Future Projects and Ideas

Glass recycling

Glass accounts for 15-20% of the material entering our landfill. Because of its heavy weight, glass is difficult to recycle if there are not local uses for it. However, there are many ways we can reuse glass locally in Cordova. NVE is seeking funding from various sources to purchase a glass crusher for the City. Crushed glass can be used for road bedding, as a replacement for gravel in septic systems, as part of the containment system for landfills, and as decorative landscaping. It can even be ground fine enough to be used in place of sand on icy roads. We hope to be able to offer glass as a recycling option in the near future.

Year-round electronics collection and "freecycle" station

NVE recently received funding to purchase another freight container which we will use to store electronics for recycling. This increased storage space will allow us to collect electronics year round, rather than only at select times during the year. We hope to organize the freight container in such a way that a self-regulating "freecycle" station can be established in it. Our idea is that we will reserve a portion of the container for workable electronics. People dropping off electronics for recycling can put any useable electronics in that spot, and individuals from the community can go there to pick up any gently used item they need. We anticipate the freight container will be available in April 2010. Check back at DENR's website for more details.

Organic waste

While it is just an idea for now, NVE and other members of the Cordova Renewable Energy Workgroup (CREW) are very interested in finding a way to put our organic waste to work for us. The Prince William Sound Science Center, Cordova Electric Cooperative, and the Cordova School District are currently working together on a project testing methane stoves. Methane stoves are a proven technology in tropical areas and work by employing "methanogens," methane producing bacteria. The bacteria digest organic waste and produce methane as a by-product. The methane is used to fuel cooking stoves, and the organic waste is converted into a rich fertilizer. The recent discovery of cold-weather methanogens has allowed this technology to be tested for adaptation in northern climates. Using household and commercial organic waste for methane fueled stoves and the fertilizer by-product for a community garden are two possibilities the CREW would like to look into further.