy one-wheeled boards flying around. And sometimes you have to squeeze down narrow sidewalks, because not all buildings are accessible by road and there are people coming and going and doing their things. You really gotta’ watch out. Still, though, a lot of fun. Our first priority is safety, so we don’t feel pressured to rush and we get to enjoy the ride.

How do you feel about the most recent changes to composting?

So that's just a tragic situation. A-1 Organics has changed their requirements and they are now only accepting food waste and yard trimmings. We're still trying to figure out how we're going to deal with that. I get where the composting company is coming from. They're trying to make a profitable business out of composting. They've got to make a product that they can sell, right? Nobody wants to buy compost for their garden with bottle caps, broken glass, and shreds of plastic bags. So, I totally get where they're coming from, and frankly, our compost is pretty contaminated. We were surprised by their decision to cut us off, but I understand it.

One hopeful solution to this compost dilemma is that we get an in-vessel composting unit here. That would look similar to what we're doing with our recycling program. We would pick up the compost all over campus, just as we have been doing, but then we keep it here and we sort out all the stuff that cannot be composted - glass, cans, plastic, etc. That would probably also include removing the compostable silverware and bags as well as other plant-based plastics that A-1 Organics doesn't really want. Plant based plastics, while theoretically compostable, are difficult and slow to compost. But we probably can give them paper towels and other acceptable materials as long as it's only the stuff that they want. They don't really mind fiber-based compostable materials, as long as it is free from non-compostable contaminants. Then we put all this good, contamination-free compostable material into this in-vessel composting machine. They sometimes call it composting but really it's just a dehydrator that grinds it up, dries it out and spits out this product that looks a lot like coffee grounds. Practically odorless, and only a fraction of its original weight and volume, this material could then be easily added to the existing “feedstock” that A-1 Organics processes into rich, organic compost in their industrial composting operation.

That's the theory. It's a long term solution, and there are many moving parts. There are equipment, space, labor and many other details to iron out. That means it ain't gonna’ happen tomorrow. But, hopefully by the day after.

What do you think is the most common thing you get in the recycling center that isn't actually recyclable?

Plastic film. We have various places around campus where we collect “stretchy” plastic film and bags in special collection bins. When you put them in there, they get recycled. But when you put them into “containers” or “single stream” bins, they get dirty and wet. And when they get wet or dirty, they cannot be recycled. That's good to know. It’s the same for residential recycling. When you take your plastic grocery bags to the grocery store where they have that special bin to collect them - that totally gets recycled. Great stuff. It works well. But, when you put bags in your “single stream” recycling container at home where they pick it all up in one bin at the curb - I’m pretty sure those bags just get separated and thrown away. And the recycling companies hate that because it gets caught and wound up in their sorting machinery, which they then have to stop production several times per day to cut it all out by hand.

Also, plastic #6 is not recyclable. Like those red solo cups, styrofoam to-go boxes, and plastic silverware. Do they recycle it in other parts of the country? Maybe, but I don’t think so. It can only go in the garbage around here, so avoid using those products as much as you can.

Robert Allen, the recycling supervisor at CU, sat down and chatted about his job at the Grounds and Recycling Operation Center, affectionately named “The ROC.”

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Career Q&A with Environmental Center's new Zero Waste Outreach Coordinator

Anonymous — Tue, 31 Jan 2023 07:00:00 +0000

Career Q&A with Environmental Center's new Zero Waste Outreach Coordinator Anonymous (not verified) Tue, 01/31/2023 - 00:00

Arianna (Ari) Moscone (she/her) is the newest Zero Waste Outreach Coordinator for CU Boulder’s Environmental Center. Ari has lived in Boulder for a few years now and has experience working with sustainability in a campus setting. Her passions lie in waste management, and she has even played a role in passing Colorado’s Plastic Pollution Reduction Act (PPRA) which you can read more about here.

What kind of responsibilities do you have as the Zero Waste Outreach Coordinator?

I'm helping to maintain and also expand and improve zero waste outreach on campus. I'm going to be working with a group of amazing students to provide presentations, trainings, events, social media content and campaigns all about recycling, composting and zero waste, as well as coordinate with different departments on campus to make sure we're all on the same page in terms of our zero waste messaging by providing marketing, educational and outreach materials.

What does your education look like?

