compost

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 do’s and don’ts of campus composting at CUBoulder

Anonymous — Fri, 15 Dec 2023 17:00:46 +0000

The do’s and don’ts of campus composting at CUBoulder Anonymous (not verified) Fri, 12/15/2023 - 10:00

Lauren Mullen and Karlie Conzachi

Putting compostable items in the compost bin instead of the trash can is one of the easiest and most effective first steps you can take to reduce greenhouse gas emissions—specifically methane, which is generated when our food and yard waste is landfilled.

Composting also produces a nutrient-rich soil amendment that restores farmland and promotes sustainable agriculture. However, when we put items into our compost bin, we must make sure that what we put in is actually compostable in order to create compost that can be used by farmers and gardeners.

A1 Organics—the Front Range community’s compost processor—changed the types of materials it will accept in April 2023. The company limited compostable materials to food scraps and yard waste only, a change that impacts communities including Denver, Boulder, Lafayette, Louisville, Longmont and Arvada.

What you can compost

As of April 1, 2023, A1 Organics no longer accepts previously compostable materials such as napkins, paper towels or serviceware labeled as “compostable.” CU Boulder’s Infrastructure & Sustainability, Environmental Center, Housing Facilities, Campus Dining Services and Athletics departments are exploring ways to minimize impacts to campus’s progress toward zero waste goals, but we are still operating under county conditions

Where you can compost

CU Boulder continues to compost food waste through Campus Dining Services and plant material through Facilities Management and Housing Facilities. A1 Organics still accepts our back-of-house compost from dining and facilities, which make up 80% of our compost load. The majority of our compost has continued to be composted despite A1 Organics’s guideline changes.

However, since consumer-facing compost bins were removed from campus buildings when this change was established, we are now working to reintroduce options for campus community members who would like to collect food scraps for composting in their building or residence hall. If you live or work on campus, and would like to participate in a campus composting pilot, please fill out this form today! We have a limited number of food waste collection bins available in various locations across campus for people who sign up to participate in the pilot!

For campus community members who live off campus or frequent off-campus locations, Boulder County published a composting changes FAQ explaining how A1 Organics’ changes will impact trash collection in the surrounding Boulder community. For campus community members who live outside of Boulder County, Eco-Cycle published composting guidelines for the Front Range region.

Compost is the natural process of recycling organic matter into a nutrient-rich fertilizer. It is a significant part of the waste system that aids in fighting the climate crisis.

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Composting at CU – a student perspective

Anonymous — Thu, 14 Dec 2023 20:45:43 +0000

Composting at CU – a student perspective Anonymous (not verified) Thu, 12/14/2023 - 13:45

Kayla Vasarhelyi

I grew up in Cleveland, Ohio, but a passion for sustainability drew me halfway across the country to CU Boulder. When I arrived here, I thought I had it all figured out. I recycled all my papers and plastics, used reusable containers and thrifted most of my clothes. However, shortly into my time on campus, I realized there was much more to being zero waste than I had ever expected. Composting was the sharpest learning curve.

Prior to moving to Boulder, I thought composting was just something that could be done on an individual scale to make soil using food scraps and yard waste.

There were a lot of things I didn’t realize about compost:

Composting creates a nutrient-rich soil to be used instead of toxic fertilizers.
Compost helps to reduce climate change.
Compostables in landfills will create methane, a much stronger greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide.
Landfills are often located in someone’s backyard, and that someone is often part of a low-income community that can’t escape from the smells, noise and runoff from landfill operations.
Keeping material out of landfills will reduce the need to build landfills.

In spring 2023, Colorado’s composting guidelines changed. Previously, CU Boulder offered compost bins all over campus and accepted compostable paper towels and plastics along with food scraps and yard waste. With the changes, CU Boulder continues to compost food scraps and yard waste from campus operations. These were the majority of the items composted from our campus before the change. In 2022, CU Boulder composted approximately 23 tons per month of yard waste and 40 tons per month of food scraps.

