Greenway Park Homeowners Association

Recycling Information, but Reduce and Reuse First!

Mar 19, 2001

This article is a synopsis of a helpful letter submitted by homeowner Deana Walker concerning recycling opportunities.

As part of the monthly trash removal service, Greenway Park residents can place their recyclable items in the bins that are provided to each household. The items that can be recycled are newspapers, glass, aluminum cans tin/steel cans, and #1 and #2 plastic containers. Make sure you keep one of the bins devoted to newspaper only and set the bins out every other week. See the calendar in the newsletter for the dates of these recycling pick-ups. You are already paying for this service, and it's not that difficult to do. Why not take advantage of it?

Another opportunity to recycle is through our local EcoCycle.(See links under Greenway Park Calendar) They collect everything Greenway Park's recycling program accepts and much more. Instead of throwing junt mail away, you can take it to EcoCycle. You can recycle boxes that food like cereal and crackers con in at EcoCycle. In addition, the following items can also be recycled at EcoCycle: cardboard computer paper, brochures and other printed materials, books, phone books, six-pack cartons, brown paper bags and magazines. These are only a few of the items they accept. Please visit the web address through our links for more information. Boulder EcoCycle accepts even more types of materials www.ecocycle.org (See links).

So far we've been looking at ways to recycle, but even better is to REDUCE the amount of waste items. Don't buy merchandise with excess packaging. Buy in bulk. Don't buy disposable products. In addition, reduce the amount of junk mail you receive by following the steps on the Boulder Eco Cycle web page.

If you end up with something that could possibly end up in the trash or cycle bin, then see if it can be REUSED first. Take your old grocery store bags with you when you go to the store and reuse them to bag your groceries. Some stores even give you money back when you bring your own bags. If you can't get away from ziploc bags, wash them out and reuse them.

Finally, if you have something that can't be reused, see if it can be RECYCLED. Buy items with recyclable packaging rather than ones with packaging that can't be recycled. Remember that it still takes some energy and resources to recycle materials. It doesn't take as much snergy as it takes to produce brand new materials, but it is enough that it makes sense to try to reduce and reuse first.

Deana challenges all of us to limit our weekly trash to less than 1 bag. If you have any questions for Deana, call her at (303)465-9937 or e-mail her at coloradonymph@yahoo.com. If you have questions for Broomfield EcoCycle, please call them at 303-404-2839.