Sedona Recycles News Archive

One year ago, the Sedona City Council passed a Zero Waste Resolution, making Sedona the first Arizona city to adopt such a measure. No timeline or steps were outlined in the resolution, leaving the legwork up to us – the residents and businesses of Sedona. This might upset some people, but I like to think of it as empowering. We are Sedona and each of us has the power to make a difference!

Most people interested in Zero Waste have already taken steps to reduce waste at their homes and businesses, but there are still many Sedonans who have not. Sedona Recycles estimates that only 12-15% of Sedona’s population recycles, including both curbside customers and those that use the Sedona Recycles drop-off. The national recycling rate is almost three times higher - approximately 35% - and some cities, such as San Francisco, boast recycling rates as high as 78%.

Although we have a long way to go before we recover as much as San Francisco, every little bit helps. The three Rs (reduce, reuse, recycle) are the best way to start and are the key to the Zero Waste puzzle. Following the three Rs not only reduces waste, it saves resources, energy, power, and money. Recycling just one aluminum can saves enough energy to run a TV for three hours! Who knew something so easy could have such a big impact?

Sedona Recycles is redoubling our efforts to help reduce waste too. We’re working to make recycling more accessible and easier than ever. With your help we can achieve Zero Waste one step at a time.

New Recycling Site Opens at Posse Grounds

On October 24^th Sedona Recycles opened our first satellite recycling drop-off site in Sedona. The site, located in the upper parking lot of Posse Grounds Park, is free and open to the public 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

We encourage all parents with students at West Sedona School, as well as West Sedona School faculty and staff, and those living in the subdivisions surrounding Posse Grounds Park to use the new recycling site.

Recyclable items accepted at the site are: mixed paper (office paper, newspaper, magazines, junk mail, phonebooks, etc.), cardboard (corrugated, paperboard, and brown paper bags), plastics #1-#7 (excluding plastic bags and styrofoam), aluminum cans, steel cans, clear glass, and colored glass.

Sedona Recycles has been providing Sedona and the Verde Valley with free recycling services since 1989. While we have added additional sites in other Verde Valley towns over the past ten years, the Sedona Recycles facility has remained the only site in Sedona until now.

The Posse Grounds site is the first of what Sedona Recycles hopes will be many neighborhood recycling sites located all over town! In the future, we would like to see additional satellite sites in the Chapel area, Oak Creek Canyon, Dry Creek Road area, and Uptown, among others.

Swap Meet fundraiser a success

Thanks to everyone for making our first Community Swap Meet Extravaganza a success! We had more than 50 vendors, some of whom made as much as $1000 in four hours! Space fees, raffle tickets, donations, and concession stand profits raised almost $1100 towards the purchase of recycling bins for additional satellite drop off sites.

Sedona Recycles plans to hold two swap meets each year, in the Fall and Spring, to continue raising funds for this cause and to help local residents find new homes for their unwanted items. Stay tuned for information about our Spring Swap Meet.

Zero Waste Stations unveiled

Four Zero Waste Stations were unveiled at the Community Swap Meet for collection of paper, plastic & cans, glass, and compost. These stations can be used for recycling at any local event and can be checked out at Sedona Recycles.

The Zero Waste stations are made almost entirely of recycled components, including: jeep leaf springs, outdated sign posts, discarded bed frames, used electrical conduit, discarded tire chains, old wheel nuts, and used shelving brackets. All recyclables collected from Zero Waste Stations are processed at Sedona Recycles and food waste is composted by a Sedona Recycles staff member.

We can do it!

Sedona has gotten a good start on reducing waste, but we need everyone’s help to make Zero Waste a reality. It is our responsibility to think beyond the bin – about what happens to our waste once it goes into a trash can or recycling bin. Each and every one of us can make a difference.

To prove the impact that one person can have, I’ll tell you a story. I learned to recycle as a fifth grade student at Big Park Community School. After harassing my parents for a few weeks, they finally agreed to start recycling at home, with the condition that I had to teach them. Fifteen years later, I spend every day teaching people of all ages about recycling and sending students home to ask their parents to help them make a difference.

As for my parents, they still recycle to this day. My mother could even be called the queen bee of local recycling – she’s now the Executive Director of Sedona Recycles! So it just goes to show that anyone can have an impact. Whether it’s one soda can or one person at a time, every one counts.