If you live off-campus in Boulder, you can talk to your landlord about providing landfill, recycling and compost bins to help you manage your household waste sustainably. It is essential to know that compostable plastic and paper are not recyclable. If you have a number seven plastic and composting is unavailable, throw it in the landfill bin. Compostable plastics are common contaminants in recycling, and too many can make recycling unusable.

We are lucky to attend a school that prioritizes composting to dispose of waste. I hope this article helps build your understanding of composting and kickstarts your journey to being a compost lover!

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Ways to reduce food waste

Anonymous — Thu, 14 Dec 2023 20:42:08 +0000

Ways to reduce food waste Anonymous (not verified) Thu, 12/14/2023 - 13:42

In the United States, 103 million tons of food are wasted annually, with the average person generating one pound of food waste daily. Food waste includes any edible food that is discarded instead of being consumed.

While often discussed in climate change conversations, reducing food waste also impacts other areas of life. By intentionally decreasing food waste, you can save money and consume better-quality foods. Here is information about food waste and how to reduce it.

Top wasted foods

Bread, milk and potatoes are the top foods typically thrown out each year. Keep this in mind when grocery shopping. Buy only what you need or can use before it goes bad. It can be helpful to also plan meals around the items you already have on hand rather than going to the store for more.

Expiration dates

One reason Americans waste so much food is due to misunderstanding expiration dates. The "best if used by" date refers to when a product will be at peak flavor or quality, while the "sell by" date tells the store how long they can display the product for sale. The "use by" date is the last date recommended to consume the product at peak quality. The "freeze by" date indicates when to freeze a product to maintain peak flavor or quality.

Composting

When you need to toss out food, consider composting it instead. The campus composting policy has recently changed due to changes with the composting service provider. Only food scraps and yard or plant trimmings are compostable on campus. Food scraps include bread, bones, cheese, eggshells, coffee grounds and produce. Yard and plant trimmings include leaves, twigs, flowers and grass.

Shop smarter

Before you grocery shop, take time to get organized. Make a weekly meal plan and only buy the foods you need to cover your planned meals and snacks. Create a shopping list to keep you on track at the store. This not only helps prevent food waste but can also help you save money. If you have leftover food, consider creative ways to incorporate those items into your daily meals and snacks or freeze leftovers to use later. Check out more meal planning tips.

Use foods in season

When you plan meals, consider items that are in season. There are many benefits to getting foods that are fresh and local. They taste better, have higher nutritional value and are more environmentally friendly. The Colorado Department of Agriculture has an easy-to-use guide that can help you pick local fruits and vegetables based on the season.

Find creative ways to save your food

Even with the best meal and food shopping plans, you can sometimes end up with more food than you can use. Here are a few tips to use the food you have on hand instead of letting it go bad.

Freeze fruits and vegetables to use later.
You can extend the life of herbs or save them for later by storing them whole in a freezer bag or chopping them and storing them in oil in an ice cube tray. You can also dry fresh herbs by hanging them in a dry location and then, once dry, crushing and storing them in glass jars.
When you notice fruits or vegetables going bad in a bunch, separate the good ones to keep and discard the spoiled ones. This will help the good ones stay that way longer.
Create an “eat first section” in your fridge for the items with the shortest shelf life so you can remember to use those first.
Use leftover vegetables to make vegetable stock, which you can store in glass jars in the fridge or freeze to use later. This is also a great way to use any scraps you may have from preparing other dishes. Simply keep your scraps in a freezer-safe bag and pull them out once you’ve accumulated enough for a good pot of stock.

With a little effort, you can save money by using and saving your food instead of throwing it out.

Reduce food waste to practice sustainability

By reducing food waste, we can all do our part in creating a sustainable future. Start by double-checking expiration dates before throwing food away and consider composting instead of tossing items in the trash. With small changes to our daily routines, we can make a big impact on reducing food waste. Don't forget to track your sustainable actions in the AWorld app! It makes it easy to see your positive impact on the environment. Download the app and join the CU team today!

