EcoMerge Project at Portland State University

JUST THROW IT AWAY

2011-12-10T12:11:00.001-08:00

Each and everyday we needs within out household to keep things functioning such as light bulbs,batteries, cleaning chemicals, paint, or even computer equipment. Of course we all know In order to flip through sports channels we must have a properly functioning remote control, but without a battery that's impossible. To keep our home warm and bright we must have light bulbs to see in the night. At this point I know you're thinking "Why am I being informed on how to use everyday household supplies?" I'm sure most or all of us are well informed on how to use household supplies which is great, but do we know how to dispose of this supplies?
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I'm sure many of you are saying well that's an easy question "Just throw it away". However, this isn't always the proper thing to do. We may think the supplies we use in our household are helpful and safe because they're sold on the shelves of our local stores, but that's not always the case. If household supplies are not properly disposed of that may cause harm to our environment as well as our well being.

Here's a few tips on how to keep out environment and health safe. First try to limit the amount of toxic supplies you use, find a local disposal, or read product labels before purchasing products.

A few things to keep in mind when reading labels. Anything that is corrosive,combustible,radioactive or poisonous may cause not only harm to out environment, but to out health. Try to by products that lack these properties. This will help you limit the amount of toxic supplies you purchase. If you absolutely have to purchase these products be sure to properly dispose of them.

For more information on how to properly dispose of waste visit http://www.oregonmetro.gov/index.cfm/go/by.web/id=525.

Waste-free School Lunches

2011-12-09T21:07:00.001-08:00

If you're a child of the 1980s like me you can probably remember your plastic lunch box with the matching plastic thermos with your favorite cartoon character or hero pictured on the front. I remember the standard lunch menu: PBJ sandwich, an apple, a cheese stick, and a thermos full of milk or water. Lunch was pretty much waste-free for me except for the plastic sandwich bags used to house the sandwich and cheese stick. Once I reached junior high in the early 1990s the appearance of lunch drastically changed: a brown paper bag, a microwaved Hot Pocket, cookies in individual packaging, a soda or disposable bottle of water, and a piece of fruit if my mom was lucky. The difference? As I grew older so did the need for convenience for my mom I guess. What saved time created more waste!

However, schools across the country are adopting waste-free lunch requirements for their students' families to abide by and must obey their simple rule: no plastic sandwich bags of any kind. Schools are requiring students to have reusable aluminum water bottles as well as reusable containers to keep their food in. Others require an actual lunch box too. Schools love it, retailers are ecstatic, and students are more than willing to participate (in fear of being embarrassed or shunned by their peers). There's just one problem: parents don't like it...at least not a first.

Some schools are going so far as to buy bulk containers and resell them at low prices to families in order to get everyone on board. The problem is that it takes more time to prepare, costs more money for families who may already be struggling financially, and items are added to an already nearly-ridiculous supply list for each child.

Ultimately it's a great lesson in living green and sustainably for children to learn. Children feel like they are doing their part to reduce the waste produced in homes and in schools across the nation: it makes them feel good to go green.

Website:

NY Times: The Plastic Sandwich Bag Flunks
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/27/business/energy-environment/education-officials-and-retailers-push-for-environmentally-friendly-school-lunches.html?_r=1&ref=recyclingofwastematerials

Green Living at its Best!

2011-12-09T20:48:00.001-08:00

Do you ever tell yourself (or others around you) that you want to start to lead and live a "greener" life but you feel so overwhelmed because you have no idea where to start? Worry no more because GreenLivingIdeas.com has come to your rescue!

Green Living Ideas is a website that offers just that...green living ideas! The ideas offered range from climate change to natural health and everything else in between! The website educates its readers on the various forms of green living, how to live sustainably, and where to find other resources on fair trade, organic, and raw foods. The site even gives holiday energy saving tips that are so easy and simple you can get the kids involved!

I found the most useful part of the site in the home maintenance section of the Eco-Friendly Living page. I just purchased a home this summer and I am finding a lot of waste involved with making repairs around the house as well as remodeling the kitchen! I also have a house full of four legged furry critters and their post about eco-friendly compostable kitty litter was definitely useful because I hate using the conventional clay kitty litter that is full of who-knows-what. All I know is that it can't be good for me...or the cats!

Another great post was on how to make your own reusable cleaning wipes! I have yet to find a conventional product that claims to be green and actually does a good job at cleaning. Why spend all that money for something that's harmful or doesn't work when you can make your own?!

There is so much information to be obtained at GreenLivingIdeas.com that you could literally spend hours perusing the site and educating yourself on some new, cool, and fun ways to take green living into your own hands and implementing a routine process within your own home.

Website:
Green Living Ideas (greenlivingideas.com)

Rent a Living Christmas Tree!

2011-12-09T16:53:00.001-08:00

With 15 days before Christmas, there's still time to rent a living christmas tree if you haven't gotten your Christmas Tree up. The Living Christmas Tree company is based in San Diego where their mission is to change the way California celebrates Christmas" began the year I spent my Christmas vacation delivering trees for Bob's Nursery in Manhattan Beach. Gleefully singing Christmas carols in a silly Santa hat, I was amazed at the sheer magic and merriment created by the simple act of bringing a Christmas tree into the house. The tree delivery signaled that Christmas in the home had truly begun. Contrasting that intense happiness was the sadness I felt in seeing that same tree discarded by the curb in the weeks that followed Christmas.

