This is the place for those who want to walk the talk on green living. Interested in the latest news on curbside recycling? Have a suggestion or idea about how to make Anchorage a greener community? Look no further than this recycling blog. Anchorage is moving fast to become a leader in protecting our environment, reducing climate change impacts, and hopefully saving money in the process. Join longtime Alaskans Nick Moe and Kevin Harun in sharing your latest thoughts on recycling and sustainability. You can reach them by email at recycleblog@adn.com.
BLOGGER
I am the recycling coordinator at the Municipality of Anchorage's Solid Waste Services. I also am program director at Green Star. My masters degree is in natural resources and behavior from the University of Michigan and I have worked in recycling around the country for 18 years.
BLOGGER
As executive director of ALPAR (Alaskans for Litter Prevention and Recycling, I work on litter and recycle issues statewide. ALPAR is supported primarily through the business community. I have a marketing degree from Missouri State University.
Got used cooking oil? If you are a restaurant or large generator of used cooking oil, Alaska Mill and Feed will pick up your cooking oil and recycle it. For more information call 279-4519, press "option 3".
AHFC Research Information Center
Alaska Housing Finance Corporation provides a public and web accessible library on sustainability, sustainable development, energy efficiency, and green building.
Provides recycling and management services for computers, electronics, refrigeration equipment, lighting and appliances.
Founded in 2005 to give voice to the pervasive consequences of global warming in Alaska while pursuing solutions.
Where in the city to recycle electronics, dispose of waste oil or automobile batteries.
ALPAR is a privately funded, non-profit organization dedicated to eliminating litter and increasing economically-viable recycling in Alaska. ALPAR programs and services are made possible by the generous support of our member companies and other dedicated businesses and organizations throughout Alaska.
This is the largest metal recycling facility in the state, paying for ferrous and non-ferrous metal
Green Star is a non-profit organization that encourages businesses to practice waste reduction, energy conservation and pollution prevention.
GET ANSWERS
Wondering how and where to recycle your refrigerator, cell phone, computer, batteries? Ask here.
Save the Date for Nursery Pot Recycling - 6/19/2009 12:03 pm
Wood Chips Available - 6/16/2009 10:38 am
Did you miss DIRT DAY? - 6/11/2009 1:20 pm
Alaska Waste recycles 7,225 pounds of city’s litter - 6/1/2009 9:07 am
DIRT DAY is coming! - 5/5/2009 6:06 pm
Go Zero Waste...Go Online - 4/16/2009 11:33 am
TV Recycling Pickup Service until April 21 - 4/14/2009 11:42 am
Alaska Green Fair -- April 11 -- FREE! - 3/24/2009 4:22 pm
What's Happening in our Schools? - 2/19/2009 11:43 am
Your A to Z Guide to Zero Waste in Anchorage - 1/20/2009 11:32 am
TV Drive at Total Reclaim - 1/8/2009 12:28 pm
Glass collection temporarily suspended - 12/18/2008 11:38 am
A December Electronics Recycling Special - 12/11/2008 2:55 pm
Buy Compostable Plates & Cups for the Holidays - 12/9/2008 3:26 pm
Buy Nothing Day - 11/25/2008 1:16 pm
Plastic Bags?? - 11/18/2008 11:52 am
Anchorage Celebrates America Recycles Day Nov. 15th - 11/11/2008 8:45 am
Curbside Recycling -- How is it working for you? - 10/28/2008 12:30 pm
Another chance to recycle trees and branches - 10/10/2008 4:15 pm
Tired of Mail Order Catalogs and other Unwanted Mail? - 9/30/2008 2:12 pm
MOA Solid Waste Services Rolls Out New Services Next Week - 9/25/2008 6:25 pm
Biodiesel Trash Trucks are Coming! - 9/18/2008 3:32 pm
JUNE 19, 2009 - 12:03 PM
Garden pot recycling event: Save your pots, trays and cell packs for recycling on August 8th.
Save the date -Saturday, August 8th - for this year's garden pot recycling event. This drop off event will be held again in the Benny Benson Parking lot next to the Alaska Botanical Garden from 10 am to 5 pm. Brought to you by Alaskans for Litter Prevention and Recycling (ALPAR) and the Alaska Botanical Garden with help from Smurfit Stone Recycling and Alaska Waste who are also sponsors.
