One Man’s Trash

is Another Man’s Treasure

January 18, 2010

Joseph Godfrey is a man on a green mission. His desire is to see every home and business recycling so much that it becomes second nature. Purely passionate about it, Godfrey has been in the recycling business for eight years, six of those spent in Vermont. He worked with Town of Taos at the recycling center on Bertha Street for two years and, while there, received certification from the State of New Mexico as a recycle operator.

Godfrey purchased Recycle Taos Collection (RTC) in November 2007. RTC is a to-your-door pick up service for cardboard, glass, aluminum, steel, ewaste (computer parts), office paper, newspaper and any other type of paper product.

“The original owner of RTC performed this service as a part-time basis. I thought it was a great opportunity for me, it was something I believed in and it was also something I had plenty of experience with,� stated Godfrey.

RTC provides recycle containers with lids used for indoor and outdoor recycle collection. A monthly flat-rate or as-needed services can be contracted by any business and residence in the Taos area.

One of RTC’s bigger customers, the Family Dollar Store, has enough material to schedule pick-ups three times per week. They went from having five dumpsters behind the store to one. Not only did Family Dollar reduce the costs of dumpsters and disposal, they have significantly reduced their dependency on the local landfill.

Holy Cross Hospital and Cid’s Market are two other significant businesses that truly understand the need to recycle and are regular customers of RTC. “Education is a big part of the challenge to increase the current five percent of Taoseños who regularly recycle,� offered Godfrey.

Arroyos del Norte School has been a recycle pilot program for the local schools, and RTC recently received approval from the Taos Municipal School district to expand the program. RTC is also looking to make the cafeterias more green. In addition, Godfrey serves on the recycling committee for the Town of Taos and is a member of the New Mexico Recycle Coalition. RTC is available for speaking engagements for schools, homeowner associations or civic or service organizations that are interested in learning how they can organize recycling campaigns for their community.

Next year, as the County of Taos completes the new recycling center near the airport, Godfrey looks forward to adding plastics to the list of recycling products RTC can process.

Godfrey, named 2009 Entrepreneur of the Year by the Taos County Chamber of Commerce, says, “One of my goals is to promote recycling and to get more people doing it.�

RTC can be reached at 575-776-4000 or taosrecycler@yahoo.com.