Steamboat Pilot & Today

Steamboat Springs — Every Day is Earth Day in Steamboat Springs — at least it will be for nine days beginning Saturday.

Because the formal observation of Earth Day — April 22 this year — frequently falls in the midst of spring break in Steamboat, a flock of area nonprofits and governments have created a super-sized version of Earth Day that runs May 14 to 22. The green blitz begins Saturday with a young event that is growing in popularity: Give Your Stuff Away Day.

LIFT-UP of Routt County and Home ReSource are encouraging residents to put unwanted household and yard items of value out at the curb for neighbors and cruisers to claim for themselves.

“The week is full of a variety of sustainable events,” said Angela Ashby, of Yampa Valley Sustainability Council. “We’ve partnered with 10-plus nonprofits to collaborate and have a greater impact for the week and for the community.” Also on Saturday is the seventh annual Bike Fest at Howelsen Hill, Migratory Bird Day at Carpenter Ranch and the Steamboat Home and Garden Expo at The Steamboat Grand, which is free.

The grandmother of Earth Day in Steamboat is the fifth annual Highway Cleanup Day on May 21.

Heather Savalox, of the Routt County Department of Environmental Health, said the event will take a green step forward this year by facilitating the recycling of appropriate refuse picked up from the shoulders of the county’s highway and byways.

“We’ll provide the orange bags for trash and blue recycling bags for cans, plastic and glass,” Savalox said.

Knowing that there are many veteran groups of volunteers for Highway Cleanup Day in the community, Savalox said she is accepting advance registrations by phone or email so people who have a favorite destination can hit the road in full scavenger mode. Call her at 970-870-5588, or email hsavalox@co.routt.co.us.

There has been an important change this year to the May 21 Community Recyling Drop-off event hosted by the Sustainability Council and Yampa Valley Recycles. Because the Spring into Summer Carnival school fundraiser is being held at Meadows Parking Lot from May 19 to 22, the recycling event will be from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. in the parking lot at Howelsen Hill. The event is restricted to individuals and is not available to businesses and organizations.

Household members may drop off hard-to-recycle items including bikes, bike tires and tubes, scrap metal skis and more. Some drop-offs such as electronics and motor oil will require a small fee.

Every Day is Earth Day events

Saturday

■ Seventh annual Bike Fest

When: 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Where: Howelsen Hill

Cost: $1 donation to enter, $5 to put a bike in the bike swap corral

Contact: Katie at 970-846-9206 or katie@kenteriksen.com

More information: A used bike sale, local bike shops and bicycle manufacturers, lactate threshold testing, bike fitting and information about new trails and riding areas will be showcased. New this year is a children’s safety and skills riding area featuring hands-on riding programs for children and adults (bring your own bike).

■ Yampa Valley Recycles sells reusable shopping bags

When: 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Where: City Market

Call: 970-870-2896.

More information: Green bags also will be available at the Yampa Valley Recycles table during the Steamboat Home and Garden Expo.

■ International Migratory Bird Day

When: All day

Where: Carpenter Ranch

Call: 970-871-9151

More information: Bird walks, workshops, a film and a recycled bird house contest are part of the day’s family-friendly festivities. Participants are encouraged to bring a picnic lunch. Visit www.yampatika.org/pdf/IMBDFlyer.pdf for a schedule.

■ Fourth annual Steamboat Home and Garden Expo

When: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Where: The Steamboat Grand

Cost: Free

Contact: Sarah Leonard at 970-875-7006 or sarah@steamboatchamber.com

More information: More than 30 booths will display all you need for your home or garden.

■ Give Your Stuff Away Day

When: All day

Where: Your curb

More information: Help your neighbors, diminish waste going to the landfill and reduce your clutter by bringing your valuable, but unwanted, stuff to your curb for others to take for free. In order for this community give-away to work, givers are asked to follow some guidelines:

1. No trash, recyclables, illegal or dangerous items
2. No food, drugs, chemicals or weapons
3. Set out only safe, valuable items.
4. If your stuff doesn’t get taken, please don’t take it personally or leave it at the curb. Instead, donate it to a local reuse nonprofit, such as LIFT-UP or Home ReSource or bring it to the Community Recycling Drop-Off on May 21. Visit www.salvageit.org for more information and donation drop-off hours.

Monday

■ Steamboat Springs Community Area Plan presentation

When: 5 to 6:30 p.m.

Where: Centennial Hall

Call: Jason Peasley at 970-871-8229

More information: Learn more about the Steamboat Springs Area Community Plan and have the opportunity to ask questions about the 2004 plan and how it can be updated to suit our current community needs and future goals. Light snacks will be provided and there is networking afterward.

Monday to May 20

■ Zero Waste Lunch at Steamboat schools

More information: Students in the elementary schools will make their own cloth napkins from T-shirts donated by LIFT-UP, and prizes will be given to students who minimize their lunch waste.

■ Routt County Cattle-Women Ranch Days

Call: 970-481-7434

More information: Speakers will present at elementary schools across the county. Topics include the history of local ranching, reading and designing brands, pasture to plate, western wear, and how a cow is more than meat and leather. On the last day of the week, the classes will spend the day at working ranches across the county.

Tuesday

■ Alpine Bank Shred-a-thon

When: Noon to 4 p.m.

Where: Alpine Bank, 1901 Pine Grove Road

Cost: Free

Call: 970-871-1901.