This year, we'll be taking all plastic pots, cell packs and trays which must be sorted into 2 categories -#2 HDPE POTS and #5,#6,& #7 pots, trays and cell packs. New this year are the # 6 trays, pots and cell packs. These containers are rigid plastic that will crack or tear when bent. This addition should significantly increase the number of garden containers that can be recycled. Please remove metal hangers and excess dirt before bringing. Stack like pots to save space. And PLEASE, no pre or post event drop off. It's a one day event only!
JUNE 16, 2009 - 10:38 AM
Anchorage Soil and Water Conservation District's Anchorage Woodlot has mulch/landscape material available now. No charge to pick up. Open Thursday through Sunday, 9am to 7pm. More info available at www.aswcd.org.
Makes terrific covering for trails, beds, mud, agricultural applications etc. Two sizes available on site this year.
Location: Anchorage, C Street & 100th
JUNE 11, 2009 - 1:20 PM
Earth MachineIf you missed DIRT DAY but are still interested in getting a backyard composting bin, you're in luck. Another shipment of bins is on its way and you can pre-order one (or more!) by visiting www.aswcd.org. Just click on the Dirt Day and Earth Machine Order Information link to pre-order a bin. Bins will be available for pick-up at the Anchorage Soil & Water Conservation District woodlot located at C St and 100th Ave. The shipment is expected to arrive in early July but check back at www.aswcd.org for an announcement of the shipment's arrival.
JUNE 1, 2009 - 9:07 AM
Waste SortThis year, Alaska Waste took a new approach with the litter picked up by Anchorage volunteers during Citywide Clean-Up. They brought 16 tons of the Anchorage Chamber's orange litter bags back to their facility and conducted a waste sort in order to separate out the recyclable materials and ascertain how much could be diverted away from the landfill.
7,225 pounds of paper, cardboard, plastic, bottles, cans, scrap metal, wood waste and other materials were pulled from the waste stream and recycled. That's 22.5 percent of the total. “Our desire is to find creative solutions to sort recyclables from the litter collected during the city’s clean up effort. The first step toward this solution is to understand the potential,” said Katy Suddock, Recycling Coordinator at Alaska Waste. It took eight laborers two days to sort through the pile. “It was a messy job, but it’s great to know that these recyclables won’t end up in the landfill,” said Suddock. For more pictures visit www.alaskawaste.com.
MAY 5, 2009 - 6:06 PM
Come out and get a super-good deal on a backyard compost bin. This Earth Machine compost bin is just $50 -- it typically retails at $100 to $150.
The event is Saturday, May 16, 10am - 4pm, and it is located on E. 56th Ave., just off the Old Seward Hwy, south of International Airport Road. Look for the signs!
There will be compost experts on hand to answer questions, local businesses showing off other compost "accessories" and providing coupons, and activities for the kids.
Only cash or checks will be accepted. Get 'em while they last! If bins run out, we'll have order forms available for future shipments.
Questions? Visit www.aswcd.org/dirtday.html or email aswcd@aswcd.org or recycle@muni.org.
APRIL 16, 2009 - 11:33 AM
Check out the A to Z Guide: Anchorage’s Guide to Zero Waste, produced by MOA Solid Waste Services. Visit the A to Z Guide at SWS's site to download a copy of this valuable biannual guide to Anchorage’s zero waste resources. The new Spring/Summer issue includes information about:
Recycling
Reuse
Waste Prevention
Energy Efficiency
Air Quality
Water Quality
Yard Waste Management
and more!
Questions? Would you like to know when a new issue is available? Email recycle@muni.org.
APRIL 14, 2009 - 11:42 AM
Need to get rid of an old TV? A group of high school students has come to your rescue. As part of a community service project, we'll pick it up and recycle it safely so no toxic chemicals are released.
Just email a request for a pickup in Anchorage to tvrecycling@live.com with your TV size and address. Leave an evening number, and a student will contact you to get directions and make arrangements. ENDS APRIL 21st
Prices for TV recycling including pickup are as follows:
Up to 19" $25 each
19" to 27" $35 each
MARCH 24, 2009 - 4:22 PM
Interested in more information about recycling, renewables, energy efficiency, green retailers in Anchorage and other green topics? Come to the 1st Annual Alaska Green Fair at the Egan Center on Saturday, April 11, from 10am to 4pm. The Alaska Green Fair is set to be the largest green event held in the state. The mission is to create excitement and enthusiasm for green products, services and technologies available to the residents of Alaska, and to raise awareness about the sustainable choices available in Alaska while demonstrating a waste-free, more efficient, environmentally responsible Alaska. The Alaska Green Fair will include both Alaska certified green businesses and environmentally conscious vendors.
