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.
BLOGGER
I am the new renewable resources intern at the Office of Economic and Community Development. I am from Nulato, located in Interior Alaska. I graduated from Palmer High School in 2005, now attend UAA as a pre-nursing student.
LOCAL RECYCLING HELP
A recyclables pick-up service that serves the entire Anchorage area. Our mission is to get small businesses, multi-family homes, or private residences to recycle by making it as affordable and convenient as possible. Click on our www.gogreenalaska.net or call (907) 222-6988.
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.
Can-Do Kids Earn Money and Win Prizes, too. - 7/16/2008 3:15 pm
Have You Seen the Downtown Street Vendor Recycling Bins? - 7/10/2008 2:06 pm
Which is Better? (water bottle and cup) - 7/1/2008 10:30 am
Backyard Composting is Easy!! - 6/19/2008 3:13 pm
Junk to Funk Eco-Art Community Workshop Series - 6/12/2008 12:04 pm
Curbside Recycling Expanded! - 6/10/2008 12:36 pm
Recycling is compatible with gardening - 6/6/2008 2:16 pm
Help Celebrate 10 Years of Youth Environmental Leadership - 6/3/2008 10:46 am
June Electronics Recycling Events - 6/2/2008 3:22 pm
Anchorage Woodlot Opens Friday, May 30! - 5/29/2008 10:52 am
Behind the Scenes at Dark Horse Coffee - 5/27/2008 1:23 pm
Plastic Nursery Pot Recycling Event Slated for Fall - 5/21/2008 8:38 am
One More Date Change for Recycling - 5/19/2008 12:10 pm
Recycling Gets Another Chance -- Tuesday, May 20th - 5/15/2008 1:32 pm
Another Electronics Recycling Opportunity - 5/12/2008 12:28 pm
Composting Update - 5/9/2008 5:42 pm
Household Electronics Recycling This Satuday - 5/9/2008 1:59 pm
Come Out & Support Recycling! - 5/5/2008 7:17 pm
Recycling Public Hearing Postponed Until May 6th - 4/24/2008 10:17 am
Everyone Kept Asking... - 4/22/2008 11:41 am
An Unusual Recycling Opportunity - 4/22/2008 11:36 am
NEW!! Scrap metal recycling opportunity - 4/18/2008 11:58 am
JULY 16, 2008 - 3:15 PM
Molly Johnson won the June Can-Do Kid prize of a Desani mountain bike provided by Coca Cola of Anchorage. Can-Do Kids is sponsored by Alaskans for Litter Prevention and Recycling (ALPAR) and Smurfit-Stone Recycling. Started in 1984, the program is still going strong today. Can-Do Kids learn how recycling is a business as well as a positive environmental activity. Participants collect aluminum cans from their friends and neighbors and take them to the recycling center for payment. Each time they bring in cans they are entered into a monthly drawing for prizes. Lots of kids participate in Anchorage and many adults fondly remember their own Can-Do Kids business. The July prizes are a skateboard, razor scooter and IPOD Shuffle donated by ALPAR member company, Totem Ocean Trailer Express.
JULY 10, 2008 - 2:06 PM
Downtown Street Vendor Recycling Bin The Municipality of Anchorage, Bean's Café, Green Star, and downtown food vendors have teamed up to promote recycling downtown this summer. Between June 9 and October 9, the Bean's Café "green team" will pick up plastic bottles and aluminum cans twice a week from seven bins located at various street vendor locations. The seven bins are provided by Green Star.
As a unique service offered within the Municipality, the Beans Café’s "Recycling for the Homeless" project aims to offer recycling service to the downtown core while providing stable employment to the clients of Beans Café. All proceeds earned through the recycling of the plastic and aluminum will go to the "Recycling for the Homeless" project.
This is just the beginning of the Municipality’s plan to increase public space recycling. Let us know where you think public space recycling is needed in Anchorage.
JULY 1, 2008 - 10:30 AM
So here’s the scenario… You’re running in a race through downtown Anchorage. As you stop at the final water station, you see there are two choices – a plastic water bottle or a plastic-looking cup of water. It turns out that the plastic-looking cup is actually a corn-based cup made to degrade in a landfill over time. So which do you choose? And on what criteria do you base your decision? Is the non-petroleum-based cup better even though it’s headed for the landfill? Is the plastic bottle better because it will be recycled into other products? Are there recycling bins? Will the cup really break down? Can we compost the cup? Let us know what you think is best and why!
JUNE 19, 2008 - 3:13 PM
With all the changes going on with composting in Anchorage, why not just keep it all in your back yard? If you have the space to compost in your back yard, there are retail outlets that can help you by providing some of the tools you’ll need. Alaska Mill & Feed is just one place where you’ll find tools. Alaska Mill & Feed offers at least three different styles of composters including tumblers, free standing models, and worm bins. It also carries compost buckets for collecting food scraps in the house (only compost food waste if bears are not a problem in your area and if you have enough other material to mix with it), compost starter to activate your pile, compost forks for turning your compost, biodegradable leaf bags for collecting your raw materials, and other products to make composting easy.
