Environment, Organics, Fair Trade & Recycling at Big Green Purse

Avoid Post-Christmas Clutter: 15 Things You Can Easily Recycle After Christmas

Now's the time to think ahead to the day after Christmas -- and all the stuff you may want or need to throw away. Instead of trashing it, here's a list of what you should easily be able to recycle:

1) Wrapping paper and ribbon (keep a paper bag or box handy when you're unwrapping presents to make the job easy and efficient) - Shred paper to use as packing material, put aside for your kids' art projects, or recycle with the weekly newspapers and junk mail.

2) Cardboard and paper boxes - Line smaller boxes with soft towels to create a new bed for a cat or small dog; flatten any boxes you don't need for easier recycling.

3) Cell phones - Take to Best Buy, Staples, or Office Depot, or send to Collective Good, which will refurbish them, re-sell them, and share the profits with the charity of your choice.

4) Computers, laptops, notebooks, monitors, keyboards - Any of the office supply stores should accept them at no cost to you.

5) Cameras - (same)    

6) Fax machines (same)

7) Clothing - Most shelters will take t-shirts, pants, long-sleeved shirts, jackets, underwear and socks. Donate fancier clothes to the local theater company or school drama department to use as costumes.

8) Christmas lights - These links will show you where you can recycle old lights and find new, energy-efficient LEDs.

9) Beverage cans, bottles and jugs - Glass, aluminum, and plastic beer, soda, juice and bottled water containers can all be recycled.

10) Plastic food containers - Many community recycling programs now accept plastic food trays and cartons, along with containers from yogurt, sour cream, dips, and spreads.

11) Toys - Clean, working toys your kids have outgrown can be passed along to the children of neighbors, family, friends, day care centers, and shelters that help house children.

12) Christmas tree - if your community doesn't pick up used trees, recycle this yourself: cut the boughs off to create mulch, and use the needles to make potpourri.

13) Televisions and Major appliances - If you got a new appliance, ask your installer to recycle the one he removes. Or check these links to get specific guidance on recycling your tv.

14) Christmas cards - Cut off the part containing the signature (usually the back page), and use the front, decorated page as a Christmas gift tag for next year.

15) Food - Combine leftovers into stews and soups, or freeze in lunch-size portions to take to work or send to school with the kids; simmer meat and turkey bones until they make a rich broth that can be used for gravies and stock; freeze cookies, breads, and dessert bars to use over the next three months.

Click here for suggestions on recycling tinsel, ornaments, and other Christmas decorations.

Holiday Traditions That Mean the Most to Me: Family, Friends, Food!

Free, Mostly Green, Holiday Gifts to Keep Your Christmas Green

 

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Top 10 "No-Brainer" Things You Should Recycle on America #RecyclesDay

Today is America #RecyclesDay, a national event designed to encourage you, me and millions of other Americans, businesses, governments, and institutions to throwaway less trash and recycle more.

Here's my Top 10 "No Brainer" List of what you should be recycling today - and every day. I call them "no brainers" because they're relatively easy to do in many communities, because it doesn't cost you anything to do them, and because they have a big environmental impact.

1.  Newspapers and magazines (though to reduce how much you need to recycle, cancel subscriptions to magazines you don't read, and read newspapers and magazines online when possible)

2. Junk mail, office paper, and catalogs (here's how to reduce the amount of junk mail you get in the first place; reduce office paper waste by printing on both sides, circulating documents electronically rather than on hard copy, and using software to reduce excess paper use; here's how to cut catalog overload)

3. Paper bags and packaging from the grocery store, hardware store, or department store (reduce paper packaging waste by using reusable shopping bags.)

4. Plastic bags (if your community recycling program won't take them, most grocery stores that still use them now take them back. Avoid them in the first place by using reusable bags.)

5. Plastic milk jugs (choose paper cartons instead if those are easier to recycle where you live.)

6. Plastic juice and beverage bottles (choose glass or cans if those are easier to recycle where you live.)

7. Electronics, including computers, fax machines, and especially cell phones (Best Buy, Office Depot and Staples will recycle your electronics for you; most phone companies will take your old phone and recycle it.)

