A Day That Sparked a Movement

The first Earth Day was held in 1970, when an estimated 20 million people across the United States took to streets, parks, and campuses to demand a healthier environment. It remains one of the largest civic events in history—and helped launch major environmental protections we still rely on today. More than 50 years later, Earth Day is now often celebrated for the entire month of April and has grown into a global movement, with over a billion people participating each year. But its core idea is still the same: real change starts with people coming together.

Global challenges like climate change and plastic pollution can feel overwhelming. But the solutions often start much closer to home. Join Eco-Cycle and our partners in these upcoming events!

Kick Off Earth Week with a Special Film Screening of Single-Use Planet

Tuesday, April 21, 2026
6:00 to 8:30 pm
Boedecker Theater at the Dairy Arts Center

Eco-Cycle is hosting a special Earth Week screening of Single-Use Planet—a documentary that explores the upstream incentives for the onslaught of single-use plastics that are impacting the health of our planet. 

The film will be followed by a panel discussion featuring local leaders and activists who are fighting for a different world. From recycling to reuse to policies that better protect people and the planet, you’ll hear what’s happening here in Colorado to address the problem of single-use plastics.

Space is limited. Get your tickets today!

Bring Your Hard-to-Recycle Materials to a Collection Event!

The Eco-Cycle/City of Boulder Center for Hard-to-Recycle Materials (CHaRM) is traveling around the region collecting Hard-to-Recycle (HTR) materials! As a way to increase access to recycling we’ve partnered with local communities to offer subsidized (and in some cases free) public collection events to collect electronics, plastic bags, and more! Check out these upcoming events.

• Lafayette Hard-to-Recycle Event, April 25, 2026, 8 am–12 pm. Be sure to register here!
• Erie Clean-Up Event, May 2, 2026, 8 am–1 pm. Learn more here.
• Niwot’s Neal Anderson Clean-Up & Recycling Day, May 16, 2026 (times TBD).

If you’d like to volunteer with Eco-Cycle staff at one of these Hard-to-Recycle events, sign up for a shift here! No experience needed.

U-Fix-It Clinic

Join Resource Central at the upcoming Boulder U-Fix-It Clinic, where volunteer repair experts will help you troubleshoot and fix common household items like appliances, lamps, toys, furniture, electronics, musical instruments, jewelry, and more! 

Whether it’s a wobbly lamp, a torn jacket, or a gadget that just won’t turn on, repair coaches will work with you to bring it back to life. Not only will you save money, you’ll also keep usable items out of the landfill and learn practical repair skills you can use again and again!

Bring your item, your curiosity, and a willingness to learn! Sign up for a spot today.

Saturday, April 18, 2026
10:00 am–1:00 pm 
Resource Central (colocated with the Eco-Cycle/City of Boulder CHaRM, 6400 Arapahoe Rd, Boulder) 

Earth Month Celebrations

Eco-Cycle will be on-site at many of these Earth Month community celebrations, tabling and engaging with the public to share practical Zero Waste tips, answer questions, and connect people with local recycling and reuse resources. 

Broomfield Earth Day Celebration and Garden Tool Swap
Saturday, April 18, 2026
1–4 pm
Paula Derda Recreation Center

Bring your friends, family, and neighbors to discover, learn, and take action for a greener future at the Broomfield Earth Day Celebration, which includes a seed swap, bike repair station, garden tool swap, electric vehicle showcase, and kids’ activities!

12th Annual Longmont Earth Day Celebration
Saturday, April 18, 2026
10 am–2 pm
Timberline PK–8 SVVSD

“Our Power, Our Planet” is a free family-friendly celebration! Enjoy live music by Jen Cleary, animal encounters, a clothing swap, and a bike donation drive. Explore educational booths, cultural dance performances, and more, plus a special appearance from Congressman Joe Neguse! Indoor and outdoor activities will be offered.

Erie Arbor Day/Earth Day Celebration
Saturday, April 25, 2026
10 am–1 pm
Erie Community Park (Poor Weather Back-Up Location: Erie Community Library)

Enjoy tree giveaways, fun crafts and games, and hands-on learning about tree care and environmental stewardship. Hosted by local town departments and boards, this family-friendly event supports Erie’s Tree City USA designation and brings the community together to care for our environment.

Lyons Earth Day Celebration 2026
April 18–25, 2026
Locations and times vary

During the week of April 18–25, Lyons is hosting free events celebrating sustainability, community, and caring for our planet. Enjoy workshops, talks, film, and eco-friendly activities all week long. Then, on Saturday, April 25, from 10 am–2 pm, come together at Bohn Park along St. Vrain Creek for the Lyons Earth Day Expo!

