Want to Reduce Your Waste in 2020?
Let Eco-Cycle Help You Achieve Your Zero Waste Resolutions!

About 45% of adults in America make one or more New Year's resolutions, but studies show that by February, most of us have given up on at least one of those resolutions!

"Setting small, attainable goals throughout the year, instead of a singular, overwhelming goal on January 1 can help you reach whatever it is you strive for," says psychologist Lynn Bufka of the American Psychological Association. "Remember, it is not the extent of the change that matters, but rather the act of recognizing that lifestyle change is important and working toward it, one step at a time."

Are you looking to take steps towards living a more sustainable, Zero Waste lifestyle in 2020?
Here are some of our top picks for getting started!

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, Americans generate about 268 million tons of trash annually—about 4.5 lbs. per person per day. Of this, only 35% is recycled or composted. In Colorado, the “weight” of our waste is much heavier! Coloradans produce on average over 8 lbs. of trash per day, and of that amount, only 17% is recycled-- half the national average.

To reduce your waste, the first step is to know what is ending up in your trash bin! Perform a simple waste audit for one week by recording what items, and how much of it, you throw away. With 20/20 vision of what you throw away, you can start taking steps in 2020 to reduce your waste!

Avoiding unnecessary waste is a major goal for those striving for Zero Waste, and a lot of that waste comes in the form of food packaging. Avoiding single-use food packaging often means avoiding processed foods. Instead, opt for “unpackaged” foods, such as fruits and vegetables, as well as bulk items like grains, nuts, and seeds. This will lead to healthier eating for you, and less packaging waste for the planet!

Go a step further by reducing not only packaging, but also the amount of food you waste. Try planning out meals, eating produce before it goes bad, and using up food scraps (for example, use veggie scraps to make soup broth, or fruit scraps in smoothies). What you can’t consume, make sure you compost! By composting, you’ll prevent methane emissions, a major greenhouse gas that is generated when food decomposes in landfills. Instead, your food scraps will be turned into compost which, when applied to soils, not only contributes to more nutrient-dense food, but also helps soil draw down carbon dioxide from the atmosphere – reducing climate change impacts.

Devotees to the Zero Waste lifestyle, like Bea Johnson, report big drops in their spending over time. For example, wasting less food may help cut down on grocery bills. Providing your own reusable packaging (cloth bags, jars, etc.) and shopping from bulk bins also cuts costs because you're not paying for packaging. Getting into the mindset of buying less, reusing, and repairing what you have results in saving money!

Check out bulk stores Refill Revolution in Boulder and Simply Bulk in Longmont, or head to the bulk aisles of your local grocery store. Have a broken appliance? Instead of buying a new one, join Eco-Cycle at an upcoming U-Fix-It Clinic to repair your broken item.

Hit the ground running in 2020 by becoming an Eco-Leader! Join a community of more than 1,000 sustainability-minded residents in Boulder County who stay active by attending Zero Waste trainings, getting involved in local Zero Waste campaigns, and serving as a sustainability resource for their offices, schools, and neighborhoods. Some Eco-Leaders take on big actions, and some take on small tasks, but both sides of the spectrum are crucial to helping you and your community reduce waste! Join us at the next Eco-Leader meeting this Wednesday, January 15th - see details below!

You can also take action by supporting new legislation Eco-Cycle helped draft, which will be introduced in 2020:

BAN on POLYSTYRENE
This bill proposes to ban all polystyrene food and beverage containers in Colorado. Often referred to as Styrofoam, polystyrene food and beverage containers are produced from fossil fuels and are not recyclable—instead, they can decompose into microplastics that are mistaken as food by wildlife.

STRIKE PLASTIC PREEMPTION
This bill proposes to strike down a statewide plastic “preemption”—a law that prevents Colorado communities from taking action to ban single-use, disposable plastics. These items – such as plastic utensils, straws, and plastic bags—are produced from fossil fuels, generate air pollution in their production, are used for mere minutes, and often pollute the environment after they are used.

Following the holiday festivities, January's quieter days can be the perfect time to clear out and clean up. Here's a look at some items commonly purged in the New Year that can be recycled:

Add these to your SINGLE STREAM RECYCLING BIN:
Corrugated cardboard: It might look like nothing special, but this material is the bread-and-butter of recycling operations like the Boulder County Recycling Center. Please flatten boxes and remove excess tape.

Spiral notebooks and old planners: The spiral gets screened out by recycling equipment before this high-quality paper gets turned into new paper products, so no need to remove it. Please remove plastic or non-paper covers and dividers.

Calendars: Paper calendars are a fine addition to your recycling bins. Please remove any plastic covers.

Hard plastic toys: Toys that are rigid and all-plastic (think small slides, lawn furniture, plastic doll houses and buckets) can now be recycled if they aren't candidates for reuse.

See what else can be recycled in your curbside bin -- check out Eco-Cycle's recycling guidelines!

Bring to the Eco-Cycle/City of Boulder CHaRM (Center for Hard-to-Recycle Materials)*
Electronics: Including laptops, tablets, and TV's. These items are recycled through a partnership between the Eco-Cycle/City of Boulder's CHaRM and Blue Star Recyclers that employs people with autism, providing a positive work environment and a path toward social engagement and financial self-sufficiency.

Electric and battery-powered toys: If it is not a candidate for donation, electric and battery-powered toys can be recycled as electronics at the CHaRM.

#6 White Block foam: After a flurry of holiday deliveries, you likely have a growing pile of #6 white block foam--the hard foam that is often used in packing electronics and appliances-- lurking in your home. Collected at the CHaRM, block foam is used to make products like CD cases, light switches, and other household items.

Small appliances: Make room for newly-received kitchen gadgets and appliances by donating items in good working order to thrift stores or charities, and recycling broken appliances that can't be repaired --bring them to the CHaRM.

Clothing: All unwanted clothing gets reused, right? Wrong. It's actually as low as 15%, meaning textiles are a big part of landfill waste. Textiles are sent from CHaRM to communities in need around the globe or recycled as industrial rags.

*$3.00 entrance fee and other charges may apply, see details.