In this Issue

Upcoming Meetings & Events

 “Certifiably Green Denver” Project Meeting 
CPNGT is teaming up with Denver’s “Certifiably Green Denver” to help Congress Park businesses Go Green! If you are interested in getting involved, come to our next meeting to learn more. All are welcome!

Date/Time:  Thursday, Dec 8, 5:00-6:00 PM
Location: Capitol Heights Presbyterian Church, 11th & Fillmore
For more info: Liz Goehring (lizg313@gmail.com)
 

CPN Green Team Meeting & Field Trip – EarthLinks

We’ve worked hard all year. Let’s take a moment at this special time of year to pause, reflect and celebrate with a fun event – a fieldtrip to EarthLinks! Bring your cash, it’s their holiday sale!

Meeting Date: Saturday, Dec 10, 9:00-11:00AM
Meeting Location: Capitol Heights Presbyterian Church, 11th & Fillmore
Field Trip Destination: EarthLinks, 2746 w 13th Avenue
Denver, CO 80204
For more info: Becky Coughlin (rebecca_coughlin@hotmail.com)

Our aim is to make our monthly Green Team Meetings results-oriented and active, so we’re keeping this month’s Agenda simple:

• Update – CPN Sustainable Network Projects:  9:00-930; at Capitol Heights Presbyterian Church
• Learn about EarthLinks:  On site tour of  the facilities & Holiday Open House:  9:30-11:00; carpool to their facility at 2746 W 13th Ave, Denver.

EarthLinks is looking forward to hosting the Congress Park Green Team for a tour of their gardens and workshop facility. At EarthLinks, adults experiencing homelessness work to restore Earth through organic gardening practices growing flowers, food and produce; and craft production from reclaimed items, including rain barrels, bee boxes and hives, and bat boxes.  EarthLinks relies on the sale of its products to pay the participants in the program where supportive community is formed and lives are stabilized.
Come join us as the Green Team visits EarthLinks’ biggest sale of the year featuring all locally handmade and sustainable products.  Or stop by EarthLinks on your own on Friday December 9 from 12:30 pm to 6:30 pm or Saturday, December 10, from 9-3pm.

CPNGT Hosts “Denver Recycles Workshop” and earns neighborhood sustainability credits

– Yvonne Salfinger
 
Did you know Denver recycles only 18% of the waste generated in homes and apartments, and that this is one of the worst rates in the country!!

This was one of the statistics shared with Congress Park neighbors attending the Denver Recycles Workshop on December 15, 2016. Many thanks to Kaela Martins from Denver Recycles for sharing her expertise with Congress Park. Those in attendance learned quite a bit about what we can recycle, as well as common mistakes people make with recycling and composting. Thanks Kaela, for patiently answering so many of our questions!

At the end of the workshop, still in shock over Denver’s abysmal recycling rate, Green Team members discussed what could be done to improve our neighborhood rate. As a start, a discussion was opened on the Green Team Facebook page soliciting ideas for making the Holiday Season a little more green and minimizing our impact on the planet. A few of the suggestions are shared below. There are also plans to create a resource page for the neighborhood with all kinds of great ideas, links and resources (coming soon!). For now, please visit Denver’s recycling website at http://www.denvergov.org/content/denvergov/en/trash-and-recycling/recycling/what-can-be-recycled.html.

  There’s also a “Recycling Directory” where you can type in a material and it will tell you where it goes!  Cool!  http://www.denvergov.org/content/denvergov/en/trash-and-recycling/recycling/recycling-directory-dropoff-locations.html

Do YOU have thoughts or suggestions to improve Recycling Rates? Please share it with us either by posting on the CPN Green Team Facebook page, emailing it to sustainability@congressparkneighbors.org, or bringing it to the next Green Team meeting.

Holiday Season Recycling Tips

– from the CPN Green Team Facebook Group

“We don’t do much gift giving but the small amount we do, we use the funnies from the newspaper, old maps or flyers, or fabric (that then goes back in the sewing cabinet).
I’ve never actually bought wrapping paper!”

Reduce:

• Buy Experiences, Not Things. After all, experiences are more memorable and can be shared by many!
• Try to Ignore the Urge to Buy New. “New” is so last year. In many cases, a hand-me-down gift can be more meaningful than something new. If you haven’t used something in years, maybe someone else you know would appreciate it even more.
• Encourage energy savings by purchasing energy efficient products and gifts.

Reuse:

• Wrap Creatively. Old maps, newspapers and posters can make great wrapping paper. Shoe boxes and old boxes from the office can also reduce the need to purchase new packaging material.
• Use Reusable Bags. Remember to bring reusable shopping bags as you shop for groceries and gifts this season. Or, consider using a reusable bag as a gift bag rather than a paper bag that will just get tossed after a gift is opened.

