Environmental Action Team
Promote community action on local and national environmental issues.
When do we meet?
- The Environmental action group commonly meets on the 3rd Thursday of each month.
Click Contact, available at the bottom of this page, to request meeting time and location details.
Current Intent
- Advocate for clean energy.
- Preserve wildlife habitats and promote wildlife corridors.
- Support cultural and ecological diversity.
- Advance regenerative local food systems and organic practices.
- Reduce personal plastic use, increase the recycling of clothing, shoes, and other items.
- Maintain regular contact with our legislators and local leaders, in order to push climate friendly policies.
- Work with other local environmental groups, including 350.org, Sierra Club, Food to Power, and Pikes Peak Permaculture.
- Promote wildfire mitigation in our neighborhoods.
Actions so far
- Sought and received information regarding environmental positions/City Council candidates special election
- Hosting speakers on specific environmental topics
- Identifying aligned organizations and individuals for collaboration
- Got out the word to folks to participate in the City Parks Survey
- Participated in the Good Trouble event in Acacia Park on July 17th
Focus topics
- Protect the Drake land as a public resource; encourage community involvement in decisions about its future.
- Promote native plant habitat,that encourages pollinators; qualify Colorado Springs for “Bee city usa” designation (Xerces society).
- Minimize the number of trash and recycling trucks in Colorado Springs.
A How to Guide for Neighborhood Trash Hauling Consolidation The “Smart Trash Neighborhood” program
The Problem
There are upwards of nine different trash haulers in Colorado Springs, so a given neighborhood may experience trash collection by nine different garbage trucks each week, double that if a separate truck for recycling is counted. The negative impacts of this include:
- Damage to city streets from the weight of garbage trucks
- Noise from garbage trucks
- Pollution from multiple collection vehicles
The Solution
Neighborhoods select a single trash hauler for their neighborhood and negotiate a below-retail rate with the haulers. Here are the suggested steps:
Step One – Select a neighborhood leader or Block Captain
This individual communicates with neighbors and with trash haulers.
Step Two – Community meeting
This could be a block party, “Porchfest”, or any meeting of neighbors. At the meeting, the Block captain explains the benefits of trash hauling consolidation:
- Homeowners save on their trash bill.
- Less pollution and noise from trash vehicles
- Strengthens local communities through neighbors meeting each other
- The neighborhood contributes to the entire city by setting a model for other neighborhoods and by helping reduce maintenance costs for city streets and thus local taxes
Step Three – contact trash haulers
The bock captain contacts representatives of trash haulers. See “resources” below. It is suggested that at least two different haulers be selected. Our experience is that trash haulers are enthusiastic about trash hauling consolidation as it is profitable for them.
Step Four – Selection of a trash hauler
After receiving bids, a hauler is selected through a community census and neighborhood members are made aware of this selection.
Step Five – changing trash haulers
Each resident contacts their existing trash company and terminates service at the next opportunity. Often this is effective at the end of a calendar quarter. They then call the new trash hauler asking for the special neighborhood pricing.
Step Six – Getting the word out to other neighborhoods
Through trash hauling consolidation, the neighborhood becomes a “Smart Trash Neighborhood” and advertises this. The advertisements could take many forms:
- Yard signs – “We’re a Smart Trash Neighborhood”. This will likely generate curiosity from adjoining neighborhoods, thereby spreading the word
- Door hangers. These are designed to generate interest in the program. The name and contact information for the Smart Trash neighborhood should be indicated on the door hanger. Presumably homes just outside the Smart Trash neighborhood are most likely to respond.
- A celebratory party. Neighbors from nearby streets should be invited so they start participating in the program. These neighbors don’t have to negotiate a price – they just call the new trash hauler saying, for example, “I want the Patty Jewett” price.
The above efforts could be supported by a media campaign, TV and print.
Beyond trash hauling consolidation
Other community initiatives could be adopted such as pushing for more recycling and for composting
Feedback
We welcome input from block captains on what is working or not working and for new ideas they may have.
Acknowledgments
Leslie Patterson, a community leader in the Patty Jewett neighborhood of Colorado Springs for developing and implementing most of the procedures described above.
Judith Rice-Jones, for identifying the issue and bringing it to the attention of Invisible and for various research materials
Rick Lynch, for suggesting outreach programs and a variety of other ideas.
Amy Ceney, for bringing up the possibility of electric garbage trucks
Resources
Trash hauler contact information
| Trash Hauler | Contact Name | Contact number |
| All American Disposal | ||
| Apex waste Solutions | Melissa Stutzman | |
| HBS Trash Service | ||
| Republic Services/ GFL / Best Way | ||
| Rocky Mountain Disposal | ||
| SOCO Waste | ||
| Springs Waste Systems | ||
| Waste Connections | ||
| Waste Management |