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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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Common misconceptions about food waste: what it is and how to reduce it

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

Common misconceptions about food waste: what it is and how to reduce it Anonymous (not verified) Tue, 04/04/2023 - 00:00

Food waste is a prevalent topic in climate change conversations; we are often urged to make changes surrounding our diets and composting. But what is food waste, and how can we reduce the amount we create on a daily basis? Simply put, food waste is edible food that is discarded instead of being consumed. In the U.S. alone, 103 million tons of food is wasted every year, with the average person generating one pound of food waste daily. Here are some common misconceptions about food waste and how to reduce it:

Top Wasted Foods

The top foods and products that are typically thrown out each year include bread, milk and potatoes. Keep this in mind the next time you're grocery shopping.

Expiration Dates

One reason why Americans waste so much food is due to misunderstanding expiration dates. The "Best If Used By" date refers to when a product will be at peak flavor or quality, while the "Sell By" date tells the store how long they can display the product for sale. The "Use By" date is the last date recommended to consume the product while it's at peak quality. The "Freeze By" date indicates when a product should be frozen to maintain peak flavor or quality.

Composting

If you need to toss out food, consider composting it first. Colorado's composting policy has recently changed, and the only items that can be composted on campus are food scraps and yard/plant trimmings. Food scraps include bread, bones, cheese, eggshells, coffee grounds and produce. Yard and plant trimmings include leaves, twigs, flowers and grass. You can read more here.

By reducing food waste, we can all do our part in creating a sustainable future. Start by double checking expiration dates before throwing food away, and consider composting instead of tossing it in the trash. With small changes to our daily routines, we can make a big impact on reducing food waste. Don't forget to track your sustainable actions in the AWorld app! From April 15 through June 15, track your Sustainable Buff actions using the AWorld app. The first 500 participants to join the challenge will earn a free stasher bag. For each Buffs action logged, CU will invest $1 toward campus conservation and local carbon sequestration projects, up to $10,000. Participants will be invited to vote on the project to be funded.

Download the app and join the CU team today!

Learn about food waste and how to reduce it in your daily life. Discover common misconceptions, top wasted foods and tips for composting.

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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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Sustainable habits for 2023

Anonymous — Fri, 27 Jan 2023 07:00:00 +0000

Sustainable habits for 2023 Anonymous (not verified) Fri, 01/27/2023 - 00:00

The University of Colorado Boulder is home to some of the leading sustainability programs and environmental research in the nation! As Sustainable Buffs, it is our duty to be mindful of our habits and take full advantage of the opportunities we have in Boulder to be as sustainable as possible in our everyday lives. By holding ourselves accountable with integrity, we promote a more balanced future of energy exchanges that are regenerative to the earth, rather than exploiting our environment. Join the legacy of passionate CU students on the forefront of sustainability by adopting these simple sustainable habits.

Plan your grocery shopping

There are many ways to consciously approach shopping for food. As college students, we are just learning how to stock our refrigerators and take care of ourselves, which often results in unnecessary food waste. By planning beforehand rather than shopping impulsively, you can avoid wasting money and food. One way to shop mindfully is to plan your meals for the week and find recipes before you go shopping. Another tactic for mindful shopping is to tune into your body and what you need, versus what you may want at the moment. Rather than going to the store while hungry, try to eat before so you can shop with a clear head. A great place to shop sustainably is Nude Foods, a zero waste grocery store in Boulder. You are allowed to keep the glass jars they sell food in, which is great for storage. It's also a good idea to bring your own bags and avoid unsustainable packaging when possible.

If you are struggling to afford groceries, schedule an appointment to visit CU’s Buff Pantry, which is located in the UMC next to the bookstore downstairs. To make an appointment, first click the “Join” button on Buff Pantry’s CU Serves page to fill out the client intake form. From there, you can schedule a time to come in and pick up some free food!

Compost

Composting your food waste is a simple way to be sustainable in your daily life. When you throw food waste in the trash, it releases methane, is not as easily broken down and is an extremely potent greenhouse gas. Excess methane in the atmosphere is one of the leading causes of climate change. When we compost our food waste, we create the foundation for valuable, nutrient rich soil as the food breaks down. Student environmental activists have worked hard to further composting efforts all over campus. Green composting receptacles can be found at all of the main waste stations as well as the bathrooms on campus. To learn more about proper composting practices, check out this Composting 101 guide. It is vital for the CU community to get on board with composting. Recently, students, faculty and staff have not been composting correctly. This has led compost to become an expense to our school rather than a return on our investment, which threatens the future of our composting initiatives. We all need to learn to compost our food waste properly, or we may not have the option to do so on campus in the future due to the contamination of the waste streams, which are very difficult and costly to sort.