I went to the University of Massachusetts Amherst and got my undergraduate degree in Environmental Science and also in Environmental Communications and Advocacy. Environmental Communications and Advocacy was actually a major I created. UMass Amherst is one of the few colleges that has a program where you can essentially create your own major. We didn't have an environmental studies major, and we didn't have majors that combined environmental studies with advocacy and communications, so I was able to create it myself. After that, I moved on to get a Master of Science in Sustainability Sciences with a concentration in urban sustainability, and I focused on studying waste systems in urban settings.

What did you do post-graduation?

After graduation, I continued to do zero waste work, as well as other sustainability work, as a campus Sustainability Engagement Coordinator at UMass Amherst. After a few years there, I wanted to branch out to further develop my skills and focus on zero waste specifically. I heard about Eco-Cycle when I was in college since it’s one of the oldest and largest nonprofit zero waste organizations in the U.S., so I applied for a job, was hired, and moved to Boulder in 2017. I was there for five years, and was the Outreach and Engagement Manager for the organization.

Where did your passion for sustainability come from?

I am from an oceanside town in Massachusetts, and I saw trash washing up on the beaches multiply as I grew up. When I was three years old, I started going around with my bucket, and instead of collecting shells, I'd pick up trash. As I grew up, I started organizing town-wide beach cleanups, and even proposed a plastic bag fee to the town when I was in high school. I feel like if I hadn't taken action myself and had that passion from the beginning, as well as had parents who valued sustainability and resource conservation, then I wouldn’t have ended up in this field.

How do you stay motivated?

I think for me, it's the people that I surround myself with. In my prior job, I viewed everyone I worked with as my family. The work we were doing was really hard at times, but we all were really passionate about it. We made sure to create spaces where we felt like we could be creative and also felt like we could voice when we were feeling super defeated about something. That space of mutual understanding allowed us to continue to feel empowered, be creative and stay motivated.

If I'm able to take even a fraction of what I know, reach someone who may know nothing about sustainability or zero waste, and make them feel empowered to do something or empowered to take action in some way, that keeps me going. Even if it's a small thing, I take the wins where I can get them.

The reason why I wanted to go back into the college space is I feel like a lot of students are at that point where they have learned so much and they're just brimming with ideas of things that they want to do to make change. I want to be the person who helps facilitate and empower folks to feel like they can make a difference and give them the tools to become leaders.

What separates Boulder from other places in terms of sustainability?

Boulder is a leader in the country in terms of sustainability, but of course, we still have a lot of work to do. We have high diversion rates, we have amazing programs, and we have folks in the community who are supportive of Boulder adopting sustainability policies, such as policies to expand recycling and composting. The support is there from the community, which I think is super, super important, and folks are really engaged and excited about moving toward zero waste, which definitely helps. We have the resources and infrastructure to be able to do well in terms of sustainability, and specifically, zero waste.

I also want to acknowledge that we have a lot of resources and infrastructure that other places just don't have the ability to have. We’re in a little bit of a bubble because many other places don’t have the support, funding, infrastructure, etc.

I see Boulder as a model, and since we're in such a supportive environment, we can test different things out to push the envelope in terms of sustainability and zero waste, see how that goes, and then use that to create a model for other places to take our ideas, adopt similar programs and hopefully help improve their sustainability efforts.

Learn more about Ari Moscone and her background in zero waste and sustainability.

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Debunking recycling myths

Anonymous — Tue, 26 Apr 2022 06:00:00 +0000

Debunking recycling myths Anonymous (not verified) Tue, 04/26/2022 - 00:00

Kat Avedovech

With so much content coming our way every day, it can be difficult to differentiate between true facts and myths, especially when it comes to recycling. We're here to help clarify some of those common myths that you may have read about or heard.

Origin of the Myth

It is not always easy to tell when a company or website is being completely transparent; this is often because decision-makers in some companies see no issue when it comes to deceiving consumers in the name of profit. Opinions inevitably form based on what we see and can be altered several times along the way. It is my hope that by writing this article I can outline the truth about common myths spread around the media relating to recycling processes.

The Waste Crisis

One thing we can all agree on is that we produce trash, and a lot of it. Some of that trash goes into giant landfills, but most ends up in waterways and eventually the ocean where mammoth garbage islands form. An estimated 30% of food scraps and yard waste (that could have been composted) and 55% of what could have been recycled, ends up in landfills. The ideal way to reduce trash is to follow a zero-waste lifestyle and quit using disposables altogether; however, the first step is to reuse what we can from these disposables. The effectiveness of recycling has been questioned for many different reasons over the past couple of years. I will address some of the most common concerns in the rest of this article.

