Recycle Utah

Nonprofit Summit County, Utah Recycling Center

#recycling

The Footprint of Fashion

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Pollution from air, landfills, or water is often visible to our eye, but what about textiles? Clothing, jackets, bedding, and even shoes can carry a hefty carbon and water footprint behind the scenes. Europe and the United States are the biggest culprits for clothing waste. Cotton is water-intensive and insecticide-heavy; leather is often associated with Chromium, a carcinogen; and synthetics like polyester, nylon, and rayon are made from fossil fuels. My friend recently neglected to wash a shirt he purchased at a chain store and consequently broke out in a rash on his chest and back!

Additionally, the clothing may travel thousands of miles before arriving at our doorstep because of our complicated supply chain structure. Lastly, microplastics and dyes may seep
into our water system in the wash.

If you’re tired of a shirt or jacket after three days or three years, where should you take it? 85%
of U.S. textile waste ends up in landfills or incinerators, and petroleum-based products can take decades to break down.

So you ask, how do I best buy and do away with clothes?

  1. Stop buying so much! It’s estimated that consumers now buy 60% more garments than
    in the past, and keep them for just half the time.
  2. Shop at and donate to thrift and/or consignment stores.
  3. Reduce online purchases – buy local if possible!
  4. Rent clothing. There are plenty of options for renting clothes online!
  5. Donate to Big Brothers Bins around town. They accept any textile, including old
    towels/sheets/accessories, and will either resell, donate, or repurpose textiles.
  6. Know your manufacturer. Some are more proactive than others with sustainability.
    Check out remake.world/2022-remake-fashion-accountability-report.
    Clothing is fun! It’s how we express ourselves. Perhaps 2025 can be a year of conscious styling with your clothing, shoes, accessories, housewares, and more. Everything we own has an environmental footprint.

By Mary Closser

Sustainable Countertop Cooking

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Considering the environmental impact of your daily habits and the potential for utility savings, you may find it worthwhile to adopt more energy-efficient cooking methods. Using appliances like air fryers, toaster ovens, and crockpots instead of a traditional stove or oven can make a big difference.

Cooking with an air fryer, toaster oven, and crockpot can maximize sustainable home cooking.
All of these countertop appliances require significantly less electricity than an electric stove, and they enable you to cook without using your gas stove. Look for models with energy star ratings for the greatest energy conservation.

Because of its small cooking chamber and super-convection, an air fryer cooks food much
faster than a traditional oven – often in about half the time. Air fryers heat up much faster than
full-size ovens. Food cooked in air fryers becomes crispy and flavorful with little or no added oil, promoting healthy cooking. Roast vegetables, cook meat and fish, make french fries and veggie chips, and crisp up leftovers in your air fryer.

Both an air fryer and toaster oven allow for precision cooking and temperature control, so it’s
easy to avoid overcooking food and unnecessary food waste. Their smaller cooking capacity
encourages portion control and minimizes preparing and wasting excessive amounts of food.
When reheating food, using an air fryer or toaster oven is much more energy efficient than
heating up a large oven. Use a toaster oven to cook a few baked potatoes, small portions of
pastries, and quickly broil vegetables and fish.

A crockpot is an excellent choice for preparing large batches of food in advance, reducing the
need for multiple cooking sessions and saving energy in the process. Because it is designed to
operate cheaply at low temperatures for an extended period of time, using an unattended
crockpot per manufacturer instructions is generally considered safe. Braise tough cuts of meat, and cook stews, soup, and beans in a large crockpot.

By Bev Harrison

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