Volunteer registration is now open for the Keep Woodland Park Beautiful Annual Citywide Cleanup. Last year’s event brought over 100 volunteers from around our community. Join us for this fun community event and make an impact.
20th Annual Citywide Cleanup coming August 27
Volunteer registration is now open! Help keep our mountain town beautiful by joining us to pick up litter and clean up Woodland Park.
Easy Ways to Recycle Unwanted Tires
Everyone knows how unsightly it is to see old tires just tossed on the side of the road or dumped out in the woods. Other than being an eyesore they pose very serious hazards for the environment. As they break down, the toxins are carried into the waterways and cause great harm to the environment. Some of these chemicals cause cancer and skin mutations. Also, as rain water collects in them they are a breeding ground for mosquitoes and other pests.
Many years ago the majority of old tires wound up in landfills. Now the majority of them are repurposed. Approximately 45% are used for fuel, 20% or civil engineering. A tremendous amount are converted to ground rubber for playgrounds while yet others are repurposed for car parts and and asphalt. For reasons unknown, recycling seems to have peaked around 2013 where 93% were recycled. That number in 2020 was down to 76%.
Teller County offers some great options that make it easy for anyone to discard their old tires. Big O Tires in Woodland Park and they will take your old tires for $3.50 each. Walmart Automotive in Woodland Park will take up to two tires per day per person for free as long as they are dropped off during business hours. Walmart will also take up to 5 gallons of used oil per day. Teller Tire and Schumacher’s will take your old tires for $5 each. Please be proactive if you have old tires laying around and dispose of them wisely. If everyone will do just a little, we will be able to keep Woodland Park beautiful.
Join us for Creek Week!
The Keep Woodland Park Beautiful Committee will be forming a cleanup crew for Creek Week. This event is primarily focused on cleaning up the Fountain Creek area that runs through Woodland Park. Learn more about the Fountain Creek Watershed District.
The event is scheduled for Saturday October 2nd at 8:30am – all volunteers should plan to meet at 8:30am by the picnic tables on S Center St. (near Woodland Hardware).
Think before you drop that cigarette butt
By Charlie Estes
It is estimated that 75% of all smokers toss their cigarette butts out into the environment. Being a motorcycle rider, I see hundreds of them on the ground near stop lights. I always assumed that cigarette butts were manufactured with cotton but after doing research I found that they are made of cellulose acetate which are tightly packed plastic fibers. An estimated 1.7 billion pounds of these fibers wind up in our environment each year. These littered cigarette butts are washed down our drains and the toxins get into our streams and rivers. Believe it or not, a few of these toxins are arsenic, lead, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and other heavy metals.
Unfortunately, these chemicals poison fish and wildlife. They are hands-down the most littered item on Earth. I spoke with a gentleman who works for the Broomfield Colorado Wastewater Reclamation facility. He stated that although the flushed butts are filtered out, the residues are not, which require additional treatment. The majority are tossed outdoors and get into our waterways, causing severe damage to our aquatic and groundwater ecosystems. Although the research studies seem to differ they appear to lean toward non-filtered cigarettes being healthier. As a proud resident of Colorado and a member of the Keep Woodland Park Beautiful Committee I ask you: please don’t toss your butts into the environment.
19th Annual Woodland Park City Wide Cleanup!
Join us for the 19th Annual Woodland Park City Wide Cleanup! This event will run from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm on August 28, 2021 starting at the UPCC pavilion. Registration starts at 8:45am. Participation is free.
Groups will travel by foot and/or car to various locations through Woodland Park departing from the meet up location. Cleaning supplies will be provided, but you may bring your own gloves or trash pickers if you have them.