Biodiesel on MetroTV

Posted on June 17, 2013 by KHolmes

Councilwoman Ward-Pugh recently taped a new video for MetroTV that is available to watch online here. It is focused on Kelley Green Biofuel, which is creating clean burning biodiesel from waste cooking oil. You can recycle your waste cooking oil in a container in the Clifton Center’s west side parking lot (2117 Payne Street), and Kelley Green will use it to make biodiesel, which is sold to local farmers and for use in cars. If your restaurant is interested in having Kelley Green pick up your waste cooking oil for free, you can learn more at http://kelley-green.com/.

The other part of the MetroTV feature focuses on exciting initiatives in Parkland, in District 1, represented by Councilwoman Attica Scott. Watch it today to learn about these projects around Louisville.

River Metals Recycling Incentives – Going on Now

Featured

Posted on June 5, 2013 by KHolmes

From June 14-23, to correspond with Junk Pick Up dates, River Metals Recycling (RMR) is inviting 9th District Residents to receive higher rates for recycling scrap metal: an extra $10 per net ton for sheet metal/appliances and 5 cents per pound extra for aluminum cans and copper. To participate, print the coupon attached to the Green Triangle eNews from May 29 or June 12 and bring your scrap metal to RMR at 2045 River Road between June 14-23 and enter at Gate 1. Thanks to RMR for offering this incentive and for its support of the Green Triangle. Go green with RMR and get your green! Keep metal out of the landfill by taking it to River Metals to be recycled instead of setting it out for Junk Pick Up.

The 9^th District will have junk collection set-out on a select weekend in June, depending on your address, within the Urban Services District. You may begin setting out your junk Friday afternoon prior to your junk pick-up week and must have it all out by Monday at 6:00am. For your specific junk set-out weekend please visit http://mapit.louisvilleky.gov/ and enter your address OR call the 9th District office at 574-1109. For collection guidelines please visit www.louisvilleky.gov/solidwaste.

Responsible Recycling Event a Success!

Posted on May 29, 2013 by KHolmes

On Saturday, May 11 Councilwoman Ward-Pugh, the Green Triangle, and the Energy Pros partnered to host the One Stop Drop Responsible Recycling event. The event was a great success, with 393 cars coming through to drop off items to be reused or recycled. Over 10,000 pounds of paper was kept out of the landfill and recycled and an entire tractor trailer was filled with electronics to be recycled. We are waiting to hear the final numbers of batteries recycled, household items given to Habitat Restore and Catholic Charities Refugee Resettlement program, cardboard recycled, shoes given to WaterStep, and medical supplies given to Supplies Over Seas.

View a video of the event below

Thank you to everyone who participated in the event and kept your donations from ending up in the landfill. A special thanks to our volunteers, including 9 National Honor Society volunteers from St. Xavier High School.

Update on Battery Recycling

Posted on February 7, 2013 by KHolmes

Due to new OSHA (Occupational Safety & Health Administration) regulations, Louisville Metro Solid Waste is now only able to accept batteries for recycling at the Haz-Bin drop off site at 7501 Grade Lane. This facility is open on Wednesdays & Saturdays from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm. Batteries are no longer accepted at other staffed recycling drop off centers (including the site on Hubbards Lane). Find a list here of recyclable materials that are still accepted at staffed recycling centers.

Some sites around Louisville accept the following types of batteries for recycling:

Target – accepts rechargeable batteries
4174 Westport Road, closest location for District 9, 992-1039

Batteries Plus – accepts any rechargeable battery
4600 Shelbyville Road, 749-4111
4523a Outer Loop, 969-1555
12899 Shelbyville Rd, 253-0300
1612 Portland Ave, 589-5490

Interstate All State Battery – All Types
1831 Blankenbaker Parkway, 297-8600

CCR Processing Center – charges may apply for certain types
1361 South 15^th Street, 637-4551

Christmas Tree Recycling

Posted on December 21, 2012 by KHolmes

From Louisville Metro Public Works and Assets:

After the holidays, residents are encouraged to recycle their natural Christmas trees, turning them into nutrient-rich mulch for free.

Individuals can take their tree to one of three Louisville Tree-Cycling centers December 27^th – 29^th and again January 3^rd- 5^th. All three locations are open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Citizens taking trees to the sites at Hubbards Lane and Dixie Highway are encouraged to bring containers to bring home the fresh evergreen mulch created from their tree. (Mulch not available at the Waste Reduction Center.)

