Recycling Conference Comes to Pueblo

Recycling is good for the economy. Collection, manufacturing, and education all pay off in creating jobs, saving energy, and increasing revenue. That is precisely why this year’s Summit for Recycling has a focus of Recycling Makes Dollars and Sense. The annual conference hosted by Colorado Association for Recycling (CAFR) is happening June 10-12 at the Pueblo Convention Center. Pueblo was chosen for the 23rd annual conference to expand outreach efforts and network with the many organizations and private businesses in the recycling industry located in Southern Colorado. The conference brings together professionals, elected officials, municipal employees, and recycling advocates from around Colorado to learn about new programs, share ideas, and lay the framework for successful recycling and reuse opportunities.

Beer Angel, Recycled Art

The Recycle Rally is the exciting kick-off to the conference on Sunday, June 10 from 1-4pm. This event is free and open to the public as well as conference attendees. In addition to regular exhibitors, the Recycle Rally will include its first ever Recycled Art Market. Artists from around the state offer jewelry, home décor, beautiful artwork and other unique items created from repurposed materials. Students will also get a chance to showcase their artwork with the Student Poster Contest Awards, which recognizes the K-12 winners of the sixth annual statewide poster contest. CJ May The Resourcerer will perform his Recycling is Magic! Show which weaves magic and storytelling with messages of sustainability, recycling, and environmental awareness. Residents are encouraged to bring their household recyclables to the Rally. Drop-off old athletic shoes, plastic containers, glass bottles and jars, aluminum and tin cans and cardboard to the Convention Center south parking lot.

Haunted Windchimes playing at
 the Fundraising Gala

Professionals and recycling advocates should find the conference agenda quite intriguing. The two day lineup includes programs from Recycling 101 to The Role of Reuse and Hard-to-Recycle Items in Reaching Zero Waste to The Bottom Line for Organics. The first full day of the summit showcases regional recycling efforts through tours. Attendees can choose from five different site visits such as a stopover at the state’s largest recycler, Evraz Steel Mill; taking a look at what Colorado Springs has to offer in recycling; and a Pueblo Recycling Loop highlighting local recycling businesses. The day ends with a fundraising gala at the El Pueblo History Museum. The dinner is an opportunity to bid on fabulous silent auction items, honor recycling champions around the state, and enjoy local entertainment favorite, The Haunted Windchimes.

The Host Committee spearheaded by the Pueblo City-County Health Department (PCCHD) welcomes everyone to participate. Susan Finzel-Aldred, PCCHD Environmental Coordinator and Host Committee Chair states, “We are delighted to host the CAFR Summit, and can’t wait to show off our recycling enthusiasm and warm hospitality.” Registration is ongoing and includes Sunday’s Welcome Receptions, all of the programs Monday and Tuesday, the luncheons with national keynote speakers, exhibit hall, and the regional tours. “Let’s have Pueblo, Colorado Springs, and all of Southern Colorado represented at this conference. Now is the time to fully illustrate all we have to offer the recycling industry,” emphasizes Finzel-Aldred. Register online at www.cafr.org/summit.

Garden with a vengeance!

If you're gardening this Memorial Day weekend, remember to bring your old planting containers to Lowe's to recycle. Look for the drop off site in Garden Center. Happy planting!

Top 10 Classic Mother's Day Gifts (Or Not)

If it’s not broke, why fix it? Here are some very classic gifts that are sure to please the women who had to miss her favorite daytime soaps to deliver your gigantic self.

The “I Heart Mom” Necklace

You might have to swing by the local elementary school fundraising fair to pick this one up, but it’ll be worth it. It may or may not be made out of real metal but it is guaranteed to leave a greenish residue on your mom’s neck. Bonus: It might contain durable, lead paint.

Cookware

Who spread the rumor that getting your mom cooking instruments wasn’t acceptable? Moms spend the majority of their time in the kitchen, so make that time enjoyable. Bonus: She might make you a grilled cheese sandwich to show her thanks.

Flowers from That Guy on the Corner

No one is going to know. Go ahead, and pick up the pink carnations from the guy selling them at the corner gas station. Three dollars for a dozen? Sign me up! Bonus: You might be helping a possibly homeless person.