Lafayette & Louisville Earth Day, Every Day
Saturday, May 2, 2026
10 am–2 pm
Bob L. Burger Recreation Center

This free, family-friendly event features live music, interactive activities, an EV showcase, food trucks, a sustainable makers market, and over 40 eco-focused vendors. Enjoy hands-on fun, live animals, and tours of the Outdoor Classroom—all while connecting with your community and supporting a more sustainable future.

Earth Day (and Earth Month!) is powerful because it reminds us what’s possible when we come together: building toward a more resilient, less wasteful, more sustainable future. We hope you’ll join us—not just to celebrate the planet, but to take part in shaping the systems that protect it all year long!

The post Earth Day Community Celebrations: Take Action with Eco-Cycle! appeared first on Eco-Cycle.

Recycle Colorado’s Lobby Day is a chance for you to step into the democratic process and speak directly with state lawmakers about advancing recycling policies. By showing up, sharing your story, and engaging in meaningful conversations, participants help shape decisions that impact communities across Colorado.

Most of us have opinions about what should happen at the Colorado State Capitol, but far fewer of us have ever stepped inside the building to talk directly with the lawmakers who make those decisions. It’s easy to assume that influencing legislation requires policy expertise, years of experience, or specific knowledge.

In reality, it often starts with something much simpler: showing up as a constituent and sharing why an issue matters to you.

Join us on March 12, 2026, for Lobby Day!

Every year Eco-Cycle staff and volunteers head to the Colorado Capitol for Recycle Colorado’s Lobby Day—a supportive way for everyday Coloradans to participate in the legislative process, advocate for Zero Waste policies, and connect with other like-minded activists. Join us, and make a difference in Colorado’s Zero Waste future! 

Colorado Lobby Day
March 12, 2026
7:45 am to 4:00 pm
Colorado State Capitol (200 E. Colfax Avenue, Denver, CO)
Reception at Forte Wine Bar, 4:00–6:30 pm 

To kick things off, a virtual training will be held the morning before Lobby Day, on Wednesday, March 11, from 8:00–9:30 a.m. During the training, participants will receive an overview of the 2026 recycling bills moving through the legislature, learn how to identify and locate their elected officials, and review clear talking points and an easy-to-follow script to guide their conversations. The goal is to ensure that everyone arrives at the Capitol feeling informed, prepared, and confident.

On Lobby Day, Thursday, March 12, participants will meet at 7:45 a.m. inside the capitol after passing through security, where the morning begins with a light breakfast and time to connect with fellow volunteers. Advocates then break into small groups, each led by an experienced team leader who provides guidance, helps coordinate meetings, and offers support throughout the day. Equipped with a list of legislators to visit, teams move through the building to meet with senators, representatives, and their aides. Lunch is provided, and the day wraps up with a reception at Forte WIne Bar, to celebrate our collective impact!

No Experience Required

Lobby Day is a lot like swimming—you’ve got to jump in! For many volunteers, this is a completely new experience. The capitol is bustling with legislators, lobbyists, staff, reporters, and volunteer lobbyists like you. While this may seem a bit intimidating, every year new volunteer lobbyists say the same thing time and time again: “that was the most fun I have had in a long time!” 

More than knowledge, statistics, or well-developed arguments, your personal stories and viewpoints hold the greatest impact. Most legislators are so busy they don’t remember a lot of the detailed information and statistics about issues, but they will remember the interesting story you told about why an issue is important to you. It’s those connections that matter the most, and may have a significant impact on a legislator’s vote. In fact, legislators consistently express appreciation for hearing directly from constituents, and many prefer those conversations to meetings with professional lobbyists because they provide authentic community perspective.

Lobby Day demonstrates that influencing policy does not require insider status; it requires informed, engaged residents who are willing to show up. Join us this year at Recycle Colorado’s Lobby Day!

Please register before February 20 at 2026 Recycle Colorado Lobby Day Advocate Sign Up.

The post Democracy in Action: Join Us for Lobby Day 2026 appeared first on Eco-Cycle.

Join Eco-Cycle in welcoming a creative take on reuse in Boulder at Music from Scrap, a performance and installation project by on view at the Boulder Public Library’s Canyon Gallery starting next month. 

Eco-Cycle is proud to support Music from Scrap, an imaginative exhibition and performance series that uses the power of art and music to explore how reuse can reshape the way we think about natural resources. This ongoing exhibition by composer-performer-artists Abby Kellems, Gavin Kitchen, and Jessie Lausé will run at the Boulder Public Library’s Canyon Gallery from February 7 through April 3, 2026, and features playable musical instruments and graphic scores created from found, recycled, and repurposed materials, inviting visitors to explore reuse through hands-on music-making. 

