Happy Autumn!
Hello friend, we hope you are doing well! Read on for info about a bunch of great sustainable actions you could take in the next couple of weeks!
- Costume Swap – Sept 29th and 30th
- Universal Waste Collection goes before City Council – Tues, Oct 10th
- Fall Shred Day – Sept 30th
- Household Hazardous and Electronic Waste Disposal Event – Oct 7th
- Walk and Roll to School Day – Oct 4th
- RTD Zero Fare for Youth: Aug ’23 – Aug ’24
- Compost Farm Tours and Demonstrations – Oct 7th, 12th, & 14th
- Colorado E-Bike Rebate Program – Applications open in October
- Plastics: The problematic ones and a petition to get rid of them
- NexTrex Recycling Challenge
- Leaf and Pumpkin Recycling
Also, check out the new blog posts on our website by visiting SustainableBroomfield.com! |
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Donate a costume by Friday, Sept 29th
Looking for a fun and sustainable way to update your Halloween costume this year or just need to make some room in your closet? Donate your gently used costumes for the Library Costume Swap! ?Donations are now being accepted at both inventHQ and the Library Reference Desk during open hours! Costumes for all ages and genders are welcome, just make sure they are clean.Pick up a costume on Saturday, Sept 30th
Then don’t forget to pick a new-to-you costume on Saturday, Sept. 30 from noon – 3 p.m. in the Broadlands Room at 6 Garden Center (InventHQ).Click here for more details
Thank you to the City of Broomfield Sustainability Newsletter for this content. Subscribe here! |
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Show your support for the City & County of Broomfield’s Universal Waste Collection system!
In April, Broomfield’s City Council directed the City’s sustainability staff to write a request for proposal (RFP) to contract with a waste hauler (or haulers) to provide recycling and possibly composting for all Broomfield single-family homes, known as Universal Waste Collection. Now, Broomfield City Council will vote on a Resolution to formalize the Universal Waste Collection RFP process, which, if it passes, will increase recycling rates, reduce recycling truck traffic, and lower waste-hauling costs.
Broomfield’s Universal Waste Collection Resolution is a “make or break” moment! You can help ensure this gets over the finish line by submitting a public comment during the City Council meeting on October 10. Let Broomfield’s City Council know why moving to Universal Waste Collection is personally important to you. Need any help with your comment? Email ryan@ecocycle.org.
What is Universal Waste Collection?
If this Resolution passes, Broomfield will transition from using multiple waste haulers operating on their own schedules to contracting with one or more haulers to collect trash and recycling from single-family homes.
- Fewer trucks mean safer roads, less pollution, and less road damage.
- Equitable costs. Currently, trash and recycling collection costs vary wildly from neighbor to neighbor. A Universal Waste Collection system will ensure that every Broomfield resident pays the same price for the same services.
- The service fee would be based on the trash cart size. Recycling would be included in the service for every resident at no additional charge.
- City staff will also be exploring how to expand compost services.
When and Where is the City Council meeting?
Day: Tuesday, Oct 10, 2023.
Time: TBD. City Council sessions start at 6:00 p.m. The meeting agenda will be released a week before the meeting, which will help determine an approximate time of when the Universal Waste Collection portion of the meeting will begin. Eco-Cycle will send a follow-up email with more details before the meeting.
Location: George DiCiero City & County Building Council Chambers – 1 DesCombes Drive, Broomfield, CO. Look for Ryan in a green/gray Eco-Cycle t-shirt.
Let’s wear green and sit together during the meeting to show our support! Will you bring a friend and multiply the turnout?
RSVP for the City Council Meeting Here!
Send a Letter to City Council Members Voicing your Support!
If you are unable to make the City Council Meeting to give a public comment, please send your Council Members a letter. We have created a letter template that you can just copy and paste into an email, but a personalized message will have a greater impact.
Send an email to the Mayor and all City Council Members at council@broomfieldcitycouncil.org
Email Letter Template (just copy and paste this template into your email where you can then edit as desired and don’t forget to sign your name!)
Are there other ways to help?
Yes! Speak up against misinformation on social media! Unfortunately, misinformation runs rampant online. You can help ensure your neighbors have accurate information by reading and sharing the resources below.
Resources
Broomfield’s Universal Waste Collection Webpage
Broomfield’s 2022 Zero Waste Action Plan
Thank you to Eco-Cycle for this content and their continued support in Broomfield!
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Fall Shred Day: September 30, 9:00-1:00Protect your identity while securely destroying your confidential items such as tax, medical and bank forms for free at the Fall Shred Day event. Broomfield residents can shred a maximum of three boxes of paperwork at the Shred Day event on Sept. 30 from 9 a.m.–1 p.m. Shred Day will also take up to three 32-gallon trash bags of already shredded paper. No appointment is required. Learn more here!
Thanks to the BCSN Newsletter for this content! Subscribe here! |
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Household Hazardous Waste Drop Off: Saturday, Oct 7thMake your appointment for the household hazardous and electronic waste drop-off event on Saturday, Oct. 7. Broomfield residents can drop off items such as aerosols, fertilizers, weedkillers and more at NO CHARGE! Make your appointment, view a full list of accepted items and learn details about the event at Broomfield.org/HHW. Appointment sign-up is open now!
Thank you to Broomfield’s Sustainability Newsletter for this content! Subscribe Here! |
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Save the Date! October 4 is Walk and Roll to School Day
The Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) encourages schools across Colorado to participate in Walk to School Day on October 4th!
Register for Walk to School Day celebrations at WalkBiketoSchool.org, regardless of when you hold your festivities. There you will find many ideas and tips for promoting healthy activity and safe routes to school. Walking school buses are a great opportunity for students to travel as a group, with pickup points that welcome those who live too far from home to get to school purely on foot. Always, keep safety at the core, and have fun!
