Curbside recycling was a new concept in western Colorado in 1989 when Mesa State College hosted a conference entitled “Think Globally, Act Locally”. In response to the interest of City Council members and the City Sanitation Supervisor, a local citizen, Steven Foss, volunteered to begin a pilot curbside recycling program. The purpose was to assess the community’s interest in such a program and determine its costs. Steve appropriately named the endeavor Curbside Recycling Indefinitely.

Residents in Spring Valley and downtown joined in the study by agreeing to sort their recyclables for collection each month. Tope Elementary teachers, students, and parents began to spread the word and soon routes were established throughout the City.

The original pilot program was adopted by the city in 1992. After 30 years of an outstanding public/private cooperative effort, the City of Grand Junction acquired GJ CRI on February 18th, 2022. Under city ownership, GJ CRI will benefit from operational efficiencies and the ability to expand recycling opportunities. There are over 3,750 curbside recycling households in the city limits of Grand Junction and thousands of visitors to our public drop off monthly. GJ CRI’s story is an example of how a community can come together to accomplish an important goal. Never doubt that you can make a difference.