RIO RANCHO, N.M. (KRQE) – The City of Rio Rancho is trying to get people to use fewer single-use plastic bags on this “America Recycles Day.”
The Parks and Rec Department’s recycle take-back at the Loma Colorado Main Library was aimed at educating people about more sustainable options. People could trade in their plastic grocery bags for reusable ones that officials say can last years.
They add that there’s a need in our state to help cut down on these bags which often become litter. “It takes many, many years for bags to break down and here in New Mexico, especially because we have a lot of those seasonal winds, we tend to see a lot of them blowing around,” says Koryn Misbach, Community Services Coordinator.
Officials say the average person uses about 714 single-use plastic bags a year. Nationwide, that number reaches 100 billion a year.
People in Albuquerque also marked the day by keeping household items out of the landfill. The city’s Solid Waste Department and the Keep Albuquerque Beautiful Initiative held it’s first Fix-It Clinic.
The event at Fuse Marketplace was a chance for people to learn about troubleshooting and fixing their broken household items through sewing, bicycle maintenance, computer, and small appliance repair.
