Recycling

Ben says he wants to help make the world a cleaner place, and thinks that the best way to do this is to recycle. So every day after school, and on weekends, Ben hops on his bike and rides through his neighborhood in search of cans and bottles.

“I think a lot about how I can help the planet,” says Ben, a fifth-grade student at the Cape Ann Waldorf School in Beverly, Boston.

Recycle Boy

Most kids Ben’s age are content wasting time in front of the TV, not Ben. He doesn’t watch TV, or use the Internet. Ben has grown up watching his parents recycle bottles. That’s how he grew more curious about the process.

A year ago, Ben began his daily four street route and soon found neighbors who were eager to contribute their recyclables to his efforts. Many now leave their empties in their backyard so he doesn’t have to make tons of trips each week and fill up his house with what he calls “jackpots.” By the end of a good week he has collected hundreds of bottles and cans. Ben says another benefit of recycling is the 5 cents he redeems from each can and bottle. His biggest purchase thus far has been a yellow wagon he uses to wheel his cans and bottles down to Beverly Bottle & Can Return redemption center.

What a great contribution Ben is making to our planet. I give him props for being such a great green advocate. We can all learn a lesson here from Ben, that every little bit helps and being environmentally responsible does not age discriminate.

Way to go Ben. Keep of the great work!

Recycled Record Bowl

If you’re looking for a great home made gift to give this holiday season, recycled LP records are the way to go. I made a bunch of these and gave them out as gifts last year, and there will be a few love ones getting them as gifts this year. They are super easy to make and you can usually find great albums at your local thrift store. They’re prefect as an artistic piece on your coffee table, or for holding chips and other snack items. Here’s what you do.

• Choose an LP with a colorful label.

• Clean the LP with water; dry well.

• Preheat the oven to 350 Fº.

• Lightly oil one side of the LP, (any oil will do).

• Place the LP oiled-side-down on the cookie sheet.

• Set timer for 1 minute and 35 seconds.

• Put the cookie sheet into the oven and start the timer.

• After 45 seconds, flip the LP over so it heats evenly.

• When the time is up, take the LP off of the cookie sheet and begin molding, turning up the sides to create a wavy bowl shape, (be sure to let it cool just enough that you don’t burn yourself). You only have 20 to 30 seconds of playtime to shape the bowl, so work quickly.

• If your bowl’s shape doesn’t work, put it back in the oven for another 10 to 15 seconds. That will give you more playtime.

• The finished product will be smaller than you might expect, but you’ll love the finished look.

Recycled Record Bowl

Have fun and let us know how it turns out.

Plastic bottles that typically hold water, soda and juice are made from polyethylene terephthalate, a petroleum-based material also known as PET. These days, we are seeing more and more eco-products that boast about being made from PET, like recycled plastic bottles.

Polyethylene terephthalate is a thermoplastic polymer resin from the polyester family. It’s most often used in synthetic fibers, as a material for plastic bottles and food containers, and in engineering resins in combination with glass fiber. It’s extremely versatile and one of the most useful and important raw ingredients in man-made fibers.

Plastic containers bear the “arrow-triangle” symbol with a number 1-7, suggesting they are all recyclable, however, only numbers 1 and 2 can be recycled. PET is the most recyclable plastic, and is increasingly being made into an assorted throng of products.

PET can be recycled into fibers that are used for polyester fabrics. Major designers use recycled plastic bottles for haute couture. Five PET bottles yield enough fiber for one extra-large t-shirt or twenty-five two-liter bottles can make one sweater. Five two-liter PET bottles yield enough fiberfill for a ski jacket. PET is also spun like cotton candy to make fiber filling for pillows and quilts.

We’ll continue to buy and use plastic bottles, let’s hope people continue to come up with creative ways to recycle PET.

Many of the items we buy and use can be recycled. Craft projects from recycled goods are one great way of ensuring that our limited natural resources are optimally used.

From the fabric of old garments to well-trash salvaged materials, can be used to create styles that make mouths drop. As environmental awareness grows and shoppers yearn for individual looks on a budget, people everywhere are getting in on the recycled trend.

Here is a great way to recycle old cans and transform them into a super stylin’, super hip, wine rack for your favorite organic wines.

Thanks Michelle for another innovative recycled DIY idea! Click here to start this project.

Most American cities have aspiring recycling programs that have sharply reduced the amount of trash bound for landfills. The glistening skyline of Houston may be labeled the world’s “energy capital”, but it’s the worst recycler among the United States’ 30 biggest cities.

Houston recycles only 2.6% of its total waste, (according to a study this year by Waste News), in comparison to other cities like, San Fran and NYC, who recycle 69% and 34% of their waste dutifully.

Environmental advocates have been pleading for municipal intervention in Houston for years. But city officials say real advancement will be hard to come by.

The city’s sprawling, “no-zoning” layout makes collection expensive, and there is little public support for the kind of effort it takes to sort glass, paper and plastics

“We have an independent streak that rebels against mandates or anything that seems trendy or hyped up,” said Mayor Bill White, who favors expanding the city’s recycling efforts. “Houstonians are skeptical of anything that appears to be oversold or exaggerated. But Houstonians can change, and change fast.”

The city picks up garbage at 340,000 homes, and fewer than half have recycling bins. Some 25,000 homes are on a waiting list for bins, but the city says it cannot afford more bins.

Those without the bins are asked to take their recyclable garbage to one of just nine full-service drop-off depots in the city.

Mayor White, (a Democrat), has consistently pushed for environmental initiatives, said that a lack of progress on recycling was among his biggest disappointments and that the situation merited “radical changes.”

