Santa Fe New Mexico Recycling Center

Hike with Earth Care – 6/2/2012

SFSWMA — Wed, 02 May 2012 22:05:16 +0000

Think the Earth could use a hand?

On June 2nd what it really needs is your feet.

Join the Earth Care Third Annual Hike-A-Thon

And Celebrate National Trails Day

Saturday, June 2, 2012

8:30am – 3pm

Atalaya Mountain Trail - starting at St. John’s College parking lot

Join us for fresh air, exercise, the scenic beauty, and that warm feeling of good spreading through your heart because you are supporting young people learn how they can change their community!

Not to mention BBQ, festivities and great prizes for the hiker and team who raise the most money to support Earth Care programs.

Printer and e-mail friendly FLYER

2012 Earth Day Events in Santa Fe

SFSWMA — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 19:47:53 +0000

Check the dates below to see how and where you can participate in the Earth Day events around our community!

4/14 – Keep Santa Fe Beautiful E-Waste Collection Event
4/19 – Recycling Facility Tours: Contact Us to schedule a time to visit BuRRT and see how your recyclables are processed in Santa Fe!
4/21 – Whole Foods Market (on Cerrillos) Earth Day Event from 1-3pm
4/22 – Genoveva Chavez Community Center celebrates Earth Day from 9:30am – 5pm
4/22 – Whole Foods Market (on St. Francis) Zero Hero Earth Day Event from 11am-2pm
4/23-26 – Santa Fe Community College Earth Week
4/28 – The Keep Santa Fe Beautiful Great American Clean Up from 7am – 1pm
4/28 – La Montanita Co-op celebrates Earth Day from 10am – 3pm

Consumption: An Installation Exploring Waste

SFSWMA — Fri, 23 Mar 2012 19:15:17 +0000

Artist Nancy Judd, known internationally for her couture fashion sculptures made from trash, has branched out in a new direction in collaboration with artist Nicole Morris, to create an installation funded by a grant from New Mexico Arts, Art in Public Places.

At first glance this installation might simply look like a chic designer show room, decorated with interesting furnishings and items repurposed in surprising ways. Imagine a cowboy themed children’s room with clean lines and a hint of contemporary Japanese stylization. But scratch under the surface and you will find many more layers of curiosity and significance.

Everything in the room was carefully chosen from other’s discarded trash. Judd and Morris partnered with the Santa Fe Solid Waste Management Agency, a joint entity of the City and County, which manages the Buckman Road Recycling and Transfer Station (BuRRT). Over the last nine months the artists and staff have been conducting a reuse study to document the amounts and types of waste that enter the transfer station for disposal but have the possibility of being reused. During the study the artists were allowed to pull out items to use in the installation. The idea behind the survey is to provide the agency with information that could be utilized in planning a reuse center at the Transfer Station.

In 2011 the City and County governing bodies passed a joint Solid Waste Plan. One of the recommendations of the Santa Fe Solid Waste Advisory Committee that generated the plan was to create a reuse center at BuRRT. National studies have shown that reuse is one of the best ways that we can both conserve resources and reduce trash.

Considering how many people recycle today, one would be surprised at what still goes into the landfill. New Mexico’s recycling rate is 16 percent, this means that 84 percent of our garbage is buried the landfill and will outlive us for thousands of years. The Environmental Protection Agency estimates that 80% of what we throw away can be recycled and reused. Not only are we creating landmasses of trash, but we are also using an unsustainable amount of resources to fuel the consumption that creates so much waste.

The artists’ intention with this installation is to encourage people to look at the things we throw away with new eyes, so that next time, they may consider alternatives such as repair, reuse, repurposing or recycling. But it is more than just re-considering garbage; the artists are actually asking the audience to reconsider our “all-consuming” need to shop. Where do all the resources come from that create all our “things”? How many trees does it take to provide the 7,000,329,624 people alive today with just one pencil each? (It is estimated that 300,000 pencils can be made from 1 tree so, 23,334 trees.)

This project is funded through the Art in Public Places Program of the State of New Mexico, Department of Cultural Affairs. The New Mexico Arts Centennial Project Space seeks to celebrate New Mexico’s centennial with unique visions of the state’s history and the legacy of its people from a contemporary perspective.

Judd and Morris believe that celebrating the 4th centennial needs to include consideration of our environmental impact on our community. “It is important to consider what effect our disposable society and over consumption is having locally on Santa Fe. What do we want this treasured community to look like in the NEXT 400 years? With this installation we want to inspire the creativity in all of us to care for this beautiful place we call home.”

WHEN: APRIL 13-MAY 4, 2012

OPENING: FRIDAY APRIL 13, 5-7PM (sponsored by NMA Art in Public Places, A Department of Cultural Affairs).

WHERE: CENTENNIAL PROJECT SPACE 54 1/2 East San Francisco Street, Suite 2, upstairs from the Santa Fe Plaza located to right of Haagen-Daz’

Green Waste Pilot Program

SFSWMA — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 19:13:58 +0000

The City’s Environmental Services Division is looking for 600 interested residents to participate in a Green Waste Pilot Program. The program will begin when 600 participants have signed up and will continue for one year. If successful, the program will be expanded to all City residents.

