Green Topics
Green. Now that’s a big topic lately … and rightfully so. We are lucky to have the wonderful earth to live on and preserving it is of upmost importance. That is, if we would like to continue our stay here. So what green topics would you like to discuss? I open this page for all to share their green ideas and projects, weather large or small. Hopefully we can inspire each other.
What are you doing to reduce your dependency on non-renewable resources and landfills? Do you think it’s working?
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GLASS RECYCLING!
Angel Fire Collection Center (575-377-6967) is now accepting glass bottles. They are crushing glass and will used the end product as road base and bedding for water and sewer pipes. Please remember that only glass bottles are acceptable in the glass crusher.
Thanks for recycling!
Recycling “Hub and Spoke”
The Santa Fe Trail was a big part of the old West. The histories of Cimarron, Elizabeth Town, Ute Park, and Red River are rich with the lore that makes the American West an icon throughout the world. The Santa Fe Trail was among the covered wagon “interstates”. Keeping the prairie schooners going meant constant attention to the wooden machines…especially the hub and spokes of the wagon wheels.
Today there are few covered wagons about, but “Hubs and Spokes” are alive and well in New Mexico. The New Mexico Recycling Coalition and New Mexico Environmental Department have set up a system of” hubs and spokes” in rural areas to collect and recycle valuable solid wastes. These recyclables include things like corrugated cardboard, aluminum cans, plastic, glass and many other items. Recycling requires some expensive equipment and skills. Rather than replicate facilities in hundreds of villages, hubs are designated and equipped so many surrounding communities can bring their recyclable waste to the hub.
Angel Fire is a Recycling Hub…in fact we are viewed as one of the premier recycling hubs in the entire state! Our Solid Waste Department accepts recyclables from Eagle Nest, Cimarron, Philmont, Eagle Nest Park, Cimarron Canyon State Park, and Capulin Volcano National Monument. The spokes save money in landfill costs and hub sells the bailed recyclables to cover its handling and processing costs.
The cool thing is the wheel has to have both the hub and the spokes to work…a great way for villages old and new to preserve the beauty that abounded when the Trail was an “interstate”.
Angel Fire Collection Center (377-6967) currently accepts aluminum cans, plastic bottles (#1 & 2), corrugated cardboard, copper, batteries, motor & cooking oil, antifreeze, CFL light bulbs and steel.
The Angel Fire recycling program is easily accessible for citizens, businesses and visitors. We have two options for the disposal of our recyclables; the Angel Fire Collection Center and the recycling trailers.
Option #1: Deliver your recyclables to the Angel Fire Collection Center located on Camino Grande, east of Hwy 434 and south of the airport. Hours of operation are M-F, 8-5 and Sat. 8-noon.
I’m sure you will find the Collection Center very pleasant. OK, it smells a bit like trash but the place is exceptionally clean. The Solid Waste Department is dedicated to customer service and the drive- thru design could not be more user friendly. Simply drive inside and you will find recycling receptacles and a friendly staff member ready to assist you. Recyclables delivered to the collection center do not have to be pre-sorted or bagged. Accepted recyclables are aluminum cans, plastic bottles (#1 & 2), corrugated cardboard, copper, batteries, motor & cooking oil, antifreeze, CFL bulbs and steel
Option #2: Just when you thought it couldn’t get any easier, it does. There are currently eight recycling trailers in Angel Fire. They are located at Village Hall, Mini Mart, Alpine Lumber, RBS, Enchanted Home Design Center, Zebadiah’s, behind Alpine Gardens and behind the Pizza Stop. As you may have noticed the trailers are getting a facelift. A fresh coat of green paint with white stenciled instructions make these trailers easy to find and use.
When depositing cardboard in the trailers please break it down. Otherwise the Solid Waste Dept. has to make unnecessary trips to empty the trailers. This is wasteful … not exactly a goal of our recycling program. Plastic and aluminum must be bagged so items do not fall out of the trailers and litter the streets.
For questions please call the collection center (575-377-6967) or email Tara Chisum (tara@bellatierra.net) or Rick Sprott (ricksprott62@gmail.com).
Hello Friends,
Im looking for the jewelry designers from all around the world interested in partnering with us to sell their jewelry
on our website.
Feel free to review our handmade jewelry collection and featured designers at : http://www.ethosjewel.com
Please contact me directly (email and phone can be found on the website) if interested.
Many thanks,
Marie
Recycling Awareness Month
Recycling. It’s the easiest way that individuals, businesses and institutions can have a significant impact on the environment. New Mexico Recycling Awareness Month (November) is a state-wide annual event created to promote recycling, waste reduction, composting and buying recycled products. It is held in conjunction with the nationwide America Recycles Day on November 15th.