This project offers a compelling way to show how reused and repurposed materials can take on new life through music. By transforming discarded materials into fully playable instruments, Music from Scrap invites our community to consider how creativity and reuse can shape a more circular future.

Join us for the opening concert on Saturday, February 7, at 2:00 pm in the Canyon Theater at the Boulder Public Library, featuring a presentation by Eco-Cycle’s Lex Shannon.

As the saying goes, waste isn’t waste until we waste it. 

At Eco-Cycle, we believe the key to achieving circularity in Colorado is changing the way we interact with and consider natural resources. While recycling is an important part of this system, our goal is to encourage folks to see that resources are most valuable in their original form—still in the ground. Every time we can avoid extracting new materials, it’s a win for circularity. Music from Scrap reflects this philosophy by demonstrating how materials that already exist can be repurposed in meaningful and unexpected ways.

The project challenges the music industry’s reliance on virgin materials like wood and metal, which are typically extracted, processed, and shaped into traditional instruments. In contrast, the instruments created for Music from Scrap give new life to materials that have already been through that process. These are fully functional instruments used to perform original music—not novelty objects or simple craft projects.

A quick search for musical instruments made from recycled materials often turns up children’s toys or simple DIY projects, but rarely examples of instruments designed for serious performance. While shifting an entire industry toward circularity is a lofty goal, Music from Scrap focuses on empowering its community to find creativity and joy in climate change solutions at any scale.

The opening concert will feature original music written specifically for instruments built from reused materials, along with participation from Lex Shannon, Public Education and Engagement Senior Manager at Eco-Cycle. The performance will be followed by a reception in the Canyon Gallery, where community members will be invited to play the instruments and make music of their own.

Stay tuned (pun intended) for the latest on reuse!

Eco-Cycle will soon be unveiling our latest tool—designed to support businesses and consumers interested in reuse. The Reuse Hub for Boulder and Beyond is a virtual platform dedicated to celebrating and supporting eco-conscious shopping and dining options throughout our region. It will offer resources on best practices for integrating reusables, guides to secondhand and reuse-focused businesses, and much more.

The post Music from Scrap Exhibition appeared first on Eco-Cycle.

Discover how Eco-Cycle is shaping Colorado’s future with groundbreaking Zero Waste policies—from banning polystyrene to making recycling free and accessible statewide. Learn how your workplace can be a part of lasting environmental change with our expert-led Policy 101 trainings!  

Did you know that for almost a decade, Eco-Cycle has been involved in advocating for statewide legislation to support Zero Waste initiatives in Colorado? Many of these Zero Waste policies are already making a huge impact. 

We want to engage more Coloradans in advocating for change. We’re now offering Policy 101 trainings at your place of work, led by Eco-Cycle’s Director of Policy and Community Campaigns, Randy Moorman, and Senior Policy Advisor Rachel Setzke. These trainings will help staff understand the policy process in Colorado, as well as introduce the Zero Waste bills that are making a difference statewide. 

Eco-Cycle recently led a Policy 101 training for interns at Walking Mountains Science Center, helping future environmental leaders understand the process through which a bill becomes law, and the role we all have to play in advancing Zero Waste legislation NOW that will protect our planet for generations to come.

Catch the Replay

• Watch the recording here!

Read on for some examples of successful Zero Waste policy action that are now law in Colorado.

What You’ll Learn

Thanks to persistent advocacy by organizations like Eco-Cycle and our partners, including Recycle Colorado, CoPIRG, Green Latinos, and others, several landmark Zero Waste bills have become law.

Plastic Pollution Reduction Act (PPRA), 2021

The Plastic Pollution Reduction Act (HB21-1163) made Colorado the first non-coastal state to ban polystyrene takeout containers and implement a statewide ban on plastic checkout bags distributed by large retailers, with a fee on single-use paper bags.

With the passage of this bill, Colorado also became the first state to repeal a law championed by the plastics industry that prohibited local jurisdictions from adopting ordinances that ban plastic items.

Key Impacts:

• Banned polystyrene (Styrofoam) takeout containers statewide.
  
• Banned large retailers in Colorado from distributing plastic checkout bags, and added a mandatory fee on single-use bags to encourage reusable options.
  
• Repealed the prohibition on local plastic bans, allowing cities to lead on plastic waste reduction.

Right to Repair

Colorado made national news by passing three Right to Repair laws, giving consumers the tools to fix their products instead of throwing them away.

