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Denver Recycles' Roundup: May 2013

 
 Learn to Compost This Summer!

Compost is a crumbly, nutrient-rich soil amendment that is great for your plants, lawn and garden, especially during periods of drought.  Learn how easy it is to make your own compost in your backyard from food scraps and yard waste at Denver Recycles’ and Denver Urban Gardens’ FREE Learn to Compost classes.  Classes are offered through the middle of October at the Denver Compost Demonstration Site located in the Gove Community Garden at 13th Ave. and Colorado Blvd. For a complete list of class dates and times, visit DenverGov.org/DenverRecycles.

Applying compost to your plants, lawn and garden is especially important during times of drought when we all need to be cautious about how much water we use.  Compost holds moisture in the soil for extended periods of time, which allows water to be available to plants longer between watering.  Compost also opens clay soils, allowing better drainage, and closes sandy soils, preventing water from leaching away too quickly.

Each hands-on, two-hour Learn to Compost class teaches the basics of backyard composting.  Special in-depth Worm Workshops and Build-a-pile classes are also offered.

  • WORM WORKSHOPS focus on vermicomposting (worm composting) and will be held once each month, May through October.
  • BUILD-A-PILE CLASSES give participants hands-on experience building an entire compost pile, including incorporating different ingredients, chopping materials, watering and turning the pile. Five Build-a-pile classes will be held throughout the season.


Class registration is first come, first served.  Registration for each class opens one month prior to the class date. Pre-registration is required to attend the classes.

To review the entire 2013 class schedule and register for a class, visit dug.org/compost or call 303-292-9900.

Composting is a fun, easy activity that allows the whole family to participate in recycling and results in a nourishing soil amendment for your plants, lawn and garden.  Organic materials like leaves, branches, grass clippings and food scraps make up more than half of what Denver residents send to the landfill every year.  You can help reduce that amount by learning how to compost these items in your backyard and help your yard thrive, even during periods of limited water use. 

Learn to Compost classes are sponsored by Denver Recycles (a program of Denver Public Works/Solid Waste Management) and Denver Urban Gardens.  For more information about this program or other Denver Recycles programs call 311 or visit DenverGov.org/DenverRecycles.



Editor's Note:

The Denver Recycles’ Roundup is a periodic 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 Denver Recycles.

 

Reduce Your Greenhouse Gas Emissions by Recycling & Composting

 
Reducing, reusing, recycling and composting are some of the simplest things you can do to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions.  Here’s how it helps:
  1. Keeping materials out of the landfill reduces methane gas emissions:  Landfills in the United States are a major source of methane gas production.  Methane is a powerful greenhouse gas and a major factor in global warming because it is 21 times more effective at trapping heat in our atmosphere than carbon dioxide over a 100-year period.  Methane is produced in a landfill when organic materials (such as food waste, yard trimmings and paper) decompose under anaerobic (without air) conditions.  By diverting materials from landfills, either by recycling or composting, you are helping to reduce the production of a major greenhouse gas, methane, which lowers your impact on global warming.  
  2. Recycling saves energy:  When you recycle, you help save energy.  Manufacturing products from recycled materials almost always requires less energy than manufacturing goods from virgin materials.  Recycling helps reduce the need for the extraction, transportation, and processing of virgin materials, which all require significant amounts of energy.  Saving energy means fewer fossil fuels are burned and less carbon dioxide is emitted into the atmosphere.
  3. Reducing paper use, recycling paper and buying recycled paper saves trees:  Trees absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and store it in wood in a process called carbon sequestration.  More trees in the forests means more carbon sequestration and less carbon dioxide in the atmosphere!  The more we reduce, recycle and buy recycled paper the more trees we leave standing. 

What are some simple things you can do to make a difference every day?

  • Bring your recyclables home.  When you are out and about running errands or having fun, don’t throw recyclables like cans or bottles away!  Bring them home to recycle in your purple recycling cart.  Consider keeping a bag dedicated for recyclables in your car.
  • Make sure you are recycling everything you can.  Here in Denver the number of materials accepted for recycling has increased over time.  Check out the latest recycling guidelines at DenverGov.org/DenverRecycles to make sure you are maximizing what you put in your purple recycling cart. Did you know you can now recycle things like milk cartons and plastic clam shell containers?
  • Take your recycling to the next level.  Many items not taken for recycling in the purple carts can still be recycled at local drop-off facilities.  Go to Denver Recycles’ online Recycling Directory for a list of materials and recycling drop-off options at DenverGov.org/RecyclingDirectory.
  • Compost in your backyard.  Backyard composting is a fun, easy activity that allows your whole family to participate in recycling.  Compost is a crumbly, nutrient-rich soil amendment that is great for your plants, lawn and garden.  Compost is especially helpful during periods of drought because it holds moisture in the soil for extended periods of time.  You can learn to compost at one of Denver’s free Learn to Compost classes.

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