Yes! This excellent service returns! Thanks!

this guy rocks

Here is a summary report on the Reno-Sparks Recycling Project.

Also, following it is a note on the recycling of playa bicycles care of the Kiwanis Bike Project.

Thank you very much to everyone who participated and helped spread the word to make this project in its third year a better success, and especially to these folks who helped make it happen:

David Stachofsky, Todd Baldwin, and John Burgess of Save Mart Supermarkets, Jonathan Propp & Heidi Draper of Whole Foods Market, Andie Grace, Will Chase, Paul Schreer (Mr. Blue), and Debra Stiers (and the Greeter's Materials Collating Cru) of the Burning Man Project, Ellen and Roger Jacobsen of the Kiwanis Bike Project, James Kuykendall of Earth First Recycling, Walt Greene of Schnitzer Steel, Tom Price of Black Rock Solar, and Stephen Chandler for the beautiful image of the Black Rock for the flier.

2009 Reno-Sparks Recycling Project

The Reno-Sparks Recycling Project as operated by Save Mart Supermarkets and Whole Foods Market returned another very successful year in 2009, thanks primarily to the increased participation of you, Burning Man veterans and virgins alike. Although the numbers of recyclables collected are roughly similar in comparison to 2008 -- given that the population of Black Rock City was down 12-13% (due to difficult economic times), it would appear that recycling participation as a percentage of the Black Rock City population actually increased by about 12-13% over 2008. More of us are recycling!

Whether due to more people knowing about the project, or more people taking advantage of this free and convenient service, the bottom-line is that recycling in support of the event and beyond is up and running strong, rather than simply off into the landfills.

There were several evolutions of the project since 2008,but the most notable development was Whole Foods Market joining along with Save Mart Supermarkets in some of the key aspects -- something rather unusual and remarkable in what is commonly known as the competitive marketplace, and something largely due to the effects of non-commodification and gift-economy that Burning Man tends to bring! The two chains worked towards sharing many of the same local and out-of-state recyclables vendors, swapped expertise as well as a few recyclables, shared the costs toward the production of the flyer you found in your Greeter’s materials, and both chains will be donating the proceeds from their respective operations toward a local Black Rock Solar project in Nixon, Nevada.

As in previous years, actual recycling operations involved nothing more than participants having their recyclables clean and sorted as much as possible, driving into the parking lots of any of the four participant Save Mart Supermarkets or Whole Foods Market, and depositing their recyclables into the respective depositories provided. Nothing more. Free and no strings attached. Recyclables included plastics, all metals, glass, bicycles, cardboard, paper, plastic bags, and household batteries. Whole Foods also took on compost, and both chains additionally received tons of non-perishable food and water, which were donated to the local Food Bank.

In order to make the project more feasible, as well as to encourage more recycling outright, garbage disposal was also provided to recyclers at $3 per 35-gallon trash bag in order to offset the operating costs of dumpster rental and disposal.

Due to differing commitments (contractual or otherwise) of the two store-chains with recyclables vendors, many of the recyclables traveled on to different local and out-of-state vendors. Most of the recyclables (glass, most plastics, and metals) that Whole Foods Market collected went to Waste Management, while cardboard remained in-house with its regular recycling. All the metals collected by Save Mart went to Schnitzer Steel, plastics to Earth First Recycling, glass to Waste Management, and cardboard and plastic bags remained in-house with Save Mart's regular recycling. All bicycles collected by both chains went to the Kiwanis Bike Project in Reno, household batteries to Whole Foods and then on to Ecycle Environmental in California, plastic bags to Save Mart, and all garbage to Waste Management. All food and water deposited by participants were donated to the Food Bank of Northern Nevada .

Due to these different commitments with vendors, proceeds from each chain’s recycling operations came from different sources and amounted to different totals. Save Mart raised $190 from the return on the metals it collected – metals in the region are the only recyclable that currently in the region has a realizable profit, while metals prices have been at historic lows throughout 2009 due to the recession. Whole Foods Market was unable to cash in on any of its recyclables, due to its year-round recycling contract with Waste Management; however, Whole Foods chose to donate the proceeds raised in the garbage disposal services it provided to participants, which amounted to over $600. Both Whole Foods and Save Mart have chosen to match the proceeds raised -- Save Mart will donate $380, and Whole Foods will donate $1000.

In total, $1380 will be donated to Black Rock Solar for the second phase of its solar installation project at the Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribal Medical Clinic in Nixon, due to be completed by early 2010.

On behalf of Save Mart Supermarket, Whole Foods Market, The Burning Man Project, Kiwanis Bike Project, Earth First Recycling, Schnitzer Steel, Ecycle Environmental, Waste Management, the City of Reno, Food Bank of Northern Nevada , and Black Rock Solar, thank you very much for your participation and care!

If you have any feedback, please email it to RenoRecycling@yahoo.com.

Below are the totals in recyclables. Also provided in parentheses for comparison are some of the totals collected by Save Mart in 2008. Unless otherwise noted, the unit of measurement is a 4’ x 4’ x 3’ bin:

Save Mart:

Plastics -- 144 bins (183)
Aluminum -- 15 (9)
Other Metals -- 8 (7)
Glass -- 19 (34)
Cardboard -- 63 (64)
Bicycles -- 122 (61)
Batteries -- 40+ lbs
Food -- 3 Barrels
Water -- 1074 gallons

Whole Foods:

Plastics -- 32 bins
Aluminum & Other Metals -- 6
Glass -- 3
Bicycles -- 40
Batteries -- 40+ lbs
Compost -- 150+ lbs
Food -- 1 barrel
Water -- 250+ gallons

Totals:

Plastics -- 176 bins
Aluminum & Other Metals -- 29
Glass -- 22
Cardboard -- 63+
Bicycles -- 162
Batteries -- 80+ lbs
Compost -- 150+ lbs
Food -- 4 barrels
Water -- 1324+ gallons


The Kiwanis Bike Project Recycling Bikes

For several years now, the Kiwanis Bike Project of Reno has been the primary recipient of bicycles either abandoned on the playa, or deposited in Reno at its office or at one of the recycling project centers in the region. Each bicycle is cleaned, repaired, and refurbished with tender loving care from among the dozens and dozens of volunteers. Most of these bicycles end up being gifted to some child or teenager who needs it. Some of the other bicycles end up being sold at very reasonable prices to college kids with little pocket money. Or, as over the past few years, to Burning Man participants in need of a bicycle for their adventure in Black Rock City. The funds raised from the sale of these bikes go directly back into the Kiwanis Bike Project’s primary mission of gathering, caring for, and gifting bicycles to the kids that need them. And increasingly, not only do many of these bikes sold to burners end up being recycled back to the Kiwanis Bike Project; many burners end up bringing in their friends bikes to donate too! Economy.

Due to a closer collaboration with the Burning Man Project, to Save Mart Supermarkets and Whole Foods Market as part of the 2009 Reno-Sparks Recycling Project, and to the local burner community in the Reno area, the Kiwanis Bike Project received a record number of bicycles (as well as volunteers) this year, which means by-and-large a lot of kids are going to be really happy over the coming months…

Here are the numbers of bicycles received and from where:

From Reno-Sparks Recycling Project -- 162
To Kiwanis Bike Project Office -- 121
Picked up in Black Rock City following event -- 250
Total Bikes to Kiwanis Bike Project -- 433 (100 of which are small kids bikes!)

For further information on the KBP or on how to contact them:

www.kiwanisbikes.org/

775-337-1717