Recycle Utah

Nonprofit Summit County, Utah Recycling Center

#recycle utah

The (Un)Sustainability of Tetra Paks

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“Is this recyclable?”, “Which bin does this go in?”, and “What is this even made of?” are questions us recyclers are often asking ourselves while we examine a package searching for the small recycling symbol and trying to determine the material it’s made of. Recently, packaging has become more obscure with waxy-paper-like rectangular cartons that we find in our local stores containing non-dairy milks, broths, juices, soups, and other foods.

Cartons are made primarily with paperboard and are either aseptic or non-aseptic. Aseptic cartons, or shelf-stable cartons, include paperboard, an internal aluminum layer, and a plastic seal. Non-aseptic cartons, or refrigerated cartons, don’t have the aluminum layer, and thus have a shorter shelf life and require refrigeration.

When compared to glass jars, tin cans, and retort pouches, the aseptic and non-aseptic cartons require less energy to produce and are drastically lighter, making their production and transportation carbon footprint smaller. However, aseptic and non-aseptic cartons are very difficult to recycle due to their mixed-material composition.

Here in Summit County, non-aseptic cartons can be recycled as plastic, but aseptic cartons cannot be recycled due to their aluminum lining. Tetra Pak, the Swedish-Swiss conglomerate producing aseptic cartons, stamp the recycling symbol on their cartons but only 30% of their cartons are actually recycled. Without a machine specialized in separating each material in an aseptic carton, it cannot be recycled. Recycle Utah’s recommendation is to purchase your goods in glass jars and tin cans as those are materials that can be reused and recycled without losing quality.

By Addison Marr

Congratulations 2022 Green Business Winners

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The 2022 Green Business awardees were selected from thirty-four businesses that have joined the revamped program since July 2022.The five winners were selected because of the number of environmentally minded committed actions, the innovation and impact of these actions, and their enthusiasm and dedication to creating sustainability within their business.

Special thanks to Deer Valley for hosting this event on January 10, 2023.

Alpine Distilling

Green Business of the Year

A local distiller for whiskey and gin since 2016, Alpine Distilling has committed to eco-friendly practices from the beginning with transparency and openness. They support multiple non-profits in Park City via time and money, hire locally and purchase local products as much as possible. They’re always seeking new innovations in production and manufacturing, sustainable purchasing, and water conservation. Alpine Distilling consistently strives to reduce its carbon footprint, and they encourage suppliers, affiliates, and partners to do the same. They were the recipients of the Green Business Leadership Award from Utah Business, Blue Sky Renewable, and Rocky Mountain Power in 2021. Congratulations!

Accomplishments:

  • Switched gas furnaces to heat pumps and invested in chillers to cut water demand in half.
  • Rerouted water through a steam boiler to limit electrical demand for heating units.
  • Sent all spent grains for distilling to Wasatch Recovery, which turns compost into methane for a renewable energy source.
  • Retrofitted buildings to include low flush toilets, faucet aerators and a state-of-the-art water reuse system.
  • Reduced turf by 25% to replace with native, drought tolerant and firewise landscaping where possible.
  • Diverted 80% of their waste from the landfill.
  • Sourced all products from local vendors and prioritized vendors with sustainable packing and reuse principles.
  • Implemented a trip chaining policy and incentives for carpooling, bus passes, and e-bikes.
  • Paid all employees and contractors a living wage with health insurance to employees.

Chesley Electric

Zest for Zero                                 

This twenty-five-year-old locally owned Park City business has shifted its mission from just illuminating homes to becoming an environmentally oriented company at its core. Chesley Electric empowers clients to make decisions with the planet in mind. From energy-efficient lighting and appliances to solar energy, battery backups, heat pumps, and EV chargers. Their intent is to provide systems that make off-grid living more attainable. Chesley Electric has cultivated a family-like workplace with many of its employees still working there after 20 years. Everyone is on board to enhance sustainability within the company and within our community.

Accomplishments:

  • Installed dimmers, occupancy sensors, and timed lights in the office.
  • Recycled everything possible and purchased materials that are shipped with minimal packaging.
  • Prioritized transactions with environmentally minded businesses and local businesses when possible.
  • Reduced their truck mileage by 25% by improving the efficiency of routing and encouraging carpooling.
  • Convinced their office’s HOA to turn off sprinklers save water.
  • Support many local non-profits.
  • Offered paid sick time and time off to all staff.
  • Working to transition entire fleet to all electric (they own one electric truck currently).
  • Changing flush valves, add aerators to all faucets, and lower water settings.
  • Always working to reduce office paper usage and enhance onsite recycling.
  • Would like to Achieve Black Diamond Level in the Green Business Program.