They also have adopt a tree program. Tree Adoption allows customers to reserve a particular tree for the coming year. Prior to pick-up, a family can choose to adopt their tree by filling out adoption papers. Please tie a used ribbon securely to the tree so the delivery elves know that your particular tree is reserved for adoption. Adoption Papers must be filled out before your tree is picked up.

There is a $50 maintenance fee for adoption, this helps off-set the additional labor required to sort the trees. Adopting Parents will, however, receive a $20 gift certificate towards next year's rental along with an opportunity for early elf specials.

Sources: http://livingchristmas.com/

Video: www.youtube.

A New use of Old Tires.

2011-12-09T14:30:00.001-08:00

Lots of people knows that you can't just throw or burn old tired. Rubber is a harmful product and needs to be handled safely. Tire recycling is the best option, but it is not a widely used practice.

Rubber is difficult to recycle due to the procedure known as “vulcanization,” which it undergoes to attain its springy, flexible nature.Vulcanization is a curing process that involves adding sulfur to rubber, which creates stronger bonds between the rubber polymers. Due to the vulcanization method, tires are difficult to melt for reuse and are therefore typically broken down by a mechanical process.

Initially, whole tires are shred into strips using rugged machines. The shredded material is then placed in grinding machines that use rotors to further shred the material and remove the steel fibers from the tire. Some processors also use powerful magnets to further draw metal from the rubber.

Once the bulk of the steel is removed, the strips are placed into granulators. Depending on the consistency desired by the end user of the shredded tires, the rubber can be milled into assorted sizes of granules that are useful in a number of industries.

Seal Brand is a company from Japan that reuses tire tubes and creates bags, wallets and slippers with tires. "SEAL (Seal)" refers to recycling (waste products) is the concept of brand bags. The initial product is durable, "Waste tires and tubes for large cars" used as a material, bags and shoulder bags, messenger bags, and sold / manufactured goods. Because of recycled tires and tubes, one of the world is a product of a slightly different look one by one point.

Source: www.seal-brand.com

Images: ww.seal-brand.com

Sources: http://earth911.com/recycling/automotive/tires/how-tires-get-recycled/

Solar Bottle Lamps!

2011-12-09T04:54:00.001-08:00

Solar Bottle Lamps: Water + Bleach = 10,000 Liters of Light

Here's a cheap way to bring light into a dark shed during the day while cutting down on your electricity costs. Fill a plastic bottle with water and two cap-fulls of bleach and stick it through the roof. The bottle refracts the sunlight into the space and generates as many lumens as a 50 watt bulb. It's free light!

The bleach in the bottle keeps nasty stuff growing inside. Add a black film canister to the top to keep the plastic cap from melting. Properly installed, one of these should last you several years.

The "solar bottle lamps" or "solar bottle bulbs" were developed in Brazil where they quickly became popular in the slums. There, some dwellers can't afford to add windows to their houses or there may not be space as each house is up against each other. Also, the corrugated steel roofs, even if the folks could afford it, can't support the weight of skylights.

Of course these lights only work during the day so you'll need a backup light system. But for spaces where you normally have to flip on a light even when it's high noon, this DIY hack is one bright idea.

source: http://dornob.com/solar-bottle-lamps-water-bleach-10000-liters-of-light/

video: http://youtu.be/_zMAWztZ6TI

Tips for a Sustainable Holiday.

2011-12-09T04:12:00.001-08:00

With 16 days before Christmas, It's easy to forget the environment during the holiday season, but you can also change that to be more sustainable festive season!

We produce approximately 25 percent more trash during the holiday season (from Thanksgiving to New Year’s) which equates to around 25 million extra tons of waste.

Follow these handy tips for a greener, more sustainable holiday:

When buying presents, keep an eye out for those with minimal packaging, or items packed in recycled or recyclable materials (e.g. cardboard).
Don’t throw your wrapping paper in the garbage or fireplace. More than 8,000 ton of wrapping paper will be used on presents, using the equivalent of 50,000 trees. Reuse or recycle!
Buy recycled wrapping paper and holiday cards. Around 744 million holiday cards are sent each holiday season. If all these were made from recycled paper, it would help to save the equivalent of 248,000 trees.
Buy cards made from paper (not plastic) and without lots of added decorations, as these cards cannot be recycled.
Send an e-card instead! There are lots of sites offering free holiday e-card services.
Save and reuse cards that you receive as gift tags for next year.
If you are buying toys or electrical goods that need batteries, buy rechargeable ones, then add a battery charger to your shopping list. Make sure to recycle those old batteries instead of tossing them. Battery Solutions is a great service for this.
Most people buy too much food at for holiday gatherings, much of which goes to waste. This year, try to plan your meals and only buy what you need. Alternatively, put a compost binon your shopping list, significantly reducing the trash going to landfill.
When buying your food, buy local, organic or fair-trade. A traditional dinner that uses local seasonal produce and food from a local market or grocer helps reduce “food miles” (the distance food travels to reach your plate).
Buy loose rather than pre-packed vegetables – it will help cut down on packaging that gets thrown away.
Recycle your beverage containers, including bottles from wine and plastic egg nog containers.
When you have finished eating all your chocolates and biscuits, keep the tins and reuse them as storage containers.
If you receive electric goods this season, don’t throw your old ones away. Recycle or donate them using Earth911′s recycling locator.
If you decorate with a tree, buy a locally grown Christmas tree and remember to recycle it after the holidays are over.
Take public transportation to go Christmas shopping. If using the car, try to make only one, big trip, cutting down on gas consumption and time.
Around 125,000 tons of plastic packaging are thrown away over the holiday season. Take your own reusable shopping bags when you do your shopping.
Make your own food-based gifts such as homemade chutneys, cakes or chocolate truffles. You could also make your own flavored organic olive oil, adding dried chillies, garlic or herbs.
If you’re having a party, avoid serving food and drinks on disposable plates and cups. If you don’t have enough reusable plates, have everyone bring their own!
Take any unwanted gifts to a Goodwill location or list them on sites like eBay or Craigslist. A Goodwill close to you can be found using Earth911′s recycling locator.
Make your New Year’s resolution to live more sustainably in 2012!

source:http://earth911.com/news/2008/11/11/20-tips-for-a-sustainable-holiday/

image: designed by rolan veniegas

Do Something About the Waste!!!

