Fitting snuggly into the “reuse” column of the Three Rs (reduce, reuse, recycle), reclaimed wood offers the option of a beautiful and earth-friendly way to update a home while limiting dependence on environmental resources.

Aged Woods' Bunkhouse Plank reclaimed oak flooring

To many, an old barn is nothing more than an eyesore, but for those committed to sustainable building practices, old barn siding or dilapidated flooring in a century-old building is a gold mine of reusable resources.

Companies like Aged Woods, Inc. of York, PA, offer customers the chance to own antique planks that have been “carefully re-milled from recycled wood” salvaged from “old weathered and distressed barnwood.” The company promotes the environmental benefits and multitude of uses of reclaimed wood as “the sustainable choice to add unique and authentic rustic character to residences, retail stores, restaurants, casinos, country clubs, etc.”

Further, Aged Woods, Inc. distinguishes between various types of woods commonly used for flooring: antique oak, antique white pine, antique yellow pine and antique maple. Other, rarer species are also offered from the company, including antique American chestnut, antique hickory and antique heart pine. Amazingly, this wood is reclaimed from “agricultural out-buildings, i.e. barns, ranging in age from 75 years to as much as 200 years.”

It is not hard to see why reclaimed wood is the smarter, more eco-friendly choice. Utilizing wood that has previously been employed in another structure means that new trees are not cut down and milled for new construction. What’s more, reclaimed wood is commonly region specific, meaning the reclaimed wood utilized in a given remodel or new construction project most likely came from a nearby demolition.

Taking wooden planks from demolished buildings even provides something that no freshly cut timber can: a sense of history. Aged Woods, Inc. explains this further when mentioning that such old wood “retains the patina and character imparted by the signs of old-time craftsmen and decades of wind, rain and sun.”

Reclaimed wood can be used for furniture and decorative purposes as well. In fact, the uses of reclaimed wood (or other building materials) might only be as limited as one’s practicality.

In Seattle, homeowners now grasp this idea fully and can boast about the reclaimed wood in their homes. Many local homes have utilized reclaimed wood that was the flooring from Garfield High School for decades. It’s not a stretch to imagine that these homes now have a piece of history, as music legend Jimmy Hendrix, former NBA star Brandon Roy and record producer Quincy Jones all walked the floors of this school.

If you are thinking of tidying up your property with some home-makeover work in the coming months, be sure to consider reclaimed wood. Who knows what amazing stories you might discover with this environmentally sustainable option?

By a show of hands, who among us would like to help save a million trees a year? What if I told you that saving those million trees could also eliminate the CO₂ from 10,000 average American cars? Do I have your attention?

The good news is that both of these goals are easily achievable with a tiny addition to your recycling routine. The bad news is, hardly anyone knows about it.

We are talking about what happens to the labels from steel (tin) cans. Americans recycle 65% of the 30 billion cans used every year. That’s nearly 20 billion cans recycled, and that’s pretty good. The problem is that when a can is recycled with the label attached, that label is destroyed in the process of recycling the metal.

Recycling centers separate steel cans using powerful magnets and then crush them into large blocks that are sent to steel mills to be melted down. When the cans are melted down, 95% of the labels are still attached. The paper destroyed in this process is equivalent to more that 1 million trees every year.

Furthermore, for every ton of paper burned, 1,500 pounds of CO₂ are released into the atmosphere. Click on the infographic at right to learn more or click here to see a video that explains the problem in detail.

So, if that is the problem, what is the solution?

Simply put, if we removed the paper labels from the steel cans before tossing them into the recycling bin, both the can and the paper could be properly reclaimed.

Until now, removing labels from cans was both difficult and dangerous, but a new product has made this recycling step easy, safe and fun. The product is called the Label Popper, and it was invented by a frustrated dad whose kids were collecting Campbell’s soup can labels for school.

The problem was, he kept stabbing himself in the thumb with the knife or scissor he was using to remove the label. Once he discovered how much paper was being destroyed by not removing labels, both the cause and the product were born. Over five years, several designs were developed and tested and the final result is a product with no sharp edges or points that easily removes the label from the can in seconds.

Currently, the Label Popper is made in the U.S. of stainless steel and ABS plastic. It has two magnets embedded in the back, for easily accessible storage on the family refrigerator. The company, Three-Quarter Innovations, LLC, has developed an all-plastic version made from 60% recycled PET water bottles. This version will also be 100% made in the U.S. at a factory that generates its own electricity from wind and clean-burning natural gas.