8. Aluminum cans (pretty much all aluminum cans can be recycled, including those that contained soda pop, alcoholic beverages, and energy drinks.)

9. Clothing (recycle your clothes by donating to charity, selling at thrift shops, giving to neighbors and friends, or repurposing them as rags and even pillow-stuffings; send your shoes to SolesforSouls.org)

10. Food (recycle food waste into compost, to use in fertilizing vegetable and flower beds, trees and bushes)

Want More Ideas?

Top Ten Ways to Control Catalog Overload

Recycling Your Computer Just Got Easier

How to Recycle CFLs

Can You Recycle Your Car?

America Recycles Day

What else do you recycle?

Recycling Your Computer Just Got Easier

Tired of how inconvenient it can be to recycle your cell phone, laptop, MP3 player or PDA? A new ECycling Leadership Initiative will make it easier for you to find more than 5,000 recycling locations around the country so you can keep your e-waste out of the trash.

Consumer electronics industry leaders have launched this first-ever industry-wide electronics recycling initiative with an ambitious goal: To recycle one billion pounds of electronics annually by 2016, which would be a more than threefold increase over 2010. One billion pounds of electronics, if not properly recycled, would completely fill the equivalent of a 71,000-seat NFL stadium. (The picture to the left shows a mountain of electronic keyboards in need of recycling.)

E-waste is the fastest growing element of the waste stream, so recycling it rather than throwing it away must be done. Electronic equipment contains many heavy metals that are better captured than left to get loose in landfills or trash heaps, where they can contaminate groundwater and soil. Plus, given how much energy, water and other resources it takes to make a computer or a phone, it's much more environmentally friendly to recapture and reuse those materials than tp throw them away.

"The billion pound challenge is about both the quality and quantity of electronics recycling,” said Walter Alcorn, CEA’s vice president of environmental affairs and industry sustainability, in a company press release. “But we won’t stop at a billion pounds. The eCycling Leadership initiative is an ongoing, permanent initiative that will ... prohibit the use of recyclers and downstream processors who dump end-of-life electronics in developing nations.” 

To that end, CEA supports certifying third-party recyclers to verify that the electronics are, in fact, being recycled rather than trashed when they're out of sight.  In the future, look for new mobile apps to help make recycling used electronics as easy as buying new ones. The eCycling Leadership Initiative will also bolster the number of collection sites by working with state and local governments and charities to make more ecycling sites available.

NO NEED TO WAIT! GET STARTED NOW

Best Buy - I regularly recycle my electronics at Best Buy. Here's their policy: "We'll take just about anything electronic, including TVs, DVD players, computer monitors, cell phones and more. You can bring in up to two items a day, per household, and most things are absolutely free. However, there is a $10 charge for TVs 32" and under, CRTs, monitors and laptops — but we'll give you a $10 Best Buy gift card to offset that cost." Along with an in-store drop off program and kiosks, Best Buy also offers a TV haul-away service when a new product is delivered, and a Tech Trade-In program compensating consumers with gift cards for valuable products. In early 2011, Best Buy stores nationwide collected nearly 400 pounds each minute for recycling.

Goodwill - Businesses and consumers can donate computers to Goodwill for recycling. Check with your local Goodwill office before dropping equipment off.

EBay.com, CraigsList.com, and FreeCycle.org - These sites also enable you to sell, trade or donate your computer rather than toss it in the trash.

Earth911.com enables you to find more local computer recycling locations. Just go to their website, plug in your zip code, and you'll find electronics recyclers nearest your home or office.

WHAT ARE COMPANIES ALREADY DOING?

Apple 
All e-waste collected by Apple programs worldwide is processed in the region where it was collected. The company says nothing is shipped overseas for recycling or disposal. Apple has instituted recycling programs in cities and college campuses in 95 percent of the countries where its products are sold, diverting more than 130.2 million pounds of equipment from landfills since 1994. Apple also takes back Apple computers, iPods, iPads and iPhones at no charge.

