Recycle Utah

Nonprofit Summit County, Utah Recycling Center

#zero waste

The Case for Home Gardening

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You may have heard scary reports about large-scale farming and the negative impacts of mass food production. But don’t despair! Here in Park City, we have lots of trust-worthy local farms; but what’s more, we have the fun option to grow our own food! In an era riddled with environmental concerns, home gardening has emerged as a sustainable and rewarding practice.

Home gardening has a smaller carbon footprint than store bought food, which requires energy from transportation and machinery. By growing food, you’ll also reduce your plastic and paper consumption from packaging. Additionally, large food industries take up millions of acres of space for the sprawl of farmland, often depleting the soil of nutrients through overuse. Home grown food typically requires a lot less space, and it can promote soil health and bring in beneficial insects and worms. Growing food at home also means that you can ensure your food is grown the way you want it to be, organically grown without pesticides or chemicals. Your food will be rich in nutrients and fresh.

This all sounds great in theory, but in reality, with Park City’s dry climate and high altitude, it can be difficult to grow food. Here are some practices that can help you maximize efficiency and garden sustainably:

  1. Water Conservation: Save water by utilizing a mulch base and water with old rainwater. You can also use drip irrigation to save water.
  2. Soil Management: Improve soil fertility and water retention by using organic matter, such as compost. Consider container gardening to help with rocky and shallow areas.
  3. Crop Selection: Choose hardy crops that can survive in dry environments. Examples include tomatoes, peppers, kale, carrots, rosemary, and some berries.
  4. Microclimate Consideration: Take advantage of microclimates within your garden space, such as south-facing slopes for warmth and protection from wind, or shaded areas for delicate plants during hot summer months.
  5. Maximize each season: Consider utilizing greenhouses and other insulation/cooling methods to prolong your growing season.

Home-growing food provides benefits to the gardener and the planet. Gardening is a fun and peaceful pastime that can help us connect with nature and learn the gratification of hard work with a tasty result!

By Grayson Rae

How to Compost at Home

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With the snow melting, now is a great time to start thinking about starting your own backyard compost pile! While composting can seem daunting, it is actually a straightforward process that can help save landfill space, keep harmful methane emissions out of our climate, and help your soil by providing essential nutrients. Composting, at its essence, is the process of combining carbon-based materials with nitrogen-based materials, along with water and oxygen, to support microbial decomposition. This breakdown produces a nutrient-rich compost that strengthens soil and supports thriving gardens. The beauty of composting lies in its ability to provide natural recycling, converting kitchen scraps and yard waste into valuable resources for sustainable gardening.

To start composting, you’ll need a few supplies: a containment structure (such as wire fencing or pallets), a mix of carbon and nitrogen materials, water for moisture regulation, a compost thermometer for temperature monitoring, and basic tools like a shovel and pitchfork. With these tools, you’ll be ready to create a compost pile in your backyard, contributing to healthier soil and more abundant harvests. Your structure should be about 3 feet in diameter and height. Start by layering a brown carbon-rich layer – things like yard waste, newspaper, and grass clippings. Then you can start layering in green layers, nitrogen-rich materials like food waste. Avoid putting citrus, dairy, onions and garlic, meat, oil, and animal waste in your compost. You’ll want to maintain a ratio of about 2 parts brown material to one part green material. You can also add in a layer of existing compost when starting your pile to kickstart the microbial decomposition.

To maintain your compost pile, you’ll just need to make sure the compost has enough oxygen and moisture. Two to four days after starting your compost, it should reach the ideal temperature of 100-140 degrees Fahrenheit – you can check the temperature with a thermometer. You should turn your compost pile with a rake after a few days. The more often you turn your compost pile, the faster it will break down. Try to maintain that ideal temperature and moisture. You can squeeze a handful of compost to check the moisture content. It shouldn’t be soggy, but if it’s too dry, you can add a bit of water. Your pile can break down in as soon as 18 days if you maintain it regularly by turning it. Once you have a rich, dark brown, fully processed compost material, you can add it to your garden!

If you’re interested in learning more about composting and going zero waste, Recycle Utah and Summit Community Gardens/EATS are hosting a Zero Waste and Composting workshop on May 30 at 5:30 pm at Summit Community Gardens. The event is free and will cover how to compost, recycling education, and zero waste tips.

By Chelsea Hafer

Green Start Your Vacation

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Are you vacation planning? Wherever you go, don’t forget to bring along the great eco-friendly behaviors you’ve incorporated into your daily life—those that reduce your waste and use of natural resources and protect the environment. These practices are just as important to the people and places you visit as they are in your home community.

When choosing your vacation destination, how far are you going? Driving there by car – especially a hybrid or EV – emits far less carbon than a jet, and cruise ships can emit 3-4 times more carbon than jets. If you fly, try to book direct flights, since 50% of jet emissions happen during takeoff and landing. Think about traveling by train. This is the most ecologically-friendly way to travel, with 50-75% lower per-person carbon emissions than driving or flying as reported by Amtrak and Eurail.

So what are your sustainable vacation destination options?