These laws cover:

• Powered wheelchairs
  
• Agricultural equipment (like tractors)
  
• Consumer electronics (appliances, phones, computers, HVAC units)

Producer Responsibility for Packaging, 2022

Under our current waste and recycling system, recycling costs fall on residents, businesses, and local governments—communities that have no say in how products are made or how recyclable they are. Producer Responsibility laws shift those costs to manufacturers, incentivizing better, more sustainable product design.

Colorado’s Producer Responsibility Program for Recycling (HB22-1355) was written and championed by Eco-Cycle and passed in 2022. It makes Colorado the first state with a fully producer-funded, statewide recycling system for consumer packaging and paper.

When implemented in 2026, the law will:

• Provide free curbside recycling for all Coloradans
  
• Ensure producers fund recycling education and infrastructure
  
• Charge producers using less packaging, or more recyclable packaging, a smaller fee, incentivizing more sustainable packaging design.

By 2035, this law is expected to:

• Expand recycling to 700,000 more households in Colorado
  
• Divert 720,000 tons of packaging from landfills annually
  
• Reduce emissions equivalent to removing 278,000 cars from the road

Who Should Request a Policy 101 Training?

• People who want to effect change
• Organizations that want to learn more about Zero Waste policy in Colorado

Let’s talk! We may be able to provide Zero Waste resources and education in your community or workplace. Contact randy@ecocycle.org to learn more.

The post Eco-Cycle Could Teach Zero Waste Policy 101 in Your Workplace appeared first on Eco-Cycle.

If you’ve felt overwhelmed, confused, or even a little cynical about all the news headlines around plastics—you’re not alone. Join us for this free environmental webinar to learn the truth about plastics, whether they’re recyclable, and how you can help reduce plastic pollution.

From alarming reports about microplastics in our bodies, to conflicting messages on whether recycling plastics is real, the conversation around plastics can be confusing. That’s why Eco-Cycle invites you to watch a special Plastic Free July webinar:

Clear as Plastic: Demystifying Recent Plastics Headlines and Answering Your Most Burning Questions

Whether you’re just starting to rethink your plastic habits or you’ve been in the anti-plastic trenches for years, this webinar is for you! Click here to watch the recording.

What You’ll Learn

“Clear as Plastic” is packed with mythbusters and takeaways you can put into practice right away. Here’s a sample of what we’ll cover:

• “Is plastics recycling a hoax?” We’ll break down this controversial question, including why plastics are more complicated compared to other materials in the recycling system—and how that impacts what can and can’t be recycled.
• “How did we get here?” We’ll guide you through an overview of the plastics industry—how production exploded, who’s responsible, and how policy, profit, and public perception have collided.
• Plastic reduction tips that actually work. From smarter shopping to easy swaps that reduce single-use plastics in your home, you’ll walk away with practical tools to reduce your plastic use.

Stay until the end for the Q&A session and find answers to questions like: “What are the most effective ways to reduce plastic use now?”, “What plastics can go into my curbside recycling bin?”, and “What do I need to know about plastics incineration?”

Why Now?

Plastic Free July is a global movement to reduce plastic pollution—and it’s become a powerful movement to raise awareness and shift habits. But it can also leave people feeling discouraged—what difference can one person really make?

That’s exactly why this webinar matters. Understanding the system is the first step toward changing it. When we’re armed with facts, connected to others, and inspired by collective action, our individual choices start to ripple outward—and create real momentum.

Who Should Attend?

• Curious beginners looking for a better understanding of plastics and what’s really happening behind the scenes
• Long-time recyclers and plastic-free advocates ready to deepen their knowledge
• Teachers, parents, students, and community leaders seeking clear answers

Catch the Replay

This free, 90-minute webinar is available to view here.

The post Environmental Webinar Recording: “Clear as Plastic” appeared first on Eco-Cycle.

Colorado’s combined recycling and composting rate has remained steady at around 15% for years, which is less than half the national average of 32%. To increase this rate, Coloradans urgently need better access to recycling. Colorado’s Producer Responsibility program (sometimes called Extended Producer Responsibility or EPR) program for packaging and paper will begin to implement the roll-out of no-cost recycling access for all Coloradans in 2026.

Eco-Cycle has been actively involved in shaping Colorado’s Producer Responsibility laws. In partnership with Recycle Colorado and other allies, we’ve helped draft, advocate for, and now implement these policies. Eco-Cycle is uniquely positioned to drive impactful Zero Waste policies, drawing from both our hands-on experience educating residents about recycling and Zero Waste, and our direct role in collecting and processing materials at the Center for Hard-to-Recycle Materials (CHaRM) and the Boulder County Recycling Center.