JUNE 12, 2008 - 12:04 PM
A "plarn" bag is made of plastic shopping bag yarn.A summer series of three workshops will feature three “reuse and reduce” projects to spark your creativity.
Wednesdays, 6-8pm
June 11, 18, 25 – learn to make note cards by collaging with old magazines and junk mail
July 9, 16, 23 – learn to make Plarn (plastic bag yarn) shopping bags and purses
August 6, 13, 20 – learn to make waste paper bookbindings
Each workshop is $30 and is limited to just eight people so call or email now to register. The workshops are held at Unique Ways Studio, 207 E. Northern Lights Blvd., Suite 112. Contact Linda Warford, 441-4601 or Linda@warford.com or Jerelyn Miyashiro, 338-7676 or jtmiyash@ak.net for register or for directions.
JUNE 10, 2008 - 12:36 PM
Recycling gets easier with curbside collection.Alaska Waste announced yesterday that it is expanding curbside recycling service to an additional 17,000 households in Anchorage. The new areas include subdivisions on the lower hillside waste of Abbott Loop including Kempton Hills and Oceanview; the Muldoon area south of Debarr, north of Tudor and east of Boniface to the hillside; and in Eagle River south of Eagle River Road.
The service costs $6/month for a 96-gallon roll cart that is collected every other week. Residents can put cardboard, mixed paper, #1 and #2 plastic bottles and jugs, steel cans and aluminum cans in the cart. Residents will still need to deliver recyclable glass and plastic bags to a recycling drop-off location.
JUNE 6, 2008 - 2:16 PM
Garden pot recycling event: September 20 is the day to remember for recycling plastic garden pots.We told you about the September 20 ALPAR and Alaska Botanical Garden one-day pot recycling event here..
Now the Talk Dirt to Me garden blog is talking about it, and offering you a great video on how to make gardening a green-friendly hobby by reusing everyday items that make perfect seed-starter or baby-plant homes.
JUNE 3, 2008 - 10:46 AM
AYEA Summer Fund Raiser
Thursday, June 5th, 5:30-8:30 p.m.
Hilltop Ski Chalet, Anchorage hilltopskiarea.org
Teens in Alaska Youth for Environmental Action (AYEA) are hosting their tenth anniversary Summer Fund Raiser on Thursday, June 5th. For ten years, youth in AYEA have tackled recycling and waste issues, and this event continues to promote sustainability: they will host a Sustainable Silent Auction that includes things like "Office Hero Recycling Package," "Green Your Coffee Routine," "Rethink Plastics Shopping Package," "Healthy/Organic Spa Package" and much more! Even hip eco-company TerraCycle is donating items for the event!
JUNE 2, 2008 - 3:22 PM
There are several electronics recycling events taking place in Anchorage this month ---
June 4 – Nonprofit Day at Total Reclaim, 10am-4pm. Qualifying nonprofits can recycle electronics for 10 cents/lb, rather than the usual 35 cents/lb fee.
June 11 – Green Star Day at Total Reclaim, 10am-4pm. Green Star Award-certified businesses can recycle electronics for 25 cents/lb, rather than the usual 30 cents/lb discounted fee.
June 14 – Neighborhood Drop-off for Household Electronics at Service High School, 10am-3pm. Residents can drop off electronics for a flat fee per item.
MAY 29, 2008 - 10:52 AM
The Anchorage Woodlot will open Friday, May 30th. The hours will be 9 am to 7 pm daily. This year, the woodlot will be located at the corner of C Street and 100th Avenue, just south of Dimond Blvd.
The biggest change to the woodlot that you will see is that there is now a charge: $8.00 per pickup truck load; or $6.00 per yard.
For questions about the woodlot, please contact the Anchorage Soild and Water Conservation District (ASWCD) at 907.677.SOIL.
The Anchorage Woodlot has operated for the past several years under funding provided by a federal appropriation (or earmark); however, due to recent budget constraints and increased focus on earmarks in Alaska and elsewhere, the District is implementing a self-support approach in an attempt to continue woodlot service to the community.
MAY 27, 2008 - 1:23 PM
Eco Hot CupDark Horse Coffee has always tried to be eco-friendly, by recycling and using ceramic cups, for nearly ten years. Recycling bins on the front porch are a familiar site to anyone who frequents Dark Horse.
Now Dark Horse has taken the next step by switching all paper and plastic cups to 100% compostable Eco Hot cups and Corn plastic cups. The Eco Cup is a hot cup made of paper but unlike other hot cups, Eco Hot Cups are inner-lined with PLA, a compostable plastic derived from corn. Dark Horse also uses cold drink cups made from PLA plastic derived from corn.
