Greening Our Garbage

Have you noticed the spur of new commercial development happening around Main Street Square? With the addition of new retail and dining options also comes the need for an innovative way to handle waste from the new business activity.

The development on the corner of 5th and Main Streets now has a cutting-edge trash and recyclable handling system. The trash compactor, located adjacent to the Sears Building property and screened from view, crushes trash and co-mingled recyclables prior to them being transferred to the handling facilities.

This singular dumpster essentially takes the place of a multitude of traditional dumpsters and is very progressive in sustainable terms. The compactor offers a unique way to store a lot of trash without taking up a lot of space and greatly reduces waste hauling costs.

A very special thanks to MHL Development, Destination Rapid City, Kiefer Sanitation, and Downtown Recycles for making this happen.

Seasons Greenings

It's that time of year again!

'Tis the season of consumption, as shoppers are gearing up for the holiday season. Did you know that the average person is planning on spending $700 on gifts this year, yet most people cannot remember one thing they received last holiday season? Also, studies have shown that consumers create 25% more waste during the holiday season.

So if you're interested in gifting sustainably this year, here are some tips:

• Get creative with your gift giving. Try the Spudcoat, a biodegradable, compostable raincoat made of potato starch that plants seeds at the end of it's life cycle. Or if you're in the Black Hills, try giving a bottle of local wine from one of the wineries. 

• Register on the Alternative Gift Registry for activities you'd like to do instead of products that will end up in the landfill.

• Buy wrapping paper made with recycled content, or use extra paper you have laying around (like a paper bag or an old atlas).

• Go digital (or at least recyclable) with your holiday cards.

• Give a donation in someone's name to a charitable organization.

Any other creative ideas out there? Let's hear 'em!

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Lessen Impact Challenge: Trash Week

FourFront Design is now into the third week of our Lessen Impact Challenge! 

This week we're focusing on trash. On Free Monday, we showed some of the documentary Garbage Warrior, which focuses on architect Michael Reynolds and his quest to build a fully sustainable house using eco-friendly ideas and garbage.

Exterior hut house, Taos, NM

This week's challenge coincides with the annual office Fall Clean Up. Have questions on what can or can't be recycled? See this post for a quick rundown, or download the city's guide on recycling. 

And again, here's a bonus option: Write an informative or entertaining blog post about trash, email it to me (Jessica) and get 3 extra points for the week! Or, comment below about how you're doing with the challenge to get 1 extra point.

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Downtown Recycles!

Downtown is recycling! Through the work of Destination Rapid City, the city Public Works Department, Red River Waste Solutions, and the mayor's Green/Sustainable Cities Task Force, a pilot downtown recycling program is in development.

Twelve recycling receptacles will be installed along Sixth Street once construction of the streetscape is complete. People visiting the new Main Street Square and walking throughout downtown will finally have the opportunity to recycle! 

Here at FourFront, we've recently worked with Red River Waste Solutions to get a recycling dumpster in our alley. We're hoping more downtown businesses will follow our example.

Recycling Rules

Great news Rapid Citians! A new "how to" book on recycling is here!

This is a great resource with information on how to recycle just about anything in the city. Here are a few general highlights:

• In the blue recycle bins at your home you can place glass, plastic (#1 and #2 only), aluminum, and steel ONLY. Throw away all of the lids in the trash, and don't worry about removing labels.

• Plastic bags can be returned to numerous local businesses (Safeway, Family Thrift, etc.)

• All paper (including newspaper and magazines) can go in the trash; it gets composted at the landfill.

• Corrugated cardboard can be dropped-off at the City designated stations. It must be clean with no photo or waxed finish (so no cereal-like boxes). Pacific Steel & Recycling accepts all types of cardboard.

Check out the handbook for more detailed information. There's a ton of ways to recycle other than those listed above. For example, if you choose to recycle your aluminum at Ace Steel & Recycling, the proceeds will go to Habitat for Humanity.

Anyone out there have any recycling tips or questions?

Printing Patrol

Need a way to control the amount of printing done at your workplace?

Try saving as a "WWF", which is a type of  PDF that can't be printed. See here for more details and to download the free software used.

Looking for more ways to reduce paper use? Check out this article from CalRecycle some great tips.

Used Cell Phone Recycling

Ever wonder where your used phone goes or where it could go after you made your last upgrade? This article provides some of those answers.

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