Trash Talk: Small Businesses Reduce Waste in Big Sky
How local entrepreneurs are taking action to reduce their waste.
Photo from the 2023 Big Sky Waste Composition Assessment
When it comes to building a more sustainable Big Sky, every cardboard box and packing peanut counts. An important part of the path forward outlined in Big Sky’s Community Climate Action Plan (CAP) is reducing waste and rethinking our patterns of consumption.
To better understand Big Sky’s waste streams, Big Sky SNO worked with community partners on a Waste Composition Assessment in 2023. The study found Big Sky’s overall waste diversion rate, the amount of waste that’s recycled or composted instead of sent to the landfill, was just 10.68%, far below the national average of 32.1%. Even more striking, nearly 70% of what’s in our trash could have been recycled or composted.
Local Businesses Leading the Way
Many local businesses are getting creative and leading by example when it comes to reducing waste, especially packaging waste.
Ece from Big Sky Print and Ship talking with Big Sky SNO Intern, Zosia, about her packaging reuse and recycling.
Jill Zeilder, owner of Jill Zeilder Ceramic Art, runs a beautiful ceramic art studio and shop in Big Sky. Jill’s on a mission to reduce waste during her packaging process. She doesn’t just recycle packing materials; she actively collects them from the community. Whether it's packing peanuts, foam, or paper, Jill invites locals to drop off materials she can reuse to safely ship her handcrafted pottery.
Ece Zeyli, the owner of Big Sky Print and Ship, has been serving the community for the past six years. She works hard to reuse every bit of packing material that comes through her shop (boxes, packing peanuts, bubble wrap, plastic, and paper). She also encourages her customers to return used materials so they can be put back into use.
Ece and Jill’s commitment to reuse is a simple but impactful way to reduce waste—and a reminder that any business can take steps toward sustainability.
Behind the Scenes: Sorting Waste at Big Sky Events
Volunteers help event attendees sort waste.
Like in past years, this summer, Big Sky SNO is also teaming up with YES Compost and Outlaw Partners to reduce waste at some of the community’s most popular events, including the Big Sky PBR and the Wildlands Festival. Through these partnerships, waste stations are staffed with volunteers who help eventgoers properly sort their trash, recycling, and compost. These sorting stations not only divert waste from the landfill—they also provide a great opportunity to educate the public on what goes where and why it matters.
Coming Soon: Big Sky Sustainable Business Achievement Program
This summer, Big Sky SNO and the Big Sky Chamber of Commerce are launching the Big Sky Sustainable Business Achievement Program—a new initiative to support and celebrate local businesses committed to sustainability and community resilience.
The program begins with a self-assessment that helps businesses evaluate their current practices. From there, participants will meet with Big Sky SNO and Chamber staff for a consultation to review results, share goals, and explore opportunities for improvement.
A scoring system will be used to determine if businesses qualify for the official Sustainable Business Achievement. But this isn’t just about recognition, it’s about growth. If a business doesn’t yet meet the criteria, they can still participate by working with program leaders to set custom sustainability goals and identify next steps.
Big Sky SNO is ready to help with resources, support, and guidance. Whether you're just getting started or looking to build on the work you're already doing.
We’re excited to share more stories about the small but important steps businesses are taking, like Big Sky Print and Ship and Jill Zeidler Ceramic Art. These everyday actions may seem simple, but when we add them all together, they create real momentum toward a more sustainable future. No matter the size or industry, every business has a role to play in building a more sustainable Big Sky.
