Complete Engagement , Environment

Waste to Walls: Taos Locals Learn How to Build With Plastic

Taos

Local Champion: Taos Initiative For Life Together
Date Funded: March 1, 2023
Grant Amount: $29,930

When local nonprofit Taos Initiative For Life Together (TILT) started repurposing plastic amidst the pandemic and turned waste into permanent structures, Taos residents began asking how they might be able to do the same. The requests became particularly urgent as the Town of Town had stopped recycling plastic and locals needed an alternative way to dispose of waste. Having built several prototype structures using a plastic baler, TILT recognized the need to share their knowledge with the community. And with a second grant from the LOR Foundation, TILT is now offering resources—including training videos, brochures, and workshops—that will locals use similar building techniques and recycle more plastic.

In The News

‘Putting Repurposing Plastics on The Map’ (Taos News, April 2024)

Contact our community officer in Taos. Meet Sonya Struck

Related Story Baling (and Building) in Taos

Taos County — May 2021

When the Town of Taos stopped recycling plastic, a group of locals created an innovative solution: turning waste into walls. With a little help from the LOR Foundation, they’re poised to make a dent in the overflowing plastic. Read more

More Engagement, Environment Solutions

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Local Champion:: Cortez Cemetery District
Date funded:: May 13, 2025
Grant Amount:: $7,000

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Local Champion:: Libby Outdoor Recreation Association
Date funded:: May 6, 2025
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Local Champion:: Lincoln County Youth Soccer Association
Date funded:: May 6, 2025
Grant Amount:: $29,743

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Local Champion:: Kootenai Heritage Council, Inc
Date funded:: May 2, 2025
Grant Amount:: $15,000

Environment / Questa Community Clean-Up Days Offer Free Waste Disposal in Questa

Local Champion:: Village Of Questa
Date funded:: May 2, 2025
Grant Amount:: $4,033

Engagement / Libby Roof Repairs Preserve a Historic Libby Community Space

Local Champion:: Heritage Museum
Date funded:: April 30, 2025
Grant Amount:: $8,559

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