Colorado’s Producer Responsibility for Packaging and Paper Incentivizes Better Packaging Design 

Colorado’s Producer Responsibility law for packaging and paper requires producers to take responsibility for the end-of-life management of their products. In addition to expanded recycling access, key benefits of the policy include:

• Creating incentives for manufacturers to design more sustainable, less toxic, and more easily recyclable products and packaging; and 
• Shifting the costs of recycling from individuals and local governments to producers.

The law applies to all consumer-facing packaging, so it includes:  

• Bottles, cans, containers, boxes, and mailers; 
• Printed paper; and
• Food service packaging. 

Additionally, a statewide list of recyclable materials will be established, meaning recycling guidelines will be the same throughout the state.

Curious how the new Producer Responsibility will change recycling for Coloradans?

We’ve got answers! Earlier this month, Eco-Cycle hosted a webinar on Colorado’s Producer Responsibility laws both for packaging and printed paper and architectural paint as well as the bill we’re advocating for in the legislature right now that will set up a system for battery collection and recycling throughout the state. 

• If you missed the webinar, you can view it on our YouTube channel. Below are a few highlights from the webinar, including how you can get involved. 

Producer Responsibility Means Recycling for All Coloradans, Paid for by Packaging Producers

The key benefit of Producer Responsibility for Colorado residents is expanded recycling services to all single- and multifamily homes, funded by producers—not taxpayers. This includes infrastructure improvements to make recycling collection as convenient as trash collection. By 2028, the program is also required to provide recycling services to some non-residential entities which could include schools, small businesses, and government buildings across the state. Residents must be given opportunity and access to recycle, but they are not required to do so. 

Cost and Funding: The program is 100% producer-funded, with producers paying based on the type and amount of packaging they put into the market. Fees will be just fractions of a penny per package, with lower fees for easier-to-recycle packaging to drive more sustainable design. Decades of similar programs worldwide show that Producer Responsibility laws do not increase consumer prices, as product costs are driven by much larger factors like labor, fuel, supply chain expenses, etc. In fact, Colorado residents who currently pay for recycling services will save money, as those costs will be covered by the program. Those without recycling services will receive them for no cost.

Timeline: This February, the implementation plan for the program was completed by the Producer Responsibility Organization, composed of producers that sell packaging and/or paper into the state. This plan is now under review by a State-appointed advisory board representing communities, environmental groups, recycling experts, and others. The plan will ultimately be reviewed and approved by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, and the program is expected to launch in early 2026. 

Colorado’s Current and Proposed Producer Responsibility Policies:

Colorado already has one Producer Responsibility law in place, with a second under consideration.

• PASSED: In 2014, Producer Responsibility for architectural paint was passed, creating a program to provide convenient collections so that at least 95% of Colorado residents have a permanent collection facility within a 15-mile radius of their home and yearly collection events in areas without drop-off sites. This is paid for through a small point-of-sale fee when paint is purchased. This program successfully collects more than 800,000 gallons of paint every year, the majority of which is recycled or reused. Without this program, local governments would have to fund paint collections or deal with paint improperly disposed of in sewer systems or by other means.
• PROPOSED: In 2025, a Producer Responsibility program for small- and medium-format batteries—including button batteries, toy batteries like AA and others, and e-bike and power tool batteries—has been introduced and is currently being heard in the state legislature. Batteries improperly disposed of in recycling or trash are a leading source of fires in waste and recycling operations​. This proposed bill would require producers to pay for battery collection sites across the state so that the valuable materials in the batteries can be safely collected and recycled back into new batteries. 

How to Get Involved

If you’re ready to support Zero Waste in Colorado, here’s how to get involved: 

• Become an Eco-Leader​! Learn more and sign up here. As an Eco-Leader, you can sign up for the Policy Action Team to be in the loop to take legislative and policy action​, and get involved with other Zero Waste policies in Colorado, like:​
  • Plastic Pollution Reduction Act implementation​
  • Truth in Compostables Labeling implementation​
  • Landfill Methane Emission rulemaking​
  • Battery Stewardship

You can learn much more about product stewardship and Zero Waste by watching our recent webinar!

The post Colorado’s Landmark Producer Responsibility Laws: What They Mean for Recycling and Zero Waste in the State appeared first on Eco-Cycle.

Eco-Cycle, represented by the Alliance for Mission-Based Recycling (AMBR), is helping ensure the voices of mission-based, Zero Waste recycling operators are heard at the negotiations for the global plastics treaty. Eco-Cycle cofounded AMBR in 2019 with fellow mission-based recycling operators in the United States. Together, we advocate for equitable, Zero Waste solutions and policies to ensure the role of recycling is to keep resources in the ground and reduce harm to people and communities. 