Dell
A partnership between Dell and Goodwill Industries International lets consumers drop off any used computers for no-cost recycling, whether they're Dell brand or not. Donated equipment meeting Reconnect’s criteria are resold, and devices needing repair are either refurbished or broken down into parts to be recycled by Dell partners. The program supports Goodwill’s job training programs, employment placement services and other community-based programs for people who have disabilities, lack education or job experience, or face other challenges to finding employment.

HP
HP currently operates recycling services in 56 countries or territories worldwide. In the United States they launched a buyback program in January 2009 that includes free recycling if an HP- or Compaq-branded system has no value for consumers. HP recycled more than 200 million pounds of hardware globally in 2009, resulting in an estimated 210,000 tons of avoided carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) emissions. Since 1987, HP has recovered over 2 billion pounds of electronic product (for recovery and recycling) and HP print cartridges (for recycling).

LG
LG’s recycling program lets consumers drop off unwanted electronics at a Waste Management designated eCycling Center, or other alternative methods may be available. LG has recycled more than 7 million pounds since 2009, of which 3.3 million pounds were through LG’s voluntary program.

Nintendo of America
Because video game systems and games retain their value for many years beyond their retail lifecycle, Nintendo of America offers a number of customer support options to maximize their continued use, while also offering a free courtesy Take-Back Program to minimize the waste disposal of its products. The Take-Back Program provides for recycling of Nintendo hardware, software, accessories, and rechargeable batteries.

Panasonic, Sharp and Toshiba (Electronic Manufacturers Recycling Management Company, LLC)
Among other things, the Electronic Manufacturers Recycling Management Company, LLC (MRM) operates a voluntary nationwide collection and recycling service for brands produced by Panasonic, Sharp, Toshiba, Mitsubishi and Vizio. Since October 2007 MRM has established 840 collection sites across the U.S. and recycled more than 78 million pounds of electronics.

Samsung
Launched in the fall of 2008, Samsung Recycling Direct[SM] offers drop off locations in all 50 states.  Samsung holds its recyclers accountable for environmentally responsible recycling, including no landfill, incineration, or export to developing countries of hazardous electronic wastes as commonly defined. Last year, in 2010, Samsung recycled over 50 million pounds of e-waste across the U.S., most of which was done voluntarily.

Sony
The Sony Take Back Recycling Program was the first national recycling initiative to involve both a major electronics manufacturer and a national waste management company. Since its inception in 2007, Sony has established a goal of collecting a pound of electronics for every pound it produces. To date Sony has collected and recycled more than 43 million pounds of electronics.

 The eCycling Leadership Initiative is a collaboration among consumer electronics manufacturers, retailers, collectors, recyclers, non-governmental organizations and governments at all levels, and is coordinated by the Consumer Electronics Association.

You can find more information on the eCycling Leadership Initiative here.

 

 

 

Turn 'America Recycles Day' into Zero Waste Day and Re-Use It Week

Recycling is great, but it's not enough. We need to reduce the amount of stuff we buy even if it is recycled. And we need to stop feeling like throwing all that stuff away is ok, just because it can be recycled. (Lloyd Alter makes the argument more clearly than I over at Treehugger.com. )

So today, in honor of America Recycles Day, yes, please recycle what you can. But don't use recycling as an excuse to buy stuff that shouldn't even be manufactured any more, like throwaway water bottles, disposable though recyclable corn-based "paper" plates, napkins and cutlery from fast-food restaurants, and recycled paper towels. Use the day to take stock of what you're recycling, and figure out what re-usable item you can replace it with. Reuseit.com will link you to durable products you can use in place of your throwaways.

Recycle, Re-Use or Donate Your Wedding Dress

Whether you've just celebrated your own wedding day or your daughter's, you may be left with one souvenir you don't need to hold on to: the dress.

Yes, you can keep it in a bag in the back of your closet for the next 20 years and hope someone, someday will wear it again.

Or, you can give your dress a second life right away, by selling it or donating it online. If you're in the market for a wedding dress, think "new to you," as opposed to "brand new," and you'll not only get a dress that's more eco-friendly. You'll probably get a bargain, too. The dress pictured to the left? Over $3,200 new; just $800 gently worn at SavetheDress.com.

