Zero Waste concept

Zero Waste is a new way of looking at our waste stream. Instead of seeing used materials as garbage in need of disposal, discards are seen as valuable resources. A pile of "trash" represents jobs, financial opportunity, and raw material for new products. [from A New Systems Approach Gaining Global Ground by Marti Matsch.]

Zero Waste events

By carefully planning waste out of an event, the event can serve as a living model of the Zero Waste concept for all participants, and divert as much of the event’s waste as possible from ending up in the landfill.

Basics of Composting and Recycling

• How to compost and recycle at the races:
  • Find the nearest Zero Waste Station. The Recycle side of the station is for glass, plastic and aluminum containers; the Compost side of the station is for all food and paper waste, and the special compostable cups, plates, and silverware being used at the event.
  • Paper, cardboard, plastic bags and cellophane, and containers are collected from all the expo vendors for recycling. Food waste, sample cups, and paper waste from the expo vendors are composted.
• How to compost and recycle at home: visit www.eco-cycle.org for Boulder County recycling information and composting resources.
  • Curbside recycling in Colorado’s Front Range covers most types of container and paper/cardboard now. Eco-Cycle operates a drop-off center in Boulder that accepts a wide range of recyclable materials as well.
  • Eco-Cycle also operates the CHaRM (Center for Hard to Recycle Materials) that accepts items not allowed in curbside recycling, for example: computers, plastic bags, white block foam, books, textiles, and more.
• The best solution: Reusing. Ideal products aren’t meant to be discarded after one use; they should be re-usable for their original purpose over and over again, or be re-purposed for another use to extend their lifespan.
  • 5430 Sports gives away the discarded green plastic Gatorade bike water bottles that are left in the aid stations, so that cyclists who need them can keep using them.