It’s Kuhl To Recycle: Lights, Trash, Trees
A Few Handy Tips To Kick Off The New Year
It’s January, and that means change is afoot — namely, old holiday lights, Denver’s new trash system, and what to do with your crispy Christmas trees.
Longtime Denverites know the tradition of taking down outdoor lights coincides with the end of the Stock Show later in the month, but some opt to do it sooner. Once again, Denver will collect old light strings for free at the Cherry Creek Recycling Drop-off station at 7400 Cherry Creek South Dr. Days and hours are Tuesdays-Fridays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Saturdays 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. You can also bring them to Blue Star Recyclers at 953 Decatur St., Mondays-Friday 9-5 and Sat 9-1. This free program runs until Jan. 7, so if you miss out place your old light strings in a box for next year’s collection.
You have hopefully heard that January is the start of Denver’s new trash collection program. Recycling remains free and compost bins will now be provided to all homes for free. The city will levy a $9 per month fee for a 35 gallon trash cart, $13 for a 65 gallon cart and $21 for the 95 gallon cart. Call 311 or send a request through PocketGov to initiate a change in you cart size.
Denver will recycle Christmas trees this year, but only if you drop them off between Jan. 2 and 31 at several locations listed at Denvergov.org. The closest TreeCycle locations to Park Hill are Bruce Randolph High School at 3955 Steele St. and Fred Thomas Park at Quebec and 26th. They’re open three Saturdays — Jan. 14, 21 and 28 between 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Waste Management will pick up your tree on large item pickup day but it will be hauled to the landfill. So if you can’t bring it to the TreeCycle drop off, lop of the limbs and chuck them in your new green compost bin. Then saw the trunk in segments that will fit in the bin to ensure your whole tree is turned into compost.
Mark Kuhl is an environmental advocate who lives in Park Hill with his family. His handy tips and news about recycling household items appear every month in these pages. A directory of his past columns for recycling everything from paint to Styrofoam to shoes is at greaterparkhill.org/sustainability/recycling-directory/.