Some of the re-sellers listed below charge a small fee to list your dress, then pay you when the dress sells. Others simply sell on consignment, which means they'll only pay you when they sell your dress.

Recycled Bride. This free marketplace recycles everything from designer wedding gowns to table decorations. The site works just as well for buyers as it does for sellers.

Encore Bridal. An online consignment and resale bridal boutique, this company also uses recycled paper for stationary, recycled and biodegradable shipping packages, and fuel-efficient transportation.

Once Wed. This site offers brides everything from wedding ideas and photos for inspiration to once-worn wedding gowns. You can list your wedding dress on the site for free. Bonus? A portion of the revenue brought into the site goes to International Justice Mission which supports justice for victims of slavery, sexual exploitation, and violent oppression.

Pre-Owned Wedding Dresses and WoreItOnce. Both online companies connect buyers and sellers of new, sample and used wedding dresses.

'Green' is the New Black: Eco-Friendly Fashion Finds for Summer

Whether we look good in green or not, more and more of us are wearing it.

Soft organic cotton T-shirts. Bamboo-based business attire. Versatile vests spun from recycled soda bottles. Raw silk scarves. Linen shirts, slacks, and dresses. Shoes carved out of cork and padded with refurbished rubber. From top to toe, our wardrobes are getting earth friendlier; they're becoming snazzier, too. I wouldn't be surprised if Mother Nature herself was inspired to accessorize her fig leaf with a charming little handbag hewn from hemp.

She's probably also starting to breathe a sigh of relief. The apparel industry has never been a friend of the earth, given its often toxic impact on our natural resources. Every dollar we spend on clothing and accessories to 'green' our wardrobe helps protect our air, water, wildlife, and wilderness. Of that, Mother Nature would approve.

Shopping for 'green' a la mode, does not require the sacrifice of personal style or personal finances. I never travel without my trendy sienna-colored hemp sweater because it fits me perfectly, doesn't wrinkle, and is easy to launder in a sink; I just wash it in a little hand soap and water, wring it out, and let it line dry. And guess what? It only cost $40. My organic t-shirts wear just as well as ones made from industrial cotton but are a lot softer. Plus, I get a kick out of the tongue-in-cheek messages on the shirts, like this one from Green Label Organics that takes Hummers to task.

The industry of sustainable clothing is expanding, providing you with a variety of trendy and affordable options. So choose 'green' this summer and dress your part.

Can You Recycle Your Car?

The North American International Auto Show is shining the spotlight on new cars. But what should you do with an old car you can't really re-sell? Before you contact the junk yard, consider this:

Manufacturing a car creates pollution you probably never thought about. Extracting and transporting the raw materials that go into components like seats and the steering wheel generates twenty-nine tons of solid waste and 1,207 million cubic yards of air emissions. In fact, while the majority of pollution is generated by driving, a third is incurred in car manufacture. Disposing of tires, lead-acid batteries, air conditioners, upholstery, and other materials adds to the trash pile, reports Katie Alvord in Divorce Your Car: Ending the Love Affair with the Automobile. (Photo credit)

Manufacturers are taking notice by increasing the amount of recycled materials they weave into new-car production:

* Ford Motor Company integrated recycled material into the cloth seating of the 2008 Escape. If it expanded the program, InterfaceFABRIC, the materials supplier, estimates that Ford could save at least sixty thousand gallons of water, 1.8 million pounds of carbon dioxide equivalents, and the equivalent of more than 7 million kilowatt hours of electricity annually.

* Mazda and Toyota recycled used bumpers to make components for new ones.

* Cadillac's SRX uses 50 percent recycled tire rubber for its radiator side baffles, a process that in 2004 kept two thousand scrap tires out of landfills.

* Both Honda and Toyota recycle the battery packs in their hybrids to capture everything from the precious metals to the plastics and the wiring. Edmunds.com reports that Toyota even puts a phone number (for recycling information) on each battery and pays dealers two hundred dollars for each battery pack.

* Ten percent of the plastic in a new Mini Cooper consists of recycled material.