Steve Nazarian

The new Label Popper will be released in 2012 as a branded product sold by national retailers. As of this writing, the company is in discussions with several national retailers that are hoping to be the first to get their brand on Label Popper while spreading the word about what it can do.

Awareness is the number one challenge right now, since most people — even loyal recyclers — do not know that the labels are destroyed when they recycle a can. When people are made aware of the problem and the easy solution, there is little resistance to adding label removal to their recycling routine.

So, go to labelpopper.com and get a Label Popper. Tell your friends, and together we can start saving those million trees. Oh, if you haven’t already, you may put your hands down now.

Steve Nazarian is a father of four, creative problem solver and inventor of the Label Popper. He makes his home in Penfield NY, where no labels go unpopped.

When it comes to electronics, especially those that are so widely used and needed like mobile phones, it’s essential that shoppers do their homework. Taking the time to consider the product’s full impact as well as the company’s efforts to manufacture it in an environmentally sensitive manner will help you to make the best decision possible.

If you (or your loved ones) are looking for a new phone, the Samsung Blue Earth is definitely worth an extra look.

Launched in late 2009, the Samsung Blue Earth is still one of the most eco-friendly smartphones on the market, and came in first place in the mobile phone category of Greenpeace’s 2010 survey of green electronics.

The Blue Earth (also known as the Samsung GT-S7550) is made from post-consumer material extracted from water bottles, helping to reduce fuel consumption and carbon emissions during the manufacturing process. The device, including the charger, is free from harmful substances such as brominated flame retardants, polyvinyl chloride and phthalates.

The Blue Earth also encourages eco-friendly behavior with its features like an “Eco mode,” screen brightness, backlight duration and Bluetooth capability that can be set to an energy-efficient mode with just one click. The “Eco Walk” function allows users to count their steps with a built-in pedometer and calculate the reduction in CO₂ emission realized by walking as opposed to using a motor vehicle. This unique function allows users to see the value of walking by calculating the number of trees that have been saved.

Samsung even specifically designed the packaging for Blue Earth to be compact and easy to recycle by utilizing paper and soy ink.

Although Blue Earth comes with a five-star energy-efficient charger that uses only 0.03W of power in standby mode, chances are you won’t have to use it much. The phone comes complete with a solar panel located on on its backside through which users can generate enough power to use the device anytime and anywhere.

Roberto Serrallés, Ph.D., Vice President of Business Development, DonQ Rum

Roberto Serrallés, Ph.D., is a sixth-generation rummaker and the Vice President of Business Development for Puerto Rico-based DonQ Rum. Dr. Serrallés, who joined the family business seven years ago after studying and teaching in the States, immediately became concerned with the product’s wastewater levels and vowed to make a change.

Today, the company displaces nearly 50% of the oil used in its boiler with a “bio-gas” byproduct from its wastewater. Sourcing local power is a big plus for the brand, but the reduced dependence on foreign oil — including the production and transportation — is a major eco-boon.

“This is the ultimate in local production,” Dr. Serrallés says. “At the end of the day, we do this anaerobic process, reducing about 70% of the organic material. That wasn’t enough — we had to make this water irrigation-grade water. We end up with a 99% reduction in organic material.”

Rodrigo Veloso, Founder, O.N.E. Drinks

Rodrigo Veloso founded Los Angeles-based O.N.E. Drinks, the maker of O.N.E. Coconut Water, as a means of spreading his love for the health-conscious beverage. Coconut water, the juice from young green coconuts, was once considered a waste product, but in recent years, its all-natural health benefits have been promoted, so much so that coconut water is now the fastest-growing nonalcoholic beverage in the U.S.

Veloso, who was raised on a coffee farm in Brazil, was always fascinated that the coffee fruit — also rich in health benefits — is completely discarded in favor of the coffee bean. It was this fascination with food and agricultural waste that fueled his passion for coconut water.

“We harvest the coconut at a point where every part is utilized,” Veloso explains. [O.N.E. Coconut Water] is minimally processed, and packaged in one of the most sustainable beverage containers in the world.”

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Household recycling in Boise (pop. 205,671) is available for those whole sign up for a blue cart with the city’s Public Works department. The blue carts, which are placed curbside on pick-up days, are no sort (single-stream) bins. To further incentivize Boiseans, residents who choose not to recycle pay $4 more per month for garbage services.

