Recycle Utah

Nonprofit Summit County, Utah Recycling Center

#zero waste

Reducing Food Waste At Home

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Food waste has a large impact on climate. In the US, about 40% of food goes uneaten.  According to the Park City Community Foundation, “Roughly 80% of the solid waste that reaches our local landfill could be diverted, with up to 60% of that being food waste.”  At the current rate of use, the landfill in Park City has about 30 years left, making food waste reduction an important action for everyone.  Park City set a goal of having zero food waste in our landfill by 2030 – and it starts with you! Here are five ways you can reduce food waste at home.

  • Before grocery shopping, look through your fridge and have a plan.  Buy what is needed and keep it in mind when you plan to eat it.  Keep those quickly perishable items in a convenient spot in the fridge.
  • Store food strategically. Produce like tomatoes, bananas, apples, and avocados release ethylene gas that can cause other vegetables to spoil sooner, so they should be stored away from other produce. Treat herbs like flowers store them in a glass of water, and wash vegetables right before eating to avoid introducing moisture.
  • Purchase “ugly” food like a tomato with a soft spot or produce with a cosmetic imperfection. When food has blemishes, it will end up in the trash, but many are still perfectly good to eat. Cook “ugly” food right away, use it in smoothies, or freeze it to extend freshness.
  • Understand food dates. “Best by” dates indicate when the quality of the food starts to dip, but is likely still safe to eat.  Use your senses!  If it smells fine and looks fine, chances are it’s fine. 

Keep nutrients in the food cycle by composting. A worm bin is a great way to compost at home!  Vermicompost is a low-maintenance, mostly odorless option for recycling your vegetable waste.  Plus you get an extremely high-quality fertilizer for your garden.  If you live in Park City (84060 or 84098), you can sign up for curbside food waste pickup through Momentum Recycling, free for the first 1000 people who sign up through Park City Community Foundation’s Zero Waste program https://parkcitycf.org/zerofoodwaste/

By Brightie Huddleston, Summit Community Gardens – EATS

Heat Pumps

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A recent U.S. Department of Energy report states that space heating (and cooling) is the number one use of energy in our homes, resulting in high bills and consequential pollution. No doubt a ‘heat pump’ has entered your mind as an option to replace your fading furnace, but you’re worried about its cost and capacity to perform in cold weather. In reality, heat pumps are a cost-effective and energy efficient replacement for old heating and cooling systems.

Heat pumps use less energy to heat (or cool) homes and save money on bills (up to $1,000/year), in addition to reducing CO2 emissions from natural gas. They are dual functioning, meaning they heat in the winter and cool in the summer, so no need for a separate AC. They use electricity to transfer heat into and out of your home. Even if electricity is drawn from coal (still 60% of the U.S.A.), the emissions are less than a gas furnace, similar to an electric car being powered by coal instead of gas.

Cost varies depending on heat pump type, house size and local climate. It could cost up to $14,000 including installation, though the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) offers rebates up to $8,000 and tax credits up to $2,000. New technologies have drastically improved allowing heat pumps to work in cold temperatures below -10 degrees F. Finally, if you decide a heat pump isn’t right for you, other systems are available, like mini heat pumps, mini-splits, or hybrid dual-fuel heat pump systems. Tax credits and rebates from the IRA bill are also available for certain systems.

Gas furnaces typically last 10-30 years, depending on quality and maintenance. If you’re within that range, it’s time to consider electric heating options. Summit County is on track to be powered by renewables by 2030 through the Utah Renewable Communities program established by HB 411 in 2019. As heat pump technologies change, users also should adapt. Now is a great time to start researching trained contractors and the appropriate electric heating and cooling system best suited for your home – next stop is your water heater! Utah Clean

Energy (utahcleanenergy.org) is a wonderful resource for the energy-curious consumer.