Ski Butlers 

Global Impact

Ski Butlers started out of a garage in Park City in 2004. Now, they operate at fifty resorts in twenty-nine locations and four countries. Ski Butlers provides rental ski gear for visitors, removing the need to transport equipment or purchase new ones. In addition to a business model that inherently promotes reuse and a sharing economy, Ski Butlers has made it a priority to shift climate to the forefront of business decisions. Their multipronged approach has evolved over time, but the priority has been to focus on climate solutions in the communities they impact.

Accomplishments:

  • Collaborated with Protect Our Winters (POW) and switched banks to stop financing fossil fuels.
  • CEO Bryn Carey read Deep by Porter Fox, attended Climate Reality Training, and presented to Park City Municipal to lay the groundwork for the town to commit to 100% clean energy.
  • Installed solar panels om Ski Butlers headquarters.
  • Worked with Park City to establish North America’s most ambitious climate goals.
  • lobbied with U.S. senators in D.C. for better climate policy.
  • Committed to 100% clean energy by 2030
  • Invested in reducing its business carbon footprint by purchasing electric delivery vans.
  • Founded Mountain Towns to engage other mountain communities in climate action.
  • Announced that all company assets are moved from JPMorgan Chase to KeyBank. Their decision to support banks that finance clean energy was an easy choice, but tough to implement.

EATS Park City: Eat Awesome Things

People’s Choice

EATS Park City originated in 2014 and has evolved into an essential non-profit advocate and resource for improving the health and well-being of children and families in our community. They are dedicated to teaching our next generation of land stewards how to be mindful of climate impact by learning how to grow vegetables, eat locally grown produce, increase plant-based consumption, and compost. EATS has been instrumental in contributing to lunchroom compost programs, school pumpkin compost programs, and community-wide Christmas tree collection. They communicate their sustainability efforts through camps, cooking classes, after-school programs, local Tower Gardens, and more.

Accomplishments:

  • Advocated for use of compostable lunchroom trays vs. Styrofoam and plastic.
  • Managed a school greenhouse with drip irrigation connected to rainwater bins.
  • Eliminated office space with most employees working from home or using shared Kiln space.
  • Donated/repurposed numerous supplies and furniture to transition to Kiln.
  • Utilized DocuSign and Adobe products to sign documents and reduce printing.
  • Paid staff a living wage with equity across race and gender.
  • Addressed food security by partnering with PC Christian Center for food storage and distribution of afterschool ‘backpack’ snacks.
  • Aiming to further enhance partnerships and opportunities to educate and advocate.

Continue exploring costs and benefits of returning to reusable lunch trays in our schools and how to best form lifelong habits for sustainable food waste disposal for our community.

Green Banking

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As the saying goes, “Money makes the world go ‘round.” And if you’re looking for a simple New Year’s resolution with outsized impact – take a look at your money. 
 
Even if you can’t afford an EV or don’t want to put solar panels on your roof, switching your
bank is something anyone can do. Where we bank and invest our money matters – and there
are a growing number of options that offer “climate positive” banking.
 
For example, Atmos Bank offers checking and savings accounts (and now, solar loans) with
100% of your money funding clean energy, electrification, and other climate-positive products.


In addition to mobile banking, free ATM withdrawals, a good savings rate, and up to 5% cash
back when you buy from climate-friendly companies, you get an impact report – $5,000 will save 5.85 tons of CO2 a year, the equivalent of not driving 13,169 miles.
 
Local credit unions are also a great option, in addition to more than 30 banks featured by “Bank For Good,” and Carbon Collective for your 401K. But if you bank with one of the big banks, your money is funding the fossil fuel industry. The biggest 60 banks in the world have invested $4.6 trillion in the fossil fuel industry since 2015. As climate activist Bill McKibben says, for any American with more than $125,000 in the mainstream banking system, it’s likely producing more carbon in a year than all the actions of their daily life. 

