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Plastic Recycling Challenge

Our co-op entered in the NexTrex Recycling Challenge, and we need your participation to succeed. Join us in helping us reach the 1,000-pound target, plus supporting a circular economy for a healthier planet.

Update (October 1, 2024):

We Did It! 1,012 lbs of Plastic Recycled – Thank You, CTC!

Thanks to the incredible efforts of our CTC community, we surpassed our 1,000 lb goal and collected a total of 1,012 lbs of recyclable plastic!

Special Thanks to Our Partners

We couldn’t have done it without your dedication and the support of our generous partners: ASCS Linden Hills (60 lbs), Hampden Park Co-op (147 lbs), Lakewinds Food Co-op (299 lbs), and Tim and Tom's Speedy Market (72 lbs).

What's Next?

We’ve earned a bench made from the recycled plastic, which will soon be added to our community space! We’re also excited to announce that the plastic recycling program will continue. For more details and ways to stay involved, click here

Thank you all for making this happen!

Join our Community Recycling Challenge! 

NexTrex 'Bags to Bench' Challenge 
Circularity Impact Program at the University of Minnesota
Photo Credit: University of Minnesota | Circularity Impact Program

We're thrilled to announce a new initiative that will help us make a positive impact on our environment while bringing our community together. Our co-op has teamed up with the Institute on the Environment (IonE) at the University of Minnesota, the Boreas Sustainability Leaders Cohort, and NexTrex for an exciting plastic recycling challenge, and we need your YOUR help to succeed!

Join us in our Community Plastic Recycling Challenge and help us reach the 1,000-pound target. Learn more about how engaging in a circular economy can strengthen our connection to the natural world and become better stewards of our planet’s resources.

The Challenge: 

Over the next 12 months, we aim to collect more than 1,000 pounds of soft film plastics and packaging. These materials are often overlooked but can be recycled into valuable resources. And here's the exciting part: If we reach our goal, Trex will generously award us with a beautiful bench made from recycled materials!

Start Date: October 1, 2023 

Mark your Calendar! Get ready to kick-start the challenge on October 1. But why wait? You can begin collecting your clean and dry plastic film packaging, bags, and wraps now, so we're all set to hit the ground running!

How Can You Help? 

Recycling is the key to our success! We're asking for your assistance in recycling clean and dry plastic film packaging wraps. This includes items like plastic bags, wraps, and other soft plastics that you might have around the house. By properly disposing of these materials, you're contributing to our community's chances of winning the bench.

Why Participate? 

Spread the Word!

Share this exciting challenge with your friends, family, and neighbors. The more participants we have, the closer we'll be to reaching our goal and winning the furniture bench.

Thank you for your dedication to recycling and sustainability!


Full Details + Resources

View acceptable items, drop-off locations, updates, and more on our Community Recycling Challenge page.
 


CTC & IonE Partnership

CTC is teaming up with the Institute on the Environment (IonE) at the University of Minnesota to enhance opportunities for interconnectedness and community by cultivating and supporting sense making, awe, community, and balance in the ways we experience the natural and human designed world. Being in relationship with each other and our environment, and connecting at the intersection of art, science, and multigenerational sustainability education, we will explore cross-cutting concepts or lenses through which we see the world and make meaning of our experiences individually and in community. 

Read more on IonE Partnership + Opportunities.