We mean to be green

EAGLE COUNTY – Eagle County residents want to do what they can for the environment, but when it comes down to it, the county’s recycling program appears to have a long way to go.”People are willing to go green if they have the opportunity, but they don’t. It’s not easy to recycle here,” said Eric Goldman of Avon.

The desire to be green, or environmentally responsible, is no match for the inconvenience of the current recycling situation in the Vail Valley, many residents say. “I think people want to do what they can to keep Colorado clean, like recycle, but they don’t know much about it,” said local Jake Crocco.One common complaint is that there are few recycling centers and they are usually full or littered with non-recyclable trash. Residents said they would like to see more recycling centers, along with information about where, how and what to recycle.The Eagle Valley Alliance for Sustainability, headed by Matt Scherr, took over recycling in the county on Jan. 1. One improvement to which the alliance is looking forward is the new “Materials Recovery Facility” opening later this summer in Summit County. The facility will cut hauling costs and increase the amount and types of material that can be recycled. The closest recovery facility is in Grand Junction.

“In addition to the operational changes, we’ll also educate and inform people about what and where to recycle,” Scherr said. As early as next week, the alliance will begin posting signs at drop-off centers to announce that the recycling is now under community – not county – control. The signs will also detail what materials can be recycled in each bin.The alliance will be assisted in its efforts by Carly Wier, the executive director of Summit County’s recycling program. Known as the Summit Recycling Project since its start in 1976, the program became a project of the High Country Conservation Center this year.”Recycling is more about communication than collection systems,” said Wier, who emphasizes education, outreach and promotion. Although Eagle County’s program has a lot of catching up to do, Wier thinks the alliance’s goals are achievable. “Before the alliance took over this year, no attention was paid to details like the appearance of the drop-off centers,” Wier said. Landscaping, painting and clean-up days keep Summit County’s drop-off sites appealing, she said. Model recycling programs for smaller organizations to mimic are rare in this region, Wier said. “Colorado in general is behind the times in recycling. There’s a misconception that Colorado has outdoorsy, green, environmental public policies, and it’s not true,” said Wier. Colorado does not emphasize recycling like other states because it considers the abundance of open space as potential landfill sites, Weir said. According to BioCycle Magazine’s 2005 State of Garbage in America survey, the nation recycles 28 percent of waste and sends 64 percent to a landfill. The Rocky Mountain region, ranking at the bottom, recycles 14 percent and dumps 86 percent in landfills. “I have a great hope in the alliance to put an emphasis on personal touch and details,” Wier said. “Expect to see good changes by the end of the summer, but the whole evolution will take a couple of years for the community to embrace.”Brooke Bates can be reached at vdeditintern@vaildaily.com

Vail, Colorado