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When it comes to tossing out plastic bottles or newspaper, many of us don’t think twice about recycling. For one Colorado Springs couple, recycling inspired them to start a business that is taking the home remodeling world by storm. Debbie and Jerry Johnson saw a feature on the DIY network about recycled granite and thought they would give it a try for their own remodeling project. Often slabs of granite used for countertops are cut up into smaller pieces with plenty of leftovers. Those granite pieces can’t be a countertop but they can be cut up into tiles for backsplashes or even entire walls. That’s how the Johnson’s used recycled granite.
The Johnsons were so impressed that they set up a Colorado Springs franchise of the Recycled Granite Network. Since opening in March, Colorado Recycled Granite has expanded business in the area, hiring several employees. Since the Recycled Granite Network was started in 2009 they have managed to divert over 30 million pounds of granite away from landfills and generated over five million dollars in revenue. That’s taking recycling to a whole new level.
Sadly, not every recycling project you take on is going to lead to a lucrative business. But you should be satisfied that anytime you can recycle you’re reducing your carbon footprint and keeping our environment clean. You could accomplish both of those goals when you hire a company like Junk King Colorado Springs to pick up your old kitchen appliances. Yes, even your broken stove can be recycled.
When Junk King picks up an item they are always going to try and get that piece recycled whether it’s an old stove or sofa. Upwards of 60% of everything that Junk King collects gets recycled. There are two options. An item can go to a facility which will melt it down or grind it up. That works great for scrap metal, concrete, cement and even dirt. Another recycling choice would be to drop of the item at a refurbishing center. Typically these are charities which take in items that need a little TLC. The objects are then donated to those in need or sold to benefit the charity. It’s like getting a second lease on life for your junk.
You won’t have to think about what can be recycled and what can’t. The Junk King Colorado Springs crew will do all the sorting for you. You don’t even have to ask; they’re going to recycle automatically. That’s just the Junk King way! Call Junk King today to set up an appointment to get rid of your appliances and all the rest of your junk!
Have you upgraded your cell phone recently? If you have then you’re now enjoying some of the newest innovations in cell phone technology. We can literally carry a computer in the palm of our hand. What about your old cell phone? Often those old phones are tossed in a drawer and forgotten about. But now the Promenade Shops at Briargate are joining a nationwide program called Cell Phones for Soldiers. How this program works is that the designated shops will collect your old cell phones and then turn them in for recycling. The money they collect from the recycling goes towards the purchase of telephone calling cards. These calling cards are then donated to military personnel serving overseas and allows them to make affordable calls to their families back home. This is a perfect excuse for cleaning out those stuffed drawers in your home and getting rid of the old cell phones.
As far as awards go, there are the Oscars for movies, the Emmys for television and the Tonys for Broadway. Now the Colorado Association for Recycling is getting into the award business as they seek out nominations for their annual Recycling Awards. As their mission statement proclaims: “These prestigious awards recognize governmental entities, individuals, companies, media and organizations for their excellence in recycling or promotion of recycling.”
Recycle Fish and Furniture
Every city handles their garbage in different ways. Often this will mean that residents are charged a type of municipal tax on their power bill that covers the cost of a weekly trash pickup. A city that has adopted a recycling program actually uses the proceeds from that program to pay for the pickup services. It’s the perfect example of recycle, repurpose and reuse. In Colorado Springs there is no such thing as municipal garbage removal. The responsibility of this falls to the homeowners or landlords to arrange for a private company to pick up the trash and make sure it is properly disposed of. This might be one of the reasons what Colorado has one of the lowest recycling rate in the country. But that doesn’t mean there isn’t room for improvement.
Did you know that if you live in Colorado you could actually win an award for recycling? The Colorado Association of Recycling offers up an annual award that “recognizes governmental entities, individuals, companies, media and organizations for their excellence in recycling or promotion of recycling.” They have encouraged citizens to make nominations on behalf of exceptional recyclers in several categories including Outstanding Media Coverage, Outstanding Elected Official, Outstanding Outreach – Educational Institution, Outstanding Outreach –Municipality (City, County, or State), Outstanding Business Recycling/Diversion Program, Outstanding Government Recycling/Diversion Program, Outstanding Volunteer Of the Year and Recycler of the Year. There is even a Lifetime Achievement award presented by the organization to that individual or business which has dedicated themselves to the recycling way of life.
It all started with one tire. Now the Midway, Colorado tire dump is home to over 30 million discarded tires. That is around 7.5 million cars worth of tires. If left to rot, those tires can cause a lot of trouble for the surrounding area. And one lightning strike could set the mound ablaze which can pour noxious fumes into the atmosphere. Luckily there is solution underway.