2011-12-09T00:01:00.001-08:00

As Christmas approached many people will receive new televisions, computers and cells phones. Instead of throwing them in the trash take a look at what e-waste is and DO SOMETHING about it!!

The nation now dumps between 300 million and 400 million electronic items per year, and less than 20% of that e-waste is recycled.
E-waste represents 2% of America's trash in landfills, but it equals 70% of overall toxic waste. The extreme amount of lead in electronics alone causes damage in the central and peripheral nervous systems, the blood and the kidneys.
Because computer processing power doubles roughly every two years, many old computers are being abandoned. Only 15% recycle their computers, which means the other 85% end up in landfills.
It’s energy efficient to rebuild old computers, but only about 2% of PCs ever find their way to a second user.
About 50 millions cell phones are replaced worldwide a month, and only 10% are recycled. If we recycled just a million cell phones, it would reduce greenhouse gas emissions equal to taking 1,368 cars off the road for a year.
Flat panel computer monitors and notebooks often contain small amounts of mercury in the bulbs used to light them.
Cathode ray tubes in older TVs and computers typically contain about 4 lbs of lead and sometimes as much as 7 lbs.
The European Union banned e-waste from landfills in the 1990s, and current laws hold manufacturers responsible for e-waste disposal.
Large amounts of e-waste have been sent to countries such as China, India and Kenya, where lower environmental standards and working conditions make processing e-waste more profitable. Around 80 % of the e-waste in the U.S. is exported to Asia.
E-waste legislation in the United States is currently stalled at the state level. Just 24 states have passed or proposed take-back laws. However, as of January 1, 2011, covered electronics are completely banned in West Virginia.
Electronic items that are considered to be hazardous include, but are not limited to:

Televisions and computer monitors that contain cathode ray tubes
LCD desktop monitors
Laptop computers with LCD displays
LCD televisions
Plasma televisions
Portable DVD players with LCD screens.

Source: http://www.dosomething.org/tipsandtools/11-facts-about-e-waste

Friggin' Fracking

2011-12-08T20:21:00.001-08:00

Hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, is a process by which chemicals are used to increase the production of oil or gas. The EPA has announced a draft report stating that fracking has resulted in the contamination of underground water sources, in the town of Pavillion, Wyoming. This was the first such announcement on this controversial practice, and the EPA has opened the door to further research, the results of which will not be ready until late 2012.

This issue has raised many concerns about drilling practices. Benzene, dizene, diesel, and other hydrocarbons have been found in Pavillion's water. And while the Encana, the company whose practices are in question, states that the findings are not yet conclusive, and could very well be coincidental. However, even if that is the case, the environmental impact of fracking is dubious at best. How much longer can we depend on such unsustainable fuels?

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-205_162-57339715/epa-suspects-fracking-linked-to-pollution/

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-fracking-20111209,0,1034865.story

Exporting Electronic Waste and Ecological Disaster

2011-12-07T22:33:00.001-08:00

Did you know that an estimated 50 to 80 percent of electronic waste that is collected for recycling in the United States is exported to other countries, such as India, China, Ghana, and Nigeria? Since the cost of recycling electronic devices is higher in the United States, we outsource this task and export the waste to poorer countries. While "out of sight, out of mind" might be a convenient strategy, it can have devastating effects on the living conditions and habitats of the residents of the regions to which the electronic waste is exported. The reasons why it is so much cheaper to recycle in these places includes the lower costs of labor and the primitive waste management practices in place. These practices include burning plastic which adds to air pollution and stripping parts of precious metals with acid baths which are then dumped into surface water. Residents of these areas have higher amounts of lead in their blood and heavy metals contaminate the ground and the water supply.

The Basel Convention is an international treaty which bans this exact type of exportation of electronic waste. Unfortunately, though the United States is a signatory to the convention, it has yet to ratify it in over 20 years. This allows the United States to cheaply export its electronic waste without having to take responsibility for the consequences.

Do your part to end this practice by contacting your representatives in Congress and urge them to push for the ratification of the Basel Convention terms in US law. You can also help by finding local electronic recycling programs that do not export the waste to other countries. Even better, you can be more strategic in your purchases of electronic devices and increase the amount of time before you replace older devices which will need to be recycled.

Sources:

http://www.oafrica.com/education/e-waste/

http://www.greenpeace.org/international/en/campaigns/toxics/electronics/the-e-waste-problem/where-does-e-waste-end-up/

http://blogs.voanews.com/living-green/2011/07/23/one-nations-e-waste-can-be-another-nations-disaster/

http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/misc/R40850.pdf

http://www.basel.int/

http://ir.lawnet.fordham.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1445&context=elr

Image Source:

http://www.andrewmcconnell.com/index.php/category/rubbish-dump-2-0

Garbage in, garbage out…there.

