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Recycling Bulletin

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Recycling Bulletin #24
news from a national leader in campus recycling

April 8, 2004

In this Bulletin:

CU Recycling Report: Where Do We Go From Here?, Composting CU's Food Waste

Local Recycling Info: Campuses to Meet at State Recycling Summit

Industry News: Recycling State of the Union

Frightening Fact: Wasted Computers

Glimmer of Hope: Closing the Loop Down Under

Get Involved/Upcoming Events: Many, Many Earth Month events

1. CU Recycling Report

Going from Good to Great with More Recycling

Since 1990, CU has developed a practical, cost-effective recycling program. About thirty percent of all campus waste is recycled, saving CU over $175,000 annually. There is still ample room for improvement however. Currently, 12 percent of waste in the residence halls is recycled and 40 percent is recovered in academic and administrative buildings. Recent research indicates CU could potentially double its recycling rate by composting its food waste and creating more recycling opportunities. Many of these improvements can be done less expensively than land filling. CU Recycling and the newly formed Recycling Financial Advisory Board are assessing preferred ways to improve the recycling program including increasing the number of locations, expanding the types of materials accepted, and improving outreach strategies to increase participation.

How do you want CU Recycling to go from good to great? Send your ideas to cure@colorado.edu.

 

Food Waste Composting: Because A Rind is a Terrible Thing to Waste

CU is in the final stages of planning a state of the art composting facility which is expected to start up this summer. The composting system will convert an estimated 400 annual tons of food waste generated by housing and other campus food service operations into valuable soil amendment. Funding from University of Colorado Student Union, US Environmental Protection Agency and Housing's energy performance contract totaling nearly $400,000 will put the system in place. Housing expects annual savings of $10,000 in fertilizer costs and about $3,000 in trash bills. CU students will have great opportunities to roll up their sleeves and conduct research with this important environmental improvement.

2. Local Recycling Info

State Recycling Summit to Include Opportunities for Colorado Campuses

The annual Colorado Summit for Recycling has been expanded this year to include special sessions and discounts for campus recyclers. This is the premier recycling event in Colorado and is hosted by the Colorado Association for Recycling. The Recycling Summit will be held in Breckenridge, June 7-8. The campus workshop will be held Monday, June 7th 8am-noon.

Over the past year, a /network of Colorado colleges and universities was formed. To date, a Web site has been created where contacts for campus recycling programs are listed. There's also an extensive set of recycling-related resources from around the country and an e-mail listserver so subscribers can communicate rapidly with each other. If you are involved with a campus recycling program in the State or would like to be, please visit the site and join the listserver.

3. Industry News

Recycling State of the Union

At the recent meeting of the National Recycling Coalition's (NRC) Recycling Organizations Council, members shared goings-on at each of their states. Some highlights:

• Colorado - Denver considered dropping its recycling program, but new mayor John Hickenlooper's support of recycling saved it and is now looking at single stream and mandating recycling.
• Oklahoma - More than 50 percent of the population has curbside and 75 percent has access to drop-off recycling. The new governor has created more interest in recycling.
• New York - The problems with NYC's program are influencing other towns in the state. A new state license plate says "Reduce, Reuse, Recycle" on the bottom.
• California - A tax on plastic bags and cups is being considered.
• Puerto Rico - They are looking at banning recyclables from landfills.
• Missouri - A St. Louis economic development study found recycling to be the second largest industry in the area.

Source: NRC Newswire, February 2004

4. Frightening Fact

E-Waste

The Environmental Protection Agency estimates that as many as 250 million personal computers will be thrown out between 2000 and 2005. Mobile phones will be tossed at a rate of 130 million per year by 2005, generating some 65,000 tons of waste, the agency says.

Learn about the Computer Takeback Campaign — Get companies to recycle old, toxic computers!

5. Glimmer of Hope

The Australian recycling industry recovered 73.5 percent of their continent's newspapers published in 2003. Local recovery efforts resulted in 528,393 metric tons of newspapers being recycled. Resource Recycling magazine reports the recovery rate is likely a world record.

