115: Plastic Bags Update & Moving Toward Zero Waste: Policy Wins, Advice and Resources

115: Plastic Bags Update & Moving Toward Zero Waste: Policy Wins, Advice and Resources

Author: Dave Gardner January 30, 2024 Duration: 53:13

What’s the law on plastic bags and polystyrene cups and take-out containers? What other legislation is in effect or potentially coming soon to move the state toward zero waste? How can you receive funding to support your organizational efforts? How can we all take part in moving to reduce this kind of waste? Find out in this update from Rachel Setzke of Eco-Cycle.

In Colorado, restaurants have experienced as much as a 90% reduction in use (and costs) of single use items like straws, ketchup packets, etc. when they don’t automatically provide them, but first ask if a customer wants them. Get this and other useful bits of information in this episode!

Eco-Cycle is one of the oldest mission-based recyclers and Zero Waste organizations in the US, and an innovator in resource conservation. They operate the Boulder County Recycling Center, provide Zero Waste business services, and created the nation’s first Center for Hard-to-Recycle Materials (CHaRM). They also run the Green Star Schools program, Community Carbon Farming program, a recycling helpline (303-444-6634), created the A–Z Recycling Guide, and advance Zero Waste policies at the local, state, and national levels.

 MORE INFORMATION:

Presenter’s Slideshttps://studio809podcasts.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Colorado-legislation-wins-for-recycling-composting-and-waste-reduction-for-Co-Springs-group.pdf

Front Range Waste Diversion Enterprise Fund programs informationhttps://www.coloradofrwd.org/

https://ecocycle.org/harmful-plastics

Producer Responsibility Acthttps://www.recyclingforallcoloradans.org/

https://www.plasticfreerestaurants.org/

https://www.chefannfoundation.org/

Bag Fee, Ban Materials & Resourceshttps://ecocycle.org/PPRA

Thanks to Studio 809 Podcasts sponsor KJS Auto Hail Repair. Save $100: Mention that you were referred by Studio 809 when you call, or on the contact form at https://kjsautohailrepair.com/

This episode was recorded at the Sustainability in Progress  (SIP) virtual event on January 17, 2024. Sustainability in Progress is a monthly program of the Peak Alliance for a Sustainable Future. Join us (free) the third Wednesday of every month.

Register for the February Sustainability in Progress: COS Sustainability and Strategic Doing February 21, 2024, 12 noon MST https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZMsc-GhpjorHNR7orAohu2U6jUEq2Nrz2fy

The mission of Peak Alliance for a Sustainable Future is to promote regional sustainability and advance the Pikes Peak region's sustainability plan (PPR2030) through regional collaboration and outreach. Connect with us at peakalliance.org

The following environment/sustainability organizations in the Pikes Peak region collaborate to produce the Peak Environment podcast about environmental stewardship, sustainable living and enlightened public policy in the Pikes Peak Region.

Peak Alliance for a Sustainable Future https://www.peakalliance.co/

Pikes Peak Permaculture https://www.pikespeakpermaculture.org/

GrowthBusters https://www.growthbusters.org

Keep up with all the organizations and events making our area a better place to live. Follow on your favorite podcast app so you don't miss an episode:

 

 

 


Hosted by Dave Gardner, Peak Environment digs into the real-world choices and conversations shaping life in the Pikes Peak Region. This isn't a distant global overview, but a local look at how environmental care weaves into the fabric of our community, from the trails we hike to the policies our leaders debate. Each episode explores the intersection of our society and our surroundings, considering how sustainable practices impact both our physical health and our cultural values. You'll hear from neighbors, advocates, and experts discussing practical steps for stewardship, the nuances of building a resilient local economy, and the ongoing work toward balanced public policy. Tune in for a thoughtful, grounded dialogue that connects personal fitness and well-being directly to the health of the place we call home. Find this podcast for a deeper understanding of what it means to live well, right here.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Peak Environment
Podcast Episodes
81 Creek Week 2021 and the Watershed [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 43:50
Creek Week events give you an opportunity to take care of our local water resource. It’s the largest watershed clean-up in the state of Colorado. Fountain Creek Watershed Outreach Coordinator Alli Schuch shares the excit…
80 Quality of Life Indicators – Local Government Council Report [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 36:49
How do our local city and county governments compare to other communities in Colorado and the nation? How does this affect our quality of life? Get an advance look at the Local Government section of the Pikes Peak United…
79 Quality of Life Indicators: Demographics [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 40:02
The Demographics council of the Peak Progress Quality of Life Indicators Report share the contributions they’re making to the next version of the report. They’re providing tools to make it easier to understand who lives…
78 New El Paso County Master Plan [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 53:57
Get a tour of the new El Paso County Master Plan recently adopted by the county commissioners. Mark Gebhart, Deputy Director of Planning and Community Development for the county, provided this overview at the June 16, 20…
77 Environmental Education in Colorado [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 41:13
How do we ensure all Colorado children are engaged in outdoor learning experiences? Appreciation for nature, the great outdoors, conservation and sound environmental stewardship don’t just happen. They are the result of…
76 Backyard Gardens and Local Food [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 50:11
Why do we need to grow more of our own food? According to local garden expert Larry Stebbins, Colorado Springs is behind many other cities in local food sufficiency. He explains why urban gardening plays a critical role…
75 Creating a Community Built Park: You Can Do It! [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 48:13
An ambitious new project near downtown is cleaning up an old construction materials dump and turning it into an amazing community treasure. A lot of creativity is going into this site, including letting nature do what re…
74 Going Solar Made Easy – Solar United Neighbors [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 42:19
A new non-profit co-op is working in Colorado to help people go solar, simplifying the process and reducing costs. Bryce Carter, Colorado Program Director for Solar United Neighbors (SUN) shares details about how it work…
73 Jack's Solar Garden [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 50:40
Boulder County told Byron Kominek you cannot put solar panels on agricultural land; it violates zoning. But Byron persisted. Agrivoltaics are a global phenomenon in which solar panels and agriculture share land. The coun…
72 Why the Climate Crisis is a Concern for Conservatives [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 33:44
There are plenty of good reasons for political conservatives to be concerned about the climate crisis. We explore them in this conversation with three gentlemen from the Citizens’ Climate Lobby, or CCL: Steven Moses, a p…