Eat organic

Soil is alive with microorganisms that we need to grow food. Pesticides kill these essential organisms that make up the microbiome of the soil. By choosing to eat organically, we support the organic food system and farmers who are doing this vital work to help us nourish our bodies. You can purchase organic produce at the local farmer's market.

Use public transit

As a Buff, you have a free RTD pass. Boulder has some of the most clean, comfortable and most efficient buses that are constantly running to get you where you need to go. The average traffic volume in Boulder on a given day is very high as a result of students and professionals commuting in and out of the city. One of the leading causes of global warming in our atmosphere is the pollution byproducts from transportation. Not only are there environmental incentives to limit traffic on the road, but also monetary ones as the prices of gas have been volatile. Take the bus! It is so easy and you can save hundreds in gas money, while also saving energy by taking the bus to get around.

Boulder is a microcosm of sustainable opportunities for CU students in terms of transportation, compost and healthy food. We can take these values with us as we grow into our positions in a workplace in the future. Practical everyday solutions exist all around us and consumers do have power to drive the market of sustainable developments. “Unsustainable patterns of consumption and production are root causes of the triple planetary crises of climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution" (UN SDG Report 2022). If our patterns of consumption can do so much damage, choosing sustainable habits can propel humanity in a new direction with regards to our relationship to the environment. Although one person’s choices won’t restore the earth right away, the collective effort of many can shift our economy over time as we start to value sustainability in our everyday consumption choices.

DIY project: grow your own organic herbs on the windowsill

What you will need:

seeds for your favorite herbs (cilantro, chives, parsley, basil and rosemary are some popular ones)
a well-lit windowsill or grow lights
nutrient-rich soil
containers/pots

Fill a container with soil and sprinkle with seeds, covering the seeds again with a layer of soil. Pat gently. Keep the soil moist but not too damp as the seeds germinate and follow the watering instructions specific to each herb. Make sure you label them so you remember which herb is which. If you choose to add fertilizer to the soil, make sure to use one labeled safe for edible plants. Soon after, you will sprout affordable, organic, packaging-free herbs from your home!

The E-Center can help you become a Sustainable Buff! Save money and energy through the cultivation of everyday sustainable habits to start the new year off right.

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Want to reduce your water footprint? Get a FREE EcoKit!

Anonymous — Mon, 13 Jun 2022 06:00:00 +0000

Want to reduce your water footprint? Get a FREE EcoKit! Anonymous (not verified) Mon, 06/13/2022 - 00:00

The data for this graph was collected by the Water Research Foundation (headquartered in Denver, CO) and shows that toilets, showers and faucets make up most of our personal water usage in the U.S. A whopping 12% of our water usage can be traced to leaks. Do you know if your toilet is leaking? We provide toilet tabs which test your toilet for leaks in our FREE Ecokits! Notice a leak? Be sure to report it to GFH maintenance!

EcoVisits are a great way of learning helpful and valuable tips to reduce your environmental footprint and live greener in Graduate and Family Housing. It's really easy! Fill out this form to set up an EcoVisit and the GFH sustainability cordinator will set up an EcoVisit whenever it is convenient for you!

During an EcoVisit, you will review all the great things you are already doing to live green, and learn tips about additional steps you can take to reduce your carbon footprint even further.

You will also be given with a FREE EcoKit which contains the following items:

Countertop composting bin
Reusable shopping bag
Reusable utensil kit
LED (energy efficient) lightbulbs
Bike lights (front and rear)
Toilet tabs to check if your toilet is leaking
Hair Snake drain cleaner

You have probably heard about reducing your carbon footprint, but have you considered your water footprint? Use the water footprint calculator to estimate how many gallons of water you and your family use a day.

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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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