According to Ward's Motor Vehicle Facts and Figures, at least 84 percent of an average car's material content gets recycled; automotive recycling ranks as the sixteenth-largest industry in the United States. Recycling those vehicles provides enough steel to make nearly thirteen million cars, while also providing jobs for 46,000 people.

You can keep the cycle going:

Make sure to recycle your own motor oil. If you change the oil yourself, take it and the oil filter to a recycling center. If you have it changed, double-check that the service center recycles all used oil.

Have your tires changed at a shop that recycles them. Recycled rubber may become asphalt, playground material, athletic track, furniture, or apparel (like purses and jewelry).

Donate your car to a local non-profit. In my suburban Washington, D.C. community, organizations like  Good Will and the local public radio affiliate will pick up your car for free and repair it or recycle the parts, giving you a tax benefit when you do. Habitat for Humanity does the same.

Close the loop. Remember that the best way to ensure that recycling works is to buy goods made from recycled materials. The soles of my Simple Shoes are made from recycled rubber tires. You can also find a variety of tools and garden gear made from recycled rubber, plastic and steel.   

Get an (Environmental) Move On!

 Moving from one home to another is not a low-impact activity. If you're relocating from one coast to the other, you could use as much as 120 pounds of cardboard and generate 5,000 pounds of climate-changing carbon dioxide. Even moving from one side of your state to another could have a 500-pound carbon impact, given the fuel burned by moving vans and the resources you use to pack up all your stuff. 

How can you make you move more eco and less yecch?

• Don't move what you don't need; to unload unnecessary stuff, donate to Goodwill or the Salvation Army; have a yard sale; freecycle.

• Save newspapers in advance of your move to use as packing paper.

• Pick up discarded boxes from local stores.

• Pack things in suitcases or containers you are also moving to save space and reduce the number of throwaway boxes you use.

• Use the right size truck. A too-larger truck wastes energy. A truck that's too small may need to make too many trips.

• Recycle boxes and packing materials after you unpack.

SUPPLIES
 
These environmentally-friendly packing materials will help make your move greener:

• Recopack - from rentagreenbox.com: 100% recycled plastic boxes come in 3 sizes that can be rented for 14 days. They're delivered and picked up by a truck that runs on waste vegetable oils and bio-fuel and using dollies made from recycled soda cans
o $299 for 100 boxes for 2 week period ($99 per extra week)
o Zip-ties made from 100% recycled plastic eliminate need for packing tape

• Ecobox - sells used boxes in various shapes and sizes; they also sell moving "kits" with enough boxes and tape to accommodate anything from a 1-bedroom apartment to a 4-bedroom house. 
o No minimum order
o Same day, low cost shipping

• FrogBox - British Columbia and Puget Sound, WA

o  A lot like Recopack; just local to the Pacific Northwest

• UsedCardboardBoxes.com
o Sells all sizes of used boxes, though "brand new" packing tape and bubble wrap
o Free shipping for any of its kits, ranging from a studio or dorm room to a 10 bedroom home or comparable office space
 

MOVING COMPANIES

• Green Wheels Van Lines
o For personal, corporate, government/military, or international moves
o Will deliver recycled packing materials to your door
o Uses alternative energy 
o Approved as a SmartWay Partner by the EPA
 
• Green Movers USA
o Aims to be a network of all moving companies that use eco-friendly practices
o Awards movers one-four trees, depending on their efforts to reduce waste, save gas, and use alternative fuels

 
• Go Green Moving Co.
o Based in southern California, uses bio-fuel in trucks
o Provides rentable crates
o Uses 100% recycled plastic moving pads

NOTE: Green Van Lines claims it makes the world greener "one move at a time," but there's no evidence on its website that the company uses energy-efficient or alterntively fueled vehicles, or supplies its customers with recycled packing materials that minimize waste.

Have you moved recently? Let us know what you did to make it eco.

By Katie Kelleher

Recycling Electronics? Swipe Them Clean First

Want to recycle your computer but worry about keeping your data confidential?

Here's the fix: 

 Eraseyourharddrive.com has the only “web-deployable” software on the market.  For $23.95, you can download and use the software without bothering with disks or wasteful packaging.  

