Since 1985, the Board of Directors of Colorado Recycles has presented awards to citizens, organizations and businesses in recognition of their contributions and efforts to further voluntary recycling efforts in Colorado. Since the program was initiated in 1985, and dozens of worthy programs and individuals have been recognized and honored.

After twenty years, the Board of Directors has determined that the program needs to be overhauled to make the categories and the criteria for selection of recipients consistent with the changes in the technologies of recycling and the increasing number of highly successful recycling programs that operate in Colorado and nationally.

We fully expect to adopt the changes at this year's annual meeting and to announce the 2006 program elements shortly thereafter.

For historical interest, the following information will be maintained as archives to recognize those who have received awards in previous years:

The categories for the Recycler of the Year awards are:

Outstanding Individual Effort

Outstanding Community or Non-profit Organization Program

Outstanding Government Program

Outstanding Business or Commercial Program

Outstanding School Educational Program

Overall Recycler of the Year for Outstanding Support and Commitment to Recycling

Special Recognition Awards for Unique Programs and Commitment

The criteria used by the Board of Directors in making its selections include the impact of the effort on the community, the creativity of the effort, amounts of recyclable materials diverted from landfill operations, cost savings of the effort, overall effort to promote partnerships in recycling programs, and the educational effort of the program. Beginning with the year 2000 awards, the Board of Directors has added a new criterion - the purchase or use of products and materials made with recycled material content.

Sometimes we adjust the category of nomination for a particular nominee in order to establish a better fit for the appropriate category.

Nominations must include the following information:

1. The category for which the nomination is being made;

2. The name, address, and telephone number of the nominee;

3. The name, address, and telephone number of the person making the nomination, and

4. A narrative of no more than 750 words describing why the nominee should be selected for the award for that category.

  Nominations may be e-mailed (please use Word format) to Colorado Recycles at execdir@colorado-recycles.org, or they may be mailed to:

Colorado Recycles
PO Box 370490
Denver, Colorado 80237-0490

For further information, please e-mail us at Executive Director or call 303-695-6010.

<--Back        Recycler of the Year Awards

Since 1985 there have been eight awards of the special President's Recycler of the Year Award to statewide organizations that have shown a special commitment to educating the public about recycling and using products with recycled content. The award is made by the President of the Board of Directors of Colorado Recycles.

There were no candidates for the award in 2003.

For the year 2002, the ninth award was presented to the Colorado Rockies baseball club. The project that received the special recognition was one to introduce the use of reverse vending machines for the recycling of plastic drink containers. The vending machines were placed strategically around Coors Field. Additionally, the Rockies have been leaders in post-game solid waste cleanup and diversion for recycling efforts.

For the year 2001, the award went jointly to Governor Bill Owens and the Colorado Child Care Association for the initation of a program to convert waste tires into shredded rubber for use in the fall zones of playground equipment in preschools.

The award recipient for the year 2000 was the Ken-Caryl Ranch Master Association on the tenth anniversary of its pioneering curbside recycling program. All of the 4,200 homes are served by the program. In 1999, the program was responsible for over 1,200 tons of newspapers, aluminum and steel cans, glass bottles and jars, and plastic bottles.

The 1999 Award recipient was the City of Grand Junction.

The other five recipients honored since 1985 were the Ralston Resort Company (1996); Boulder Community Hospital (1995); Marrama Elementary School & Merrill Middle School (1994); the National Park Service (1993); and Safeway Stores, Inc. (1992).

<--Back        The Overall Recycler of the Year Award:

There were no nominations in this category for 2004.

<--Back        The Outstanding Citizen Recycler of the Year Award:

The award for the year 2004 is Ms. Della Garelle of Manitou Springs, for her efforts in spearheading Manitou Springs Recycles and initiating the recycling program at the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo.

<--Back        The Outstanding Business or Commercial Recycling Program Award:

The award recipients for the year 2004 is the Colorado Springs facility of the Intel Corporation for its BETTR program to recycle mobile phones and computers.

<--Back        The Outstanding School or Educational Recycling Program Award:

The recipient for 2004 is the Aspen Elementary School for its continuing program of education and the "I Care Kids" program.

Previous Award Recipients:

<--Back        The Outstanding Governmental Recycling Program:

The award recipient for the year 2004 is Fort Carson, Colorado with its comprehensive recycling programs serving more than 118,000 military and civilian personnel.

<--Back        The Outstanding Community Non-Profit Recycling Program Award:

The award recipient for the year 2004 is a joint award made to the El Jebel Shrine of Metro Denver and the Ronald McDonald Charities of Southern Colorado. Each of these worthy organizations made significant contributions toward funding the healthcare and medical costs of children in need by using recycling programs to raise the funds for the children.

<--Back        The Special Recognition Awards:

Since 1985, the Board of Directors has recognized particularly outstanding achievements in recycling, recycling education, and the use of recycled products. These awards have been bestowed on the recipients in recognition of their particular achievements and contributions.

Often, organizations, corporations and individuals undertake projects, programs, or commitments that are unique but do not necessarily fall within one of the established categories for awards. In order to recognize the unique and valuable contributions and commitments, Colorado Recycles also presents special recognition awards in addition to the annual awards.

Most Innovative Program

Previous Recipients of the Most Innovative Program:

Mesa County Household Hazardous Waste Program (2003)
Governor's Office of Energy Management and Conservation (2003)
Samina-SCI Corporation (2002)
Technology Recycling (2001)
Twin Landfill Corporation (2000)
Denver Water Department (1993)

Special Merit Award

This year, we did not have recipients in this category:

Previous Recipients of the Special Merit Award:

Ms. Jeannine Fitzgeralds, City of Aurora (2001);and,
The Pikes Peak Green Party of Colorado Springs (2001)
Kaiser-Hill Rocky Flats Environmental Technology Site (2000)
Larimer County Recycling Center (1999)
The Denver Post (1995)
The Colorado Press Association (1994)
The Rocky Mountain News (1993)

Legislator of the Year

Previous Recipients of the Legislator of the Year Award:

Rep. Faye Fleming, Thornton (1991)
Rep. Shirleen Tucker, Lakewood (1989)

Don't Let It Go To Waste Award

The recipient of the 2004 award is Ms. Sharin Makris of Woodland Park for her continuing efforts to foster recycling.

Previous Recipients of the Don't Let It Go To Waste Award:

Eco-Cycle of Boulder Center for Hard to Recycle Materials
Sanmina-SCI Corporation, the "Doc" Store, and Mountain Valley Lumber Company (2002)
Design and Construction Management Division, Denver Department of Public Works (2001)
Western Mobile (1998)
Ralston Resort Company (1997)