FEBRUARY 19, 2009 - 11:43 AM
See what's being recycled in Anchorage's schools at the Anchorage School District's brand new recycling web pages.
This site provides regular updates on school recycling activities. There's a list of upcoming recycling meetings and events. There are recycling facts and figures if you're writing a report. And you'll find news archives about past school recycling events.
If your school doesn't have a mixed-paper recycling dumpster yet, check the web site for the delivery schedule of your dumpster.
Don't know what mixed paper really is? Check the web site for a list of recyclable and nonrecyclable paper items.
JANUARY 20, 2009 - 11:32 AM
MOA's Solid Waste Services recently published its first issue of A to Z: Your Guide to Zero Waste in Anchorage. In this guide you will find information about curbside recycling, drop-off locations, reuse opportunities, energy efficiency and air quality tips, hard-to-recycle items, and many other recycling resources. The guide will be published twice annually, providing new and seasonal information in each issue.
View the guide at www.muni.org/sws -- scroll down to "A to Z: Your Guide to Zero Waste in Anchorage." Right now, the guide is only online but a printed version may be available soon.
JANUARY 8, 2009 - 12:28 PM
If your current TV isn't going to make the cut when February's "digital day" hits, you have an easy option. Total Reclaim is hosting four TV recycling days on Saturdays over the next two months. Total Reclaim will except TVs for the following prices between 10am and 4pm on January 10, January 24, February 7 and February 21. They also will except all other residential consumer electronics during those hours for just 34 cents/lb. Call 561-0544 for directions and details.
TV recycling rates:
up to 19" = $15
19" to 27" = $25
DECEMBER 18, 2008 - 11:38 AM
A mountain of glass to be processedBeginning January 5th, the glass drop-off containers at the Anchorage Recycling Center off Dowling Road (Smurfit-Stone Recycling), the Anchorage Regional Landfill and at Brown Jug Warehouse on Old Seward will be removed. All recyclers are asked to stop bringing glass now and dispose of it along with their trash.
Glass recycling in Anchorage is facing some steep challenges as outlets for the processed material decline and quantities of glass dropped off continues to rise. The glass plant will continue to operate in Anchorage but collection will stop, at least for now. EK Industries is working through a backlog of processed and unprocessed glass and has sufficient supply for several months.
DECEMBER 11, 2008 - 2:55 PM
Total Reclaim is offering residents a deal in the month of December! You can recycle an entire computer system for just $15. Total Reclaim is also piloting a reuse program. The goal is to offer a low-cost alternative for used computers and other equipment. Items are being posted on craigslist and the warehouse will have an inventory sheet of electronics available for resale. Total Reclaim also has a Wish List! Customers can provide specific requests and Total Reclaim will call if that item becomes available. If you do not want the equipment you're recycling to be evaluated for reuse potential, be sure to request that it be destroyed.
DECEMBER 9, 2008 - 3:26 PM
While you're shopping for gifts this season, consider making a purchase for the Earth. On Saturday, December 13, from 10am to 5pm, the 4th Avenue Marketplace (aka the Post Office Mall) will host the 4th Avenue Winter Market, with dozens of craft vendors and plenty of entertainment. Come by and visit the Rare Earth booth to get compostable cups, plates, bowls, and cutlery. If you're unsure about these products, it's a chance to check them out in person!
NOVEMBER 25, 2008 - 1:16 PM
The day after Thanksgiving is Buy Nothing Day. This unofficial "holiday" began in Vancouver, Canada, in 1992 and has since spread to the U.S., U.K., Germany, Isreal, and other countries around the world. Although it falls on different days in different countries -- England will celebrate on Saturday, November 29 -- the idea is the same. The day is about protesting consumerism by not participating in consumerism.
Stategically scheduled in the U.S. on the biggest shopping day of the year, it may be a futile effort but part of the goal of Buy Nothing Day is to raise awareness about our wasteful, overconsuming habits. In a year when our economy is suffering, some may claim that buying during this holiday season is our way out of the slump and buying nothing will add to our economic woes. Others believe our tough economy is a sign that we should all tighten our belts and save our money.
What do you think? Is spending wasteful? Or is it just a matter of being more selective about what we are buying? What are your waste prevention plans for the holidays?
NOVEMBER 18, 2008 - 11:52 AM
If you've been to the Anchorage Recycling Center recently, you may have noticed that the bin for plastic bags is no longer there. In its place is a sign indicating that plastic bag recycling has been temporarily suspended. So why is it gone and what are we supposed to do with our bags?