Late last year, AMBR attended INC-5, the fifth round of negotiations for the global plastics treaty. This week, Eco-Cycle and AMBR hosted a webinar to unpack what we heard at the convening. 

View the webinar at: https://youtu.be/8GvUCaX5ydw

Here’s a quick recap of the discussion: 

“AMBR Knows Where Your Water Bottle Goes” 

As Zero Waste recyclers, our focus during the negotiations is on waste reduction in packaging. We use the Zero Waste hierarchy to evaluate proposed solutions, ideally not only solving today’s problems but also preventing tomorrow’s. We encourage redesign and rethinking packaging first and foremost with reduction in mind, and considering reuse options before designing a package for recycling. 

Informed by the reality of what we see coming through our recycling facilities every day, we view plastics recycling as a bridge strategy to total elimination. We know recycling is a key part of a Zero Waste future, but it is absolutely not the solution to the global plastics crisis. 

AMBR’s Ideal Treaty Includes a Significant Reduction in Plastic Production 

AMBR believes a global plastics treaty must: 

• Significantly reduce plastic production; 
• Eliminate problematic and unnecessary plastics;
• Stop investments in false solutions like chemical recycling and instead make strategic investments to support proven solutions; and 
• Prioritize reuse and redesign targets. 

Treaty Negotiations Bring Together an Incredible Array of Interests, Perspectives, and Lived Experiences

• Only roughly 180 government delegates from variouscountries can speak and have a vote at the negotiations. Representatives from organizations like ours, frontline communities, nonprofit organizations, businesses, retailers, petrochemical industry, and manufacturers can observe the negotiations but cannot speak or vote. There were about 3,000 observers present. Because we can’t speak or vote, we host workshops and meet with delegates from around the world to share our knowledge and expertise. 
• Indigenous nations are not able to vote and generally not able to speak directly to the convening. However, including Indigenous peoples’ knowledge and voices in the treaty and proposed solutions is imperative, as many of these communities have been acting as environmental stewards for centuries. 
• The petrochemical/fossil fuel industry was a dominating presence at the negotiations, working to encourage false solutions like chemical recycling or scapegoating mechanical recycling as the solution to the plastics crisis. Their main goal is to push back against a treaty that includes concrete goals for a global reduction in plastics production, which many countries, frontline communities, and environmental groups are advocating for (including Eco-Cycle/AMBR).  
• Many countries in attendance are dealing with material waste they didn’t create, and they often don’t have the capacity, resources, or technology to manage this material. Ideally a treaty would include resources to help these countries deal with existing waste. 
• Waste pickers had representation. In some countries, these groups are organized and unionized. For example, a waste picker group of about 1 million people from India was present. 
• INC-5 was scheduled to be the last negotiation session, but no final treaty text was agreed upon. Instead, delegates will meet again this year at INC-5.2 (not yet scheduled) to try to come to an agreement. 

Producer Responsibility and Improved Recycling Infrastructure Really Work

Here’s an inspiring story: Our colleague Alex Danovitch of Recycle Ann Arbor is currently living in Taiwan, and he spoke to the impact of Zero Waste infrastructure on behaviors. Taiwan has one of the highest recycling rates in the world (~60% nationally, and nearly 90% for some materials) and has many of the policies and infrastructure models in place that AMBR and Eco-Cycle advocate for, like Extended Producer Responsibility for packaging, and financial incentives for Zero Waste behaviors. For example, curbside recycling and compost are free but people “pay as you throw” for trash. 

The post Webinar Recap: Zero Waste Recyclers Reflect on Global Plastics Treaty Negotiations  appeared first on Eco-Cycle.

Have you been to the Eco-Cycle Center for Hard-to-Recycle Materials (CHaRM) yet? Whether you have only come to CHaRM once to bring in an old TV, or you’re a regular customer, there are more ways than ever to get involved behind the scenes in the exciting work being done at this first-of-its-kind facility!

Two decades after it was founded by the same recycling activists who brought curbside recycling to Boulder County, the Eco-Cycle CHaRM has grown to accept over two dozen (and counting!) materials for reuse or recycling, and has become an integral part of the Zero Waste infrastructure in Boulder and surrounding areas. 

Here are three ways YOU can become part of the CHaRM team:

Volunteer in the CHaRM lane!

