How Composting Can Dig Us Out of the Landfill Methane Crisis
While carbon dioxide often dominates the climate conversation, methane is a far more potent greenhouse gas in the short term, trapping over 80 times more heat in the atmosphere than CO₂ over a twenty-year period. In the US, landfills account...
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Strengthening Recycling for a Healthier People and Planet
Looking back to the origins of Earth Day fifty-five years ago, Eco-Cycle reflects on recycling then vs. now, and looks toward a future when Colorado's EPR laws are in full effect, additional Producer Responsibility organizations abound, and the proposed battery...
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Not Just a Recycler: Reuse Makes the CHaRM Go Round
Reuse, which comes before Recycling in the EPA’s waste hierarchy, extends the life of an item and the value of the natural resources used to make it. At the Eco-Cycle/City of Boulder Center for Hard-to-Recycle Materials (CHaRM), we go the...
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Waste Reduction in Action: Building Lifelong Habits Through Eco-Cycle’s Green Star Schools Program
By focusing on the first of the 5 Rs of waste reduction (reduce, reuse, repair, recycle, and “rot”), Eco-Cycle empowers students to make sustainable choices with lasting impact. At Eco-Cycle, we believe true sustainability begins with a mindset shift, rethinking...
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Eco-Cycle’s Local Response: The Truth About Recycling in Boulder County
Eco-Cycle has authored this local response, in addition to the response coauthored by the Alliance for Mission-Based Recycling (AMBR), to a recent NYT article that disparages the recycling industry. Eco-Cycle is a founding member of the Alliance for Mission-Based Recycling...
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AMBR’s Response: Lies About Lies About Recycling
Following the recent publication of a NYT article disparaging the recycling industry, the Alliance for Mission-Based Recycling (AMBR)—a coalition founded by four of the original pioneers of mission-driven, community-based nonprofit recycling in the US, including Eco-Cycle—has co-authored this response. This...
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Bad News Bear Spray: How to Dispose of Expired Bear Spray
Old bear spray cans cannot be recycled. Spread the word to help Eco-Cycle keep bear spray OUT of single-stream recycling bins in Boulder County. This dangerous contaminant poses a safety risk to the employees sorting recyclables inside the recycling facility....
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Colorado’s Landmark Producer Responsibility Laws: What They Mean for Recycling and Zero Waste in the State
In 2022, Colorado passed landmark legislation, HB 22-1355 Producer Responsibility for Recycling Packaging and Paper, making it the third state in the country to pass this ambitious policy. Colorado's combined recycling and composting rate has remained steady at around 15%...
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