2011-12-07T18:53:00.001-08:00

The thought of our oceans being filled with garbage is a very scary thought, yet a very real possibility. I remember the incident that happened many years ago with the barge on a routine assignment, full of garbage, on its way to a southern landfill and was left out at sea for six months tooling around looking for any port in their “storm”. This incident caused a huge push for more recycling but at a cost. Recycling costs cities money. But if they are not recycling then where does all that garbage go? Into a landfill or shipped off to be incinerated. Either way, the environment is not safe and neither are the people in it. Landfills must be managed in order to prevent the creation of methane gases and the contamination of groundwater. Incinerators release particulates and gases into the air that can cause deadly consequences if breathed and the ashes subsequently go to a landfill and contribute to the ground water contamination.

Regardless of all of the programs created for recycling and reusing the fact is that there are just not enough people finding value in these practices. Garbage such as plastic is all over our oceans already. If we do not take more action in reducing, recycling and reusing, there are going to be dire consequences. Not only can we anticipate that our land will be even more covered with the leftover items that we no longer use or need but that our oceans will also be even more polluted as more and more garbage is shipped off without a place to land.

To read more about the 1987garbage barge dilemma or the problems and solutions of landfills please check out the following websites:

http://waste360.com/mag/waste_garbage_barge_recycling

http://www.greenliving9.com/harmful-effects-of-landfills-solutions-to-landfill-problems.html

Using Fewer and Smaller Computers to Save Money and Energy at College and at Home

2011-12-06T10:55:00.001-08:00

Computers, peripheral devices, and the energy to power them is a large cost for academic institutions. With greener and more energy efficient technologies coming out all the time, colleges and universities now have better options for fulfilling their technologies needs. One institution, Santa Ana College, has adopted a more energy-efficient and cost-effective IT strategy. The college purchased several nComputing thin clients, which are small, energy-saving computers that only use around 6 watts as opposed the usual 100 watts for a regular desktop computer. The college also expanded the availability of computers to more students without having to purchase more computers by using virtualization software hosted on single devices, so that as many as 25 students can use the same machine at the same time from different terminals. This also cuts down on the cost of hardware purchases and energy to power more machines. This new IT strategy has saved the college about 83 percent of the energy that would be required for the same amount of regular desktop computers. Another part of this new IT strategy involves the use of smart surge protectors that automatically turn off peripherals when the primary computer is off. They also use sensors to detect the computer labs are empty so that devices may automatically be turned off to conserve energy when the lab is not in use.

This solution works well for institutions that need to provide multiple computer terminals to users, but the principle still works for home users as well. With smart surge protectors and small, but still powerful computing devices, anyone can have a more energy efficient and cost-effective solution to their home computing needs. Even if you aren't in the market for these new devices, you can still conserve energy and save money by unplugging devices when they are not in use. If you do decide to replace your current system with newer equipment, make sure to recycle your old computer (after making sure to wipe the hard drive to protect your private data) or donate it to an organization like Free Geek.

Sources:

http://www.zdnet.com/blog/green/college-trims-energy-consumption-with-ncomputing-thin-clients/19562
http://www.ncomputing.com/docs/casestudies/education/en/casestudy_santaanacollege_edu.pdf
http://www.ncomputing.com/
http://housing.csulb.edu/apply/pdf/es_powerstrip_instructions.pdf
http://www.freegeek.org/

recycling old lights

2011-12-05T18:15:00.001-08:00

Are your old holiday lights too much to untangle? Have they all burnt out? Are you ready to upgrade to energy-efficient LED bulb lights?

If you are a Madison resident, you can recycle your old lights. Madison has implemented a recycling program for old holiday lights. There are two drop off locations that will be open all month long. This way, old burnt out or overly tangled lights can be reused for their wiring, glass, and plastic. This also saves on waste going to landfills. These sites are also accepting electrical extension cords.

Don't have a lights recycling program in your city? Start one!!

Here's how:

1. Contact your local recycling company and find out if they can recycle old lights.
2. Set up recycling locations in convenient areas in the city.
3. Spread the word!

In no time, you will be not only a steward of the environment, you will be a part of making this holiday season all the more cheery.

madison recycles xmas lights

What a Waste?

2011-12-05T17:47:00.001-08:00

We all have those leftovers that have been pushed to the back of the refrigerator, long forgotten and not good for anything. And what about all of those freezer burnt pieces of meat that have migrated to the bottom of the freezer? There are also those packages and cans in the pantry that are far outdated and will just end up in the garbage.

All of this food that is not being used is a waste of so much more than just food. The energy that is put into growing, processing, storing and delivering said food is also wasted. And this wasted food is also a hazard. Once this food ends up in a landfill, what are the resulting effects? Dangerous levels of methane gases that are produced.

There are some staggering statistics out the regarding food waste as well as the time and energy it takes to produce it.

· Americans waste about 27 percent of their food, according to the USDA. — some 25.9 million tons — of all the food we produce for domestic sale and consumption

· The USDA’s Food Loss Project lead researcher, Timothy Jones reported that, on average, U.S. households waste 14 percent of their food purchases. He estimates that a family of four tosses out $590 per year in meat, fruits, vegetables and grain products alone.

· The NIDDK concluded in a 2009 study that each year, a quarter of U.S. water consumption and over 300 million barrels of oil (4 percent of U.S. oil consumption) go into producing and distributing food that ultimately ends up in landfills.

· According to the U.S. EPA landfills account for 34 percent of all methane emissions in the U.S. The food that we so casually tossing is contributing greatly to the methane gas creation.

