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Recycling Bulletin

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Recycling Bulletin # 16

News from a national leader in campus recycling

April 2, 2002

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In this Bulletin:

1.  CU Recycling Report:  Green Offices, Food Waste Composting
2.  Local Recycling Info:  Boulder Mix reminders
3.  Industry News:  Recycled Paper
4.  Frightening Fact
5.  Glimmer of Hope
6.  Get Involved / Upcoming Events:  Earth Month events, Composting Workshops, "GrassCycling" Internship

1. *************** CU Recycling Report ***************

Green Office Project

University of Colorado staff can help reduce the burden our University places on the environment by practicing resource conservation and making environmentally responsible purchasing decisions.  For instance, did you know that if a copy center uses 40 cases of 100% postconsumer content copier paper instead of virgin paper it can save 24 trees?  The staff of CU Recycling are conducting surveys and one-on-one meetings with CU Boulder departments in an effort to determine and make recommendations for “green” office practices.  If you would like a staff member to visit your office and offer suggestions for recycling, recycled product purchasing, and reuse in your department, please call 303-492-8307.

Food Waste Composting

CU Recycling is taking the lead in food waste composting research in Colorado.  Student researchers, supported by the Governer’s Office of Energy Management and Conservation, have compiled a guide for institutional food waste composting that will be available soon to companies, schools, and other large institutions in Colorado that want to save resources by capturing a valuable part of their waste streams for re-use as a soil amendment.  Much of the research will be put into practice here at CU as soon as next year, when residence halls are slated to begin capturing food waste for composting.

"Green Office" Open House

The offices of CU Recycling have a new home!  The Environmental Center has moved into room 355 in the new wing of the University Memorial Center.  Our office utilizes energy saving features such as natural light and light switches with motion-sensors, and EnergyStar rated office equipment.  Our workstations and office furniture contain recycled content such as agricultural waste, postconsumer cardboard, newspapers and plastic milk jugs.  Even our carpet has recycled content!  Come view our new space, browse through our environmental library, and learn about “green” options for your office at the Environmental Center Open House,  Monday, April 22 from 3 - 5 pm.  Refreshments and product information will be available.

2. *************** Local Recycling Info *******************

In November, Boulder curbside recycling guidelines expanded to include items that formerly had to be taken to drop-off centers for recycling.  Recyclables picked up at the curb and in multi-family complexes that offer recycling should now be sorted into two different grades:  Mixed Containers and Mixed Papers.    MIXED CONTAINERS include aluminum and steel cans and lids, aluminum foil, glass bottles and jars, #1 and #2 plastic narrow-necked bottles, and milk cartons and juice boxes (NEW).   MIXED PAPERS is a mix of the following items, which can all be recycled together:  opened and sorted junk mail and office paper, newspapers, magazines and catalogs (NEW), corrugated cardboard (NEW), paper bags (NEW), telephone books (NEW) and large paperboard such as cereal and shoe boxes (NEW).

Remember, these new residential guidelines DO NOT AFFECT RECYCLING AT CU!  CU Boulder staff, faculty and students are asked to continue to keep low grade papers such as paperboard, magazines and catalogs, and cardboard separate from office pak.  For a reminder of office pak guidelines at CU, see our website at http://www.colorado.edu/recycling or call 303-492-8307 for a guide that can be posted in your office.

For more information about Boulder’s residential recycling program, call

the Recycle Boulder Hotline at 303-441-4234 or visit

http://www.environmentalaffairs.com

3. *************** Industry News *****************

Recycled Paper:  Plenty Available - now let’s all use it!

(excerpted from Recource Recycling article, February 2002)

After losing market share for several years, recycled printing and writing paper is at a critical juncture.  Demand has contracted sharply since Conservatree estimated its high at 10 percent in the early 1990s.  The American Forest and Paper Association now estimates the percentage of recycled fiber across printing and writing grades to be less than 5 percent, including preconsumer fiber.

A recent survey by Conservatree and the Alliance for Environmental Innovation show that significant industry capacity exists to support a large and rapid increase in the use of recycled printing and writing papers.  The data also suggest that a broad and sustained increase in demand for recycled paper - starting with levels of postconsumer recycled content that now are widely available and cost-competitive - is the best strategy for building long-term market strength and expansion.

Paper purchasers can turn the situation around by driving up market demand.  The most effective way to do this is by broadly expanding the number of users of recycled paper, rather than solely driving up postconsumer recycled content levels among current users.  Even the papers with lower postconsumer contents have a critical role to play.  Right now purchasers have every reason to feel confident about buying recycled paper.  It is widely available in printing and writing grades; it prints and performs just as well as virgin paper; it is priced competitively with like-quality virgin papers; and plenty of capacity exists.  Broad and lasting customer acceptance will follow as users see that recycled paper meets their price and performance needs.

To read more, visit http://www.resource-recycling.com

4. *************** Frightening Fact *****************

Some recycled paper pulp producers noted in a recent survey (see “industry news” above) that some recovered paper sources are becoming too contaminated by lower grades of paper.  They attribute the increased contamination to the growing popularity among local governments of single-stream collection systems, as well as to increasingly poor sorting.