Participants will be provided a 90 gallon rolling green waste cart with a bi-weekly pick up (dates TBA). The cart will be placed on the curb with the trash and recycling bins every other collection day. Only green waste may be placed in the container such as twigs, leaves, small branches and other compostable landscaping materials. No food waste allowed.

The pilot program fee is $4 per month. Call 505.955.2200 to sign up!

Don’t pass up this great opportunity to divert your yard waste from the landfill!

If this is not for you, see how else you can recycle your green waste.

Free Christmas Tree Recycling

SFSWMA — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 16:10:58 +0000

When it’s time to take down your tree after the Holidays, it doesn’t have to take up space in the landfill. Instead, the City of Santa Fe, Santa Fe County, and Santa Fe Solid Waste Management Agency will be accepting Christmas trees for mulching free of charge. Starting on December 27^th and continuing until January 31, 2011, all residents in the City and County of Santa Fe can drop off their un-flocked and de-ornamented tree at the following locations:

All County Operated Transfer Stations

Buckman Road Recycling & Transfer Station (BuRRT)

Franklin Miles Park

Camino Carlos Rey and Siringo Road

Newman’s Nursery

7501 Cerrillos Road

Payne’s Nurseries:

304 Camino Alire

715 St. Michael’s Drive

Ragel Park

Yucca and Zia Road, near the Yucca entrance

Please be sure that all ornaments, tinsel, and lights are removed from the tree. Flocked trees are not accepted because it will contaminate the mulch. The mulch from the City will be used in the parks for landscape and erosion control. Read more about how you can obtain mulch.

Recycle your Holiday Lights

SFSWMA — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 19:30:23 +0000

Residents and businesses in the City and County of Santa Fe can now recycle their broken or unwanted Christmas lights for FREE. Rather than tossing in your trash, these lights can be stripped for their valuable metals and recycled, keeping them out of our landfill. All types of string lights are accepted, including icicles and LEDs. The bulbs are okay to leave on. You can drop them off for no charge at any of the following locations:

BuRRT- 2600 Buckman Road, Santa Fe
Capital Scrap Metal, Inc – 1162 Cooks Lane, Santa Fe. Capital Scrap will pay $0.80 per pound.
City of Santa Fe, Environmental Services Department – 1142 Siler Road, Santa Fe
County Transfer Stations – All transfer stations are accepting lights.

Holiday Waste Reduction Tips

SFSWMA — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 17:58:20 +0000

It’s estimated that between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day, more than 1 million tons of additional waste is generated each week nationwide. In fact, 38,000 miles of ribbon alone is thrown out each year—enough to tie a bow around the Earth.

Rethink your Holiday by following a few of these waste reduction tips:

