Recycle Utah

Nonprofit Summit County, Utah Recycling Center

#recycle utah

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.

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By Anna Robertson, The Cool Down

Towards a Greener Future: Recycle Utah’s Vision for Our Community

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Over the past few years, Recycle Utah and its local partners have been discussing how to
improve waste management in Summit County and Park City. These discussions culminated in RU hiring a consulting team from RRS (Resource Recycling Systems) to analyze current wast
management practices and provide recommendations for the future. Recycle Utah diverts nearly 4 million pounds of material from landfills each year. However, our community as a whole is struggling to keep up with effective waste diversion, putting increasing pressure on our landfill and the environment.

Our landfill is filling up faster than it should. Limited space means that once it reaches capacity, there’s no option to expand—it simply closes. Extending the life of our landfill requires us to divert more of the materials we’re discarding. Shockingly, 40% of what currently ends up in the landfill could be easily diverted. Compostable waste, curbside recyclables, and even cardboard—accounting for 10% of the landfill’s volume—are materials that we can and should keep out of the landfill.

The stakes are high. With a growing community and the 2034 Olympics on the horizon, waste
management will only become more critical. Beyond the immediate strain on our landfill, 55% of global greenhouse gas emissions come from the materials process—extraction, production, and disposal. By improving our diversion practices, we’re not only preserving landfill space but also making a significant impact on our community’s carbon footprint.
RRS has conducted a thorough analysis of our local waste system, and Recycle Utah is ready
to present a proposal to address these challenges head-on. This proposal, designed to improve diversion rates and reduce landfill strain, will be shared with the community in our presentations next week. We will be calling on the community for support, as solving this issue will require collective action and commitment from us all.

Join us for our community presentations, where we will dive into the waste challenges we face and our proposed solutions. We will hold one presentation at Santy Auditorium at 6 pm on January 7th, where we will be joined by our friends at RRS. We will hold another presentation in the Richins Building Auditorium in Kimball Junction at 6 pm on January 9th.

Join us in shaping a more sustainable future for Summit County and Park City by showing your support. Let’s take action now to protect the environment for generations to come!

By Chelsea Hafer

Unplug and Save: How to Reduce Standby Power 

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Standby power, often called “phantom load” or “vampire power,” refers to the electricity consumed by electronic devices and appliances even when turned off or in standby mode. Many devices, such as televisions, chargers, printers, and microwaves, draw power continuously to support features like digital clocks, remote-control activation, or instant-on functionality. The amount of energy that a single device in standby mode uses may be minor, cumulatively, with multiple devices in a home, the amount will add up. Recent studies have shown that 10% of a household’s total energy consumption is standby power. This all can contribute to higher electricity bills and increased carbon emissions. 

So how can you reduce this energy usage? Reducing standby power is a simple and effective way to save energy and promote sustainability. One of the easiest ways to reduce standby energy consumption is by simply unplugging devices when they are not in use, such as chargers or kitchen appliances such as a toaster. The use of these appliances is minuscule compared to the amount of energy it will use while still plugged in. Some appliances or devices are harder to unplug consistently, such as TVs, microwaves, or computer monitors. In order to reduce standby power for appliances such as these, using smart power strips or surge protectors equipped with timers or motion sensors can help automatically cut off power to multiple devices when they are inactive. 

Another way to reduce standby consumption is investing in energy-efficient products and appliances. These types of appliances have an Energy Star certification which are designed to use minimal power when idle. This is a very sustainable choice for consumers who are looking to reduce their energy consumption, electric bill, and carbon footprint. 

Enabling energy-saving modes on devices can also help reduce standby power. Many modern devices, such as computers and TVs, have different settings that can put the device in a sleep mode or eco-mode that limits energy when the device is not in use. Lastly, conducting an energy audit of your home can help you identify which devices consume the most standby power. This is a more targeted approach.  

By addressing standby power, households can lower energy costs, reduce their carbon footprint, and help environmental conservation. While your efforts may seem small, the collective impact of reducing standby power usage can help combat climate change and promote a more sustainable future for everyone.

By Elly Swartz

Why Switching to Electric Appliances is a Smart Choice

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As more homeowners seek sustainable and cost-effective ways to improve their homes, switching from gas to electric appliances is becoming increasingly popular. The benefits extend beyond your wallet—they also positively impact the environment, your health, and your home’s functionality.

Electric appliances, especially when powered by renewable energy, significantly reduce carbon emissions. Unlike natural gas, which produces carbon dioxide and methane, electricity can come from clean sources like solar and wind. By switching to electric, homeowners contribute to combating climate change while supporting a greener energy future.

