Join the Denver Recycles Action Network
Join the Denver Recycles Action Network
Are you a committed recycler that wishes you had support to get your neighbors, family, friends, and community more involved in recycling and other waste reduction efforts in Denver? Well now you do. We would like to introduce you to the Denver Recycles Action Network!
The Denver Recycles Action Network is your chance to help increase Denver's recycling rate and committment to reducing waste by using your enthusiasm and creativity to inspire ane educate those around you about the Denver Recycles program and how they can particiapte. Like you, about 97,000 other Denver households recycle with the purple cart. However, about 70,000 eligible households still do not participate at all in Denver's free curbside recycling program. Additionally, some particiapant are some what confused about what is recyclable and many others are not aware of the additional resoureces Denver Recycles offers such as our online Recycling Directory, LeafDrop, Treecycle, and Mulch Giveaway and Compost Sale. You can help change all of that.
The Denver Recycles Action Network is a volunteer program designed to be flexible and take advantage of each individual volunteer's skills and connections within the community. All we ask is that you commit to a minumum of 30 minutes a month to educating those around you about Denver Recycles and how they can reduce their waste.
How you achieve that goal is up to you whether it be by knocking on your neighbor's doors, sending out announcements through a list-serve or blog, organizing a recycling sign-up drive or workshop at your child's school or your church, or some other outreach mehtod of your choice.
Denver Recycles will assist in your volunteer efforts by providing you with the training, informational resources, and staff support you need. We will communicate with you regularly about what special recycling events we have on the horizon and what results we are achieving together as an Action Network.
To become a member of the Denver Recycles Action Network, attend our group Action Network training on February 27th, 9:30 a.m. to Noon, at the Rude Recreation Center. You will gain the knowledge you need to be an effective advocate for Denver Recycles and you will meet other committed recyclers in Denver with whom you can share your ideas and experiences. Space in the February meeting is limited, so please r.s.v.p. by February 16th in order to secure your spot. You can r.s.v.p. by calling 720-865-6810 or signing up online at denvergov.org/denverrecycles (Please note: Participants in the Denver Recycles Action Network must be at least 18 years old or accompanied by an parent or guardian). Together we can help Denver Recycle More!
Recycling Right: Cardboard
If you are not putting it in your purple cart then you are not recycling it. Denver residents like you have proven they are great recyclers. However, according to a recent study, we asre still throwing away more than 27,000 tons of valuable recycleable paper each year and much of that is cardboard.
You can ensure your cardboard gets recycled by:
1. Place all cardboard inside your recycling cart as instructed. With Denver Recycles' automated collection system, only materials inside the purple carts can be lifted up by the mechanical arm and emptied into the top of the recycling truck. Cardboard and other materials left outside your cart cannot be collected for recycling.
2. Refrain from stacking cardboard against your cart or on the ground. Cardoard left outside your recycling cart will not get recycled even if it is flattened and stacked right next to your cart. Instead, it will either be left behind or picked up as overflow trash and sent to the landfill. So if you actually want to recycle your cardboard, please put it in your purple cart.
3. Flatten and break down all boxes into pieces no larger than 2 feet by 2 feet. To ensure that you recycle all the cardboard you can but also leave room in your cart for all other valuable recycleable materials, please follow our simple guidelines for recycling boxes:
- Make sure the cut cardboard lays flat in your cart, so it does not take up usable space; or
- Leave cardboard out of your cart until your recycling day. Then lay it flat in the cart on top of the rest of your recycleables and close the lid. This will help to ensure that cardboard does not get stuck in the cart and will enable you to fit more cardboard in your reclycling cart.
By Tom Strickland