Materials recycled

Paper
Including newspaper, shredded paper (must be put in a closed paper sack), magazines, catalogs, junk mail, white or pastel paper, food and beverage boxes, paper bags, envelopes, brochures, greeting cards, wrapping paper (none containing foil), construction paper and phonebooks. Corrugated cardboard can be flattened or cut to fit inside recycling bin.

Plastics
Plastic containers #1 through #7 (no larger than 3 gallons; smash or flatten; lids and labels may remain). Absolutely no Styrofoam.

Metals
Aluminum and steel cans (rinsed, no lids), pie pans, aluminum foil, uncoated metal hangers, empty aerosol cans

Other items
Used motor oil may be placed next to the bin (up to 2 gallons per week in a transparent, labeled plastic container).

Frequency

Curbside pick-up occurs every other week, coinciding with regular trash pick-up. To help residents remember pick-up days, color-coded decals are located inside the recycling cart lid. A collection calendar is located online. Carts must be placed curbside by 7 a.m. collection day and must return to property within 24 hours.

Other programs

Boise’s downtown district benefits from the Downtown Recycling Program. At strategic spots scattered throughout the downtown, recycling centers collecting newspapers, aluminum cans and plastic bottles in separate receptacles can be found. Locations include City Hall, Capitol Park, CW Moore Park, Starbucks, Boise Public Library and more.

A glass collection program has been set up with a partnership between Boise City, Allied Waste and ACHD. Residents can drop off glass bottles and containers (cleaned, without lids or caps) to a number of locations throughout the city.

Curbside leaf collection occurs throughout November each year. Curbside Christmas tree pick-up takes place the second week in January.

Though phonebooks can be put in the blue carts as mixed paper, they can also be dropped off year round at area recycling centers.

Household hazardous waste collection events take place regularly at city-operated collection sites. For a calendar of events, see here.

More information

Visit the City of Boise Public Works website for more recycling program info.

Recycling just one 24-pack easily saves enough energy to watch your favorite team all season on their way to Super Bowl XLVII in New Orleans.

On Sunday, recycling two cans saves the energy required to watch ALL the pre-game, game and post-game coverage of Super Bowl XLVI. Even if you are not hosting this year’s block party, you can do your part for guilt-free viewing.

Can recycling is such an energy saver that if New York Giants fans recycled 993 cans, a Prius could travel from Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey to Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Not to be outdone, New England Patriots fans can recycle 1,317 cans to make the trip from Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts energy neutral.

Aluminum recycling saves 95 percent of the energy and 95 percent of the greenhouse gases associated with primary production.  Aluminum cans are made of 68 percent recycled material and are 100 percent infinitely recyclable making it the most sustainable beverage packaging available.

In 2010, Americans recycled 58.1 percent of their aluminum cans; let’s support this Super Bowl with a 100 percent recycling rate.

For hosts, cans offer the best possible option for your guests whether you are serving juice or soda for the kids or the latest local craft beer for the adults.  For craft beer lovers, cans are impermeable to light and oxygen that could ruin you beer’s taste.

They save space in your cooler and require less energy for your refrigerator to cool. Cans chill quicker than other package making sure everyone’s beverage is refreshing enough to cool the sore throats resulting from screaming at the TV.

Cans offer the easiest clean-up during the post-party slump when invariably someone is crying in the corner over a bad referee call and someone else is jumping on your couch because they won the office football pool.  Even the host can make a little money by recycling those cans; it will help you start planning next year’s Mardi Gras themed bash.

The Super Bowl marks the end of the 2011-12 Season and the Aluminum Association’s Can Crusade which has tailgated in seventeen NFL cities across the country and helped hundreds to recycle their tailgating cans.  The event kicked-off in Green Bay, Wisconsin when Joe Cahn, the Commissioner of Tailgating broke the World Record for the longest can-train and dragged 66,343 cans with his RV.  The cans were recycled and proceeds donated to Paul’s Pantry; recycling those cans saved enough energy to power nearly 200,000 hours of TV!

So, if you are looking for a way to be green and while watching the Super Bowl, recycle two cans and you offset the energy.  It’s as simple as that.

The Aluminum Association, based in Arlington, Virginia, works globally to aggressively promote aluminum as the most sustainable and recyclable automotive, packaging and construction material in today’s market. The Association represents U.S. and foreign-based primary producers of aluminum, aluminum recyclers and producers of fabricated products, as well as industry suppliers. Member companies operate more than 200 plants in the United States, with many conducting business worldwide.

It has been an uphill climb to get companies to offer takeback recycling programs for their old products, with many charging customers to recycle or offering little to no monetary incentives for people to dispose of their electronics responsibly.