Give a Gift Card. More than two-thirds of American consumers purchase at least one gift card as a holiday present for a loved one. They’re appreciated, they never expire, and they require no fancy gift-wrapping.
Repurpose Old Holiday Cards. You can turn them into a postcard and reuse them again. Or, cut up cards to be used as gift tags, bookmarks, greeting cards, place mats, or decorations.
Say ‘Happy Holidays’ a Different Way. An estimated 2.6 billion holiday cards are sold each year in the United States, enough to fill a football field 10 stores high. If every family reduced their mailing list by just one card, the nation would save 50,000 cubic yards of paper. If you have Internet access, consider sending electronic holiday cards this year. Check the selection at commercial sites like hallmark.com, bluemountain.com, or 123christmascards.com. You can also check charitable support groups like care2.com, or conservation groups like The Nature Conservancy.
Use Reusable Bags. Headed out to the mall for some holiday shopping? Take along a reusable shopping bag and you’ll help reduce the number of single-use, disposable bags distributed by retailers.
Buy Foods in Bulk & Compost the Leftovers. Consider buying food and holiday snacks in bulk to reduce packaging waste. Be sure to compost the leftovers—the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimates nearly 95 billion pounds of edible food, or 27 percent of the U.S. food supply, end up being wasted each year.
Buy Local. Look for locally grown products for your holiday meal—it’s estimated the ingredients for the average U.S. meal travel 1,200 miles by the time they are served. Choosing food products that are in season, and not flown in from a tropical climate, is better for the environment. Consider products from a local farmers’ market. Check out the Santa Fe Farmers Market or support the Farm to Restaurants participants in Santa Fe.
Recycle your Tree. Nationwide, an estimated 30 million used Christmas trees end up in landfills. You can recycle them as green waste or turn them into mulch for water conservation and weed control in the garden. Or, consider an artificial tree or a “living” tree that can be replanted in the yard.
Consider the Environment. Sprayed-on artificial snow can be made from environmentally harmful components and hinder the ability to recycle a Christmas tree. For more Earth-friendly artificial snow, sprinkle on some baking powder. Never burn Christmas trees or holiday wrapping paper in a fireplace or wood stove, because they can spark a chimney fire..
Make Room for New Gadgets & Toys. Donate your unwanted toys, clothes, electronics, and furniture to one of the local donation centers. If your electronic doesn’t work, you can recycle it at BuRRT!
Recycle Old Holiday Lights. Recycle broken or burned-out holiday lights by mailing them to Christmas Light Source Recycling Program, 1923 6th Ave., Ft. Worth, Texas 76110. The bulbs will be recycled, and proceeds will be used to purchase books for the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation in the Dallas-Ft. Worth area. You’ll also get a coupon to save 10 percent on a future order of replacement bulbs.
Save on Gift Wrap. Save and reuse gift wrapping paper from previous years, or make some from butcher paper, reused brown paper bags, newspapers, and fabric. Shop for recycled-content holiday wrapping paper, or wrapping paper sold by charity groups that raise funds to preserve rain forests. Thrift shops often have good prices on leftover holiday wrapping paper.
Think Outside of the Gift Box. Reuse old packaging, cereal, or cracker boxes. It’s free!
Opt out of Junk Mail. Overwhelmed with holiday catalogs received in the mail? Opt out at Catalog Choice. It’s free for Santa Feans!
Buy Reusable Batteries. About 40 percent of all battery sales occur during the holiday season. In 2006 alone, more than 40 billion single-use batteries were sold worldwide. Consider purchasing rechargeable batteries instead; they can be used again and again. See where you can recycle your used batteries.
Reduce the Packaging. Be sure to pack presents in appropriate sized boxes. Use old newspaper for stuffing instead of buying peanuts. Or, recycle your packaging peanuts when you’re done with them.
Green your Holiday Meal. Use a cloth tablecloth or a washable plastic tablecloth instead of purchasing single-use paper tablecloths for your holiday meal tables. Recycle cotton or cotton-blend fabric remnants into napkins. When possible, use washables over disposables. If you need more reusable dishware, consider local thrift stores.
Drive Smart. Plan your holiday shopping outings on a map or a GPS unit to determine the most efficient driving route—you’ll drive fewer miles, reduce greenhouse emissions, and spend less when you fill up at the pump.
Check Your Tire Pressure. Going to grandma’s house for a holiday dinner? Before your trip, make sure tires are properly inflated to increase fuel economy and drive safely. A reduction of one gallon of gasoline used by every U.S. household this holiday season would reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 1 million tons.

Shout out to CalRecycle for helpful tips!

Santa Fe Community College Recycles!

CajadBlogAdmin — Sun, 13 Nov 2011 19:44:04 +0000

Tuesday – November 15, 2011 In honor of America Recycles Day, SFCC will be hosting a fabulous interactive recycling resource fair in the campus’s main hallway from 10a.m. to 2p.m. Come support local organizations:

Earth Care International
Home Grown New Mexico
Payne’s Organic Soil Yard – worm composting with Sam McCarthy
Sierra Club with Alliyah Mirza
New Mexico Glass Experiment Workshop (NMGEW) with Stacey Neff
SFCC – Biofuels Club, Environmental Club, and Recycling Club
Recycled art by SFCC’s very own instructors – Patricia Pearce and Diane Tintor
Santa Fe Solid Waste Management Agency
Keep Santa Fe Beautiful

You can also enjoy a recycled candle making workshop with Recycle Runway’s very own, Nancy Judd. Films will be played throughout the day in the Board Room. Old cell phones will be collected for the Esperanza Shelter, and there will even be a coffee cup, magazine, and seed swap.

America Recycles Day

CajadBlogAdmin — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 20:54:01 +0000

November 15, 2011

Since 1997, communities across the country have come together on November 15 to celebrate America Recycles Day. More than a celebration, America Recycles Day is the only nationally recognized day dedicated to the promotion of recycling in the United States. One day to educate and motivate. One day to get our neighbors, friends and community leaders excited about what can be accomplished when we all work together. One day to make recycling bigger and better 365 days a year. Get involved! Visit AmericaRecyclesDay.org for more information.

Welcome to the new website!

CajadBlogAdmin — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 19:28:19 +0000

This website revamp materialized because of the recognized need for a waste reduction and recycling resource for the residents and businesses of Santa Fe. The City, County, and Solid Waste Management Agency are working together to help provide a safe way to dispose of waste, and at the same time helping Santa Fe to rethink their waste options. Why would we want to do that?!? It’s a fact:

On average, Santa Feans throw away 5.5 pounds of waste, per person, per day!
Santa Fe has a 10% (or 11% depending on how you count it) recycling rate, where the national average recycling rate is 33%.

Hopefully, the wealth of knowledge that is packed into this website can be utilized to help reduce our contributions to the landfill and increase our recycling rate. After all, we are burying valuable and natural resources in our own backyard! DISCLAIMER: This website is not perfect, nor will it ever be. If you find something wrong, or any information that needs to be added, please send us an email and we’ll try and fix it right away. This also goes for any recycling businesses that have been unknowingly left out.