James Boughan isn’t one to recycle.
“The terrible thing about it is I started saving up glass bottles — I drink beer — but it’s just not very convenient,” Boughan, 21, said. “I don’t feel that terrible about it. I wish I did.”
To promote recycling, the Downtown Denver Business Improvement District on Wednesday placed 10 yellow recycling bins along the 16th Street Mall.
The effort is part of Mayor John Hickenlooper’s goal of making the Democratic National Convention in August “the greenest ” in history.
Hickenlooper said that green is the new “patriotic color” and that sustainable cities are less dependent on oil- rich nations such as Iran or Venezuela.
The bins can be used for paper, plastic and glass but not cups. That was an early problem Wednesday afternoon, as one bin had to be emptied of cups just a few hours after it was put on the street.
Tamara Door, president and chief executive of the Downtown Denver Partnership, said the bins will not only keep the city clean but also encourage sustainability at home.
“There’s no doubt that the more you make recycling programs more visible, it has an impact on people with recycling at home,” she said.
The business improvement district’s members will pay for the $17,000 cost of upkeep and maintenance in the program’s first year, said Sarah McClean, a BID spokeswoman.
Volunteers with Downtown Denver Hosts, a group of volunteers who will meet and greet conventiongoers, will pass the word about the bins along the mall for the next few days.
Tim Veenstra, who was visiting from Fredrick, Md., said he likes the recycling effort.
“It’s a great idea,” he said. “What we’ve noticed here is it’s very busy but also very neat.”
Even Boughan, who doesn’t usually recycle, said the bins on the 16th Street Mall make recycling easy.
“I’m glad these (bins) are here now,” he said. “If I buy a drink with a glass container, I’ll put it in them.”
Christopher Sanchez: 303-954-1698