Last year the City Council contemplated inflicting a mandatory $3.50 monthly “environment fee” for all single-family homes. It was negotiated down to a voluntary $2.25, but then dropped entirely because of fierce opposition, city officials said.

Critics blame the state for not prompting municipalities into recycling. Still, city officials say the biggest hindrance to recycling in Houston is cheap landfill fees. It costs $32 to throw away a ton of waste, compared with $70 in the Northeast, according to the National Solid Wastes Management Association’s latest survey.

Some reject this controversy, citing other cities with even lower landfill fees.” Blaming landfills is a completely flawed argument, old-fashioned thinking that is really just laziness,” said Eric Lombardi, the director of Ecocycle, the nation’s largest nonprofit recycler, in Boulder, Colo.

Obviously Houston needs to do something about their recycling efforts and I agree with Mr. Lombardi, it’s old-fashioned and time they work on catching up with the rest of the country!

Starting next April, a fee will be added to electronics to help establish a recycling system for Ontario, CA. Producers of televisions, computers, monitors and fax machines will pay an “e-waste” fee on each device to help build a structure of 420 drop-off locations where e-waste can disposed of safely.

The fees will range from 32 cents for a mouse or keyboard, $10 for a TV and $13 for a desktop computer. Later in the year, fees will be charged on articles like cell phones, cameras, DVD players and stereos.

Alberta, British Columbia, Nova Scotia and Saskatchewan have already implemented similar plans. Dalton McGuinty, (Ontario Premier), acknowledged it was time to take responsibility for e-waste and with this program jobs will also be created.

The present plan is to charge fees to the manufacturers of the products, but there’s no sign as to whether the companies will digest the fee as a cost of doing business, or eventually pass the fee onto consumers.

Eleanor Friedland, (of Consumers Council of Canada), said she “expects the majority of companies will add the fee to the final cost of their product, forwarding the fee onto the consumer”

Between homeowners and businesses, Ontario disposes 90,000 tons of e-waste, (computers, printers and televisions), each year. The province says that number could grow to 123,000 tons over the next 5 years. That’s the equivalent of four million desktop computers, 1.5 million notebook computers, 1.2 million computer monitors, 1.5 million printers and 2.2 million TVs. Only 27% of that waste is recycled, the rest is taken to landfills or exported overseas, where it poses a threat to the environment and human health.

Electronic products contain toxic elements, (lead, cadmium and mercury), which can cause environmental and health problems if not disposed of properly. Any new effort to recycle e-waste is a good one. Way to go Ontario to implementing this program!

A giant bean bag that conforms to your body and provides a sense of calm and relaxation. Use the bean bag as a cushion, armchair, deck chair or even as a bed for in-laws!

Disposed of automotive upholstery , these bags are transformed into these awesome bean bags chairs. These bags are designed to resist the impact of environmental influences such as light and temperature.

They are filed with polystyrene beans, which permit the mobility of the bean bag.

The company known as WASTE is located in Barcelona, Spain. It’s a company engaging in the reduction of industrial waste and creates beautiful sustainable products.

Comprised of a team of young entrepreneurs, they are taking steps to develop their business using ethical practices by recycling waste and turning that waste into something positive, useful, functional and durable .

http://www.waste-bcn.com/eng/concepto.htm

Buying products made from recycled soda bottles, or any recycled material for that matter, eliminates the need for new substances, particularly oil. Plastic soda bottles are not biodegradable. When they end up in landfills, they remain there for up to 700 years before beginning to decompose. Recycling plastic bottles reduces the amount of trash clogging landfills.

With the many ways to can go “green”, it’s now gone to the dogs! Pets too can minimize some negative impacts on the environment.

These great pet beds bridge the gap between what has traditionally been seen as pet sleepers and the desire of consumers to find something that complements their current style and eco consciousness. The dog beds are meticulously crafted, and thoughtful attention is given to the selection of high quality, eco-friendly fabrics.

The Bella Pet Bed is perr-fect for cats or dogs. The cave-like bed is made from recycled soft drink bottles, is hypoallergenic and machine washable. You’ll be green with envy when you see your pet curled up in their new bed.

The Organic Cotton Stripe Rectangle Pet Bed is made of 100% organic cotton canvas and dressed in attractive stripes with matching piping. The filling is made from 100% recycled plastic that has a luxurious feel and comfort. The organic pet bed is also made with chemical-free dyes for the health of your four legged loved one.

Who knew soda bottles could be so soft! In an age of disposability, these sustainable pet beds will stand the test of time. Now you can give your pet a comfy place to relax and help the environment too!

A new milk container is being sold in the U.S. which is made of 100% recycled plastic, plus it doesn’t require crates or racks for shipping and storage, reducing costs. Sam’s Club reports that the new case-less jug delivers cost savings between 10 and 20 cents to the consumer, and trucks used for shipping from the processor to store can accommodate 9% more milk - 4,704 gallons per truck or approximately 384 more jugs. This means more milk on each truck will ultimately reduce delivery trips and overall fuel cost.

Sam’s Club, (the second largest wholesaler in the U.S.), has already shifted to the new milk containers. The new jugs are a square shaped gallon, which illustrates a packaging change, congruous with the transformation of milk from pitchers to glass bottles in the late 1800’s and then cardboard cartons to plastic gallons in the early 1950’s.

According to Sam’s Club, the square jugs don’t demand crates or racks and therefore save water that would be needed to clean them if used. Rather, the new milk gallon is self stacking because the spout is flat and each gallon can easily rest on another during transport, as well as when displayed.

No, the milk is not organic, yet!