Picture with Frame

Every mom needs more pictures of her kids. Pick up a 5x7 frame from Hobby Lobby (don’t forget your 40% off coupon) and slide in a photo of you and your special mom. If you’re not easy on the eyes or have offended your mom of late, put in a picture of someone else’s adorable kid or even a kitten. No mom can resist. Bonus: You can use this gift next year by simply updating the picture.

The DIY Project

The Mother’s Day craft project can be hit or miss. For assistance, see any child in elementary school the week before Mother’s Day to get tips on great art pieces. Reliable favorites include a votive candle holder made from a baby food jar and tissue paper; beautiful flowers designed from colorful construction paper; or a hanging ornament created from a jar lid with a lace border and photo of you in the 4^th grade as the focal point. Bonus: You get to play with glue.

Breakfast in Bed

Food delivered at 5am while the person is still asleep must be handled with delicacy. First, make sure you know where the spare key is hidden if you do not live with your parents. If you live with your parents, see the next gift suggestion. Secondly, toast waffles with maximum stealth and cut strawberries to put on top. Display the gourmet waffles and a glass of orange juice on a tray. Lastly, slowly tip toe into her room and stand at the side of the bed until she wakes up. Mom’s have a sixth sense about these things so it shouldn’t take too long. Yell ‘Happy Mother’s Day’ and lay the tray of food on top of her. Then stare at her while she enjoys her delicious breakfast in bed. Bonus: She might have leftovers.

Move Out

Nothing says ‘I love you, Mom’ more than her 35-year-old son moving out of the house. She’ll instantly feel proud of her accomplished baby boy and relieved that she can now walk around the house naked. Bonus: You can tell her you’ll come by every week to see her (and do laundry).

Pink Toolkit

Your mom might be a do-it-yourself kind of women. She will surely appreciate a tools designed to look good as well as be useful. Pick up a toolkit that includes screwdrivers, hammers and pliers with pink or floral handles. Bonus: You can get out of fixing things by encouraging her to use her new gift.

A Night Out

She spends all her time cooped up inside cooking and cleaning--take her to dinner and a movie. An all-you-can-eat buffet and a sappy love story will do very nicely. Bonus: she might go see the sappy love story by herself and you can sneak into the monster thriller.

A Thoughtful Card

Remember, the objective in picking out a Mother’s Day card is to try to make her cry—with joy, of course. Choose a card with at least four paragraphs expressing how wonderful she is and all she has taught you over the years. Bonus: She might make you a grilled cheese sandwich to show her thanks.

5 Mother's Day Gifts with an Eco Twist

Celebrate your mom and Mother Earth this Sunday! Here are some great environmentally-friendly Mom's Day gifts.


1) Jewelry

Recycled Glass necklace
by Dessin Creations

Mother’s Day jewelry has come along way from the cheap metal “I Heart Mom” necklace. Now, you can buy unique necklaces with recycled glass pendants or beads made from the pages of an old novel.

Online bet: etsy.com
Local pick: The 10 Spot II

2) Flowers

Flowers have long been a staple of showering Moms with adoration. This year, show her you care about her and the planet by buying from grower that doesn’t use pesticides and treats farm workers with respect.

Online bet: OrganicBouquet.com
Local pick: Ask your local florist if they have pesticide-free flowers




3) Candles

Light up her world with thoughtfulness! Candles can emit cancer causing agents and toxins. Look for candles made from beeswax or soy with a lead-free wick.

Online bet: ColoradoCandleCompany.com
Local pick: Nature’s Delight by Marion Sanford, etsy.com/shop/marionsanford




4) Bonding Time

What your mom really wants for Mother’s Day is to spend time with you. Take your mom out for coffee or brunch. It’s easy and you don’t have to wrap anything!

Local pick: Sister’s Courtyard Tea Room, 517 W. 5th St., sisterscourtyard.com

5) Photo frame

A classic Mom’s Day gift is the framed picture of the grandkids or a treasured moment. Green this gift with a frame made from recycled magazines, bike chains or reused wood.

Online bet: uncommongoods.com

Couchsurfing: The Sofa Goes Social

I wrote an article for the Pueblo PULP May Edition about Couchsurfing. Check it out!

