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Solid Waste Management Partnership with Denver Public Schools
Denver Public Works Solid Waste Management Partners with
Denver Public Schools to Provide Trash and Recycling Services
Partnership will result in significant efficiencies for both agencies
 
DENVER, CO ­— September 9, 2009 — Mayor John Hickenlooper and Denver Public Schools (DPS) Superintendent Tom Boasberg announced today the formation of a partnership where Denver Public Works Solid Waste Management (SWM) will provide trash collection services to all Denver Public Schools. In addition, Denver Recycles, a program of Solid Waste Management, will roll out a district-wide school recycling effort over the next year.
 
The formation of this partnership is another example for how Denver and DPS employees are working to cut costs and gain efficiencies in the services they provide.  DPS will pay the City for collection services, and through this agreement DPS will be able to defer the purchase of new garbage trucks and save on operational costs, saving several hundreds of thousands of dollars over the next five years. Denver Solid Waste Management will generate revenue for this service and gain collection efficiencies since many schools will become part of existing residential trash collection routes.
 
“This is a good example of how the City is working with the school district to find ways to make programs and services more efficient,” said Mayor Hickenlooper.  “Our children have an added benefit of being able to participate in the same recycling program at school as they can at home, thus creating consistent knowledge of recycling that will help us in our effort to build a more sustainable city.”
 
In addition to trash collection services, Denver Recycles will begin rolling out recycling collection services to all schools during the 2009-2010 school year.  The recycling collection service will be complemented by an education and outreach program designed for DPS students.  Recycling will also provide collection efficiencies and present schools with the ability to reduce the amount of waste disposed from their facilities, thus reducing landfill disposal costs.  Solid Waste Management will in turn generate revenue on the sale of the recyclables, lowering its cost to provide service to DPS.
 
“We are very excited to be rolling out a district wide recycling program that will allow our children to have hands-on experience doing their part to create a more sustainable community and school district,” said DPS Superintendent Tom Boasberg. “This program is one of many operational cost-savings initiatives the district is aggressively pursuing to help mitigate the impact of current and planned funding reductions from the state.”
 
Trash collection operations began last week and the recycling program will roll out to approximately 15 schools each month.  The recycling program implementation will be enhanced by an education program for teachers, facility managers and students through school assemblies, fact sheets and teacher curriculum.
 
For more information, call Solid Waste Management through 3-1-1.
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Recycle and Reduce Waste at School
The A,B,C’s of Back to School Recycling 
 
A new school year is approaching and there’s no better time to start thinking about how you and your family can recycle and reduce waste.  Below are some great ideas on how to lessen your impact on the environment and still have a fantastic school year: 
 
RECYCLE & REDUCE WASTE
 
  • Buy notebooks, folders and writing paper made from recycled paper.  When shopping look for products made from “recycled paper” or “recycled-content paper.”  Try and get the brands with the highest percentage of recycled content, such as brands marked “Made from 100% recycled post-consumer recycled paper.”  It is important to buy products made from recycled material so we can help to “Close the Recycling Loop.”  By selecting products made of recycled content material you will be supporting residential recycling programs and their associated markets.
  • Consider shopping at thrift stores and consignments shops for back to school clothes. In Denver, we are lucky to have a variety of retail options selling almost-new clothes at much lower prices than new clothes.
  • Reuse empty plastic tubs for storing pencils, paper clips or other small items needed on hand for school projects.
  • Recycle school papers such as old homework and tests in your Denver Recycles purple cart.  Each ton of recycled paper can save 17 trees.
     
  • Pack lunches in reusable containers instead of disposable plastic bags or plastic wrap. If reusable containers are not an option, try wrapping sandwiches in aluminum foil, which you can recycle in your Denver Recycles purple cart.
  • Avoid buying single-serving, non-recyclable food items such as juice boxes, individual chip bags and cereal variety packs.  You can also cut down on wasteful packaging and by buying items in bulk.
  • Don’t waste paper!  Write and print on both sides. Set your computer and printer to “double-sided” as the default option so documents automatically print double-sided.  Printing double-sided handouts, reports and tests can dramatically reduce paper use, which saves nature AND saves money.  Did you know that the average American uses 650 pounds of paper per year?
     
  • Collect scratch paper for reuse. Start saving one-sided print jobs in a box, file or basket and use these papers for scratch paper when doing math problems, taking notes or completing art projects.
  • Instead of buying bottled water for lunches and field trips, pour drinks in a reusable, durable water bottles or thermoses.
     
  • Donate bulk amounts of items such as CD cases, cork, wire, block foam, fabric to Resource Area For Teaching (RAFT) Colorado.  RAFT transforms surplus materials into hands-on learning activities for students.  For more information on RAFT call 303-548-2587 or visit online at www.raftcolorado.org.
For more information on Waste Prevention or other Denver Recycles programs, please call 3-1-1 or visit DenverGov.org/DenverRecycles.
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Information on phase in process of recycling services at Denver Public Schools coming soon. 

Please check back with us in a few weeks.
  
Lesson Plans
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Free Supplies for Classroom Projects
Resource Area For Teaching (RAFT) Colorado
 
Teachers, do you need supplies for your classroom projects and lessons?  Then check out RAFT!
 

RAFT transforms businesses' surplus materials into hands-on learning activities for students. RAFT has a reputation for knowing what teachers need to create meaningful learning experiences that are filled with the joy of discovery. RAFT accepts material donations Monday - Saturday; will schedule pick up pallet-size or larger donations.

2875 Blake Street

Denver, Colorado 80205
 
720-242-8833

web address: www.raftcolorado.org
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