Well, markets for recyclable materials, like amany commodity markets, have suffered a steep downturn both in the U.S. and internationally. When manufacturing slows, the need for raw materials slows as well. For plastic bags and film, the market has all but disappeared, causing the recycling center to stop accepting bags temporarily. Plastic bags and film typically are used by plastic lumber manufacturers. These manufacturers have stopped buying material until they use up the inventory they have and the construction market recovers.
So what do we do until then? Here are a few suggestions until the recycling bin comes back.
1) consider switching to reusable bags for grocery shopping
2) reuse your bags around the house for trash bags, dog poop bags and other second uses
3) drop off grocery bags in the recycling bins in the entryway of Carrs, Fred Meyer, and Wal-Mart stores -- these bins are for grocery bags only
4) for other types of plastic film, either hold onto them until the bin comes back or dispose of them responsibly with your trash
DO NOT leave them at the recycling center if there is no bin! This costs the recycling center a lot of money to dispose of all this material.
NOVEMBER 11, 2008 - 8:45 AM
Anchorage is getting ready to celebrate America Recycles Day on Saturday, November 15th. Come join the festivities!
• Celebration and Recycling Information at Dimond Center: Learn more about Anchorage’s new recycling options and enter to win one of four $100 shopping sprees at Dimond Center. Sponsored by Alaskans for Litter Prevention and Recycling, Dimond Center and Anchorage Media Group. On hand will be Muni Solid Waste Services and Alaska Waste to showcase their new curbside recycling programs.
• Free Residential Electronics Recycling for a donation to Bean’s Café: TOTAL RECLAIM, Alaska’s electronics recycler, is holding a special event on America Recycles Day to benefit Bean’s Cafe at their location at 12101 Industry Way in the Huffman Business Park from 10 am to 4 pm. Bring food items to donate (Nov. 15 only) and get your electronics recycled for free! (Residential only.) Items needed: Big cans of food, toilet paper, paper towels, coffee, feminine products, personal hygiene products.
OCTOBER 28, 2008 - 12:30 PM
SWS roll cartsIf you recently received curbside recycling service along with the new automated trash collection through SWS, tell us how you like it! Leave a comment here at the blog or write a letter to the editor of the Anchorage Daily News. We all know that change is difficult but as you get used to the differences, are you seeing benefits? Is recycling easier? Have you found a place to store your carts? Share your tips with others who may be trying to figure out the details of the new program.
OCTOBER 10, 2008 - 4:15 PM
After an earlier than usual snowfall and high winds throughout the Anchorage bowl, Mayor Mark Begich today announced an emergency temporary opening of wood lots to address the excess of fallen trees and branches in Anchorage and Eagle River neighborhoods.
The Anchorage Wood Lot is located at C Street and 100th Avenue and will open Saturday morning at 9 a.m. with daily operations from 9 a.m. – 7 p.m. and remain open through Sunday, October 19. The lot will then close for the remainder of the winter. The charge is $8 per pickup load or $6 per yard.
The Eagle River Lot at the Anchorage Regional Landfill will open Saturday morning at 8 a.m. It is closed on Sunday, but will open again on Monday, October 13 at 8 a.m. It will remain open daily from 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. until October 18 and is free to the public. Guidelines for disposal are same as those in place for the wood lot this summer.
SEPTEMBER 30, 2008 - 2:12 PM
The quantity of unwanted mail sent each year in the U.S. is about four million tons – nearly half of this is never even opened or read. Recycling is one way to manage the deluge but try one of these web resources to make the unwanted mail stop coming altogether. According to the Consumer Research Institute, a few minutes now will gain you as many as 70 hours per year that would otherwise be spent sorting and trashing or recycling your unwanted mail. So save time and trees!
CatalogChoice.org – Sign yourself up for free to get off catalog mailing lists. On this site, you choose which catalogs you stop getting.
41Pounds.org – Americans, on average, receive 41 pounds of trash-worthy mail every year. This organization will remove your name from mailing lists and donate a thired of the $41 fee to a charity of your choice.
GreenDimes.com – For $20, these folks will keep your name off mailing lists for at least five years. Plus, GreenDimes will plan up to ten trees on your behalf.
Direct Marking Association – Remove your name from many mailing lists for free. Visit the homepage and click on “Remove My Name Form Those Lists.”
Green Star has additional tips about how to steer clear of unwanted mail.
Important warning about e-mails purporting to be from the adn.com staff.
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