In fact, despite the state's green image, Colorado's recycling rate is well below the national average: 19 percent here compared to 34 percent nationally. That may be due to the lack of a recycling network across the state, especially in rural Colorado.
The Colorado Sun editor Larry Ryckman and reporter Jennifer Brown talked to Colorado Matters about the reporting that went into the series, as well as the overall goal of the news startup created by former Denver Post staffers.