Unwind on the Green Side

Spring has arrived and summer is fast-approaching and we all know what that equates to, it is time, time to do some travelling. According to TripAdvisor, a number a vacationers plan to travel to “greener pastures” literally, by way of incorporating environmentally-friendly travel choices into their plans this upcoming season. Their survey found Portland, Ore., to be the highest on the green-friendly chart, and New York City was determined the least green-friendly. With that in mind, do a little digging prior to finalizing your vacation plans and you can read the full article at: http://www.boston.com/business/ticker/2009/04/tripadvisor_man.html

National Cell Phone Recycling Week

National Cell Phone Recycling Week is April 6 through April 12. Participate in this national event by recycling your unwanted cell phones, Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs) and accessories. Plug-In To eCycling’s National Cell Phone Recycling Week 2009 is increasing awareness by teaming up with AT&T, Best Buy, LG Electronics, Motorola, Nokia, Office Depot, Samsung, Sony Ericsson, Sprint, Staples, T-Mobile, and Verizon Wireless.

You can bring (or mail in) your unwanted cell phones to these retailers or service providers. Prior to donating your phone keep these tips in mind:

-Terminate the service for the donated phone
-Clear the phone’s memory
-Do a factory reset
-Remove the SIM card

 

http://www.thetowntalk.com/article/20090408/NEWS01/90408012

 

http://www.wsaz.com/news/headlines/42706057.html

 

 

Companies Grasp for Green

Will sustainability efforts save companies money? Staples, is a firm believer that it can, and it will. Merely switching their light bulbs from three-amp to two-amp, will add $4.2 million dollars to the company’s bottom line. John Mahoney, the chief finance officer of Staples, spoke at the CFO Green Conference in New York stating, “Companies that have not done much work on “green” initiatives will likely get moving as a result of their declining business fortunes.”

 

Green practices can have a strong positive impact on the financial performance at companies. For example, Staples modified their trucks last year to not go exceed speeds of 60mph. This saved 540,000 gallons of diesel fuel per year, with a cost-savings of $1.5 million. “When diesel prices spiked we were able to offset about 80% of the increase just through this program,” Mahoney claimed. Many companies, like Staples, are realizing that tax credits can aid them in their efforts to save while being environmentally friendly. Staples also utilized tax credits to install solar panels which generated a savings of hundreds of thousands of dollars with virtually no capital investment on their part.

 

One thing this questionable economy is doing is making companies take a long hard look at their expenditure, which is aiding them in discovering ways to be green while saving green. Gwen Ruta, vice president of corporate partnerships for the Environmental Defense Fund, says, “We’ve seen over and over again that companies can find ways to benefit both the environment and their bottom lines.”

Find the entire article at: http://www.cfo.com/article.cfm/13402881/c_13401288?f=home_todayinfinance 

 

 

 

Spring, a season to Recycle

Many people are welcoming spring with open arms and an abundance of trash as they do an annual round of spring cleaning. The Raleigh County Waste Authority offers up some ideas on how to remain green, while you clean and disperse of no-longer wanted or needed household items.

They drive home three straightforward, but often overlooked points: For every load of trash brought to the disposal at the landfill you can also drop off recyclable items. All newspaper, cardboard and aluminum can be, and should be, recycled. Last, the metal from old appliances can be melted down and reused in order to create new products.  Raleigh County Officials have crushers on standby to recycle old appliances. They’re also are encouraging residents to donate anything that is unwanted and in decent condition to the new Second Chance Mercantile at the Solid Waste Authority.

It is likely that your town has its own “green” offerings when it comes to recycling and spring cleaning. Reach out to your local Waste Authority to discover what they’re encouraging local residents to do. Being green doesn’t need to be complicated, let’s bring it back to simplicity.

Click below to access the article,

http://www.wvnstv.com/story.cfm?func=viewstory&storyid=55025

Get in the zone – The Green Zone

Michigan residents can now benefit from trekking their recyclables to Recycle Here! The Green Zone Shoppe recently opened a new facility carrying Michigan Green Safe Products – one can go there to retrieve toilet paper and paper towels made from 100 percent post-manufacturer materials. Not to mention, all-natural soaps and cleaning products, biodegradable “plastic” bags of all sizes, as well as cutlery and utensils – there’s a plethora of all the typically thrown-away, chemically-laden products used by the majority of households.