More people need to be aware of the effects of tossing that food into the garbage and that it is not just the food that is being wasted. What we all need to do is change the way that we plan, purchase, prepare and consume the food coming into our homes. If we only purchase and prepare the foods that we are going to use within the time that we need it and actually take inventory of what we have and use it up before it goes bad. If we all make that time to help with this growing issue by watching our consumption habits and perhaps start composting we can minimize the food waste and create a healthier world for everyone.

One way you could make a difference is to look at these sites for more information on things you could change to help with the elimination of food waste:

http://life.gaiam.com/article/how-can-america-solve-its-food-waste-problems

This website is awesome! Bureau of International Recycling

2011-12-05T14:41:00.001-08:00

This website is simply brilliant! They provide international statistics, material explanations, recycling facts and processes, applications etc... It is comforting to see that recycling is positively impacting countries, corporations and individuals world wide.

"Founded in 1948, BIR was the first federation to support the interests of the recycling industry on an international scale. Today, BIR represents over 750 member companies from the private sector and 40 national associations in more than 70 countries. Together, these members form the largest international recycling federation.

The federation provides a dynamic forum for its members to share their knowledge and experience. It serves as a platform to establish successful business relations and to promote recycling among other industrial sectors and policy makers.

BIR is a non-profit organization under Belgian law. Their statutes (Articles of Association) and Internal Regulations were revised and approved in October 2010. The registered office is currently headquartered in Brussels, Belgium."

They track and advice on recycling the following:

Ferrous Materials
Non- ferrous materials
Textiles
Stainless steel
Plastic
Tyres

Source: http://www.bir.org/about-bir/introduction/

This applies to national, local and international realms, whichever one is your cup of tea. This website provides extremely useful information. As an International Business student, I am always curious to see which countries are doing better than others. More so .. How? Why? We can all learn from each other and have a common goal in saving planet earth.

No matter which country you are from or live in, WE ALL LIVE IN ONE PLANET.

Would you like to make a difference in present and future generations to come? If so, please get informed and involved. Join our world wide team in an effort to make Earth a better place and save our natural resources, unfortunately, they are not limitless!

Strategies to reduce impact of plastics in our enviroment

2011-12-05T14:26:00.001-08:00

"1. Reduce the use
Source reduction Retailers and consumers can select products that use little or no packaging. Select packaging materials that are recycled into new packaging - such as glass and paper. If people refuse plastic as a packaging material, the industry will decrease production for that purpose, and the associated problems such as energy use, pollution, and adverse health effects will diminish.

2. Reuse containers
Since refillable plastic containers can be reused about 25 times, container reuse can lead to a substantial reduction in the demand for disposable plastic, and reduced use of materials and energy, with the consequent reduced environmental impacts. Container designers will take into account the fate of the container beyond the point of sale and consider the service the container provides. "Design for service" differs sharply from "design for disposal".

3. Require producers to take back resins
Get plastic manufacturers directly involved with plastic disposal and closing the material loop, which can stimulate them to consider the product’s life cycle from cradle to grave. Make reprocessing easier by limiting the number of container types and shapes, using only one type of resin in each container, making collapsible containers, eliminating pigments, using water-dispersible adhesives for labels, and phasing out associated metals such as aluminum seals. Container and resin makers can help develop the reprocessing infrastructure by taking back plastic from consumers.

4. Legislatively require recycled content
Requiring that all containers be composed of a percentage of post-consumer material reduces the amount of virgin material consumed.

5. Standardize labeling and inform the public
The chasing arrows symbol on plastics is an example of an ambiguous and misleading label. Significantly different standardized labels for "recycled," "recyclable," and "made of plastic type X" must be developed"

Source: http://www.ecologycenter.org/ptf/misconceptions.html

These are simple and useful things to make a difference, no difference is too small. Imagine if everyone threw in a grain of sand.... Can you visualize the result? Let's make it happen!

Plastic recycling misconceptions

2011-12-05T14:20:00.001-08:00

" Misconception # 1:
Plastics that go into a curbside recycling bin get recycled.: Not necessarily. Collecting plastic containers at curbside fosters the belief that, like aluminum and glass, the recovered material is converted into new containers. In fact, none of the recovered plastic containers from Berkeley are being made into containers again but into new secondary products such as textiles, parking lot bumpers, or plastic lumber – all unrecyclable products. This does not reduce the use of virgin materials in plastic packaging. "Recycled" in this case merely means "collected," not reprocessed or converted into useful products.
Misconception # 2:
Curbside collection will reduce the amount of plastic landfilled.: Not necessarily. If establishing collection makes plastic packages seem more environmentally friendly, people may feel comfortable buying more. Curbside plastic collection programs, intended to reduce municipal plastic waste, might backfire if total use rises faster than collection. Since only a fraction of certain types of plastic could realistically be captured by a curbside program, the net impact of initiating curbside collection could be an increase in the amount of plastic landfilled. The Berkeley pilot program showed no reduction of plastic being sent to the landfill in the areas where the curbside collection was in operation. Furthermore, since most plastic reprocessing leads to secondary products that are not themselves recycled, this material is only temporarily diverted from landfills.
Misconception # 3:
A chasing arrows symbol means a plastic container is recyclable.: The arrows are meaningless. Every plastic container is marked with the chasing arrows symbol. The only information in the symbol is the number inside the arrows, which indicates the general class of resin used to make the container. The attorneys general of 11 states objected to false and misleading claims about plastic recyclability. The recent settlement that they reached with the American Plastics Council paves the way for a first-ever definition of what claims can or cannot be made about plastic recycling and recyclability.
Misconception # 4:
Packaging resins are made from petroleum refineries’ waste.: Plastic resins are made from non-renewable natural resources that could be used for a variety of other applications or conserved. Most packaging plastics are made from the same natural gas used in homes to heat water and cook.
Misconception # 5:
Plastics recyclers pay to promote plastics’ recyclability.: No; virgin resin producers pay for the bulk of these ads. Most such ads are placed by virgin plastic manufacturers whose goal is to promote plastic sales. These advertisements are aimed at removing or diminishing virgin plastic’s greatest challenge to market expansion: negative public conception of plastic as unrecyclable, environmentally harmful, and a major component of wastes that must be landfilled or burned.
Misconception # 6:
Using plastic containers conserves energy.: When the equation includes the energy used to synthesize the plastic resin, making plastic containers uses as much energy as making glass containers from virgin materials, and much more than making glass containers from recycled materials. Using refillables is the most energy conservative.
Misconception # 7:
Our choice is limited to recycling or wasting.: Source reduction is preferable for many types of plastic and isn’t difficult. Opportunities include using refillable containers, buying in bulk, buying things that don’t need much packaging, and buying things in recyclable and recycled packages