Learn how we engage CHaRM visitors about Zero Waste, including best practices for keeping recyclable materials out of the landfill and preventing “contamination” (non-recyclable items) in drop-off zones. This hands-on opportunity is a great way to gain a deeper knowledge of hard-to-recycle materials and the recycling industry, as well as make a real impact helping CHaRM staff manage incoming materials, customer questions, and keeping the drive-through drop-off lane well maintained. Sign up for a Saturday orientation shift here! Once you’ve received volunteer training, you are welcome to sign up whenever it fits your schedule. Please email charm@ecocycle.org with any questions.

Bring your team to the CHaRM for a Corporate Volunteer Day!

Trying to encourage sustainability in your workplace? Volunteering with Eco-Cycle is a great way to achieve that goal! Eco-Cycle’s Corporate Volunteer Program consists of an interactive learning component as well as a service project to promote Zero Waste. Volunteer opportunities range from 2–4 hours, but can be customized to your business’s needs. Please fill out our interest form to start scheduling your next team volunteering event with us, and someone will be in touch soon to answer any questions!

The post Get Involved and Make a Difference at the Eco-Cycle CHaRM! appeared first on Eco-Cycle.

Did you know that Eco-Cycle was founded by local activists who helped start the recycling revolution? In 1976, Eco-Cycle volunteers organized one of the very first curbside recycling programs in the nation by educating residents about the value of recycling and using old school buses to collect materials from sidewalks across Boulder.

Over the decades, Eco-Cycle volunteers have joined together to create even bigger impacts at the local and state level, such as engaging the public in Zero Waste education, advocating for ordinances that support the expansion of recycling and composting, and championing statewide policy to reduce plastic pollution.

Today, our “Eco-Leader” network continues to thrive with over 1,000 volunteers. There are many ways YOU can get involved to help our community and planet! Below are some upcoming volunteer opportunities to engage with your community and help divert valuable materials from the landfill. If you’re eager to jump in and make a real impact, join us!

Volunteer to Table for Earth Month

April 22 is Earth Day, but we’re busy celebrating all month long! We’d love to work with volunteers that can help represent Eco-Cycle at fun Earth Month events. As a tabler, you’ll get an Eco-Cycle shirt and a tabling partner, and spend your time distributing resources and playing a recycling sorting game with event attendees!

• Sign up for Earth Month tabling events here!

Earth Month event dates and times are:

________________________________________________________________________

Volunteer at the CHaRM or help bring CHaRM on the Road!

Eco-Cycle’s Center for Hard-to-Recycle Materials (CHaRM) located in Boulder is the first facility of its kind in the nation! At the CHaRM, residents and businesses can drop off over two dozen “hard-to-recycle” materials—items that can be recycled, but not in your curbside recycling bin—including electronics, block foam, mattresses, small household appliances, and so much more!

There are two types of volunteer experiences with the CHaRM. You can 1) Become a CHaRM Lane Volunteer, helping customers who are dropping off items at our hard-to-recycle facility (located at 6400 Arapahoe Rd, Boulder), or 2) You can hit the road with Eco-Cycle staff as we team up with local municipalities to bring CHaRM to communities, collecting materials across Boulder County and beyond!

To learn more about becoming a CHaRM Lane Volunteer at our Boulder facility, sign up for one of our upcoming orientations!

To volunteer at one of our CHaRM on the Road community events, choose a date/location and sign up here!

• Saturday, April 13, Superior: Eldorado K–8, 8:00 am–1:30 pm
• Saturday, April 20, Lafayette: Near 287 & South Boulder Rd, 8:00 am–1:30 pm
• Saturday, April 27, Louisville: Ascent Community Church, 8:00 am–1:30 pm

Volunteers will be trained and then will help sort recyclables (mostly e-waste) alongside Eco-Cycle staff during these outdoor events. You do not need to be available for the entire shift to sign up, so don’t be shy! 

___________________________________________________________________________

¿Hablas español? We Need Your Input to Create Bilingual Recycling Signs!

If you’re passionate about education and sustainability and are fluent in Spanish, we need your input! Currently, the educational displays at the Boulder County Recycling Center, operated by Eco-Cycle, are in English only. This year, we’re partnering with Boulder County to make all educational signage bilingual in English and Spanish!

If you are bilingual, be a part of our focus group and help shape the equitability of these displays!

Focus groups will be held at the Boulder County Recycling Center, located at 1901 63rd Street, Boulder, on the following dates: 

• Tuesday, April 2, from 6:00–7:30 pm
• Wednesday, April 3, from noon–1:30 pm

Refreshments will be provided. Please RSVP or direct your questions to Chandra Valenza, Community Outreach Manager for Boulder County, at valenza@bouldercounty.gov.