Get Free Walk and Roll Materials for Your School here.
RTD Zero Fare for Youth
This school year, RTD welcomes a future generation of transit riders to experience RTD at no cost. Through the end of August 2024, all youth under the age of 19 can ride RTD for ZERO FARE, in a one-year pilot to reduce transportation costs for families. Just hop on the bus or train!
Learn how to ride RTD by watching this video!
Thank you to Broomfield’s Sustainability Newsletter for this content! Subscribe Here! |
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Circular Compost Demonstrations in Boulder County:
Join Eco-Cycle & Local Farmers for a Tour!Composting is one of the most significant actions communities can and must take NOW to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, build healthy soils, and conserve water. To develop our vision of a Circular Community Compost System in Boulder County, Eco-Cycle and local farm partners are building a distributed compost system where compost is produced right on a farm, and/or used in ”carbon farming” practices to build healthy soils on farms.Now, you can experience distributed compost production and regenerative farming firsthand. Join us for a tour of these compost production/carbon farming sites where program participants have installed Aerated Static Pile (ASP) systems to facilitate the composting process, and get to know the work and practices of local farms in Boulder County.
On-Farm Composting Tour Locations and Dates:
- Yellow Barn Farm – Longmont, Saturday, October 7, 11 am–12 pm
- Jack’s Solar Garden – Longmont, Saturday, October 7, 1–2 pm (tour limited to 25 people)
- Milk & Honey Farm – Boulder JCC, Thursday, October 12, 4:30–5:30 pm
- Long’s Gardens – Boulder, Saturday, October 14, 11 am–12 pm
- Ollin Farms – Longmont, Saturday, October 14, 1–2 pm
Learn more about our farm partners and reserve your spot today!
Thanks to the Eco-Cycle Newsletter for this content! Subscribe here! |
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New Colorado E-Bicycle Rebate Program
Are you considering purchasing an electric bicycle (e-bike)? Colorado has good news with the new e-bike rebate program available to Colorado residents at 100% area median income (AMI) or below. The rebate will offset costs of the future purchase of an e-bike, as well as, cycling equipment such as a helmet and lock. Rebates range from $500-$1500.
It is expected that applications will be available once per month for a limited window through Spring 2024. For more information about the application process, eligibility requirements, and to sign up for updates on this state program, visit energyoffice.colorado.gov/ebike-rebates.
Thanks to the Broomfield Sustainability Newsletter for this content! Subscribe here! |
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Are Some Plastics Better Than Others?
Whether you’re going to the grocery store or ordering takeout, plastic food and beverage packaging may feel inescapable. One trillion disposable food and beverage packaging items are used each year in the United States, and 8 of the top 10 plastics found in the ocean are disposable food packaging materials.
Despite the fact that plastic pollution is pervasive, the production of disposable plastic products is rapidly increasing, and greatly overwhelming the world’s ability to manage it. One of the solutions being called for by environmental groups, recyclers, and even some within the plastics industry, is to reduce or eliminate the plastics that are most problematic—both in terms of their toxicity and the lack of recycling markets to purchase and remanufacture these materials—and to push for the use of less toxic and more recyclable alternative products in their place.
Some of the most problematic plastics—those that are the most toxic or do not have strong recycling end markets—include:
- #3 PVC (polyvinyl chloride), such as plastic cling wrap,
- #6 PS (polystyrene), such as foam food containers and cups,
- #7 PC (polycarbonate), such as some plastic reusable water bottles, sippy cups, and baby bottles, and
- all black plastics, including black plastic take-out food containers.
Learn more about why these plastics may be harmful to your health and the planet.
View our Quick Guide to Plastics for a glance at better (and worse) plastics.
Sign the Petition to Ban Harmful PFAS!
In 2022, Colorado passed HB22-1345, banning PFAS (also known as Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances, or “forever chemicals”). The bill, sponsored by Sens. Cutter, Gonzales, and Lee, and Rep. Bradfield, bans intentionally added PFAS in certain items such as food packaging, carpet, and cosmetics. Other states, including Minnesota and California, have also passed similar laws. The next step is to ban these harmful substances nationwide.
Sign on to the US Composting Council petition to encourage this type of ban at the federal level.
Thanks to the Eco-Cycle Newsletter for this content! Subscribe here! |
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Did you know that Trex uses recycled plastic film for their decking products? Also, Trex recently launched a community/organization challenge to collect and recycle plastic film. They will donate a bench to your group if you collect and recycle 1000 pounds of plastic film.The Anthem Ranch neighborhood has been collecting plastic film for only two weeks and are well on their way to getting a bench, with over 350lbs already collected. Visit the NexTrex Recycling Challenge website for more info about how your group or community can participate. |
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Instead, Drop Them Off at the Broomfield Tree Branch Recycling Facility!
When organic materials like leaves and pumpkins are thrown in the trash and taken to a landfill, they get buried and decompose anaerobically (without oxygen). This causes them to emit methane, a potent greenhouse gas that contributes to the heating of our planet.
If you take your leaves to the Broomfield Tree Branch Recycling Facility in mid October, they get shredded with branches and turned into mulch that people can use in their gardens. The pumpkins are collected from the end of October through early December and get composted. Through both of these processes, the organic matter breaks down naturally and very few greenhouse gasses are emitted.
Alternatively, feed your leftover pumpkins to the squirrels in your yard and place the leaves around plants in your garden to help insulate them over the winter.
Whatever you do, please avoid sending bags of leaves and old pumpkins to the landfill. And please encourage your neighbors and friends in Broomfield to do the same! Thank you! |
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