Plastic packaging has economic, health, and environmental costs and benefits. While offering advantages such as flexibility and light weight, it creates problems including: consumption of fossil resources; pollution; high energy use in manufacturing; accumulation of wasted plastic in the environment; and migration of polymers and additives into foods.

Plastic container producers do not use any recycled plastic in their packaging. Recycled content laws could reduce the use of virgin resin for packaging. Unfortunately, the virgin&endash;plastics industry has resisted such cooperation by strongly opposing recycled -content legislation, and has defeated or weakened consumer efforts to institute stronger laws. Plastic manufacturers recently decided that they will not add post consumer materials to their resins used in the USA.

There is a likelihood that establishing plastics collection might increase consumption by making plastic appear more ecologically friendly both to consumers and retailers. Collecting plastics at curbside could legitimize the production and marketing of packaging made from virgin plastic. Studies of garbage truck loads during the recent plastic pick-up pilot program showed no reduction of "recyclable" plastic containers being thrown away in the pilot areas (in fact, there was a slight increase). Due in part to increased plastic use, glass container plants around the country have been closing, including Anchor Glass Container Corporation in Antioch, putting 300 people out of work.

Plastic recycling costs much and does little to achieve recycling goals. Our cost/benefit analysis for implementing curbside plastics collection in Berkeley shows that curbside collection of discarded plastics: involves expensive processing; has limited benefits in reducing environmental impacts; and has limited benefits in diverting resources from waste.

Processing used plastics often costs more than virgin plastic. As plastic producers increase production and reduce prices on virgin plastics, the markets for used plastic are diminishing. PET recyclers cannot compete with the virgin resin flooding the market.

Increasing the capture rates of glass, paper or yard debris in Berkeley could divert more resources from landfills than collecting plastics at curbside. The "recyclable" plastic to be collected in Berkeley at most would only amount to 0.3% of the waste stream. "

Source: http://www.ecologycenter.org/ptf/misconceptions.html

Plastic is one of the "recycling killers", since it does not disintegrate into the environment like other materials.

Now that you are more informed about plastic misconceptions, it is easier for you to make a positive impact on your environment . INFORMATION IS POWER!!
Happy and efficient recycling.

Recycling behaviours.. Which one are you?

2011-12-05T13:54:00.001-08:00

Found this interesting.... What type are you?

"The Thwarter – Proud of being the only person NOT TO RECYCLE on the street, The Thwarter will actively prevent anyone trying to recycle anything in their home. You must obey and put everything in the kitchen bin, even newspapers, which are the easiest thing in the world to recycle. If you are really bothered you can take your recyclables home with you were you know they will be harnessed!

The Pedagogue – Every teacher has a pupil. To make a good teacher you must be sure to answer any of the student’s queries, always praising good efforts. The pupil has to look for guidance on certain materials – e.g. yoghurt pots because they are confusing and every London Borough has a different system. Sometimes the pupil will make a grave error or be disobedient. Sometimes punishment is required!

The Hoarder – This Hoarder takes full control and has responsibility for all recycling tasks. Sometimes The Hoarder has the wider responsibility for all rubbish, which involves taking out all bins on the right day. Religiously sorting bottles day-by-day, by size order. Burning confidential documents in the chiminea. Defined by the characteristic of expressing displeasure and even stress if the rubbish tasks are interfered with by anyone else.

The Arbitrator – No piece of recycling passes the judge’s keen eye and inquisitive hand. Sure of the fact that only they know what can/can’t be recycled The Arbitrator doesn’t trust other household members, and checks the recycling bin for rogue materials. The motivation isn’t to maximise the load; it’s to prevent incurring any fines. The Arbitrator doesn’t recycling confusing materials like plastics as won’t run the risk of a levied fine."

Source:http://www.wasteam.co.uk/ways-to-recycle/articles-about-recycling.html/

So which type are you? I hope that you are the type that helps and contributes to stop damaging our planet. If not, a positive change would not hurt, don't you think?

Christmas Madness

2011-12-05T11:07:00.001-08:00

Christmas Madness

If Christmas is anything at your house like it is at my house than after opening presents you are left with piles of wrapping paper, bows, cards, boxes and other packaging items. Here are some ideas of ways to reuse some of those items rather than just tossing them in the garbage or recycle bin.