Join the Cool Down’s weekly newsletter for the latest stories, coolest hacks and best products
that help you save money, time, and the planet.

By Anna Robertson, The Cool Down 
 

Fluorocarbon Ski Wax

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This past summer, Park City and Snyderville Basin Water Reclamation District found Polyfluorinated Substances (PFAS) in our local groundwater and wastewater. PFAs are known as “forever chemicals” because of the amount of time it takes them to decompose and are found in various products including nonstick cookware, cleaning products, food wrappers and containers, clothing, and cosmetics. The PFAS polluting the local water systems are likely to be from fluorinated ski waxes also called fluorocarbon waxes used for Nordic skiing, Downhill racing, and recreational skiing.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) banned PFAS prior to the 2022 Winter Olympics and while local shops haven’t carried fluorocarbon ski waxes for several years, they continue to be sold online and are likely still in many skiers homes and garages. As an environmentally conscious community, the pollution from PFAs to our local water is a reminder that we live, work, and play on our local groundwater aquifer. 

As a skier and a community member, you can help keep PFAs out of our water system by identifying if your ski wax contains is fluorinated and properly disposing of it if it is. Fluorocarbon ski wax will state fluorocarbon, fluoro, high fluoro (HF), or low fluoro (LF) on the packaging. If you own fluorocarbon ski wax, stop using it and bring it to Recycle Utah to be disposed of properly. The next time you purchase ski wax, ensure that it’s fluoro-free and if you ever have any questions, you can always reach out to your local ski shops or Recycle Utah!

By Addison Marr

Ethical Cooking Oils

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Have you ever wondered how ethical your favorite cooking oil is? A daily amount of these fatty liquids is necessary for our body, skin and hair, yet it’s important to be aware of the type we consume. Avoid hydrogenated oils, high in trans fats, often found in corn, safflower, soy, corn and more. How the oil is processed is also important.

Most oils come from extracting and expressing parts of plant seeds or nuts and extraction often requires a cleaning agent which can be unhealthy for workers. Some oils have become so popular that industrial farming prevails which can involve pesticides, soil erosion, water scarcity, and more. It’s important to know who’s behind the scenes in your choice oil’s production.

Rapeseed or ‘Canola’ oil, widely popular in the 1970’s, is now mostly genetically modified and higher in trans fats. Olive and Coconut Oil, staples for many, are healthy and delicious but it’s important to purchase organic certification from independent producers invested in sustainable sourcing. Palm oil is mostly harvested in Malaysia and Indonesia where deforestation is threatening certain keystone species and ecosystems, not to mention workers’ rights.

Supermarket shelves are loaded with oil options – it’s up to us to know where and how to look. The more ethical oils will be organic, non-GMO, unrefined and cold-pressed. Those in glass are often higher quality and easier to recycle. Lastly, don’t put used or old oil down the drain – it’s not a friend to water! Bring it to Recycle Utah in the summer to be recycled into biofuel.

By Mary Closser

Sustainable Holiday Planning

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The holidays are upon us and being green can require foresight. Americans throw away 25% more trash and 33% more food between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day. Read on for tips to keep your sustainability in check this holiday season:

  1. Gifts: Support our local economy, less packaging and a lower carbon footprint by buying local verses online. Buy local gift cards and experiences at favorite restaurants, movies or spas. Bake, knit, frame photos, make jewelry or fun playlists. Shop at thrift stores.
  2. Gift Wrap: Use old comics, maps or reusable fabrics for a fun twist. Save bows, ribbons and gift boxes for next year.
  3. Energy: Use only LED holiday lights inside and out for energy efficiency, financial savings and also to generate less heat on trees and garland. And, recycle old electronics.
  4. Transportation: Errands galore! Try to hit as many stops as possible in one trip rather than a few every day. Try the bus – make a NO CAR pledge day. Be smart and organized, and don’t forget the cloth reusable bags!
  5. Tree: Buy sensibly. Many lot-filled trees have been sprayed so ask questions. Obtain a permit to cut a tree or buy a new houseplant to decorate. Fake trees are okay if you can commit to storing and using it for 20+ years. Lastly, always compost your tree through the local program at a community drop-off. 

This holiday – and beyond – have a closer look at what you buy for yourself and others. Like dominoes, our day-to-day efforts will start to spiral towards a positive result if we all partake.

By Mary Closser