Cyclists, Paul and Chris from North Carolina

Why do I always wait till the last minute to clean my house before a Couchsurfer arrives? Maybe it adds to the excitement of meeting someone completely new and sharing my life with them.

Couchsurfing.org is a social networking site that connects people looking for a free place to stay the night with a person willing to host them. I have been a proud Couchsurfing host for the last five years. I remember my first “surfer”. She was a 20-something from Paris who had just finished her year-long stint as an au pair (fancy name for a nanny). She was traveling across the US by bus before she had to high tail it back to France. I was so nervous picking her up from the Greyhound bus station, which had only a single spotlight shining down to break up the darkness. Turns out she was amazing!

I took a day off work to spend with her. I showcased our hospitable town and took her on a scenic mountain drive to Bishop’s Castle. Now, after hosting over 25 times – individuals and groups – I rarely take a day off to play tour guide. My hosting adventures usually consist of meeting a guest after I get off work, going out to dinner or eating in and driving around town to historical landmarks or interesting sites.

I get messaged through Couchsurfing.org that a person has requested to stay at my house for a night or two with a few details about their trip. I always look up his/her profile to make sure the surfer has references from other hosts and to see if we’d get along in general.

Although many emotions dominate me the day I meet a new surfer such as anxiousness, excitement and stress at cleaning my house, I’ve never been scared. Never have I been afraid for my safety or threatened by a Couchsurfer. The worst situation I’ve experienced while hosting is a lack of compatible personalities.

Although many emotions dominate me the day I meet a new surfer such as anxiousness, excitement and stress at cleaning my house, I’ve never been scared. Never have I been afraid for my safety or threatened by a Couchsurfer. The worst situation I’ve experienced while hosting is a lack of compatible personalities.

Couchsurfers and hosts usually have one thing in common: we want to travel in a way that connects us to the community. Why isolate yourself in a hotel room when you can learn about the city from an actual resident? And, it’s free!

Me and Andrew at the Observatory in LA

I’ve surfed a few times. Grand Junction and DC were nothing to write home about, but my recent trip to Los Angeles provided me with exactly the kind of surfing experience that I craved. I met my host at the University of Southern California where he was getting his Doctorate in Marine Biology. After dropping my bags at his place, we ventured to the Arts District to his friend’s weekly Friday night party.

I can tell you personally that getting to know people my age on a rooftop patio in the middle of downtown LA was a much better experience than being cooped up in a hotel room. I now have a friend in LA – a few actually! Not only that, I have friends all around the world that I’ve hosted.

Many people ask why travelers would stay in Pueblo since we’re outside of the Denver and Boulder hotspots and away from the mountains. Pueblo actually gets quite a few surfers due to bicyclists needing a place to stay while traversing one of several trans-American bike routes. Cyclists cannot express how excited they are to be done with the monotonous, brown roads of Kansas and finally see the mountains before them. I’ve also hosted hitchhikers, college students on road trips and those who travel by car.

When I host a fellow traveler, I am reminded of the things I love about Pueblo. I get to describe over and over the artistic, historic and cultural amenities Pueblo has to offer. It not only makes them happy to have stopped in Pueblo; it makes me happy, too.

Two of my favorite guests: Emilio and Alex from Ohio

Wonderful conversations with Richard from Austria

Girls from on a road trip from Texas

Hooch and Ryan, 2/3 of the band Achachay from Austin, TX

Green Glasses

I was out browsing eyeglasses yesterday with my friend, Hannah. My 2+ year old glasses have been so horribly scratched that I think they're making my vision worse. Off we go to JCPenny, LensCrafters, Visionworks, and Walmart. Walmart, you say? Yep. We wanted to cover our bases. The selection was pitiful for women's glasses--in fact we found cooler frames in youth--but the interesting thing I found was the ECO brand. ECO ( Earth Conscious Optics) makes it's glasses from 95% recycled plastic and metal and plants a tree for every pair sold through Trees for the Future. The company has been validated by Environmental Claims Validation, which backs up or busts eco-claims. All listed ECO retailers are outside of Pueblo even though I found them at Walmart or you can shop online. The weird thing is the didn't carry glasses for women at Walmart-only kids and men. Check 'em out! Would you sport these green shades?

Sign at Northside Walmart

Earth Day in Pueblo!