By Mary Closser

The Environmental Burden of Balloons

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When I was little, I remember stepping out of a birthday party with my balloon. It slipped out of my hand and floated away, never to return. I now know that this mistake could have deadly consequences for marine life and ecosystems. Balloons have become a prominent symbol of the culture of celebration. However, most people don’t think about the fact that any time a balloon escapes into the sky, it can lead to many unintended consequences for marine life.

Pollution from balloons actually accounts for some of the ocean’s deadliest trash. Balloons (including latex and mylar balloons) take a long time to break down in the ocean, contributing to plastic pollution. As balloons gradually break down they turn into smaller pieces of colorful plastic that resemble food for marine life; the digested plastic has detrimental effects on the digestive system. Statistics show that ingestion of soft plastics (for example: balloons) often does more bodily damage than hard plastics in marine animals, although both are a critical problem. Over many years, balloons can eventually break down into microplastics, which can build up in marine animals, some of which are eventually eaten by humans. Additionally, the strings of balloons are capable of entangling and suffocating or drowning marine animals. It is estimated that over 100,000 marine animals die annually because of plastic pollution.

So what can we do about this issue? The most straightforward and effective action is to stop using balloons and supplement them for other decorations and materials. Try using bubbles, biodegradable confetti, or even natural materials like rocks, shells, and leaves for creative crafts and decorations. While it may be fun to celebrate with balloons, the long-term environmental effects outweigh the benefits.

By Grayson Rae

Return to Raking!

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When thinking about climate change, it sometimes feels like many of the solutions are out of the hands of individuals and rest solely in the hands of governments and large corporations. However, many of the actions we must take to curb climate change start in our homes – and our yards. Gas-powered leaf blowers, for example, have emerged as a symbol of environmental degradation and public health risks, and some people have begun to speak up.

Each fall, Park City lights up with red, orange, and yellow as the leaves change on our oaks and aspens. And each fall, as these leaves float to the ground, people bring out their gas-powered leaf blowers. The noise from these dystopian gas guzzlers disrupt the tranquility of fall, but their impact extends far past noise pollution. Unlike modern cars, most leaf blowers still have two-stroke engines, which spew unburned fuel into the air. Some leaf blowers can emit more pollutants in half an hour than a cross-country trip in a gas-guzzling truck.

The noise pollution from leaf blowers is equally concerning. People and animals are disturbed by the low-frequency roar of leaf blowers. Prolonged exposure to the noise and emissions from these machines can lead to hearing loss, asthma, and heart disease. Not surprisingly, this disproportionately affects low-wage workers who spend more time operating leaf blowers.

Some progress is underway. Across the country, over 100 US cities have banned gas-powered leaf blowers. Salt Lake City is offering residents up to $500 for switching their gas-powered lawn equipment, including leaf blowers, lawn mowers, and weed whackers, to electric alternatives. This is a critical step in improving air quality in the valley. Winter Park commissioners have also proposed a voter referendum for a ban on gas-powered leaf blowers.

Still, in Park City the action lies in the hands of residents and landscapers. Developments continue to be made in battery technologies, offering viable alternatives to gas-powered leaf blowers. The initial cost of these electric leaf blowers may be higher, but when considering the benefits to air quality and improved public health, these costs make the decision straightforward.

Gas-powered leaf blowers may seem trivial in the grand scheme of global climate change, but their impact is profound. By regulating and ultimately banning them from our neighborhoods, we can foster a quieter, healthier environment while making meaningful strides in the fight against climate change.

By Chelsea Hafer

Blue Sky Blocks

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The Blue Sky Energy program has been around for over 20 years. Participants in the Blue Sky program can invest their dollars and support a renewable energy future. When signing up for Blue Sky by purchasing ‘blocks’, a business or resident is creating demand for renewables in our region. To date, Blue Sky has supported more than 9.2 million megawatt-hours of renewable energy across the western region. This equates to energy for around 938,000 homes for one year! 