Myth 1: Recycling does not save energy

Manufacturing raw aluminum is a high-energy process that uses heat to isolate a mineral called bauxite3 until the substance is the right consistency to make aluminum cans and foils. The best thing about these aluminum cans is that they are recycled indefinitely through a simple cleaning and re-melting operation. According to the EPA, recycling aluminum saves 95% of the energy needed to make a can from scratch.
Recycling paper saves about 60% of the energy needed to make new paper. Trees are essential for lowering our carbon dioxide levels and sustaining all living things. Recycling a single ton of paper can save 17 trees and diminish the water waste from the manufacturing process.
Recycling glass only saves about ⅓ of the energy due to the immensely high temperature required to re-melt the substance. However, reusing glass eliminates the need to extract new minerals from the earth. Limestone, a mineral that requires energy and fossil fuels to extract, takes millions of years to form, making it a nonrenewable energy source.

Myth 2: Everything will decompose overtime

Landfills are not a long-term fix

Scientists predict severe landfill leaks within the next 10 years. Due to high quantities of compost and trash mixed, methane has been brewing in the pits for decades. Methane is extremely toxic to our atmosphere - when runoffs happen, climate-altering amounts of methane and chemical waste will be released into the environment.
The US EPA predicts that in no more than 30 years ALL landfills will eventually leak out.

Compostables in a landfill

Throwing food scraps into the trash vs. throwing them in the compost produce two very different results:
- In landfills, heaps of waste are piled upon each other frequently. When compostable materials are smothered, they no longer have room to “breathe,” hindering their ability to break down.
The term anaerobic composting refers to the lack of oxygen these landfills have. Without oxygen, the insides of these mass trash piles become incredibly hot, causing a build-up and eventual release of methane.
Methane is affecting our environment 28-36 times more than CO2 is, and landfills are the third-largest methane producer in the US.

Plastics

Since 1950, nine billion tons of (poly)ethylene/methylene has been produced; it's fair to say that we are in a plastic craze. In only the past 13 years, more than half of those nine billion tons were manufactured, distributed and then thrown in the trash.
Accumulations from discarded single-use plastics have caused large build-ups in the natural environment.
Plastics do not decompose. Instead, they break down into pieces that get smaller and smaller until they need to be seen with a high-powered microscope. These are called microplastics (MPs) and they can be found practically everywhere, including inside our bodies.
Most recently, MPs have been found in indoor air where they are inhaled by humans through the respiratory system. A study found that at an average reported air concentration of 9.8 MPs/m3 (45) and an inhalation rate of 15 m3/day, annual inhalation exposure averaged 53,700 particles per person in one study.
Additionally, microplastics are found in foods such as fish, honey and bottled water. They are also found and released through many of our cosmetics and creams. As for laundry, “over 700,000 microfibers were found to be released from a 6-kg wash load of acrylic fabric and up to 13 million microfibers from polyester fabric in the first wash cycle.”

Myth 3: A product that is labeled “natural” or “eco friendly” means it is environmentally friendly

This ties into greenwashing.When a company purposely deceives the consumer with misleading information, images or diction that claims the product is good for the environment when it is not.

Plastic water bottle companies are a prime example of greenwashing. They advertise nature in the advertisements using words such as “fresh” or “natural." In reality, plastic bottle manufacturers are making the problem worse by polluting and depleting viable water sources and adding to the trash problem.
Another less obvious example is fake green stickers; the most common ones say “eco-friendly” or “x% biodegradable." The eco-friendly stickers do not mean anything when it comes to helping the environment. Companies that have used these stickers have huge manufacturing and shipping carbon emissions that they fail to mention when advertising their products.
If there is a sticker claiming the item to be 95% biodegradable, that product is 100% not biodegradable. The problem created by this is that consumers unknowingly contribute to contamination in recycling plants.

Myth 4: The recyclable symbol means a product is recyclable

The number inside the recycle symbol on plastic items is a resin identification code that tells what type of plastic the item is made of.
To know if it is recyclable, check in with your local recycling center or waste hauler to see the current acceptable types of plastic for recycling in your area.
Lots of plastics are NOT recyclable, even if they have the recycle symbol on them.

Myth 5: Compostable plastics can be recycled

Compostable plastics are made of renewable materials such as corn, starches, cellulose, water and biomass. Natural-based ingredients are biodegradable and can break down when processed correctly at industrial composting facilities.
Biobased plastics melt at a different temperature than petroleum-based plastics. When compostable plastics are combined with recyclable plastics, the melting process becomes contaminated and that batch of plastics cannot be used.
Thoughtful separation of compostables and recyclables only takes a few extra seconds and makes a big difference.

