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| Aspen Colorado Events - Eco-Friendly Electronics Recycling (Photo credit: richpalpine) |
While I often write about entertainment and recreation-oriented activities and events, I recognize that there are activities that also take place here that revolve around eco-friendly themes as well.
I recently took part in one of these annual events. Last Saturday, City of Aspen Residents had the opportunity to drop off electronic waste at the Community Banks of Colorado parking lot for recycling. They were able to dispose of items like computers, monitors, laptops, tablets, keyboards, mice, servers, stereo equipment, old televisions, cell phones, printers, fax machines, telecom equipment, DVD players and copy machines. Local businesses were able to schedule commercial electronic waste pickups on the Friday before.
The City has provided this opportunity since 2007, and this year, by using a new company, Electronic Recyclers International (ERI), they were able to do this free of charge.
According to the City of Aspen and Pitkin County, ERI, a local Colorado recycler, is “the largest recycler of electronic waste in the nation and the first e-waste recycler in the world to receive both R2 certification and be certified to the Basel Action Network’s e-Stewards Standard for Responsible Recycling and Reuse of Electronic Equipment. Recycling will be performed at ERI’s Denver location. LG Electronics USA, Inc. partners with e-Stewards certified recyclers such as ERI, to ensure that recycling is done to the highest industry standards.”
The City of Aspen has scheduled a similar electronic waste recycling event on August 25th, for residents and August 26th, for businesses. In the meantime, residents and businesses are encouraged to take their electronic waste to the Pitkin County Landfill for recycling.
Assorted Aspen Doing our Eco-Friendly Part
When I got down to the electronic waste recycling area, the ERI employees were working hard, and they had received so much material that they had to rent an additional U-haul to haul it all off!
I dropped off a couple of old laptops, a printer and a UPS. It felt great to be able to de-junk for free while being environmentally responsible.
Although the electronic equipment I dropped off was my personal no longer useful electronics, the company I work for, A Squared Search and Social Marketing, will some day have e-waste to get rid of – we just moved into our new office a couple of months ago. We plan to take advantage of this electronic waste recycling event next year.
Other Upcoming Eco-Friendly Aspen Colorado Events
Recycling my electronic waste reminded me about some of the other eco-friendly Aspen Colorado events that take place every year. Two that come to mind are the Aspen Eco Fest and American Renewable Energy Day (AREDAY).
American Renewable Energy Day
Founded in 2004, and held annually in Aspen, Colorado ever since, AREDAY is a one-day renewable energy expo. Its mission is “To create vibrant and powerful cross-sector dialogue, commitments, collaborations and investments that foster climate change solutions at the speed and scale necessary to phase out fossil fuels, and usher in a rapid transition to a new, clean energy economy.”
AREDAY has evolved into an important national and international renewable energy technology and policy event, featuring many well-known national and Colorado-based presenters and speakers. It has also become one of the most celebrated annual Aspen Colorado events.
This year, featured speakers include:
- T. Boone Pickens (BP Capital)
- Ted Turner (Turner Enterprises)
- Michael Eckhart (President, American Council on Renewable Energy)
- Amory Lovins (Chief Scientist, Rocky Mountain Institute)
- Bill Ritter (Director, The Center for the New Energy Economy, CSU and Former Governor of Colorado)
- And many more.
Aspen Eco Fest
The upcoming Aspen Eco Fest consists of an Eco Marketplace, Sustainable Food Court and a Children’s Train Ride. The Eco Marketplace features vendors and demos of handmade, remade, recycled, organic, or reused items. The Sustainable Food Court offers a variety of fresh and healthy nourishment and refreshment and The Children’s Train Ride provides eco-friendly fun with “no gas, no fumes, no noise!”
Although I have not yet attended an AREDAY event, and have in the past only briefly investigated the Aspen Eco Fest activities, I plan on making a concerted effort to engage in these exciting eco-friendly Aspen Colorado events this summer..
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