Strategic Plan for Yampa Valley Recycles (YVR)

Yampa Valley Recycles (YVR) is comprised of a dedicated group of citizens in Routt County, Colorado, committed to helping communities reduce, reuse, and recycle.

YVR is a program of the Yampa Valley Sustainability Council (YVSC) and consists of representatives from the City of Steamboat Springs, Routt County, private citizens and businesses. The officers of YVR include a committee chair, who represents YVR on the YVSC board, treasurer, and administrator, who acts as Secretary.

Our mission is to provide, expand and support comprehensive recycling programs and permanent recycling facilities throughout the Yampa Valley.

Our vision is tocreate a community where waste reduction, reuse and recycling are a way of life.

Strategic Areas of Work for 2013

1

Educating all Citizens and Guests about Recycling

Our Goal: To increase awareness and opportunities to recycle and increase recycle rates by education.

BY:
Publishing and providing Routt County citizens and visitors with annually updated recycling
information through newspaper, Website, smart Web page, and smart phone and tablet applications. Emilie, Andy

Provide educational materials in the form of white papers to YVR Web page - Andy

Educating the youth in our community through the schools.
Emilie,Sustainable Schools, WM, and Twin Enviro, Yampatika

Providing outreach and accessibility to ethnic and non-English speaking citizens in the valley.

Catherine, Comunidad Integrada, Sonja
Educating and reaching out to property management and businesses. YVR, YVSC, SSBC,Yampatika

Educating and providing recycling consulting to senior resident facilities– Nancy

Working with planning department to ensure new developments have appropriate facilities designed with recycling in mind (reinstate TAC) - Catherine

Providing brochure, and web, social network site for recycling information. Emilie, Andy

Presenting to City and County quarterly on successes (as part of YVSC)

Annual measurements to meet the stated goal in Strategic Area of Work 1

Number of educational presentations in schools.

Provide a recycling guide to all Routt County citizens in both English and Spanish.

Track number of people attending recycling programs annually.

Track individual contacts/inquiries.

  • Document attending numbers at events with event report
  • Monthly committee report with meeting attendance number, event numbers

Promoting Recycling in the Yampa Valley

Our Goal: Promote recycling to prevent inappropriate disposal of hazardous materials and prevent ground water contamination.

2a

Traditional Recycling

BY providing options for proper recycling:

Feasibility Study

Green Machines moved to more rural areas
Plastic Bag Ban or Fee – education and city ordinance

  • Supplying parking lot signs and/or rear view mirror hangers to local grocery stores andshoppers
    to remind them to bring in their reusable bags from their cars. Catherine
  • Reducing plastic bag use by selling reusable bags and encouraging reusable bags for our retail partners as well as creating outreach projects. Catherine, Bag Ladies
  • Research possibilities, benefitsand various opportunities regarding large retailers charging a fee for use of non reusable bags. Catherine, Steve, Bag Ladies, Sarah, Andy

Awarding local individuals and organizations for their outstanding recycling efforts in recognition of America Recycles Day in November. YVR

Providing an annual Waste Assessment to the City and County. Sarah

Increasing volunteer numbers in recycling programs. Emilie, YVSC

Annual measurements to meet the stated goal in Strategic Area of Work 2a

  • Track and measure pounds and yards of recycled materials.
  • Track and measure green machine totals (Steamboat, Yampa, and Oak Creek)
  • Track waste assessments total solid waste in community, landfill at Milner and recyclables.
  • Track number of reusable bags sold by YVR and grocery stores.
  • Measure the number of plastic bags not used through information from partners.
  • Keep track of volunteers’ numbers and hours worked.

2b

Promote recycling of Hard to Recycle Items and disposal of HHW

Providing options for recycling of hard to recycle items and proper disposal of HHW.

By:

Education about CFLs and promotion of bulb crusher

Education and action plan for battery recycling

Education for e-waste

Education about HHW, reduction of use and proper disposal

Explore the expansion of CDOE to include other hard to recycle items such as styrofoam and books – Dave

Annual measurements to meet the stated goal in Strategic Area of Work 2b

  • Documentation of HHW pick-up at CDOE
  • Measure electronic products recycled by tracking numbers and pounds recycled.
  • Track quantity of bulbs collected by Lightworks

3

Implementing Creative Recycling Solutions

OUR GOAL: Have a local recycling program be more financially sustainable.

BY:

Investing & applying for grants in 2013, i.e. Feasibility study, pollution prevention,
recycling containers,and permanent recycling transfer station. Mike, Emilie, Sarah, Anne

Sponsorship program for containers with MainStreet & Downtown Business recycling (Yampa and Oak St.).

Researching and pursing funding for our mission. Emilie, Garrett, SSC, RC,

Participating in Routt County’s Annual Highway Clean-up day in Mayand collaborate with SSC Steve, Mike, Heather, Jason, YVSC

Improving Routt County Fair grounds by continuing recycle program at Fair, & 4HBBQ

by providing 6 permanent recycle containers.

Jill,Emilie, YVSC, Steve

Working in cooperation with recyclers for community recycling event. Garrett, YVR, YVSC, Emilie

Creating reusable bag partnerships through Colorado Association of Ski Towns (CAST)

and CORE. Catherine

Increase supplying recycle bins with consistent signage along the river bike path,

city parks &downtown.
Catherine, Steve, Zero Waste, Parks and Rec.

Exploring regulations, policies, and ordinances that would increase local recycling efforts. Sonja Steve, Steve, Sarah, and Andy

Annual measurements to meet the stated goal in Strategic Area of Work 3

Track money brought in to YVR from grants, donations, sponsorships and local government.

Track number of volunteers for highway clean-up and Community Drop Off Event.

Yampa Valley Recycles is confident that we can achieve all these goals with the continued strength in our partnerships with the City of Steamboat Springs, Routt County, other local municipalities, private citizens and businesses.