Image http://www.treefeathers.com/miniref/images/Vcards.JPG

Wrapping paper-

Some ways to reuse your wrapping paper are to shred the paper and use it in packaging other gifts or for shipping products.

Another idea is to use the wrapping paper for projects like origami. You can also cut out pictures of penguins, stars or cartoon characters to decorate dull notebooks – or make decorations for next Christmas.

Another use for the left over paper is for cleaning purposes. Growing up, my mom would always use newspaper to clean some surface and wrapping paper would just the same and it saves using paper towels or having to wash cloths.

I like to save the bows for gifts I will give throughout the year or at times I have used them in scrap booking projects that I do.

Image http://craftydaisies.com/wp-content/uploads/2006/12/cards-after.jpg

Christmas cards-

One thing that old cards can be used for is to make tags for next’s years gifts. Take some of your cards and cut out the parts that you like into tag size and place them with your decorations to use next year.

Cards can also be used in any Christmas scrap booking you may do, cutting out who they came from and any message they send and using it in your scrapbook is an excellent way to always have the memories.

Image: http://www.estabrooksonline.com/images/christ...

Christmas tree-

You can even recycle your Christmas tree in useful ways. One way is to take all of the needles off the tree before disposing of it and use the needles as air freshener in your house. One way to do this is by adding to potpourri you may already have or by even making pouches and filling them with the needles and placing them around your house.

Christmas tree needles can also be used to restore balance in a compost heap – they’re rather acidic so they balance out alkaline things, like wood ash.

What do you use your left over Christmas items for?

Get Cash For Your Electronics

2011-12-05T09:30:00.001-08:00

HP Cash

With the holiday season upon us many will be buying or receiving computers and accessories for Christmas. This time of year really draws attention to how many electronic devices your household really has and trying to figure out what to do with the old outdated items has become a problem. The rise of e-waste is starting to raise attention on the matter by consumers and manufactures, and HP has decided to help and give you cash back for your old items.

HP Networking
Catalyst for Change

Good for business, good for the planet is their motto. With this program they offer you to trade any product and any brand of your old equipment when purchasing HP Networking products and you receive cash back. One way they have made this offer convenient for the consumer to use is by offering it when you purchase direct from HP, or through and authorized dealer. HP also offers trade-in allowance that can assist you in purchasing new HP products, including: desktop computers, monitors, notebooks, printers, plotters, and much more on equipment you have.

Even if you are not buying or receiving new electronics but may have outdated ones you have wanted to get rid HP has an excellent program for donated products. Donating your used IT equipment to the National Cristina Foundation (NCF) benefits you by giving you a tax receipt for the equipment, and benefits others by providing the equipment to individuals who might otherwise not have access to computer technology. The National Cristina Foundation (NCF) provides computer technology and solutions to give people with disabilities, students at risk and economically disadvantaged persons the opportunity, through training, to lead more independent and productive lives.

Educated ourselves on the manufacturer of the products we decide to purchase is also something we can do to help the environment. Even the little things matter to Mother Nature.

http://www.hp.com/united-states/tradein/promo/networking2/index.html?jumpid=re_r11557_tradein_redirect

Stop the F.O.G.!

2011-12-04T21:45:00.001-08:00

Only You Can Contain the Horror!

Part FAT, part OIL and part GREASE, F.O.G. pollutes our waterways and chokes our sewers. Pouring fat, oil or grease down the drain just makes it more TERRIFYING. And running water-hot or cold-DOESN'T HELP.

You can help reduce and eliminate F.O.G. in your community.

Oils Well That Ends Well. Always trap F.O.G. in a sealed container and dispose in the garage. Recycle large quantities of used cooking oil at your metropolitan sanitation facility.
Pulp Fiction. Fats, oils, and grease the only troublemakers. Discard or compost rice, noodles, fruits, vegetables, egg shells and coffee grounds instead of using the garbage disposal.
Grease Lighting. Scrape and discard drippings and scraps from plates and pans before washing them.
Don't Goo Astray. F.O.G. includes cooking oils, lard, butter, margarine, meat fats, peanut butter, sauces, salad dressings, dairy products and other fatty foods.

So what are you going to do to help improve your communities sewer system?

Source: Fairfield-Suisun Sewer District, www.fssd.com

from diapers to...something else?

2011-12-04T16:42:00.001-08:00

Approximately 98% of parents use disposable diapers, for a variety of reasons. Some say it is more sanitary, or just easier than using cloth diapers. Even determined mothers and fathers find themselves using either both disposable and cloth diapers, or switching over completely to disposable ones with all the challenges involved in using cloth diapers.

Diaper waste is a huge problem, as diapers comprise 2.4 million tons of waste each year in the US alone. A typical baby will use 6,000 diapers between birth and potty training. So...what can be done about this?

A company in the UK called KnoWaste has developed the technology to make disposable diapers recyclable! They can also recycle feminine products and adult incontinence products as well. They system works by first sterilizing the product, shredding it, and sorting it. From there, the plastic components of the product can be recycled into useable plastic. The fiber components are processed as well, and are made into a useable fiber.

How can we get this technology stateside?
KnoWaste has issued a global challenge, wanting to make diaper waste a thing of the past worldwide. We can lobby our local politicians to bring KnoWaste here, and work towards eliminating diaper waste in the US.

