Moab Happenings Archive
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NON-PROFIT HAPPENINGS August 2010

Changes Occurring at Canyonlands Community Recycling

Canyonlands Community Recycling volunteersThe nonprofit organization Canyonlands Community Recycling (CCR) has been working to promote recycling in the Moab area since 1991. Until now, CCR has focused on operating and managing Moab’s recycling center. On July 1, 2010 CCR transferred management and operation of the center to the Grand County Solid Waste Special Service District #1 (the District). Transferring oversight of the center will benefit both entities, by allowing the District to streamline its waste reduction and management efforts and CCR to focus its attention on encouraging lower rates of consumption, higher rates of recycling, and greater reuse of existing resources.
CCR’s new mission is to enhance sustainability by empowering the Moab community to reduce, reuse, and recycle. To do so, CCR has embarked on a new education and outreach program, led by its first program director. One goal of this program is for CCR to collaborate with the District to divert at least 15% of the community’s waste from our landfills by 2015.

According to 2005 statistics, our county - Grand County - produces 20% more municipal waste than the national average. Presumably this is partially the result of waste contributed by tourism. CCR is committed to finding innovative ways to minimize the waste produced in the area through increased education of local residents and tourists alike, and by making it easier to reduce, reuse and recycle in our community.

Canyonlands Community RecyclingWhether you are visiting or living in Moab, you can help by:

• Only consuming what you need

• Reuse existing materials (forgot something at home - or have something you don’t need anymore? Consider picking up or donating a used item at one of WabiSabi’s thrift shops - your purchases and donations support local nonprofits)

• Make conscious choices about what you purchase, for example using refillable water bottles instead of purchasing bottled water (need a free place to fill up your water jugs? visit Gearheads)

• Encourage the businesses and individuals you interact with to compost and recycle (curbside recycling pick-up services are available for residential as well as business customers through the local company Green Solutions)

• Support local food producers (consider visiting the Farmer’s Market Saturdays at Swanny Park from 8:00am-noon or shopping at the nonprofit Moonflower Market)

Canyonlands Community Recycling• Recycle! The recycling center is located at 1000 Sand Flats Road, and open 8:00am-4:00pm Monday-Saturday. The center accepts the following items: brown, clear, and green glass; plastics #1-7; steel/tin cans; aluminum cans; mixed office paper; newspaper; and corrugated cardboard. Please note that we cannot accept plastic bags, styrofoam, paperboard, or magazines.

• Volunteer: CCR always welcomes volunteers. We’d love to work with you, so please contact us. Available on a Wednesday morning? Consider joining the Wednesday Morning Recycling club organized by the all-volunteer group Solutions. Each week Club volunteers from Solutions and CCR help recycling center staff sort commingled recyclables from local parks and perform other helpful tasks.

Living in a small, remote community has its challenges in terms of transporting recyclables to larger markets where they can be reprocessed. Moab is currently facing a challenge in getting its glass to the nearest vendor in Colorado. If you are interested in discussing creative solutions to this problem, please consider joining us at a joint CCR-District glass workshop on September 2nd at 4:00pm at the District office (located in the trailer adjacent to the recycling center at 1000 Sand Flats Road).

For more information, visit: www.moabrecycles.com, email us at: moabrecycles@frontier.com or write us at Canyonlands Community Recycling, PO Box 97, Moab, UT 84532 (435-259-8640).

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