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ZERO WASTE COMMITTEE

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the SRL Zero Waste committee organized an educational webinar series. Click HERE to access our Youtube channel and view the recordings! 

MONTHLY COMMUNITY CLEAN-UPS!

  • Join the SRL Zero Waste Committee for a monthly clean up of Kensington Park.
  • Clean-ups are held on either Saturday or Sundays from 1-3 p.m. 
  • For more information or to RSVP, contact us.

Get Involved! Fill out this short form and let us know how you'd like to help make Longmont a zero waste city!
Get Involved!
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Longmont Zero Waste Committee Meeting
By Zoom online meetings
  • The Zero Waste Committee meets on the last Thursday of the month from 5:30-7:00pm on Zoom
  • RSVP to get the link 

2021 Zero Waste Events

Grow Local: Home Gardening and Community Agriculture
April 8, 2021  |  6:00 - 7:00 p.m.

Watch this webinar to learn home gardening tips for the Colorado growing season, as well as the benefits of community agriculture and investing in our local farms. Our SRL Moderator, Naomi Curland, Chair of the Zero Waste Committee and Executive Director of Longmont Food Rescue, engages in conversations with our expert panelists:
  • Brian Coppom, Executive Director of Boulder County Farmers’ Markets
  • Sonya Hueftle, Planting Crew Lead with Aspen Moon Farm
  • James Lissy, Author of The Longmont Leader’s “Get Growing” Column
  • Tim Villard, SRL Board Member and Food Project Farm Manager for Growing Gardens
Grow Local Webinar: Resource Guide
File Size: 1809 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

Tim Villard_Growing Gardens
File Size: 10520 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

James Lissy_Spring Planting Tips
File Size: 924 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

Sonya Hueftle_Aspen Moon Farm
File Size: 6120 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

Zero Waste Update: December 2020

Ten members of the SRL Zero Waste Committee gave public comment on December 1 at the City Council meeting, which saw the first comprehensive review of the Waste Services programs since 2010. If you’d like to hear our committee’s public comments, you can start watching the meeting HERE. A few other comments in support of our policy recommendations came after our committee speakers - great to have additional community support!
About 2 hours later, Bob Allen gave the Waste Services Program Review, which you can find HERE. He started out by saying the waste plan is guided by the Sustainability Plan, and was very supportive of our group comments. He went on to list the most common feedback from community members, waste services staff, and stakeholders (which aligned perfectly with our committee recommendations): 
1) enhanced participation in residential composting
2) universal recycling ordinance
3) nearby options for hard to recycle items
One of their goals is 50% residential waste diversion by 2025 - currently at 26% diverted at the curb in Longmont. Our voluntary compost program is at 21% participation, and they expect it to level out at 25% if other measures aren’t taken. He offered some policy options for increasing our waste diversion, such as a universal recycling ordinance (YES!) and the possibility of a plastic bag ordinance. He also mentioned the opportunity to collaborate more with Eco-Cycle for outreach and education, including the Green Star Schools program.

City Council directed staff to identify and analyze potential program changes that would represent impactful, quick-wins. City staff will return to City Council in early 2021 to present findings and receive further direction on priorities and alternatives.


2020 Zero Waste Events

Longmont Clean Up Green Up: October 4
Together, we filled 13 large orange trash bags, 3 large white recycling bags, and rescued a tire and a fire extinguisher for safe disposal. Thank you for helping keep our greenway and waterways clean of plastic and debris!

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Food Preservation: Tips & Tricks for a Zero Waste Kitchen: September 2

Learn about a variety of food preservation techniques to prolong the life of food in your kitchen, and save fresh produce from a bountiful harvest to be enjoyed later in the year. There will be practical demonstrations, hands-on techniques, and recipes included.

Featuring in-kitchen presentations from SRL Zero Waste committee members:
Jenny Kim
Jasmine Walker
Naomi Curland
Recipes and Links

Living a Zero Waste Lifestyle in the Time of COVID: July 28

With an ongoing public health crisis, people are home more than ever. How has this affected our consumption habits? Learn how to shop sustainably, upcycle what you have, and live zero waste amidst a pandemic. 
Speakers:
  • Rosie Briggs, Community Campaigns/Eco-Leaders Network Manager, Eco-Cycle
  • Jenny Kim, MD, Longmont resident
  • Devin Quince, Owners, Simply Bulk Market​
Moderator: Naomi Curland, SRL Zero Waste Committee Chair
​Presentations & Links:
EcoCycle slides
Simply Bulk slides
Jenny Kim's slides
Presentation Links

Food Waste and the Climate Connection: June 17

Join us for a webinar exploring the connection between food waste and climate change, with a focus on solutions. Learn about food rescue and hunger relief efforts, landfill diversion through composting, and how our Green Star Schools are leading the way in food waste education. Find out more about what local organizations are doing to make an impact and what you can do to help reduce food waste.
Speakers: 
  • Naomi Curland, Executive Director, Longmont Food Rescue  
  • Dan Matsch, CHaRM Facility and Compost Department Director, Eco-Cycle
  • Stephanie Potter, Teacher/STEM Explorers Advisor, Eagle Crest Elementary School
Moderator:
  • Rachel Zelaya, Program Coordinator, Sustainable Resilient Longmont
​Presentations:
food_waste___food_rescue_-_longmont_food_rescue.pdf
File Size: 2603 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

eco-cycle_composting___carbon_farming.pdf
File Size: 2587 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

eagle_crest_green_star_school___food_rescue.pdf
File Size: 26873 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

Zero Waste Committee Background Information:

Did you know that Longmont was the first city in Colorado to offer residential curbside recycling pickup services in the early 1980s? How about that Longmont’s Rhythm on the River was the first official Zero Waste event ever? Or that their every-other-week trash pickup option is the envy of many other municipalities who haven’t quite been able to make it work?

And yet, Longmont is below the national average residential recycling rate, despite our long history of Zero Waste leadership and innovation. Please join fellow Longmont residents as we explore the possibilities for keeping Longmont a national leader in Zero Waste. 

Two major branches of activity are currently being focused on: education initiatives, and advocacy and action. Other ideas for creatively moving Longmont further toward Zero Waste are welcomed and encouraged. Please join us at our next meeting!

 
  • Click here to join the Zero Waste Committee google group and get involved!

Initiatives
We are organizing educational events in English and Spanish!
Estamos organizando eventos educativos en inglés y español!
 
The Zero Waste Committee organizes a series of educational events, including facility tours and community presentations.
 
Facility tours focus on resources coming into and leaving your home, giving residents a holistic educational experience and connecting us with resources affecting our daily lives. Tours look at incoming water, electricity, gas, and food, as well as outgoing recycling, trash, compost, and wastewater. Community presentations are in-town events where speakers share zero waste knowledge and local businesses highlight their zero waste initiatives.
 
If you have ideas for an event or want to get involved, please join our group at the next meeting! 

CURBSIDE COMPOSTING

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  • Longmont began a curbside composting program in 2017.
  • Find out more and sign up for service HERE! ​

CONTACT US

PO Box 1764, Longmont, CO 80502
Copyright © 2022. Sustainable Resilient Longmont, All Rights Reserved.