The opt-in Blue Sky program requires no upfront costs or contract; customers choose their level of support. Funds are used to purchase Green-e Energy Certified Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs) from renewable energy resources. Their dollars also go towards funding small and medium-scale community based renewable projects (189+ to date), such as rooftop solar installed at homeless shelters, fire stations, schools and more. Blocks are the equivalent of 100kWh of energy and cost $1.95/block. Find a list of some Blue Sky projects installed from block payments here: https://www.rockymountainpower.net/community/blue-sky-projects.html. To learn more or enroll, go to rockymountainpower.net/bluesky.

Another opportunity to support the local transition to renewables is through the Utah Renewable Communities Program, created in 2021 after HB411 (Utah Community Renewable Energy Act) was passed in 2019. This coalition of 18 cities, counties and towns is committed to providing clean energy for Utah, starting as early as 2025. This program differs from Blue Sky in that it drives large-scale renewable energy development, accessible to all Rocky Mountain Power customers. Blue Sky is a certificate-based program that helps support our utility to acquire and retire RECs, while the URC Program will deliver electricity directly to our grid. The goal of the URC Program is to bring enough renewable energy from solar and wind to eventually supply net-100% electricity for Rocky Mountain Power customers, including Park City, Summit County, Francis, Oakley and Coalville. Once the program gains approval from the Utah Public Service Commission and is ready to launch, the current coalition will make choices about what new renewable energy project to bring online. Support the URC Program by subscribing to updates at https://www.utahrenewablecommunities.org/.

It’s promising that renewables have developed enough in Utah to provide choices for us as consumers. Both programs are critical and we should be grateful that Blue Sky opened their program doors when they did. The more we can do as individuals to support our clean energy future, the better.

By Mary Closser

The Environmental Toll of Tire Emissions

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Alarm surrounding the air quality and climate effects of tailpipe emissions have led to a recent focus on electrifying our transportation. However, recent research has revealed that tailpipe emissions may be little cause for concern when compared to the emissions that come from our tires. After noticing an increase in salmon fatalities during rainfall, researchers discovered the culprit: a chemical compound known as 6PPD, which is added to tires to prevent cracking. This compound, along with the 400 other chemicals and compounds in tires, has devastating effects on our environment.

Tires are full of heavy metals, chemicals, and synthetic and natural rubber materials. It is estimated that over ¾ of microplastics in the ocean are microrubbers from tires. With billions of tires sold every year, it makes sense that the fragments shed with each rotation of a tire would create a large impact on the environment. It is estimated that tires generate up to 6 million tons of microrubbers a year worldwide. And because of their heavier weight, electric vehicles – although they don’t contribute tailpipe emissions – produce 20% more tire emissions than fossil-fuel powered vehicles.

Some microrubbers – small enough to be classified as nanorubbers – are so tiny that they can cross our brain-blood barrier when inhaled or ingested. The effects of nanorubbers on our bodies is still being researched, but some evidence shows that nanorubbers can cause developmental, heart, lung, and reproductive problems. In oceans, the ingestion of microrubbers by marine life can also have severe consequences.

Environmental groups, indigenous communities, and even the California Environmental Protection Agency are speaking up about the danger of tire emissions. Some companies are looking into more natural alternatives to the chemical compounds in tires, including rubber from dandelions or soy oil. A potential solution for mitigating tire pollution is rain gardens; studies have shown that rain gardens can capture almost all rubber fragments from stormwater.

So what can you do? It may seem hopeless, with the fight to lower tailpipe emissions just taking off, and this new emissions culprit just being discovered. We can start by driving less; taking the bus or carpooling, and walking or biking whenever possible to decrease your mileage. You can also get involved by spreading the word about tire emissions, as many people are unaware of the dangers they cause to us and our environment. Just like the fight to reduce our tailpipe emissions, we need to spread awareness in order to make change and create a better, safer world. This Green Tip sourced information from “Road Hazard: Evidence Mounts on Toxic Pollution from Tires” from Yale Environment 360.

https://e360.yale.edu/features/tire-pollution-toxic-chemicals#:~:text=Recent%20studies%20show%20that%20the,have%20significantly%20reduced%20those%20emissions

By Chelsea Hafer