6. Get Involved/Upcoming Events

Earth Day is April 22, so there are lots of great environmental events this month:

 

Campus Environmental Roundtable
Friday, April 16, 10 am - noon
University Memorial Center room 245
Join a discussion on key campus environmental issues. Presentations on continued progress, emerging opportunities, and new initiatives. Tentative topics include green building, recycling and composting, outdoor integrated pest management, water conservation, and financial incentives of environmental initiatives. RSVP to 303-492-8308 or ecenter@colorado.edu by Monday, April 12.

 

Boulder Earth Day 5K Run/Walk
Saturday, April 17, 9:30 am
University of Colorado Research Park
Celebrate Earth Day with a fun run outside on CU's Outdoor Track. Pre-registration entry fee is $15 if registration is received by April 10. Registration forms are available at the CU Environmental Center, or visit http://www.conservationcenter.org for more information. Hosted by the Center for ReSource Conservation, and co-sponsored by the CU Environmental Center.

 

Campus Environmental Awards
Thursday, April 22, noon - 1 pm
University Memorial Center Aspen Rooms
The Environmental Awards ceremony will recognize individuals and departments whose efforts have improved the CU-Boulder campus environment. RSVP to attend awards luncheon by calling (303)492-8308 before April 15.

 

Boulder County: A Zero Waste Model for the World by 2010
Thursday, April 22, 6:30 pm
Boulder Public Library Auditorium, 1000 Canyon Blvd.
In this presentation by EcoCycle's Executive Director Eric Lombardi, learn how the Boulder community is uniquely qualified to become a model for Zero Waste, how other communities across the globe are looking to us to do it, and the new programs, services, and innovations EcoCycle will be implementing to get us there that will forever change the way we think of resource conservation. Best of all, learn how you can help make it happen. Hors d'oeuvres and dessert reception at 6:30pm. Presentation at 7:00 pm. Free to the public. Visit EcoCycle's Web site for more information.

 

Microbreweries for the Environment
Friday, April 23, 7 pm
Boulder Theater
A benefit for Summit County Recycling Project, Boulder Biodiesel and the CU Environmental Center. Twenty local microbreweries present their beers for only $1 each, while Bluegrass bands Hit & Run and Slipstream, and Afro-Caribbean-Techno-Funk band Jyemo play to the crowd. Complimentary pint glass. Tickets available online.

 

Artful Recreations Recycled Art Show and Auction Fundraiser
Friday, April 30, 7:30 pm
Renaissance Suites at FlatIron
EcoCycle's third annual recycled art show and auction fundraiser features live and silent auctions, artist awards, desserts, wine and cheese and hors d'oevres. All featured art pieces are made from recycled and scrap materials or incorporate a recycling theme. Boulder Mayor Will Toor will emcee and special guest speaker is Jeffrey Hollender, President and CEO of Seventh Generation. Tickets are available for $35 by calling 303-404-2839 or at EcoCycle's Web site. VIP Dinner tickets, including a pre-event dinner, are available for $75.

 

Artful Recreations Street Faire
Saturday, May 1, 10 am - 6 pm
Street Faire at the Village at FlatIron Crossing
If you can't make Friday night's auction, shop for artful recreations at Saturday's street faire of gifts, crafts and other artwork made by local artists featuring recycled and scrap materials. Artists will display and sell their pieces, including, metal sculptures and ornaments, chopsticks from recovered wood, clocks made from computer parts, bike tire picture frames, jewelry, colorful bags and pocketbooks made from juice pouches and much more. Visit EcoCycle's Web site for more information.

Subscribe to the CU Recycling Bulletin

The Recycling Bulletin is circulated via a closed list;  only CU Recycling has access to the rest of the subscriber list.  Subscribers' names and e-mail addresses are not available to any other group or used for any other purpose.

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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