The main Holden Recycle Here! facility sees an average of 600 drop-offs a week. Matt Naimi, director of operations of Recycle Here! and co-owner of Michigan Green Safe, says The Green Zone Shoppe’s opening was all about demand. Naimi hopes The Green Zone Shoppe will reel in many more individuals, encouraging more people to make the effort. The Green Shoppe additionally carries “Bee Green” merchandise, featured by a local artist, and Naimi says the shop would be open to selling locally-made green products if appropriate.

Is your city in the zone?

 

For further reading, check out these sites:

http://www.recyclehere.net/

http://www.modeldmedia.com/developmentnews/greenzone18309.aspx

 

Call for Local Recycling

A recent announcement from the Northern California Recycling Association (NCRA) points out that most Americans recognize a huge significance in eating produce from local farmers, and purchasing from shopkeepers close by.  By doing so, they’re keeping dollars within the community and reducing fuel use and transportation issues at the same time.  Recycling materials locally has its benefits as well. 

“People care about jobs.  They care about the environment.  But they don’t often see them as the same problem. And they are,” says Patty Moore, president of Moore Recycling Association and a member of NCRA  “When we fully integrate recycling into our local economies, we create jobs and protect the environment, solving two problems at once.”

NCRA, compiled “Point of Return,” a 17-minute video explaining what happens to the recyclables that we collect, only to lose the economic and environment benefits when we export these supplies.

“We have so much to gain by keeping our recyclables closer to home and out of the ground,” says Steve Lautze, Green Business Projects Manager with the City of Oakland, CA  and past president of NCRA. 

If you’re interested in learing more, you can watch the video here.

New Recycling Out-of-Home Ad Space

Erik Sass of MediaDailyNews recently wrote a nice article on TOMRA’s new, interactive out-of-home ad platform – our very own recycling machines!

   To read the article, click here.

Taking the First Step

A quick web search on “green purchasing,” specifically via Google, can result in over 12,000,000 results. Do not be dismayed however.

 

Josh Cable’s article, “U.S. Communities aims to help agencies go green,” uncovers the U.S. Communities’ Going Green Program, a resource that provides straightforward information on the how-to’s of launching a green purchasing program.

 

Connie Kuranko, U.S. Communities program manager stated, “The objective is to help our participating agencies or any public agencies to be able to implement their green programs easier, faster and cheaper.”

 

On the U.S. Communities Solutions site there is a step-by-step guide for creating a green purchasing program, not to mention, multiple downloadable documents that are packed with information on energy management and U.S. Communities LEED and STARS matrices.

 

Have you recently discovered any exceptional, user-friendly “green” resource sites? If so, fill us in! Click on the comment link below.

Keeping the Eco-Conscious High in the U.S.

The notion of going green can often be pushed down the priority list or “back burner” as the saying goes, especially when larger economic troubles are looming.  As many cities and businesses look to reduce costs and create additional revenue streams, recycling and other green initiatives have short- and long-term advantages.   

 

For example, Paul Johnson wrote a recent piece in The Boston Globe entitled, “Going green doesn’t have to mean going broke.”  To read the entire article, click here. 

 

Paul writes how The Department of Energy Resources recently outlined the Green Communities Act at the Smart Growth, Smart Energy conference in Boston. The Green Communities Act aids cities and towns by saving energy in city halls, firehouses and schools, while making their own energy from renewable sources.

Help us continue to keep the eco-conscious top-of-mind and top of the priority list for elected officials, business leaders and consumers worldwide.   And, don’t forget to share your thoughts and ideas by clicking on the “Comment” link below.  We welcome your input.

Must See Recycling Video

If you ever wondered how curbside recycling works from a logistical standpoint, RecycleBank has developed a great video that illustrates the entire process.  To view, click here.