Recycling Center – East District, 595 N. Hubbards Lane
Recycling Center – Southwest Government Center, 7219 Dixie Highway
Waste Reduction Center – 636 Meriwether Avenue (Tree drop-off only. Mulch not available at this location.)

Christmas tree vendors can recycle their unsold trees ONLY on Thursday, December 27^th at the Hubbards Lane location.

Starting Thursday, Dec. 27, 2012 residents in the Urban Services District may deposit their trees and greenery curbside on their regular yard waste collection day.

Residents living outside the Urban Service District should check with their private waste haulers to see if tree pickup service is available and when it begins.

For every five trees recycled, approximately 35 pounds of mulch can be created and used to help new plant and tree growth. This mulch performs particularly well for acid-loving plants such as azaleas and rhododendrons.

For more information, contact Metro Call at 311 or 502-574-5000 or visit www.louisvilleky.gov/solidwaste

Order a Recycling Cart

Posted on December 20, 2012 by KHolmes

Residential Recycling Cart: Black with Orange Lid

In 2011 the 9th District unrolled its Expanded Recycling Program, in which residents and businesses were able to purchase a large recycling cart for a one-time fee. This program was highly successful with many businesses and residents increasing their recycling capacity with large carts. In October 2012, the Residential Expanded Recycling Program was opened to Louisville’s entire Urban Services District.

All residents in the Urban Services District may now increase their recycling capacity to a 95 gallon cart with wheels. For a one-time fee of $50 residents may purchase a 95 gallon black recycling cart with an orange lid. Or, if you have more than one garbage cart you can exchange one for a recycling cart at no cost. To order your cart, download the form from Louisville Metro Solid Waste and send it in with your payment. Solid Waste will then deliver your cart. You may also request a cart by calling Metro Call at 311 or 574-5000.

Businesses in District 9 in the Urban Services District may still order large recycling carts for $50 per cart. Call 574-1109 for more information.

Greening the Holidays

Posted on December 10, 2012 by KHolmes

The holiday season is upon us. No matter what holiday you celebrate, there are ways to make these occasions more sustainable.

Many holiday traditions include gift giving – let’s first look at ways to think about greening these practices:

Buy local: buying from local establishments makes our community more sustainable in multiple ways. A higher percentage of your purchase price stays in the community when you shop at a locally owned establishment. Plus, buying local products often cuts down on fuel needed to transport goods. Learn more from the Louisville Independent Business Association. Find a list of some 9^th District local businesses on the Frankfort Avenue Business Association website.
If you get a new electronic item for a gift, recycle your old item through Eco-Cell and help raise funds for the Green Triangle’s sustainability efforts. Handheld electronic items, laptops and smaller, are accepted. Find a list of locations in the 9^th district where you can drop off your electronic items to be recycled. If you have larger electronic items to recycle, like microwaves, computers, and televisions, take them to the Louisville Waste Reduction Center at 636 Meriwether Avenue. Find acceptable items and hours. If you receive other gifts and feel the need to clean out old items, find charitable organizations that accept used clothes and other household items instead of throwing items away.
Make a gift. Some of the most meaningful presents are handmade.
Don’t buy a gift item just for the sake of buying it. Can’t think of anything that Aunt Susan needs? Buy her a gift certificate to her favorite local establishment or restaurant. Or, make a donation in her name to a local charity.
Avoid buying gifts with excessive packaging.
Take reusable bags on shopping trips.
Try using alternatives to traditional wrapping paper. (Use newspaper, dish towels, or homemade paper made from decorated paper bags.) If you use wrapping paper, make sure it is recyclable. Try to buy wrapping paper with recycled content. Reuse gift bags and tissue paper from year to year.
If you are buying electronics or appliances as gifts purchase energy efficient models.

Family holiday meals:

Avoid disposable dishes. If you must use them, try to find recyclable or compostable products.
Try to use some local produce. Some of Louisville farmers’ markets are still open in December. See a list here.
If your holiday cooking includes frying, recycle your used cooking oil into biodiesel through the Louisville Biodiesel Cooperative. Order your free used cooking oil receptacle by contacting Christian Thalacker of Louisville Biodiesel Cooperative at (502) 727-5673 or email christian@louisvillebiodieselcoop.org. Then drop off your used cooking oil at the parking lot on the west side of the Clifton Center, 2117 Payne Street; the back parking lot at Bike Couriers Bike Shop, 2132 Frankfort Avenue; or 1501 Portland Avenue. Learn more.
Compost organic materials leftover from preparing meals.