Earth Day events this weekend!
Yes, I'm aware Earth Day should be everyday, but I still get excited to celebrate our planet with so many other people. Here are some events you can attend to learn about what's happening in our community:

Saturday, April 21

Party for the Planet
10am-3pm
Zoo members and children under 12: free
Youth: $7, Adults: $8
Host: Pueblo Zoo & Pueblo Recycles
Location: Pueblo Zoo, Mandari Hut
Activities include Keeper talks, conservation information, Recycled Poster Contest Awards, eco-friendly businesses, and local entertainment.
Contact: 561-1452, www.pueblozoo.org


Earth Day 2012 at Mineral Palace Park
9am-Noon
Free
Host: Pueblo Volunteer Center, Mineral Palace Park Conservancy, Old Historic Northside Organization, Pueblo Parks and Recreation Dept.
Location: Mineral Palace Park, Greenhouse at 19th and Main Sts.
Pueblo's first and most historic park needs you. Grab a rake and broom and join other volunteers in gathering trash and leaves. Gardeners are needed to clean, trim and weed flowerbeds. Please bring a rake, broom. Water, coffee, snacks, trash bags, and plastic gloves are provided.
Contact: Lisa Dugger, cityvolunteercenter@gmail.com 404-0958

Runyon Lake Clean-Up Day
8:00am-Noon
Free! Meet in main parking lot-look for big tent
Host: Rocky Mountain Council-Boy Scouts and Comcast Cares
Location: Runyon Lake
Scouts and Comcast employees and families will team up for litter patrol in the lake, on trails, and parking areas. Trash bags and vinyl gloves provided. Bring heavy work gloves, sturdy shoes, hat, rakes or hoes. Individuals and other public groups are invited to participate by pre-registration; deadline April 16.
Contact R. Summers at Boy Scout Office, 561-1220

EcoVillage Benefit Earth Day Reggae Concert
6pm-10pm
$25 at the door; $20 pre-sale
Host: EcoVillage
Location: Damon Runyon Theater, 611 N. Main St.
Pato Banton & the Now Generation headline an Earth Day Reggae concert. Proceeds from the event will benefit Pueblo’s EcoVillage, which is a non-profit re-use, redistribution, and recycling facility. Local dignitaries will deliver speeches on Earth Day themes between songs by opener Theo DeCenzo. The EcoVillage architectural model will be on display, along with printed fliers. Tickets are on sale at the Beat Pharm shop, Robot Exchange store or the Runyon Box Office.
Contact: 564-0579

Battle of the Bands: Rock the Earth
Noon-Midnight
Free
Host: Eco-Wolf Pack, Office of Student Activities
Location: Colorado State University-Pueblo, 2200 Bonforte Blvd.
An all day celebration focused on Earth Day, CSU-Pueblo, and the community. We will feature an all genre battle of the bands resulting in cash prizes for the top three competitors and Mission Wolf will be here with a pack of Ambassador Wolves. Local sustainable businesses will also be available.
Contact: 549-2151, april.yost@colostate-pueblo.edu

Sunday, April 22 (Earth Day)

1st Annual Pueblo Earth Day 5K Run/Walk
Registration: 7:30am
Races begin at 9am and 9:15am
Registration fees: 18 and under, $15; 19 and over, $18
Host: Unitarian Universalist Church of Pueblo, Sustainable Societies Collective, CSU-Pueblo Psychology Club, Medici Publishing
Location: Pueblo City Park, Pavilion, 800 Goodnight Ave.
Join us for a fundraiser for Earth Studies programs at Mountain Park Environmental Center, EcoVillage glass recycling program, and Unitarian Universalist Church of Pueblo's Youth Sustainability classes
Contact: 549-2625, marc.pratarelli@colostate-pueblo.edu

Earth Day Dinner
3:30pm
Before April 14: Member tickets $70, Non-members $75
After April 14: $85 per ticket
Host: Nature and Raptor Center of Pueblo
Location: Sangre de Cristo Art Center, 210 N. Santa Fe Ave.
Join us for an afternoon of art, music and an aerial perspective of North American Wilderness captured by local photographers Jim and John Wark. We will also celebrate our Environmental Award Recipients, and participate in our live auction.
www.natureandraptorcenter.org , 549-2414