  • Nothing has lower carbon emissions than a staycation. When it comes to staying home, Summit and Wasatch counties are quite fine vacation options. Instead of waiting for guests to see local “destination-caliber” sites, visit them on less busy, less expensive weekdays on your staycation. Check out https://www.onlyinyourstate.com/states/utah/ and subscribe to their excellent free newsletter. You will have more choices than days of vacation.
  • Research locations that publicize their efforts to provide a greener, cleaner environment and quality of life for their inhabitants. Are there agencies dedicated to providing sustainable services? Are natural and cultural sites well-protected? Some locations receive certifications and awards for their sustainability pledges. For example, each year the European Commission awards a European city the Green Capital and Green Leaf Award.
  • Choose to spend time at “second city and park” locations instead of joining the mass of tourists in a vacation hotspot. This way, you can still visit major attractions without contributing as much to over-tourism and pollution. Camp at lesser known state parks and national forest campgrounds and visit a popular national park for the day.
  • Stay in a town or village near a major attraction. You’ll experience a more authentically local visit and contribute to a smaller economy.
  • Visit locations off-peak when energy and natural resource demands are less. You’ll stimulate local economic growth and provide additional work hours for otherwise seasonally-employed workers.

By Bev Harrison

Remodeling Reclamation

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Recycling is important– it keeps materials out of landfills and saves natural resources by creating new items from old. What’s far better than recycling though are the first two R’s: Reduce and Reuse. Buy something that already exists versus something newly created from natural resources; usually oil, ore, plants, or sand are the natural resources items are made from. Thrift stores are optimal by offering used clothing, kitchenware, books, shoes, and more. Then, there are keen kitchen gadgets popping up to replace plastic wrap or aluminum foil to cover bowls and cans, washable/durable sponges, washable/reusable paper towels, and more. It’s wonderful to see what the market offers these days.

Another area many don’t think about with Reduce and Reuse is home remodeling projects. I recently added a small bathroom to my condo to entice my son to return home from college more. The Reuse challenge was super fun. Ultimately, I was able to use leftover floor tile from Modern Tile in SLC, and the sink, toilet, door, shelving, light fixture, and trim mainly from Recycle Utah’s Warehouse Thrift Store. It looks terrific and slightly eclectic. Extended dedication would have involved leftover drywall and wood, light switches, paint, and towel racks, while insulation and the shower would have been more challenging. The point is that options are available if we have time to hunt, and we can’t forget about the saved money and resources.

Between local building thrifts like Recycle Utah and Habitat for Humanity’s ReStore, not to mention numerous others in the Salt Lake Valley, the sky is the limit. Everything comes from a natural resource, and many are non-renewable. Let’s get savvy about how we proceed with our purchases from clothes and furniture to cars and home remodels. Can we Reduce or Reuse before we Recycle?

By Mary Closser

Decluttering with Purpose: A Post-Christmas Clean-out Guide

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As the holiday season fades into fond memories, the arrival of new gifts often brings with it a bit of post-holiday clutter. Now, as we start a new year, let’s use the spirit of fresh beginnings to make a positive impact through a purposeful post-Christmas clean-out.

When it comes to decluttering, Recycle Utah is your all-in-one destination. Whether you’re dealing with household goods, furniture, or old electronics, this organization specializes in recycling and repurposing. Bring in your holiday boxes and packaging materials for recycling, ensuring a cleaner environment. Don’t forget to drop off old electronics, ensuring that hazardous materials are disposed of responsibly while valuable components get a second life. By choosing Recycle Utah, you not only free your space from unwanted items but also contribute to a circular economy, reducing the burden on landfills.

If your closet is bursting with the aftermath of holiday shopping, consider decluttering with purpose. The Christian Center welcomes clothing donations, particularly winter wear. Your gently used clothing can make a significant impact on the lives of those in need, providing warmth and comfort during the colder months. If you find yourself retiring old skis or snowboards, Recycle Utah is the perfect place to ensure they are recycled responsibly.

As children grow and interests change, toys and clothes tend to accumulate. Rather than letting these items gather dust, consider donating gently used items to Kid-to-Kid. This organization offers a unique opportunity for your family to trade used toys and clothes for cash or store credit, keeping smiles on new faces and gently used items out of landfills.

As we carefully pack away the holiday decorations, let’s use this post-Christmas period for a purposeful and responsible clean-out. By donating used items to Recycle Utah, clothes to the Christian Center, and toys to Kid-to-Kid, you extend the joy of the season to those in need and contribute to a healthier environment. Let’s usher in the new year with a fresh, organized living space and a positive impact on the world around us. Happy cleaning!

By Chelsea Hafer

Reduce Waste in Your Everyday Life

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Since opening in 2009, Savoury Kitchen has endeavored to implement eco-friendly practices in all aspects of our business. These efforts are not only beneficial for our community and planet but also contribute to cost savings, a healthier lifestyle and record snowfall last season. (You’re welcome.)

Here are some practical tips we compiled for reducing waste in your own lives:

  • Embrace the Three Rs: Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle: Reduce unnecessary purchases, reuse items whenever possible, and properly recycle materials. Example: Our office is furnished almost exclusively with items reclaimed at Recycle Utah’s warehouse. Thanks guys!
  • Go Paperless: Minimize paper usage by transitioning to digital docs and comms. Utilize cloud-based storage and collaborative platforms for file sharing and opt for electronic invoices and receipts whenever possible. This not only reduces paper waste but also promotes a more organized and efficient work environment. It’s easy. You should just do it.
  • Cultivate Sustainable Habits: Incorporate sustainable practices into your daily routine, like stocking real (not paper) coffee cups in the office, composting food waste, bundling errands and turning off the lights. And for Pete’s sake, please stop buying single use bottled water!
  • Support Your Local Green Businesses: Show some love and appreciation to these Green Businesses by promoting their initiatives on social media, sharing positive reviews and emphasizing the importance of their eco-friendly practices.

By implementing these tips, individuals play an active role in creating a more sustainable and waste-conscious living and working environment, thereby contributing to a healthier and greener Park City for future generations.

By Jon Green, Savoury Kitchen