5. *************** Glimmer of Hope ****************

The University of Colorado Student Union hopes to increase recycled paper demand by passing a policy that requires departments supported by student fees to transition to using 100% post-consumer recycled content paper for all copying and printing.  UCSU hopes to follow up on its own actions by winning support from faculty and staff to pass campus wide recycled purchasing policies.

6. *************** Get Involved  / Upcoming Events***************

Thursday, April 11, SHOP AT WHOLE FOODS MARKET, 28th and Pearl.  One percent of the day’s sales will benefit the University of Colorado Environmental Center!  Stop by the Environmental Center table while you’re there to visit and learn more about the Environmental Center, home of CU Recycling.

CAMPUS ENVIRONMENTAL AWARDS  Tuesday, April 16.  A luncheon ceremony will

recognize the outstanding efforts of campus individuals and departments who have contributed to improving CU’s environment.  UMC 235, 11:30am-1:00pm.  RSVP to 303-492-8308 by April 11th.

CAMPUS EARTH SUMMIT  Wednesday, April 17.  The four CU campuses will explore ways to work toward sustainability throughout the CU system and on individual campuses.  Sessions will address recycling, transportation, pesticide use, purchasing, green building, energy use, and more.  For a complete agenda and to register, visit http://www.colorado.edu/ecenter.

ECOCYCLE’S FIRST ANNUAL RECYCLED ART SHOW AND AUCTION, Artful Recreations, will be presented April 19th by EcoCycle/Broomfield Recycling Center.  See sculptures, photographs, folk art and other pieces made from recycled materials or that have a recycling theme.  At the Broomfield Auditorium and Mamie Dowd Eisenhower Library, 3 Community Park Road, Broomfield.  Friday April 19th, 7pm-10pm.  All proceeds benefit the EcoCycle Broomfield Recycling Center.   Volunteers and contributing artists welcome.   For more information, contact broomfield@ecocycle.org or call  303-404-2839.

CU ENVIRONMENTAL CENTER OPEN HOUSE   Monday, April 22.  Come visit our new “green” office in the new wing of the University Memorial Center.  Check out office furniture made from recycled materials and other environmental features!  UMC 355, 3-5pm.

APRIL 22 IS EARTH DAY!  For a sampling of upcoming events, link to the events calendar on the Environmental Center website,

http://www.colorado.edu/ecenter

GARDENING FOR COLORADO,  Free Composting Seminars - Basics of Backyard Composting:

Thursday, April 23, Boulder County Recycling Facility, 6:30 - 8:30 pm Wednesday, May 1, Broomfield EcoCycle Drop-off, 6:30 - 8:30 pm Monday, May 6, Longmont Library, 6:30 - 8:30 pm Wednesday, June 5, Louisville Public Library, 6:30 - 8:30 pm - Worm Composting:

Wednesday, May 20, Nederland Community Center, Wild Bear Science School

Classroom, 6:30 - 8:30 pm

To RSVP or for more information on these and other gardening/xeriscaping seminars, call the Boulder Energy Conservation Center at (303)441-3278.

Sign up now for MASTER COMPOSTING TRAINING.  Become an expert on composting, give back to your community and reduce waste while enriching your own garden.  Master Composter participants receive in-depth training in composting techniques from local experts.  Once training is complete, Master Composters repay their community service by providing composting education in their communities at local events, farmer’s markets, and compost demonstration sites.  This year, the course will be held Thursdays April 4th-May 9th, 6:30-9pm and Saturday, May 11th,  9am-12noon at the Boulder County Recycling Center, 1901 63rd Street in Boulder. The cost is $50 plus 15 hours of community service before December 31st, 2002.  Spaces are limited.  For applications or more info call the Boulder Energy Conservation Center at (303)441-3278.

BOULDER COUNTY "GRASSCYCLING" INTERNSHIP

The Boulder County Resource Conservation Division is searching for a campaign assistant coordinator for its “GrassCycling” Leave It on the Lawn Campaign.  A great resume builder for someone who wants experience in conducting a county-wide educational campaign, the position has flexible hours and entails writing news releases, working with the media, distributing publicity items, working with municipal contacts to launch the campaign in communities county-wide, developing homeowner “best lawn” campaigns, and working with area businesses to provide information in their stores.  Contact Stacy Swank Lambright at 720-564-2223 for more information.

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About University of Colorado at Boulder Recycling

The University of Colorado's recycling program is a non-profit, campus-based organization whose mission is to instill awareness of the benefits of waste reduction and recycling.  CU Recycling is widely regarded as one of the nation's leading campus programs. Awards have been given by such groups as the EPA, National Recycling Coalition, and the Office of Federal Environmental Executive, who in 2000, announced CU Recycling the model campus program in the United States.

The university community is encouraged to get involved in CU Recycling's many activities.  For more information, call (303)492-8307 or visit http://www.colorado.edu/recycle

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