The Zero Waste Committee organizes many of Sustainable Saratoga’s annual events including the well-known Saratoga Recycles Day and Paint Collection Day. The Committee focuses on finding creative solutions to the waste stream, with the goal of reducing, as much as possible, the amount of waste entering landfills. This goal is driven by our principle of the 5 R’s- reduce, reuse, recycle, repair, and rot.

Recycles Day

Recycles Day is an annual fall event that focuses on recycling, reuse, and redistribution of donated household items to community members in need. We partner with local nonprofits and businesses to collect unwanted household items such as electronic waste, small appliances, scrap metal, textiles, musical instruments, children’s books, bikes, eyeglasses, hearing aids, cell phones, backpacks, and camping equipment. The 2024 Saratoga Recycles Day will be on Saturday, October 19 at the SPAC overflow parking lot and is sponsored by Adirondack Trust Company. 

Paint Collection Day

Paint Collection Day is a partnership between Sustainable Saratoga and GreenSheen, that began in 2022 after NYS became a Paint Steward State, committing to recycling paint in collaboration with manufacturers, retailers, and recyclers. GreenSheen transforms old paint into high-quality recycled paint that is then re-sold to be reused. The 2024 Paint Collection Day will be on Saturday, September 21 at the Saratoga Springs High School.

Composting workshops

Our Zero Waste Committee volunteers also lead regular backyard composting workshops that are free, public education opportunities for local residents to learn how to compost in their own backyards. The next workshop will be Saturday, September 14 at Pitney Meadows Community Farm.

Repair Café

Saratoga Springs Repair Café is co-hosted by Sustainable Saratoga and the Saratoga Springs Public Library. Repair Cafés are free community events with the goal of repairing broken objects to extend their life, keeping things out of landfills, and fostering an appreciation for the art of repairing things.

Team Up to Clean Up

We organize an annual volunteer Team Up to Clean Up to raise awareness about the impacts of litter pollution, specifically single-use plastic pollution. Since the first clean up in 2021 we have removed 302 bags of litter from local streets and parks.

 

Helping to Make Community Events Greener

In February 2024, our Zero Waste Committee launched a reuse initiative at ChowderFest. Thanks to the participation of Discover Saratoga, Hattie’s, and Caffe Lena, our volunteers were able to wash and distribute over 800 reusable bowls to customers at Hattie’s on Phila Street. This demonstrated an exciting sustainable solution to replace single-use disposable products  ChowderFest that we are excited to expand upon in 2025. 

 

If you’re interested in volunteering with our Zero Waste Committee or leading a specific project, email zerowaste@sustainablesaratoga.org for more information!

Read the latest Zero Waste blog posts

Artificial Turf — Sustainable Solution or Environmental Problem?
Chowderfest Gets Sustainable — One Cup at a Time

PRESS RELEASE – For immediate release (October 27, 2023)

Another successful year for Sustainable Saratoga’s zero waste events

Media Contact: Caroline Rothaug caroline@sustainablesaratoga.org

Saratoga Springs, NY – Sustainable Saratoga held their 7th  annual Saratoga Recycles Day on October 7 and their 2nd annual Paint Collection Day on October 21.

On Saturday, October 7, Sustainable Saratoga hosted the annual Saratoga Recycles Day. Thank you to Stewart’s Shops for making a generous donation to support this year’s event. A total of 241 vehicles attended during the 3 hours of the event to drop off household items for reuse and recycling by one or more of the 8 participating organizations including JGS Recycling, eLot, Saratoga Springs Lions Club, Wellspring, We Are Instrumental, Saratoga Children’s Literacy League, RISE, and American Clothing Company. Volunteers from Youth Squared spent the morning handing out Bite toothpaste tablets to the first 100 cars in attendance to raise awareness about one of the low-waste swaps for household products. Sustainable Saratoga was joined by 19 amazing and dedicated volunteers who helped make this event a success. 

On Saturday, October 21, Sustainable Saratoga and GreenSheen collected 117 cubic yard boxes of paint from local residents and businesses. A total of 853 cars attended the event to drop off paint for recycling, a much more sustainable and environmentally responsible option than sending these products to the landfill where they pollute our soil and groundwater. During the 4 hours of the event, GreenSheen collected 85,586 lbs of latex, acrylic, and water-based coatings and 9,300 lbs of oil-based coatings.

Both of these Sustainable Saratoga events, Saratoga Recycles Day and Paint Collection Day, will continue to be offered annually. 

For more information visit https://sustainablesaratoga.org/projects/zero-waste/. 

Interested in getting involved with Sustainable Saratoga? Email kelsey@sustainablesaratoga.org.

ABOUT THE ORGANIZATION

Sustainable Saratoga is a not-for-profit organization that promotes sustainable practices and the protection of natural resources, through education, advocacy and action, for the benefit of current and future generations in the Saratoga Springs area.  Since 2008, Sustainable Saratoga has been a leader in promoting awareness of environmental issues and what we as a local community can do to minimize our ecological impact while maintaining a high quality of life.

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PRESS RELEASE – For immediate release (October 2, 2023)

Sustainable Saratoga to host 7th annual Saratoga Recycles Day on October 7

Media Contact: Caroline Rothaug caroline@sustainablesaratoga.org

Saratoga Springs, NY – Sustainable Saratoga will hold their 7th annual Saratoga Recycles Day on Saturday, October 7, from 9 am – 12 pm in the SPAC overflow parking lot on the west side of Route 50.

What: Saratoga Recycles Day
When: Saturday, October 7, from 9 AM- 12 PM
Where: SPAC Parking Lot, west side of Route 50
Who: Anyone! There are no residency requirements for this event.
Cost: $5 per vehicle entrance fee, plus $30 per TV or monitor. Cash, check, or Venmo.

Sustainable Saratoga and our partners will accept clothing & textiles, scrap metal, eyeglasses, hearing aids, musical instruments, cell phones with chargers, camping gear, refrigerants, small appliances, and electronics. There will be an additional $30 fee per TV or monitor. Youth2 will be returning this year to give out an item to the first 100 cars that will help increase conservation of our environment.

Sustainable Saratoga’s Executive Director, Kelsey Trudell, is looking forward to running this event for the first time. “Saratoga Recycles Day is just around the corner! It’s time to declutter and donate your unused items to an organization that can reuse or recycle your household goods, rather than sending them to the landfill.”

New to Recycles Day this year is Saratoga Children’s Literacy League, who will be collecting gently used children’s and young adult books for redistribution via Clifford and Ollie’s Bookbus.

For specific details about what is being collected, a map of the collection stations, and FAQs, visit https://sustainablesaratoga.org/projects/zero-waste/saratoga-recycles-day/. Still have questions? Email zerowaste@sustainablesaratoga.org.

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ABOUT THE ORGANIZATION
Sustainable Saratoga is a not-for-profit organization that promotes sustainable practices and the protection of natural resources, through education, advocacy and action, for the benefit of current and future generations in the Saratoga Springs area. Since 2008, Sustainable Saratoga has been a leader in promoting awareness of environmental issues and what we as a local community can do to minimize our ecological impact while maintaining a high quality of life.
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