Recycle Utah

Nonprofit Summit County, Utah Recycling Center

#greentips

Join Park City’s New Reuse Pilot!

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Did you know that the US generates over 10,000 tons of plastic packaging waste every year? That’s a lot of plastic going to landfills! To fix this linear system of ‘take, make, waste’, Park City is spearheading circular economy solutions that ‘reduce, reuse, recycle, and regenerate’. One solution is an exciting, new pilot for Reusable To-Go Containers that launches October 1st!

Park City’s Reuse Pilot by Bold Reuse provides a way for customers to reduce their container waste with a sustainable packaging system that replaces single-use takeout containers. The City has partnered with Bold Reuse, an innovative packaging reuse company, Recycle Utah, and several local restaurants for this new pilot. Participating restaurants include Savoury Kitchen, Deer Valley Grocery-Café, GuestHaus, Shabu, Salt Box, and Este Pizza.

The program process is simple. Customers can sign up through the website or mobile app and purchase a $10 monthly subscription to use 2 boxes an unlimited number of times. Once you’ve signed up, order at a participating restaurant, and let staff know that you have a Bold Reuse subscription. The restaurant will package your order in the reusable container, and when you’re done, you can rinse the container and take it to a designated drop box! Collection boxes will be located at participating restaurants and Recycle Utah’s Center. If at least 1 container has been returned, you can order with a reusable container again – a truly circular solution! Join the reuse revolution by signing up for the program at boldreuse.com/parkcity!

By Haylee Neel

Drought-Tolerant Trees and Water Conservation

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Conserving water is a crucial step towards a more sustainable environment. When one uses water in their home, energy is used to filter, clean, and pump the water. Therefore, reducing your water usage can further reduce your carbon footprint. By using less water, you are helping reduce pollution as well as conserving fuel resources. It is one of the small steps we can take towards protecting our environment. 

Considering that we live in Utah, droughts are a serious issue. Already in a water-deprived position, the last thing we want to do is lessen water reserves that certain species and ecosystems rely on. While in a drought, however, it is important to remember to prioritize watering trees. Trees provide a host of community benefits, including shade, oxygen, soil erosion prevention, and food sources for species. Shrubs are another important plant to prioritize when watering, as they help minimize road noise and filter out pollution from the air. If newly planted trees and plants are not properly watered, they could die before taking root.  Trees and shrubs are an essential part of our environment and must be protected during a drought. 

To help increase our tree canopy with water conservation in mind, Park City is organizing several tree planting events to build our urban canopy! Look out for new trees, with self-watering ‘ooze tubes’ around town this Fall. If you’re interested in joining a tree planting, visit the City’s Planting Park City page to sign up for future events! 

By Pearson Ehrich

Decarbonizing our Homes

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You’re building a new home and landscaping your yard; would you adorn it with Kentucky Blue Grass? Or mix in some low-water native plants? It’s the same with our homes as we move into the future with ‘electrification’ as the latest buzz.  What exactly is this method of decarbonization?

Residential focus is on heating, cooking appliances, dryers, breaker boxes, solar, electric vehicle chargers and battery storage. Home heat involves replacing gas furnaces and water heaters with electric heat pumps, gas fireplaces with electric versions, gas stoves with induction cooktop/ranges and breaker boxes to accommodate the additional wattage. However, who can afford this necessary transition as we progress into the future, especially since gas is still affordable? To replace our 80 million + appliances in our 120 million U.S. households in the coming decades, equitable federal investment is critical. 

Additionally, decades of research shows that gas stoves can release harmful pollutants and sadly, indoor air emissions from these fossil fuel-burning appliances remain unregulated. Repeated long-term indoor air exposure to our beloved gas stoves can lead to development of respiratory complications and other health issues. 

By Mary Closser

Natural Cleaning Supplies

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It’s something we all have in common: Cleaning. What’s not common knowledge, though, is the power of natural, non-toxic and inexpensive cleaning materials. Consider Going Green and nixing the stinky cleaning cabinet all together! Check out a few of the basics:

1. House Cleaner: The most magical of all begins with a V -Yes, Vinegar. Fill an empty spray bottle with 1/3 Vinegar ½ H20 and 1 T. dish soap. This magical liquid can beautify most surfaces in your house – it’s especially good for mildew, floors, mirrors, windows and countertops. Any V smell dissipates once it dries. Rubbing alcohol also works well on windows and Baking soda does wonders for the toilet, tub, countertops and oven interior (mixed with salt). Sodium Percarbonate is a superb Bleach alternative.

2. Furniture and More: Polish your furniture and shoes with mere Olive Oil and lemon juice and freshen the air or de-clog your drains with vinegar and baking soda. Hydrogen Peroxide does the trick for red wine stains and more and lastly, Peanut Butter can remove the tough residues like paint or sticker residue.

3. Everyday: How many ingredients do your everyday body soap and shampoo have in them? Castile soap, hard or liquid, is simple olive oil based soap, amongst others. Check the net for recipes to make your own soaps, toothpaste, laundry detergent, house cleaners and much more.

By Mary Closser

Let the Sun Shine In

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It’s the height of Summer, which means long days and plenty of sunlight. While we’re busy enjoying the warm weather and taking vacations, we don’t always think about lighting in our homes and offices. Turning on lights during the day can add unnecessary energy use and expenses – especially when we have such an abundant source of daylight in the summer.

Be sure to use natural daylighting as much as you can at home and in the office. If you have access to windows and plenty of sunlight, artificial lighting isn’t necessary. Natural lighting is better for health and productivity anyway! If you find your home gets too much by direct sun, you can purchase window shades or screens to reduce heat gain, UV exposure, and glare while still letting in some sunlight. At work, encourage your office to use natural lighting wherever possible.  If you can work remotely, try working outside to get fresh air and boost your mood!

If you need to use artificial lighting, be sure to use it efficiently. Turn the lights off when you’re done in a room – especially if you are the last one at the office! Be sure to switch to LED lights; this is one of the easiest and most effective actions you can take to reduce energy use at home. LEDs use 75% less energy and can last over 15 years longer than incandescent lights while providing the same amount of light or lumens.

By Haylee Neel

Paper Towel Alternatives

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Paper towels are a staple in many homes and seem to have infinite uses, but they are also a single-use product filling up landfills and contributing to overall waste. Aside from the waste problem, paper towel production impacts the environment through deforestation, chemical and water use, and carbon dioxide emissions. So how do we kick the paper towel habit and make the switch to better alternatives?


Americans are responsible for about half of the world’s paper towel usage – 13 billion pounds of paper towels annually or the equivalent of 270 million trees each year. To move away from overuse of paper towels, consider the many viable alternatives that exist on the market. Instead of decorative dish towels, white cotton towels and sponges can be used and reused for spills and household cleaning. Consider investing in cloth napkins to avoid unnecessary waste at mealtimes. The best part about switching to these reusable alternatives is that you’re likely to save money in the long run by purchasing less single-use items.


If you feel like a mess just needs a paper towel, try to purchase post-consumer recycled fiber, unbleached, or bamboo paper towels. Bamboo requires no pesticides or chemicals for growth and is self-regenerating with little water. Additionally, most paper towels are biodegradable and can be composted (if used to clean up food or drink messes), so if you want to go above and beyond, be sure to check if the paper towels you are purchasing fit these requirements.

By Olivia Beckstead