News & Events
LOCATE IT!
Find city services near your home or business.
Recyclers' Corner: November 2009 Issue

Solid Waste Management Providing Trash and Recycling Service to Denver Public Schools

 

 

As part of the City’s ongoing efforts to reduce costs and increase efficiencies, Solid Waste Management (SWM) and Denver Public Schools (DPS) finalized an agreement this year that allows the City to provide trash and recycling services to Denver Public Schools and its Administrative buildings.  Trash service through SWM began in September for all schools, and Denver Recycles began rolling out recycling collection services in September with plans to have all DPS schools recycling by the end of the 2009-10 school year.  Prior to this agreement, DPS was collecting its own trash using a small fleet of trucks, and some schools had contracts with private haulers for recycling services.

 

The City and Denver Public Schools is extremely excited about this partnership and its benefits. Because Denver’s public schools are in neighborhoods where SWM is already providing residential trash and recycling services, SWM can incorporate them into existing residential collection routes and provide more efficient services at the lowest cost possible. In addition to cost savings and operational efficiencies, this partnership also ensures that there will be a consistent district-wide recycling program at every Denver public school and administrative building. 

 

The recycling collection service at schools is being complemented by an education and outreach program designed for DPS students.  To help schools kick-off their new recycling programs, Denver Recycles presents to school staff and offers assemblies for students.  Denver Recycles provides each school with classroom recycling bins, large purple recycling carts, classroom posters and teaching materials. Through these education efforts, students and schools will not only recycle more and generate less trash, but will also understand the environmental benefits of their actions. 

 

To help Denver’s students continue with this valuable learning experience outside of the classroom and to establish good environmental and civic habits, Denver Recycles encourages all Denver families eligible for our services to recycle at home.  To learn more about trash and recycling service at Denver Public Schools or to sign your family up for recycling, please call 3-1-1 or visit DenverGov.org/DenverRecycles.

 
 Print   
Editor's Note:
Recyclers' Corner is a monthly news column sponsored by Denver Recycles, a program of Denver Public Works/Solid Waste Management. It includes updates on seasonal and ongoing activities related to the City and County of Denver's recycling programs. Editors are invited to publish all or part of the column, however, we request that you run major edits by our staff to ensure accuracy of the information. Questions may be directed to Charlotte Pitt or Tom Strickland, Denver Recycles, 720-865-6815.
 Print   
Recycling Myth Busters
Recycling Myth Busters:
Learn the Truth.  Part 11 of 12

There are a lot of myths about recycling passed along from person to person.  We are here to explain some of those myths, so you can be the best recycler possible.
 
Myth:  My recycling doesn't do anything to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

FALSE.  Actually, recycling is one of the easiest, hands-on activities that make a big impact in helping to reduce global warming and greenhouse gas emissions.  The amount of material that Americans procure, produce, deliver and dispose of as goods and services accounts for 42 percent of the nation’s greenhouse gas emissions (U.S. EPA, 2009).  This percentage factors in emissions generated by land use, food and product production across the entire life cycle of a product.  The life cycle of a product includes extraction (mining, agriculture or forestry), manufacturing, packaging, transportation and ultimately disposal.
 
The potential greenhouse gas emission savings from waste reduction, recycling and improved product design are significant. Currently, the U.S. recycles approximately 32 percent of its waste which saves an equivalent amount of greenhouse gases to removing 39.6 million cars from the road.  Increasing the recycling rate to 35 percent would reduce greenhouse gas emissions by an additional 5.2 Million Metric Tons of Carbon Dioxide Equivalent. 
 
You can calculate the emissions savings from recycling your materials online using the EPA’s “WARM” model at www.epa.gov/climatechange.
 Print   
Back Issues
For back issues of the Recycles' Corner please visit the Press Releases page.
 Print   
Text/HTML
Actually, recycling is one of the easiest, hands-on activities that make a big impact in helping to reduce global warming and greenhouse gas emissions.  The amount of material that Americans procure, produce, deliver and dispose of as goods and services accounts for 42 percent of the nation’s greenhouse gas emissions (U.S. EPA, 2009).  This percentage factors in emissions generated by land use, food and product production across the entire life cycle of a product.  The life cycle of a product includes extraction (mining, agriculture or forestry), manufacturing, packaging, transportation and ultimately disposal.   The potential greenhouse gas emission savings from waste reduction, recycling and improved product design are significant. Currently, the U.S. recycles approximately 32 percent of its waste which saves an equivalent amount of greenhouse gases to removing 39.6 million cars from the road.  Increasing the recycling rate to 35 percent would reduce greenhouse gas emissions by an additional 5.2 Million Metric Tons of Carbon Dioxide Equivalent.   You can calculate the emissions savings from recycling your materials online using the EPA’s “WARM” model at www.epa.gov/climatechange.
 Print   
3-1-1 Home