_______________________________________________________________________

Earth Month is a whirlwind of climate action, community building, and absolute fun! If you’re looking for a way to dedicate some time to conserve resources, engage with your community, and protect the planet, join us for one of these impactful volunteer opportunities. We appreciate your commitment to your community and the environment, and are grateful for any time you can spend with us!

The post Zero Waste, Infinite Impact: Local Volunteer Opportunities with Eco-Cycle  appeared first on Eco-Cycle.

Eco-Cycle and local farm partners are demonstrating the vision of a community-based Circular Compost System. Together, we are building a multi-scale, distributed compost approach where compost is produced right on farms (as an important first step toward creating a county-wide network of composting sites, from backyard to medium-scale commercial), and is 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.

Sign up at the end of this page for one of our upcoming tours!

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 (FULL)
• 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

Yellow Barn Farm

9417 N Foothills Hwy, Longmont, CO 80503

Yellow Barn Farm helps “incubate” organizations in a shared space with access to land, infrastructure, office space, and human resources to help their projects thrive. Among their partner entrepreneurs is Drylands Agroecology Research, who have transformed the Yellow Barn property into a model permaculture design that turns marginal land into abundance by utilizing scarce precipitation in a series of swales planted with diverse native and adapted trees and shrubs.  

Jack’s Solar Garden

8102 N 95th St, Longmont, CO 80504
~this tour is full and we can no longer accept new registrations~

Jack’s Solar Garden is a family-owned social enterprise doing more with our family farm for the betterment of our community. Through our partnerships with the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Colorado State University, and the University of Arizona, Jack’s Solar Garden will put valuable research into the public sphere on co-locating solar panels with agriculture—called agrivoltaics. Partnering with Sprout City Farms enables the cultivation of crops at Jack’s Solar Garden to put food back into our community while training young farmers on agrivoltaic techniques.

Milk & Honey Farm at the Boulder JCC

6018 Oreg Ave, Boulder, CO 80303

Milk and Honey Farm is a 2+ acre educational sustainable farm and brings the community together for experiential programs and activities grounded in Jewish heritage, tradition, and values. They grow over 4,000 lb of vegetables, and houses chickens, goats, a greenhouse with koi fish, and a full children’s garden.

Long’s Gardens

3240 Broadway, Boulder, CO 80304

This third-generation, family owned and operated farm is located in the middle of Boulder, and specializes in Bearded Irises. During April, May, and June, gorgeous fields of irises are open to the public, and people can choose and dig their own iris plants under the watchful gaze of the farm’s dairy goats.

Ollin Farms

8627 N 95th St #7718, Longmont, CO 80504

Ollin Farms believes in the principles of regenerative agriculture, with a focus on producing the most nutritious and flavorful produce possible. All of their produce is grown without pesticides or herbicides—ultimately, the soil itself determines the health of everything that grows out of it, including the farm and the community.

Sign Up for a Tour!

Please complete the following sign-up form and you will be all set to join an upcoming site tour! If you have any questions or concerns, please contact recycle@ecocycle.org!

The post On-Farm Composting Tours Coming This Fall! appeared first on Eco-Cycle.

Join us at Jack’s Solar Garden on Saturday, July 15, 2023 for solar garden tours, compost demonstrations, and family-friendly activities! 

Eco-Cycle and the Colorado Agrivoltaic Learning Center (CALC) invite you to Jack’s Solar Garden for a celebration of local innovations in renewable energy, agrivoltaics, compost, and regenerative agriculture that are creating a more climate-resilient community in Colorado.

Take a Tour!

With your ticket, you’ll have an opportunity to participate in a guided tour (about 45 minutes) of Jack’s Solar Garden and Eco-Cycle’s onsite compost and carbon farming demonstration project, at 2:30 and 4:30pm. You’ll also learn about CALC research partners such as the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Colorado State University (CSU), and Audubon Rockies, and their ongoing studies.

Farm Activities for Kids

Kids will have the chance to get their hands dirty, using quality local compost to plant sunflower seeds, picking raspberries growing throughout the solar array, getting comfortable with helpful composters like earthworms and sowbugs, and interacting with the farm through an engaging scavenger hunt!

World-renowned banjo player Pete Wernick (aka “Dr. Banjo”) will be performing live from 3:15–5:30 in the heart of the solar array. Bring a blanket and enjoy the music, plus free snacks and drinks!

Hope to see you there!

You can purchase tickets at bit.ly/be-original-celebration:

• $25/Adult ticket (over 18 years old)
• $10/Youth ticket (9–18 years old)
• Free ticket for children (8 years old and under)

The post Be Original Boulder County Celebration appeared first on Eco-Cycle.