General:

If you decorate with lights for the holiday season, purchase energy efficient versions such as LED bulbs, and limit the amount of time that they are in use.
If you have a live Christmas tree, turn it into mulch through Louisville Metro Solid Waste Management Services Tree-Cycling, which is available following the holiday. Check the Solid Waste website for dates, to be announced later in December.

One Stop Drop

Posted on November 15, 2012 by KHolmes

The Clifton Center, 2117 Payne Street, will host the One Stop Drop, on Saturday, November 17^th, from 10am to 2pm where you can drop off the following items to be reused or recycled: cardboard, cell phones, clothing, shoes (new, used & worn out), personal documents (shredded on-site), household building supplies, household furniture, household items/accessories, children & baby items, professional business attire & accessories for women (clothing must be clean and on hangers), household electronics ($5 recycling fee for CRT monitors – cash only), tv’s (working & cable-ready only), batteries (household & re-chargeable). The event is produced by the Energy Pros. View the One Stop Drop Flyer. Call Kelly Doyle at 266-8871 with questions or visit www.LouisvilleRecycles.com.

Free Shredding Event

Posted on October 2, 2012 by KHolmes

Metro Public Works is partnering with Attorney General Jack Conway to offer a free shredding event for residents this Saturday, October 6 from 10am to 2pm at 1032 Phillips Lane, across from the Kentucky Fair and Exposition Center. Residents are encouraged to bring personal and confidential documents to be shredded and then recycled. There is no limit on the amount of material residents may bring. Businesses will not be allowed to participate in this event.

Items that can be brought for shredding include documents, discs, hard drives, credit cards and other confidential materials. All paper materials will be shredded on site and recycled to make materials such as compost, tissues and toilet paper.

The event is made possible through the generosity of a local shredding company, Shred-It, by donating its services and equipment. The Kentucky Fair & Exposition Center also donated the space to hold the event.

Citizens Can Now Recycle Used Cooking Oil

Posted on September 27, 2012 by KHolmes

From Mayor Fischer’s Press Office

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (September 24, 2012) – Louisville Metro’s Department of Solid Waste Management is now offering four collection sites to recycle cooking oil, providing yet another way for citizens to make Louisville a more sustainable city.

It is an easy, green step to take in your home. First, strain the oil to remove any large food particles then save the oil in a container free of any contaminants. When it is ready to be dropped off, a recycling attendant will assist in pouring the oil into one of the 400 gallon containers placed at each drop-off site.

“By responsibly recycling their cooking oil, residents are helping keep our community’s sewer system clean, and the resultant biodiesel fuel will help reduce the use of petroleum products,” said Maria Koetter, director of Louisville Metro’s Office of Sustainability. “This initiative is a win-win for our environment.”

Any vegetable cooking oil will be accepted that is liquid at room temperature, including olive, soybean and canola oils.

The service is residential only. Businesses may not drop-off used cooking oil.

Cooking oil recycling is now available at these staffed recycling locations:

(Hours of operation: Tuesday – Saturday from 10am-5pm)

First District Public Works Yard, 595 N. Hubbards Lane (on the corner of Brownsboro Rd.)
Metro Parks Landscaping, 9300 Whipps Mill Road
Southwest Government Center, 7219 Dixie Highway
Central Government Center7201 Outer Loop

The oil collection containers will be pick-up regularly by Terra Renewal, a company that won the oil recycling contract through Metro Government’s bidding process. The contract with the company guarantees 100% of the recycled oil collected will go towards the production of biodiesel fuel.

The United States Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of Solid Waste estimates that one to three billion gallons of waste oil are produced each year in the U.S. which could be processed into biodiesel.

Remember there are also two drop off spots where you can recycle waste cooking oil in the 9^th District. Drop off your waste cooking oil in the back parking lot of Bike Couriers Bike Shop at 2132 Frankfort Avenue or in the parking lot on the west side of the Clifton Center at 2117 Payne Street. Waste cooking oil from these sites will be used by local, non-profit Louisville Biodiesel Cooperative to make clean burning biodiesel for use in the Louisville area. Learn more on the Green Triangle website.