Myth 6: Recycling does not make economic sense

Most places in the US operate under a single-stream recycling system. All recyclables are tossed into a single bin and then sent to a sorting facility that redistributes recyclables to companies for a fee.
Recycling facilities create green jobs and bring more money into the economy while keeping our landfills for non-recyclable materials only. The more we recycle, the less space landfills take up.
Bottle Bill states - get money back when you recycle certain products.
Recyclables contribute to the global economy. They are bought and sold through global markets and have value.
It costs more money to make new products from virgin resources as opposed to simply reprocessing and cleaning already made products.

Money to operate machines, paying for fuels for transportation, material extraction, intensive/ dangerous labor costs more than labor involved in the recycling process.

Myth 7: Only cans and bottles can be recycled

In Boulder county, the following items are recyclable:
- Newspaper, books (no plastic cover) and magazines
- Any cardboard not coated in plastic, such as tissue boxes and cereal boxes
- Aluminum cans and foil
- Glass bottles
- Plastic shampoo bottles and laundry detergent bottles
- Plastic #5 souvenir cups

For a complete list of items that are and are not recyclable and compostable, click here. All it takes to educate ourselves on proper recycling/composting is a Google search. It takes only a few seconds to make a choice that is better for ourselves and the planet.

Hard to recycle items include: bike parts, electronics, styrofoam, plastic bags, etc. For more information on how to recycle these items, click here.

Myth 8: Recycling all ends up in the landfill

In some towns, there is no market for reselling certain materials, so it became cheaper to throw everything into landfills; however, this is not the case in the majority of cities.
The US used to sell recyclables to China, but since rates of contamination of recyclables grew, China implemented a ban on all recyclables sent to them from the US.
This ended up being a good thing for the US. Since the ban, efforts have been made by the US to expand recycling programs in order to reduce contamination.
- Improving sorting and cleaning processes for down-streamed recycling products.
- Creating more domestic opportunities for recycled materials such as paper recycling plants, metal smelting facilities, plastic and glass production, etc.
Recycling is a valuable resource that has monetary value. It does not make sense to throw reusable materials in a landfill. Especially for high value items like aluminum, cardboard and office paper.
Boulder and the Front Range cities have strong domestic markets and ensure most recyclable items you put in your home's recycling bin actually get turned into new products!

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Ralphie's Green Stampede spring semester recap

Anonymous — Mon, 11 Apr 2022 06:00:00 +0000

Ralphie's Green Stampede spring semester recap Anonymous (not verified) Mon, 04/11/2022 - 00:00

Ralphie’s Green Stampede, a partnership between the CU Environmental Center, CU Athletics and Facilities Management, completed another successful basketball season. Ralphie’s Green Stampede had student volunteers at more than 20 men's and women's basketball games in the 2021-22 season. Volunteers educated Buffs fans about zero waste and how to be a sustainable Buff at home, work and play. RGS also helped achieve a record 91% diversion rate at the Buffs’ final home game against Arizona.

Zero Waste students (left to right) Moe, Emily and Maytal pose at a sustainability table at the CU Events Center
for the 2022 green basketball game. More than 200 fans visited the sustainability table at the green game.

At the sustainability table, fans could take a pledge to reduce their environmental impact and play a recycling
game in order to win prizes like bamboo utensils, water bottles, t-shirts made from recycled water bottles and bike
lights. Here an RGS student, Claire, and RGS program manager, Angie, hand out prizes.

At the sustainability table, Environmental Center student Maytal taught both Colorado and Arizona fans about
proper recycling sorting by having them play a game modeled on corn hole.

After the games CU Recycling students sort and audit all the waste from the game on folding tables at the event
center in order to minimize the waste sent to landfills.

At our green game, the Buffs’ upset win over Arizona on Feb. 26, we diverted 91% of the waste from landfills,
including 1,200lbs of bottles and cans for recycling and 1,500lbs of organic waste sent to a compost yard.

At sorts, CU Recycling students like Makayla (left), work with CU Athletics staff like sustainability coordinator
Alex Hoots (right) to audit the waste from concessions staff to ensure that they are following proper sorting
procedures. Students follow up with training for staff.

Ralphie’s Green Stampede MVP Lucas (center-left) poses with four of the volunteers he recruited and trained
this season to help make CU basketball zero waste.

Ralphie’s Green Stampede, a partnership between the CU Environmental Center, CU Athletics and Facilities Management, has completed another successful basketball season.

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