More information: Shred any unwanted documents with personal information, such as tax documents (seven years and older), bank statements, medical records, canceled or blank checks, credit card statements/solicitations and personal bills. Staples and paper clips do not need to be removed. There is a limit of five boxes per person. Participates are encouraged to bring a donation for LIFT-UP.

■ “The Economics of Happiness” screening

When: 6:30 p.m.

Where: Library Hall at Bud Werner Memorial Library

Call: 970-879-0240

More information: “The Economics of Happiness” features a chorus of voices from six continents calling for systemic economic change. Visit www.steamboatlibrary.org/Events for more information.

■ Energy Education Plan

When: 7 p.m.

Where: Hayden Town Hall

Call: 970-824-1133

More information: The Governor’s Energy Office supports Yampa Valley Partners in facilitating a tri-county Energy Education Plan with community members from Moffat, Rio Blanco and Routt counties. Community groups will be giving you choices on how to make your home or business more comfortable while saving energy costs. Visit www.yampavalleypartners.com to view the details of this community-wide plan.

Wednesday

■ United Way Day of Caring

When: All day

Where: Across Routt County

Call: 970-879-5605.

More information: Participate in a variety of projects that help local nonprofits, the elderly, disabled and less fortunate. United Way matches volunteers with projects throughout the county. The Ski Town Lion’s Club provides a free lunch at Olympian Hall.

■ Global Youth Service Day

When: All day

Where: South Routt

Email: Sarah Boyle at boyle994@regis.edu

More information: Soroco Middle School students will help out around Oak Creek, Yampa and Phippsburg. Starting the day with a speaker on volunteerism, the students will help clean around town and paint curbs, hydrants and picnic tables.

■ “Gasland” screening

When: 6:30 p.m.

Where: Library Hall at Bud Werner Memorial Library

Cost: Free

Call: 970-879-0240

More information: The film will followed by a Q-and-A via Skype with filmmaker Josh Fox and a community conversation about fracking and the rush for natural gas on public lands. For more information, visit www.steamboatlibrary.org/Events.

May 19

■ Energy Education Plan

When: 7:30 p.m.

Where: Hayden Town Hall

Call: 970-824-1133

More information: The Governor’s Energy Office supports Yampa Valley Partners in facilitating a tri-county Energy Education Plan with community members from Moffat, Rio Blanco and Routt counties. Community groups will be giving you choices on how to make your home or business more comfortable while saving energy costs. Visit www.yampavalleypartners.com to view the details of this community-wide plan.

May 19 and 20

■ Fluorescent bulb recycling

When: Noon to 5 p.m.

Where: Colorado Mountain College maintenance shop on Bob Adams Drive

Cost: Free

Call: Lyn Halliday at 970-879-6323

More information: The Cents for Steamboat Program, which is affiliated with the Steamboat Springs Chamber Resort Association’s Sustainable Business Program, is hosting a fluorescent bulb recycling drop-off for local businesses. Businesses can bring linear tubular fluorescent bulbs (T12, T8, etc.) of any length and U-shaped fluorescent bulbs. No CFLs and no broken bulbs.

May 20

■ Historic Preservation Forum

When: 1 to 5 p.m.

Where: Library Hall at Bud Werner Memorial Library

Email: Meg Tully at admin@historicrouttcounty.org

More information: Since the last Historic Preservation Forum five years ago, many of the key players within the county’s historic preservation and sustainability arenas have changed. This event will allow the community to meet new faces and to rekindle the exchange about preservation and sustainability challenges and solutions. The panel discussion will be moderated by Jim Lindberg, director of Preservation Initiatives with the National Trust for Historic Preservation. There will be a reception with light appetizers following the presentations.

■ Environmental expo

When: 5 to 7 p.m.

Where: Meadow’s Parking Lot

More information: Event includes information and registration for ReTree Steamboat.

May 21

■ Fifth annual Highway Clean-Up Day

When: Registration opens at 8:30 a.m.

Where: Routt County Courthouse

Contact: Routt County Environmental Health at 970-870-5588 or hsavalox@co.routt.co.us

More information: Volunteer to clean up our area roadways. New this year is the option to recycle collected material. The event kicks off with coffee and breakfast pastries at 8 a.m. at the Routt County Courthouse. After the Clean-Up, meet from noon to 1 p.m. at Howelsen for a free barbecue featuring local meats and a prize drawing. Volunteers are urged to wear sturdy shoes and long pants and to bring sunscreen, a backpack, water and work gloves. Safety vests and bags will be provided. Online registration for volunteers is strongly encouraged.

■ Community Recycling Drop-Off

When: 8:30 to 11:30 a.m.

Where: Howelsen Hill

Cost: Free, some drop-offs will require a small fee

More information: This drop-off event is for residential individuals only. No commercial drop-offs will be accepted. In addition to the traditional recyclables accepted in Green Machines, such as paper, glass and plastics, a wide range of hard-to-recycle items also will be accepted: electronics (working or not), yard waste, building materials, bikes, bike tires and tubes, wine corks, shoes, scrap metal, appliances (working or not), printer cartridges, children’s books, car batteries, plastic bags, compact fluorescent light bulbs, fluorescent tube light bulbs, skis, bikes and more. Some drop-offs will require a small fee, such as electronics, appliances with Freon, latex paint and motor oil. Visit www.yvsc.org or www.yampavalleyrecycles.org for a full list of materials accepted and fees.

— To reach Tom Ross, call 970-871-4205 or email tross@SteamboatToday.com