Beyond environmental benefits, electric appliances create healthier living spaces. Gas stoves and heaters emit pollutants like nitrogen dioxide and carbon monoxide, which can harm indoor air quality and respiratory health. Electric alternatives eliminate combustion inside the home, making them safer for families. Induction cooking is particularly transformative, using magnetic energy to heat pots and pans directly. Induction stoves cook faster, offer precise temperature control, and are safer since the cooktop stays cool to the touch. Their professional-level performance and sleek design quickly make them a favorite among home chefs.

Modern electric appliances, such as induction stoves and heat pump water heaters, are also highly energy-efficient, lowering utility bills over time. Heat pumps provide heating in the winter and cooling in the summer, an added bonus for homes in Park City, where air conditioning was often left out of older homes. With summers becoming hotter and wildfire smoke driving people indoors, cooling has become increasingly essential.

Many states, including Utah, offer rebates and incentives to help offset the costs of transitioning to electric appliances. Making the switch isn’t just about upgrading your home; it’s about creating a healthier, more sustainable, and cost-effective future.

Learn more about home electrification on Tuesday, Dec. 11 from 4:30 to 6:30 at the Park City Library. Hear from those who have built all-electric homes and others who are  transitioning step by step.

By Tracy Harden 

Local Dark Skies Ordinances Deadline Nears

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Eighty percent of the world’s population, and 99 percent of Americans and Europeans, live with some amount of light pollution. This excessive artificial nighttime light adversely affects the health and behavior of humans and other animals. It obscures views of the vast and starry nighttime sky. It wastes precious electricity from all sources and increases use of fossil fuels.

Nighttime light attracts or repels animals affecting their feeding, predatory, and breeding behaviors. Its glow causes a loss of safe habitat. Birds, insects, reptiles, amphibians and mammals are all affected. In our community, abundant wildlife and the nighttime visual environment are cherished parts of residents’ daily lives and visitors’ unique experiences. Several years ago Park City and Summit County leaders committed to lowering our energy footprint. To preserve dark skies, they also adopted ordinances into existing codes which require all businesses and residents, not only new construction, to reduce their artificial light pollution with a compliance deadline set for Dec. 31, 2024.

DarkSky International, established in 1988, led the movement to reduce light pollution globally. Dark sky requirements seek to reduce glare and light spillage. In order to do this, Summit County and Park City require the use of downward-pointing, fully-shielded outdoor light fixtures. These target light rather than flood an area wastefully and obtrusively with it. Warm whites or amber bulbs of 3,000K or less are also required. Motion sensors, timers and dimmers are recommended to increase efficiency.

Regarding outdoor seasonal displays, residential lights are permitted from November 1 to March 1, and must be turned off by 11 pm. City and County staff have found no grants currently available offering rebates for dark sky-friendly lighting. They continue to focus on educating the public about the nighttime lighting ordinances and dark sky-friendly products and practices. Enforcement of the ordinances begins with residents’ education, on a complaint basis.

There are differences between the Snyderville Basin, Eastern Summit County and Park

City codes. To learn more about their dark sky ordinances, visit summitcountyutah.gov/2474/Dark-Skies and engageparkcity.org/dark-sky

By Bev Harrison

Protecting Park City From Forever Chemicals This Ski Season

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With ski season upon us and the holidays in full swing, Park City’s environmental impact is reaching its peak. While tourism, winter sports, and celebrations bring joy to our community, they also affect our local ecosystems. A commonly overlooked contributor to this impact is also an essential tool for winter sports enthusiasts: ski wax.

Traditional ski wax formulas contain fluorinated compounds, also known as PFAS, which are among the most damaging environmental pollutants. As ski or snowboard, small amounts of wax are deposited in the snow, where they persist long after the spring snowmelt and contaminate soil and water. PFAS are nicknamed “forever chemicals” because they don’t break down, but instead accumulate in the environment and the bodies of animals exposed to them.

The harm isn’t limited to the slopes. When fluorinated waxes are heated during application, they release volatile organic compounds (VOCs) into the air. This could jeopardize our beloved clean mountain air and contribute to unsafe indoor conditions for those applying the wax, particularly in poorly ventilated ski shops and homes.

Fortunately, we can all take meaningful steps to minimize this impact. First, purchasing eco-friendly ski waxes that are biodegradable and plant-based can make a significant impact! These products are readily available at your local ski shop and can effectively replace any old fluoro wax you may still have in your home. Second, make sure you are waxing your skis and boards in a well-ventilated space to avoid inhaling any airborne byproducts. And lastly, although many ski shops have stopped selling waxes containing forever chemicals, PFAS are still circulating in a variety of consumer products such as cookware, food packaging, and cleaning supplies. With this in mind, we encourage you to support any legislation that aims to prohibit the use and sale of all products containing PFAS.

By Elsa Kerr