WipeDrive is a disk-based system available on Amazon.com for around $36.

Green Disk will do it for you for a fee, but you need to mail them your computer and other electronics.

Recycle Computers Locally and On-Line

Recycling computers is an environmental essential.  Most computer components -- including the monitor, keyboard, and hard drive -- contain heavy metals, like lead and cadmium, which can contaminate drinking water and wreak havoc on human health.Even if they didn't threaten our well-being, trashed computers and other electronics are the fastest growing sector of the waste steam. We're throwing way too many computers away.

It doesn't need to be so. Many "broken" computers can be repaired to extend their life; even if the entire computer can't be saved, many parts can be recovered and re-used in another machine. My point: Don't trash your computer; recycle it. Here's how:

CHECK WITH GREENPEACE

Every year, the nonprofit citizen's group evaluates the efforts computer manufacturers are making to reduce the toxic chemicals in their products and increase recycling. Before you buy, review your options and pick the most environmentally friendly option that meets your computing needs.

GIVE IT BACK 

 HP has a trade-in program that accepts products from any manufacturer and gives you cash back when you purchase a new HP.  Their recycling program accepts HP equipment for free, and other brands for a nominal fee. The company has earned the EPA SmartWay certification by reducing the fuel consumption, greenhouse gases and other air emissions of its surface transportation carriers.  Take note: HP has recently fallen on the Greenpeace Guide to Greener Electronics because the company says it will no longer honor a promise it  made to eliminate PVC and brominated flame retardants (BFRs) from their products by the end of 2009.

Dell has partnered with Staples to accept Dell products for recycling at all their locations. Dell's exchange and trade-in program buys back old models of all types of electronics, regardless of manufacturer, and gives Dell gift cards to the customer in return.  Dell aims to reduce package size by 10% by 2012; achieve 75% curbside recyclability for packaging; and increase recycled content of laptop and desktop packaging 50%.  (I recently bought the Dell Studio Hybrid, which uses 80% less energy than a standard desktop hard drive and came in minimum packaging.) However, like HP, the company has backtracked on its commitment to eliminate PVC and BFRs in all products by the end of 2009.  In fact, Dell no longer has a timeline for eliminating these toxic substances - what's it waiting for?

For any computer, search the corporate website for specific suggestions on how to recycle it.

Best Buy - Rather than hassle with a computer company, go to your nearest Best Buy. Why? "We'll take just about anything electronic, including TVs, DVD players, computer monitors, cell phones and more. You can bring in up to two items a day, per household, and most things are absolutely free. However, there is a $10 charge for TVs 32" and under, CRTs, monitors and laptops — but we'll give you a $10 Best Buy gift card to offset that cost." That's a pretty good deal.

Goodwill - Businesses and consumers can donate computers to Goodwill for recycling. Check with your local Goodwill office before dropping equipment off.

EBay.com, CraigsList.com, and FreeCycle.org - These sites also enable you to sell, trade or donate your computer rather than toss it in the trash.

Earth911.com enables you to find more local computer recycling locations.

DONATE

The National Cristina Foundation takes donated computers and matches them to charities, schools, and public agencies in need throughout the US and Canada.  

GET PAID

Gazelle will pay you to recycle your e-waste.  Gazelle shows you how much your product is worth, sends you a box for free shipping, and upon receiving your product (assuming it is in proper condition), will mail you a check for its value.

BUY A SAFER COMPUTER

Apple is the only computer company among the top five that has freed its products of PVC and BFRs.  With the exception of PVC-free power cords, which they are working to certify, this is Apple’s greenest accomplishment.   Apple recycles electronics for all customers who purchase a new Apple or Mac product from any of their online or retail stores.  Once purchased, you receive a voucher for shipping any old electronic (regardless of brand) via FedEx.  Fewer restrictions apply to educational or business customers, and for those recycling iPods and cell phones, none of whom have to buy a new product as a prerequisite to their recycling.  There are no drop-off sites for e-recycling at any Apple stores.

 

How about a little more info?

Don't miss this additional information on the environmental impacts of electronics. 

Here are ten ways to make your computer more energy efficient.

Research by Katie Kelleher