Winter 2005/2006
What does the Future hold for Earth Day?
Have you noticed that Earth Day (April 21st) is no longer celebrated on a large scale in the Grand Valley? Have you been looking for (and not finding) recycling bins at local events, concerts, and public buildings? Have you asked yourself why Colorado’s waste diversion rate (currently 2nd lowest in the nation) is not being addressed aggressively at the state and local level? And why are public education and awareness campaigns noticeably absent through the media?
The events, media coverage, and ongoing activities associated with Earth Day have in the past provided a public forum for addressing local and global environmental concerns. These concerns included the dumping of trash in the desert, resource depletion, the problems of mounting municipal waste, rising energy costs, and water and air pollution. The Earth Day forum also presented the opportunity for the public to learn practical solutions to apply in daily living: like recycling and installing home water filtration and solar systems. It allowed both children and adults to participate in educational activities like the desert clean up and interactive wildlife demonstrations. Most of the concerns of the past still exist, as do more recently identified issues which can (and do) affect your health and well being- issues such as pesticide spraying, fluoridated water, improper electronics disposal, global climate changes, and toxic emissions .
In November, a small meeting was held to talk about future Earth Day efforts and the reformation of the Grand Valley
Earth Coalition, the non-profit entity which once organized such events and served as a meeting ground for local officials and concerned groups and citizens. The decision was made at this meeting to assess the current private and public sector interest in reviving the Coalition.
Are we to wait until increased growth and population impact living conditions in Western Colorado to the extremes that prompted the first Earth Day events in the 1970’s? Other areas of the country have waited until forced to pass mandatory recycling standards and remedial environmental legislation. Can we instead be proactive and come together as a community of involved, connected, and educated citizens to lead the Grand Valley to a new era of awareness and positive action? We pose the question.
Should you wish to become personally involved in planning and actively supporting future Earth Day events phone Pat Garland at 242-5866 or Elaine Foss at 242-1036.
From Waste REDUCTION to…… ZERO WASTE!
Zero waste policies are being deliberated and adopted in communities across the country. Some Colorado communities are joining in to take bold action in addressing problems associated with waste. Summit County has passed the first Zero Waste resolution in the entire Mountain West and the City of Boulder has already set an ambitious 50% waste reduction goal.
This past summer Boulder’s progressive environmental organization, Eco-Cycle, worked with the weekly local Farmers Market to produce the first ongoing Zero Waste event in the nation. That’s right a Zero waste event - a concept that, in part, establishes that everything brought to or leaving an event be either recycled, reused or composted!
Grand Junction loves its festivals, concerts, & other events. These events are perfect ways to demonstrate to our community creative ways to come together to celebrate without generating the types of waste that degrade the very surroundings we enjoy. Zero Waste principles learned at such events are transferable to smaller gatherings! If you would like to join a committee looking into ways to help community organizers and venders incorporate zero waste in events in the Grand Valley, give us a call at 242-1036!
“Mini” Guide For Recycling “Hard-To-Recycle” Items
Welcome to Curbside Recycling Indefinitely, Inc.’s Guide to Recycling “Hard-To-Recycle” Materials – those items that typically end up in a landfill (and shouldn’t be there!). This is designed for the committed recycler like you who is willing to go that extra mile to recycle everything you can. With efforts like yours, we’re keeping more resources out of landfills, preventing toxins from entering our soil and groundwater, and preserving natural resources for generations to come. Some items are still “hard-to-recycle” and at this time non-recyclable. But hopefully some of these tips will help you to clean out your storage space, closets or that junk pile by the shed.
View and download the Hard To Recycle Guide
Tips for “Greener” Holidays
Whether celebrating Christmas or your child’s birthday, there are simple, tasteful and creative ways to conserve as well as consume! Unwrap gently (yeah, right!) save wrapping, bows, ribbons, and tissue paper for other holidays. Paperboard (shirt boxes) are great for storing all of that saved wrap! Be creative with your own wrapping. Have the kids (or the kid inside of you) color on plain paper. You can also use recyclable paper bags as wrap, and put holiday stickers on the package. Have fun while conserving on special occasions!
2005 In Review
The City of Grand Junction’s residents, through Curbside Recycling Indefinitely, Inc., recycled two and three quarter million pounds (1375 tons) of material as of the end of November, 2005. We project that the total for the year will inch very close to the 3,000,000 pound mark! All of that material is picked up (by hand) by the GJ CRI crew and offloaded at the River Road facility. There it is further separated into the required categories, bailed, and loaded onto trucks for delivery to mills and processors as far away as Ohio (1,583 miles!). Some of the sorting is done by Partners, Inc. kids who, as a group, have contributed 300 hours of court ordered community service. At the recycling facility they get a true taste of hard work. We appreciate these kids and thank Partners Inc. for being involved!
During the same period of time, (January-November, 2005) 35 million pounds of trash went into the Mesa County Landfill from City residences. This means almost 8% of the city’s trash is being recycled! Each trash truck load averages about 7 tons of waste. At this rate we (YOU) have diverted 196 truckloads of waste from going to the landfill.
Be Proud of yourselves, but know that there is still room for much improvement in our community!
Christmas Tree Recycling
Here it is again, the Holiday season! We will be offering a home pick-up service for Christmas tree recycling on Friday, January 13th. No more putting the tree on top of the Cadillac! We’ll be happy to pick-up your tree for a $5.00 fee. Please call the Curbside Recycling office @242-1036, to schedule a pick-up. The tree must be free of all tinsel, ornaments, bows, etc.
The Solid Waste Dept. provides a drop-off location as well. The recycling starts the day after Christmas and runs through the end of January. The location has permanently moved from the City Shops to the Orchard Mesa Cemetery, located south of Hwy 50 and Unaweep Ave. on Canon St. To get there, take the first right turn on Canon Street onto the gravel road. Signs will be posted. City forestry crews will be chipping trees on a daily basis. The chips are available to the public to take free of charge (provide your own way of loading and containers).
Please DO NOT drop your tree off at the City Shops.
Call us and we’ll pick it up for you!
Happy Holidays and best wishes for a green and wonderful New Year!