Write letters to your local representatives telling them about KnoWaste, and that you want this here, in your community. With the right combination of tax funding, subsidies, and consumer connections, this can be a reality here as well.

www.cnn.com---diaper recycling

KnoWaste website

Wrapped in Waste: Wasteful Holiday Greetings

2011-12-04T13:24:00.001-08:00

“Happy Holidays!” “Thinking of You” “Season’s Greetings” and the wishes go on and on, but really is sending a piece of paper waste to your friends and family the way you want to send your holiday wishes?

Do you buy into holiday propriety or as it is also called “tradition” by sending out Holiday Greeting cards to everyone in your address book, wasting time, money, and paper all for something that ends up in the trash by New Years? Well if you are like most Americans, you fear the possibility of being viewed as inconsiderate if you do not send out these wonderful wastes of paper on time to all your acquaintances, some of which you may not even speak to on a monthly basis. Wow, the extents that we will go to to comply with social standards!

We buy cards for everything: Birthdays, Holidays, Remembrances, Sympathy, Anniversaries, Love, Hate, Just Because, Laughs, etc. But the amount of trash all these cards generate is nothing to celebrate. In the United States about 7 billion, yes billion with a B, greeting cards are purchased and thrown away annually. Not only are these cards little gold nuggets, known as being one of the most overpriced “traditions” out there, they also attribute to a huge amount of holiday trash! There really is nothing comforting about knowing that all of your time, efforts, and money are thrown away and not admired despite your efforts to conform with holiday traditions!

So what to do about sending and receiving your holiday wishes? Well, rather than wasting significant amounts of time and money by buying a bunch of paper that is just going to be thrown away, try the following to reduce your spending and your holiday paper waste.

-Use e-cards! You can send a card electronically to everyone in your address book with one click and no paper, postage, etc.! These cards can be personalized and will allow you to keep up with the social tradition of sending greeting cards. The following sites offer e cards at little to no cost AND no waste!

http://www.hallmark.com/online/product/ecards/?mc=T_S_G_ED_EMW_BRAND_ECARDS&gclid=CO-Wy_Gm6awCFQlrhwodkwEUMQ

http://landing.americangreetings.com/ecards_google?c=csga16252&agiti=ppc&002=2026151&004=1270623732&005=13067561&006=8711152362&007=Search&008=

http://www.bluemountain.com/

http://www.egreetings.com/

-Make your own cards out of paper scraps around the house-you can even use bits and pieces of old cards you have received in the past to make new cards! This reduces the amount of waste that you throw away and is an effective way to recycle your old cards!

-Reduce the number of cards you send and only send cards to those you really associate with. Think about it, do some of the recipients of your cards really know who you are? Do you really care what they think about you so much that you go out of your way to send them paper waste for the holiday?

-Don’t send any cards at all! In today’s world of social media, do you really need to send a card to let them know you care? Probably not! Post your greetings on their Facebook or other social media page. If you are like most Americans, you probably are already spending more than 7 hours a month on Facebook already!

http://blog.nielsen.com/nielsenwire/online_mobile/facebook-users-average-7-hrs-a-month-in-january-as-digital-universe-expands/

http://www.ohdeedoh.com/ohdeedoh/parenting/do-you-send-out-holiday-cards-134221

http://www.pacebutler.com/blog/recycling-facts/

http://www.norcorp.com/Portals/60349/images//northern-engraving-holiday-card-2008.jpg

Christmas Tree PVC?

2011-12-04T11:00:00.001-08:00

Are you planning on buying a Christmas tree this year? And if so, what kind will it be?

Artificial trees may seem like a ecologically viable investment at the outset. They don't rot or drop needles in your living room, and can be reused from year to year. However, this is not necessarily the case. Even if you do manage to get all the parts put away and ready for use next year, most fake trees are made from PVC plastics, in Chinese factories. Some even have warnings to wash your hands after holding, due to danger to pregnant women!

On the other hand, tree farming plants millions of trees each year, producing oxygen and supporting local economies, and trees can be fully recycled. No matter how you look at it, this is the greener way.

And depending on where you live, there may be a third option as well. For those of us here in Portland, there's a live Christmas tree service that will deliver and pick up your tree before and after the holidays and replant it. So if you are going to buy a tree this year, consider your options!

And however you celebrate (or even if you don't!), we wish you have a safe and happy holiday season.

http://www.christmastree.org/debate.cfm

Grasscycling

2011-12-03T22:06:00.001-08:00

With the cold winter months quickly approaching, my husband is counting down the days until the last seasonal mowing. We were discussing earlier today when would be a convenient time for him to mow, which got me to thinking about how we generally just throw away our lawn clippings. With the average of mowing the lawn every two weeks, that really adds up over the year. After a little bit of research, I found an alternative solution to simply throwing out lawn clippings (which are a form of municipal solid waste). The average American home throws away seven hundred pounds of lawn clippings per year, which account for almost 9% of municipal solid waste (MSW). That's a pretty good chunk of the overall MSW; so how can we cut down on the disposal of lawn clippings? The answer is....grasscycling! Grasscycling is simple, easy, and convenient for any lawn owner. The main aspect of grasscycling is to leave the lawn clippings on the lawn when mowing-simple enough. As grass is 85-90% water, leaving the lawn clippings provides natural and organic nutrients for the grass, which will keep your lawn healthier and much more vibrant. On top of that, grasscycling means no raking or bagging of the grass clippings, and leaves more time to enjoy that freshly mowed lawn!

http://www.deq.state.or.us/lq/sw/twopercent/grasscycling.htm
http://www.wastediversion.org/app_pages/view/61
http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/430/430-402/430-402.html