April 6, 2012

• The Easiest Way to Save the World – Pt 1

  

   

  (image from Good Magazine)

  When I lived in South Dakota, recycling wasn’t prevalent. There were extra charges for a recycling bin for your home with your garbage service and they only picked up recycling once a month. There wasn’t very much public awareness of what was and wasn’t recyclable and you just didn’t find encouragement to do so. There weren’t separate recycle bins in resturaunts, gas stations, or other public places. In a way, it was out of sight and out of mind. It wasn’t trendy to recycle and there was no peer pressure. In fact, being concerned about recycling was something you could be snickered at for. Damn tree hugging hippies, anyway. 

   

  Another list of reasons I found that people don’t recycle are:

  1. “Recycling is inconvenient.” - It isn’t once it becomes habit, no more inconvenient than throwing garbage away or washing dishes. 

  2. “I do not have enough space in my home to recycle.” –

  3. “If they paid me, I’d recycle.” – This is a big reason for people who have always sold and collected scrap metal, cans and glass bottles.

  ( http://www.care2.com/greenliving)
  

  Moving to Boulder was like moving to a different planet. There is mandatory recycling, and recycling bins on every corner, in every store and restaurant. I began recycling out of peer pressure before I even understood all the benefits. 

  Why should we recycle?

  It saves energy  -Recycling 30 percent of our waste in America, we save the same amount of energy of 11.9 billion gallons of gas and reduces the greenhouse effect of 25 million cars taken off the road.

  Recycling Prevents Pollution: When recycled materials are used in place of virgin materials during manufacturing, we avoid the environmental damage caused by mining for metals, drilling for petroleum, and harvesting trees. Producing recycled white paper creates 74% less air pollution and 35% less water pollution than producing paper from virgin fibers. Using recycled cans instead of extracting ore to make aluminum cans produces 95% less air pollution and 97% less water pollution. Recycling and re-manufacturing are 194 times more effective in reducing greenhouse gas emissions than land filling and virgin manufacturing.

  Recycling Creates Jobs: For every one job at a landfill, there are ten jobs in recycling processing and 25 jobs in recycling-based manufacturing. The recycling industry employs more workers than the auto industry.

  Recycling Saves Money: Selling recyclable materials offsets the extra costs of collecting and processing recyclables, making recycling the cheaper option for the community.Plus, all the environmental benefits of recycling, such as reducing pollution and greenhouse gas emissions, have economic value as well,  more than $55 per ton compared to land filling.

  (http://www.whytorecycle.com )

  Recycling is easy, and an example of how we can make a difference everyday with little to no effort. Even for people with no time or inclination to save the world, recycling is an effortless task that can leave a positive impact on their environment and benefit future generations. Most people are familiar with how and why to recycle, but for people who aren’t (like I was), here is a simple, easy list of recyclables:

  • Cans: empty and rinse aluminum, cat food, steel and tin cans,  
  • Cartons: empty, rinse and flatten cartons (no frozen foods packaging). 
  • Glass: empty and rinse bottles and jars. Lead wrapping and corks from wine bottles are garbage. 
  • Plastic Bags: bundle plastic bags inside a plastic bag and knot the top. 
  • Plastics: empty and rinse plastic containers and items numbered 1-7. 
  • Paper: flatten all boxes and cartons. Tie shredded paper in a plastic bag. Staples, tape and plastic windows in 
  envelopes can be recycled. Staples and small paper clips may be recycled. 
  • Scrap Metals: clean and dry small household appliances or pans. 
  • Textiles: If possible, donate textiles to charity. To recycle, tie fabrics in a clear plastic bag. Buttons and zippers 
  can stay on clothing. No rags or textiles soiled with chemicals, oil, or paint. 
  • Cardboard:  Please breakdown and flatten all boxes and place them in one of the two recycling bins on the 
  property.  One is near the carwash area on Central Ave. and the other is near Cypress Point Drive near units 45-
  48. 
  • Paper Products:  catalogs, magazines, telephone books (no plastic wrappers), cereal and cake mix boxes 
  (remove all liners), computer and plain fax paper, construction or art paper (less than 50% painted), egg cartons, 
  junk mail and envelopes, paperwork books, post-it notes, shredded paper (no plastic bag) 
  • Plastic Bottles and Tubs #1 through 7 (all should be rinsed thoroughly): baby wipe tubs, bakery deli and 
  salad tubs (no clamshells), cottage cheese tubs, detergent bottles, milk jugs (no lids or caps) peanut butter jars, 
  prescription bottles, shampoo bottles, syrup bottles, water, soda and juice bottles, yogurt tubs.

  And what isn't recyclable is just as important:

  • Used motor oil. You can drop off your used motor oil at a certified collection center. Please call the Recycling 
  Hotline at 1-800-533-8414 for a collection center near you. 
  • Hazardous waste. Anything that is labeled toxic, poisonous, corrosive or flammable is considered hazardous 
  waste and must be properly disposed. Used auto parts are often covered in hazardous materials and these 
  should be disposed of carefully. 
  • Plastic toys. Most toys are made of different types of plastic mixed together. Plastics cannot be mixed together 
  during the recycling process. 
  • Paper cups and plates (even clean ones). The recyclers must always assume that food residues exist, even if 
  they don’t, because food waste is a contaminant for recycled paper. 
  • Any paper that has touched food:  Frozen food boxes. These have a wax coating which cannot be removed 
  during recycling. Beverage cups, coffee cups, bags, donut boxes, burger wrappers, ice cream cartons, pizza 
  boxes, paper plates, anything that has ever touched food directly. 
  • Binder Clips may not be recycled:  Staples and small paper clips may be recycled. 
  • Polystyrene (StyrofoamTM): Styrofoam containers and foam packaging blocks and peanuts are not recyclable 
  • Small Appliances. Unless they are at least 80% metal, they are not recyclable. 
  • Metal:  aerosol can (empty or full), construction debris, nails, metal pipes or car parts, pots and pans
  • Computers, printers, fax machines, etc. 

   For a comprehensive list of what IS recyclable, see http://www.recycleplus.org/.

  I would like to go on and on, and talk about compost posts, re-using, creative ways governments are reducing landfill waste, and even litter, but I don't want to write a book. I am already over the length most people will read.   As you enjoy your family and holiday this weekend, keep in mind the responsible way to dispose of those plastic eggs. http://www.ehow.com/how_6922829_recycle-plastic-easter-eggs.html

  Happy Easter from Boulder!

   

  • 3:15 pm
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