MAY 21, 2008 - 8:38 AM
Alaskans for Litter Prevention and Recycling (ALPAR) and the Alaska Botanical Garden are again teaming up to hold a nursery pot recycling event at the Garden on September 20th, 2008. Many gardeners suggested we do a fall event because so much planting happens late in the season. This event should cover the entire season.
The one-day, Saturday event will run from 10 am to 5 pm. We will again take only those pots that are Number 2, 5 and 7 (look for the chasing arrow symbol with the number on the bottom of the pot.) We realized last year that some # 2's don't have the number on the bottom. However, as long as the pot looks like the other #2's, we'll take it.
MAY 19, 2008 - 12:10 PM
It looks like the May 20th Assembly date for addressing the community-wide recycling ordinance most likely will be moved once again to June 10th. Just trying to keep everyone on their toes!!
MAY 15, 2008 - 1:32 PM
Thanks to the strong public support at the May 6th Assembly meeting, the ordinance supporting automated trash collection and curbside recycling in SWS' collection area was passed unanimously.
However, the ordinance supporting the numerous community-wide recycling programs, including school recycling, expanded drop-off sites, public space recycling and outreach, was postponed. This ordinance will be revisited NEXT TUESDAY, MAY 20th. Although public testimony will no longer be accepted on this issue, the ordinance still needs public support. Keep those letters, emails and phone calls com
MAY 12, 2008 - 12:28 PM
Eagle River residents now have a convenient location to recycle scrap electronics. Tri-Digital Computer Services, at 17034 Eagle River Loop Road (above Trustworthy Hardware) is now accepting electronics for recycling. Tri-Digital has been working with Total Reclaim in Anchorage and will be accepted as a drop-off location.
The site will be open for recycling 10am - 5pm Monday through Friday, was well as 10am - 2pm on Saturday. The fees will be similar to Total Reclaim's -- $18/monitor and 35¢/lb for all other electronics -- plus a 10% handling fee. The handling fee brings the costs up to about $19.80/monitor and 38¢/lb. It's worth it for the convenience factor if you live or work in Eagle River!
MAY 9, 2008 - 5:42 PM
Evergreen Nursery & Garden Center recently stepped up, offering Anchorage an option for composting this spring. Evergreen will open its doors this Saturday, May 10th, to the public for drop-off of compostable materials. So gather up your leaves, grass clippings, brush and woody material and head to 760 East 120th Ave., off Old Seward. The site also is accepting horse manure!
Here are some of the details:
Hours: Mon - Sat, 8am - 6pm. Closed Sundays.
Fees: A standard pick-up truck load of green and wood waste will cost $20/load. Larger trucks and containers will be charged $25/cubic yard. And horse manure will cost $30/cubic yard.
MAY 9, 2008 - 1:59 PM
Saturday, May 10, from 10am to 3pm -- Recycle your household electronics at Romig Middle School's parking lot. Total Reclaim will be there to accept your scrap computers, TVs, stereos, microwaves, and other electronics. A small fee per items is charged. The Total Reclaim warehouse in Huffman Business Park also will be open during those same hours on Saturday so you'll have two places to drop off this weekend. Call Total Reclaim for details 561-0544
MAY 5, 2008 - 7:17 PM
TUESDAY, MAY 6th at 6pm
Assembly Chambers at the Loussac Library
The Assembly will be hearing public testimony about the proposed recycling plan. Come out and let the Assembly know what you want.
Alaska Center for the Environment (ACE) and Alaska Youth for Environmental Action (AYEA) will be rallying at 6pm at the Loussac Assembly Chambers entrance. Wear your school colors, or wear green to support recycling.
Visit www.muni.org/sws/recycling.cfm for information about the proposed recycling plan.
APRIL 24, 2008 - 10:17 AM
The public hearing scheduled for this Tuesday, April 29th addressing the Municipality's proposed recycling plan has been postponed until the May 6th Assembly meeting. The recycling plan was scheduled at the end of an already very full Assembly agenda so, rather than have supporters show up and wait when there was a good chance that the topic would be bumped from the agenda due to time constraints, the recycling public hearing has been rescheduled for the May 6th Assembly meeting. Please spread the word and come out on May 6th to support the plan either by testifying or by just being there. Your presence sends a strong message to the Assembly.
APRIL 22, 2008 - 11:41 AM
...so Total Reclaim is now accepting magnetic media for recycling. That means VHS, Beta and cassette tapes, as well as 8-track tapes, if anyone still has these! Total Reclaim is at 12101 Industry Way, Unit C4, in the Huffman Business Park. Hours are Monday-Friday, 8am-5pm. Contact Total Reclaim at 561-0544.
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