For over a decade, Alyssa and Dave Reindel have been making a giant impact on the Roaring Fork Valley of Colorado. Or rather, they have been helping to make less of a harmful impact. Founded in 2010, EverGreen ZeroWaste, based in Carbondale offers a comprehensive compost collections program for both homes and businesses throughout the Valley. Think food scraps, grass clippings, weeds, leaves, pizza boxes, egg cartons and dozens more items.

With backgrounds working for renowned recycling programs at the University of Colorado and Eco-Cycle, the Reindels were unwilling to throw their food waste in the trash following their move to the Roaring Fork Valley. “Many people didn’t have backyard piles due to wildlife concerns and the existing waste haulers were unwilling to add organics collection to their repertoire,” explains Alyssa Reindel. To remedy the situation, Dave Reindel purchased old Toters from Eco-Cycle and a used Tundra truck. He started a weekly route by giving out 10 buckets to interested residences in Carbondale, Snowmass Village and Aspen on Earth Day 2011.

What started as a revolutionary and small concept is now the largest composting program west of Colorado’s Front Range. EverGreen ZeroWaste accepts all food waste, yard waste, paper products and compostable dinnerware. Collections are usually once weekly and the company provides animal-resistant buckets and carts for homes. For businesses, there are heavy-duty bear-proof carts or dumpsters with the option for service multiple times a week.

“EverGreen ZeroWaste’s tireless efforts have helped make compost collections more commonplace, and sometimes even the norm,” says Dave Reindel. In 2023, the City of Aspen passed a mandate requiring that all restaurants divert their food waste from the landfill whether by donation or composting. “The result was astounding. We collected more compost from Aspen restaurants on one Friday around Christmas 2023 than we did in all of December 2022,” he exclaims.

Large-scale events and outdoor festivals are also in the Reindel’s wheelhouse. This helps to alleviate massive tonnage from going to waste and providing an outlet for repurpose. Included in the tons the company collected in 2023, were compostable materials from community events like Strawberry Days, Carbondale Mountain Fair and the Aspen Ideas Festival.

A major component of the company’s success is education. EverGreen ZeroWaste partners with a variety of municipalities and organizations to promote resource management and waste diversion education. This includes contributing to panel discussions and presenting at schools. The Reindels also host customizable trainings for restaurants, office hotels, schools, municipalities, HOAs and religious organizations.

EverGreen ZeroWaste leaves items such as glass, plastic and disposable wipes to other outlets. They focus on food, paper, plant, natural materials and compostable disposables for their smaller footprint on a giant initiative.

THE NUTS & BOLTS

Evergreen Zero Waste services homes and all business types in Aspen, Woody Creek, Basalt, El Jebel, Carbondale, Glenwood Springs and New Castle.

In addition to locations listed above, EverGreen ZeroWaste also serve businesses, HOAs and schools in towns along I-70, from Vail to Rifle, and in Snowmass Village.

Yard Waste can be collected curbside with an EverGreen ZeroWaste residential compost service subscription or taken to special collection points. The company accepts grass clippings, garden cuttings, weeds, leaves, sticks, twigs and brush.

There is also a residential “farmer” subscription for customers who can utilize a 95-gallon EverGreen ZeroWaste curbside
compost cart for all food and yard waste. Just like commercial carts and dumpsters, homeowners can put materials in loose or in compostable bags.

On a bit smaller of a scale there is the residential “earthworm” subscription which allow one 30-gallon paper yard waste bag per week alongside the food waste bucket. The bag and its contents must weigh less than 30 pounds.

Originally published in Summer + Fall 2024 issue of Well.