That is why it is so refreshing to learn about Sprint’s comprehensive buy-back and reuse program for its mobile devices.

Sprint’s wireless recycling programs help to prevent thousands of tons of wireless equipment from entering the waste stream. More than 90% of the phones collected are reused. Any equipment not capable of being reused is recycled.

The buy-back program is definitely the most attractive option for those looking to upgrade to a new phone, so I decided to test it out. After entering my Sprint phone number (I actually use Credo Mobile, which is powered by the Sprint Network), I was asked to choose my phone’s make and model from a drop-down menu. In two easy clicks, I had a cash offer of $28! And, I love that users are given the option to apply the buy-back amount to a future phone bill.

If your phone is too old to qualify for a cash offer, you can still recycle it through Sprint’s Project Connect: a free service for anyone who has wireless phones, batteries, accessories and data cards no longer used. All makes and models are accepted, regardless of carrier or condition. To recycle your wireless device, pick up a free, postage-paid envelope at any authorized Sprint store nationwide. Or, print the free, prepaid shipping label on the program’s website.

All net proceeds generated from the sale of equipment collected through Sprint Project Connect go to fund and promote free Internet safety resources for kids, parents and educators.

At Nokia, employees understand this and strive to create every Nokia device with the environment in mind. Over the years, Nokia has been able to reduce its environmental impact significantly. The greenhouse gas footprint of Nokia phones has been reduced by up to 50% between 2000 and 2010. And, since June 2010, the company has provided an estimated environmental impact for all of its new products. This information is available through each product’s Eco profile.

For example, the Nokia 700 is “Nokia’s greenest smart phone to date and the industry leader in using bio and recycled materials.”

The Nokia 700 smartphone

Here is just a selection of the Nokia 700’s Eco profile:

• Energy efficiency: This device has a Power Save mode, ambient light sensor and an unplug charger reminder.
• Materials: As an industry leader in substance management, Nokia works to proactively manage and keep track of all the substances in its products, not just those that raise concerns. This phone is free of many materials that because of health concerns are considered controversial like polyvinyl chloride (PVC), brominated and chlorinated compounds and it is free of nickel on the product surface. It also contains recycled metals in inner parts of the product, bio-based materials in the cover and inside and bio-based paints on the cover.
• Packaging: Nokia works to minimize the environmental impact of its packaging by selecting sustainable materials, reducing packaging size, reducing the volume of material used and considering what happens to the package when it is no longer needed. The packaging for the Nokia 700 is made of up to 60% renewable and recycled material. It is also 100% recyclable.
• User manual: Contains an in-device e-guide, online help and a Quick Guide in the box printed in black and white.

Nokia also states the environmental impact of this device over a product life cycle, including three years of usage. The company estimates its impact is equal to driving 33.55 miles in a typical family car — not too shabby for three years of daily usage.

When my current smartphone is no longer able to perform, I’ll be giving Nokia a serious look. If you are using the Nokia 700 or any of the company’s other “greener” smartphones, let us know how you like it and if it really is as “smart” as they say.

Apple measures its recycling rate by calculating the total weight recycled in a given year and then dividing that by the weight sold seven years earlier. When Jobs first announced Apple’s sustainability goals, he said that the company would raise its recycling rate from 9.5 percent in 2006 to 28 percent in 2010. Needless to say, the company far surpassed its goals. Due to the high increase, Apple Insider reports that there are rumors that the next-gen iPhone could return to its original aluminum casing.

The CEO of aluminum company Alcoa, Klaus Kleinfeld, told Apple Insider that aluminum is “infinitely recyclable,” and that 75 percent of all aluminum created since 1888 is still in active use today. Recycled aluminum requires a mere 5 percent of the energy needed to produce new aluminum, and the process produces 95 percent less greenhouse gas emissions.

Alcoa is projecting a large increase in the amount of aluminum used in electronics, citing the company’s new 10 percent stake in e-waste collector Electronic Recyclers International as a reason.

When the iPad 2 came out, many (including Inhabitat) questioned how green the product actually is. A lot of the discussion focused on whether or not iPad users would convert to reading all magazines and books on the reader. But given the benefits that Apple has found just from using aluminum in its electronics, it’s easy to see that Apple’s aluminum encased electronics are definitely greener than their plastic-covered counterparts.

