From: Administrative E-Memo (memofrom@Colorado.EDU)
Date: Wed Feb 25 2009 - 19:31:15 MST
Date: Wed, 25 Feb 2009 19:31:15 -0700 (MST) From: Administrative E-Memo <memofrom@Colorado.EDU> Subject: CU Clarifies Recycling Steps, Prepares for Next Level
TO: Boulder Campus Teaching & Research Faculty, Staff,
Deans, Directors, Dept Chairs, System Administration
FROM: Environmental Center
SENDER: Daniel Baril
DATE: February 25, 2009
SUBJECT: CU Clarifies Recycling Steps, Prepares for Next Level
of Development
Along with the world around us, the Recycling Industry is changing.
Around Boulder and in neighboring counties, people are switching to "single
Stream" recycling. This is where all eligible recyclables are collected in
the same container.
However, recycling in CU's academic and administrative buildings is very
different. In these campus buildings, the types and amounts of recyclables
are simply too valuable to be mixed all together.
Keeping recyclables separate in academic and administrative buildings is
valuable to the University, helpful for the environment, and beneficial to
Boulder County. Office papers and newspaper generate revenue for CU that
would be lost if it was mixed in with everything else. These revenues help
lower student fees for recycling and can be reinvested to expand recycling
campus-wide. Keeping recyclables separate also means that office paper can
be recycled into high quality paper again, and allows higher end uses (like
new copy paper) and greater environmental benefit.
However, the single stream approach to recycling can be used in other parts
of CU.
A new single stream recycling program is being tested in CU's residence
halls and family housing courts with a grant provided by the Boulder County
Resource Conservation Division. CU is hoping that the added convenience will
invigorate participation among the nearly 7,000 residents that live on
campus. Since the composition of residence halls and family housing
recyclables more closely resembles households, this option may work well in
CU's housing department. In this test, allowable materials for CU's single
stream are identical to off campus communities. However, flattened cardboard
boxes will be collected in separate bins because the amounts that CU
generates take too much space in a single stream bin. Proper participation
remains crucial. A list of acceptable recyclables can be found at
http://recycling.colorado.edu/.
So, when you are on campus please continue to separate recyclable materials
into their proper bins. Each building has bins for Commingled Containers,
Office Pak, Newspaper, Cardboard, and Magazines/Phonebooks. In residence
halls, or campus housing there is no need to separate your recyclables, with
the exception of cardboard boxes
Now, more than ever, we need to recycle. Environmental industries like
recycling are one of the few bright spots in the economy. Although
recycling revenues have also dropped with the economic downturn and, for
now, a subsidy is required to keep the program whole it's still the right
thing to do, and most experts predict recycling revenues will rebound as
demand increases faster than virgin materials. Campus and political leaders
are recognizing this, investing in the next level of recycling, and counting
on us to do our part.
Look for exciting improvements that move CU toward zero waste. Your input is
encouraged. Contact CU Recycling at 303.492.8307 or cure@colorado.edu
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