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.
Join our Community Recycling Challenge!
NexTrex 'Bags to Bench' Challenge
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!
- Remember to clean and dry your plastic film packaging before dropping it off.
- Start collecting now so we're ready for the October 1 start date.
- Encourage others to participate!
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? 
- Environmental Impact: Recycling plastic film prevents it from ending up in landfills, reducing our ecological footprint.
- Community Unity: By working together, we strengthen our sense of community and show our commitment to sustainability.
- Win-Win: Not only are you helping the environment, but you also have a chance to win a fantastic furniture bench for our community space.
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.