Source: Inhabitat (via Environmental Leader)

By Jessica Dailey

But recycled material or not, most phones still need electricity to fuel all their gadgets and apps, and unfortunately, that electricity usually comes from fossil fuels or nuclear power plants.

Most, but not all.

LG recently unveiled an attractive pair: a mobile phone with a specially designed solar power charger that will allow you to permanently declare your independence from the electrical outlet.

Unlike other after-market solar chargers, the LG PCB-100 mobile phone accessory can give you enough juice for a short phone call with just 10 minutes of exposure to direct sunlight. But the best part is that this solar charger is actually a sleeve that can be placed on the LG POP all the time, which means it can charge while sitting on a windowsill or sun-soaked desk, all the while providing added protection to the phone.

As a new smartphone owner, I can attest to the fact that keeping it charged is a constant battle. Because constant charging not only uses up a lot of energy, but also lessens the life of the phone’s battery, I’m constantly carrying around my charger so I won’t be stuck without a phone when the power gets low. I love the idea that this solar charger can be fitted over the phone so the phone can charge whenever it is exposed to sunlight, and I can leave the bulky charger at home where it belongs!

Unfortunately, the LG PCB-100 solar charging sleeve can’t draw power from artificial light, which means it won’t be useful if you spend all day cooped up in a cubical without access to genuine sunshine. But, this is a nonetheless a bright, shiny step toward smartphone sustainability.

If you’re a fan of recycled art, enjoy helping a worthy cause and will be in the Fargo, ND, area on Saturday, February 4, check out this year’s “Home is Where the Art Is” recycled art show and silent auction. The Lake Agassiz Habitat for Humanity (LAHFH) ReStore will hold its second annual recycled art event at the Spirit Room Gallery in downtown Fargo.

What art offers is space — a certain breathing room for the spirit.

— John Updike

The LAHFH ReStore contacted area artists and asked them to use their talents to create a piece of art utilizing home improvement materials from the Habitat ReStore. The artists were given a voucher worth $50 to be used at the ReStore. The challenge was to find and purchase materials then turn the reclaimed materials into works of art. This year’s recycled artwork has been displayed at the Spirit Room since January 16.

The mission of LAHFH is to partner with volunteers from the community to build simple, decent and affordable housing for low-income families in Cass (ND) and Clay (MN) counties. To that end, the recycled art will be auctioned off at the event in support of LAHFH’s efforts.

When

Saturday, February 4, 2012, from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. (auction ends at 8:30 p.m.)

Where

The Spirit Room, 111 N. Broadway Dr., Fargo

What

The event includes a silent auction of the recycled art pieces as well as items from area businesses, a wine tasting from Bernie’s Wines & Liquors and appetizers from local restaurants. Tickets can be purchased for $15 in advance at the ReStore (210 N. 11th St. in nearby Moorhead, MN) , the Spirit Room and FargoStuff.com. Door price for tickets is $20. You must be 21 or older to attend this event.

Check out the beautiful recycled pieces from last year’s event on Flickr. For additional information on this event and other news about LAHFH, visit lakeagassizhabitat.org.

Nancy Gioia, Director of Global Electrification, Ford Motor Company

Nancy Gioia, the first-ever Director of Global Electrification at Ford Motor company, reveals what America’s iconic automotive company is doing to conserve and green itself while lessening America’s dependence on oil. Gioia tells John and Mike that Ford is focusing on both hybrid and electric vehicles. She stresses that Ford is the automotive solution for any and all customers, no matter what kind of vehicle they are looking for.

“Not only will our products be of the highest quality, but every one of our new Ford products will be best in class for fuel efficiency,” Gioia proudly states. “Fuel efficiency is going to be a reason to buy a Ford, not to avoid a Ford.”

Seth Goldman, Founder, Honest Tea

In the second half of the show, Seth Goldman, founder of Honest Tea, discusses how his eco-friendly and healthy brew started with a passion to quench thirst. Honest Tea has always focused on all-organic, completely natural teas that skip the sugary stuff for pure taste. What started with five teas in 1998 has blossomed into well over 30 different brands, and the brand is experiencing unprecedented growth — currently at nearly 400%.

“We call it Honest Tea because it’s made with real tea leaves,” Goldman reveals. “With real tea leaves, you get the real antioxidants and the real taste, too. Most of the other bottled tea brands don’t use real tea.”

Goldman notes that Honest Tea’s organic approach is important, because tea leaves are the only agricultural product that does not get rinsed until consumption. Pure, unaltered tea leaves go into every beverage, ensuring an all-natural drinking experience.

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