Recycle:

• Remember the Recycling Basics. Most holiday food packaging such empty bottles, cans, cartons, and tubs are recyclable in Denver’s purple carts. Get to know Denver Recycles’ guidelines and plan to buy products with recyclable packaging.
• Buy Recycled! Purchasing items made from recycled content helps to “close the loop” and fuel the recycling economy. Look for labels on greeting cards and other products that are clearly labeled as containing “post-consumer” recycled content.

Denver Treecycle Collections

Big Changes in 2017!!

This year Treecycle collections will occur on the weekends of January 7th & January 14th, and there will be no weekday collections.

Recycling your Christmas tree is as easy as 1, 2, 3 with Denver Recycles/Solid Waste Management’s annual Treecycle program. By recycling your tree through Denver’s Treecycle program, you can help keep trees out of the landfill, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and help create mulch that is available to Denver residents for free at the Annual Treecycle Mulch Giveaway & Leafdrop Compost Sale in the spring.

Here’s how easy it is to recycle your Christmas tree:

• Remove all decorations, lights and tree stands. Only natural (real) trees are collected for recycling during Treecycle. NO artificial or flocked trees are accepted.
• Set your tree out for collection no later than 7 a.m. on Saturday, January 7th or January 14th.
• Reclaim free mulch made from your tree at the annual Mulch Giveaway & Compost Sale in May!

Remember:

• All Christmas trees must be set out at your regular trash collection location by 7 a.m. on Saturday, January 7th or January 14th. Trees may be collected on Saturday or Sunday.
• Do NOT place trees inside bags, carts or dumpsters.
• Be sure to set trees at least 2 feet away from trash or recycling containers carts, and all other obstacles.
• Trees will not be collected by Extra Trash crews during the first two weeks of January.

After January 15th, trees can be dropped off at the Cherry Creek Recycling Drop-off site.

Last year, Denver residents recycled nearly 20,000 trees. Let’s help Congress Park participate in this year’s Treecycle program and recycle even more!

For more information about Treecycle, the Annual Treecycle Mulch Giveaway and LeafDrop Compost Sale or other Denver Recycles programs, visit DenverGov.org/DenverRecycles or call 311 (720-913-1311). 

SEED Circle – Film Screening of “The Great Divide”

– Liz Goehring

Wait – what’s a SEED Circle?  SEED (standing for Sustainability, Explore, Educate and Discuss) Circles are gatherings open to any and all neighbors interested in a particular topic. SEED Circles provide a forum for neighbors to explore and educate ourselves about important sustainability topics and to brainstorm ideas for actions we may take related to these topics. The gatherings operate like an open book/flm group, but with the purpose of exploring and suggesting appropriate neighborhood action. The ultimate purpose of these gatherings is to help the CPNGT stay current on sustainability practices as they relate to our neighborhood, city and region.

CPNGT held its first SEED Circle on December 1st, on the topic of water with a viewing of the film “The Great Divide.”

21 people attended the event, held at the New World Cheese Bistro. While viewing the film, attendees were also treated to sample some of the shop’s tasty cheeses.  Discussion after the film was engaged, and several ideas for actions were proposed. A followup to continue the discussion is in the works.

If you have an interest in better understanding water issues in the west, or ideas for actions our neighborhood could take to conserve this precious resource, join us! Details coming soon!
Stay tuned!

New World Cheese!!

Did you know that New World Cheese Bistro and Cheese Shop graciously donated the shop’s space for the CPNGT’s first SEED Circle on December 1st? It was a fun event, particularly given the delicious cheese tray attendees were invited to enjoy. Did you know that New World Cheese sells sandwiches and adult beverages in addition to 40 cheeses, charcuterie and accompaniments? It’s a wonderful gourmet resource right here in our very own neighborhood. Thanks Teresa St. Peters for your support of the CPNGreenTeam’s efforts.

Merci beaucoup!                 Gracias!!                 Tak!

Help Wanted: CPNGT Steering Committee Members

Do you love this neighborhood and have ideas for how the CPN Green Team can be more effective? If so, the CPNGT Steering Committee is looking for you!
 
As the CPNGT enters its second year, and continues to support projects that help our neighborhood reduce its carbon footprint, its Steering Committee is looking for new ways to reach more neighbors.  We currently are looking for 3 new neighbors who can share their energy, enthusiasm and time at monthly meetings and events. Approximate time commitment ranges from 5-10 hours per month.

If you’re interested in volunteering or just want to learn more, please contact Liz Goehring or Becky Coughlin at sustainability@congressparkneighbors.org

It’s fun! And you get to work with great neighbors!!Copyright © 2016 Sustainability Project Congress Park Neighbors, All rights reserved.
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