America Recycles Day will be emphasizing the importance and celebrating successes of recycling. Thousands of organizations are being enlisted to participate in events from coast to coast, reaching millions of Americans with the goal of increasing recycling awareness and participation.
Visitors to AmericaRecyclesDay.org are also being encouraged to take the Recycling Pledge, committing personally to recycle more in the coming year. There, you can also calculate the environmental impact of your recycling efforts using the online “Conversionator” tool.
The nation’s composting and recycling rate rose from 7.7 percent of the waste stream in 1960 to 17 percent in 1990 and is currently hovering around 33 percent. The state of New Mexico’s recycling rate is approximately 11%. The New Mexico Recycling Coalition has chosen a goal of reaching a 33% recycling rate as a state by 2012 in order to catch up with the rest of our nation. Weather we choose to recycle or choose not to recycle the citizens and visitors of Angel Fire play a part in this state-wide recycling rate.
If you are considering implementing a recycling program or think you can increase your recycling rate at your home, school, business or event I encourage you to set a goal for the month of November.
Please look for upcoming announcements for recycling events in Angel Fire. Moreno Valley High School will be celebrating America Recycles Day on November 15th. Green Drinks will be on November 8th at 5:30pm at Sunset Grill. More events and details coming soon. If you would like additional information, to host or participate in an event please contact Tara Chisum at tara@bellatierra.net.
September 13th Green Drinks
Green Drinks is an informal monthly cocktail hour for anyone interested in living and working more sustainably. The Green Drinks mission is to encourage, educate and aid community members with their efforts to implement green practices by providing tools, information and networking opportunities.
When: Monday, September 13th at 5:30 pm
Where: Roasted Clove (we’ll be out on the deck)
What: Green Drinks is an informal and lively opportunity to tap into sustainability practices. It is a time to wind down after work, hear an enriching but brief presentation and take away practical tools that can easily be implemented throughout the following month. In addition you can visit with the Sustainability Committee members and learn about the exciting progress being made in the Village of Angel Fire.
Who: Anyone with questions or interests in all things sustainable make great Green Drinkers and Green Thinkers. So join us for a casual green chat and a brew (bring some friends too!).
Focus: In the previous Green Drinks we identified our waste streams and provided tracking and measuring tools. We assessed at our homes, businesses and schools and listed the waste streams that are created in the process of living, working and educating. Taking into consideration water, energy and solid waste we determined how to reduce our costs as well as our landfill dependency. This month we will review our recycling rates and determine how much waste we Green Drinkers have diverted from the land fill. We will also take an even closer look at our trash and collectively determine what waste can be refused, reused and recycled.
For questions please call Tara Chisum at (505) 603-6305 or email tara@bellatierra.net.
GREEN DRINKS. Angel Fire Sustainability Committee has started a social networking, educational and coctail hour to assist small businesses in implimenting sustainable practices. Green Drinks occures once a month. There will be short presentations, discussion and networking…all while supporting each other’s businesses. So come join us! The next green drink hour will be on Aug. 9th at Elements (the bar in the new country club). Guests will be Michelle Vattano and Chris Campbell our favorite public outreach/eduction partners from NMED and NMSU (respectivly). If you have questions or would like more information please call Tara 505-603-6305.
The Village of Angel Fire has announced that they have produced their first 80 gallons of bio-diesel fuel. How will this help the community? We spoke to
Scott Gibson, the Transfer Station Supervisor to give us the details. The Village is collecting used cooking oil from Angel Fire restaurants to recycle into biodiesel. They are hoping to expand this service to nearby towns such as Cimarron, Eagle Nest and Red River. In the pastrestaurants have had problems with bears getting into grease traps. By collecting the oil and transporting it to the transfer station it is believed that this problem will be eliminated. Currently the Village has 15
vehicles that run on diesel. They will soon be running this vehicles on a mixture of 80% diesel
and 20% bio-diesel. The goal is to have all the Village vehicles running on at least 50% biodiesel
and 50% diesel within two years. This 50/50 mixture
will reduce the Village’s diesel expense, prevent air pollution and decrease the likelihood of engine breakdown therefore lengthening the lifespan of the
vehicles. The byproduct of this recycling process is glycerin. Glycerin is a clean, colorless,odorless
liquid that has a plethora of uses. Angel Fire Village plans to use this byproduct for dust control
on the gravel roads. Check out http://www.ezbiofuel.com
for more information.