Wednesday, May 26, 2010

A New School Fundraiser

Tired of selling cookie dough, magazines, and wrapping paper?? Here's a new idea...

A heap of scrap metal.Image via Wikipedia


Kids can help clean up the neighborhood, keep metal out of landfills, and make some money with a scrap metal recycling event. Things like broken lawnmowers, barbecues, and old hot water heaters can all be scrapped. Even household items like pots and pans, bed frames, doorknobs, and waffle irons have value in the world of scrap metal. One look around your house or garage may yield more than you would expect. Imagine if everyone in the neighborhood were to contribute their scraps?

Schools that have organized these drives have raised upwards of $5000 with a single-day events. The first step is to find a scrap metal recycler in your area. While there isn't any one source to send you to, Google is always a good first step!
For my Greater Puget Sound readers, here's a link to a listing of local metal recyclers if you have anything you're needing to get rid of now.

How Do I Recycle Medicines?

With young kids in the house, we all know how important it is to keep prescription and over-the-counter drugs safely out of reach. But what do you do with the old and expired ones?

Dietary supplement pills in four colors (orang...Image via Wikipedia



The FDA recommends taking the medicine (pills or liquid) out of its original container and mixing it with an undesirable substance (e.g. coffee grounds or kitty litter) and then sealing it in a container (e.g. bag, 2 liter soda bottle, coffee can). The idea is to deter anyone, including animals, who may happen upon the medication after you dispose of it.

You should not flush them down the toilet because this puts the drugs into our water system.

The National Conference of State Legislatures has a recycling program in most states for unopened, unexpired drugs. The rules are obviously stringent, but for people with unopened boxes of medicine, this can be a great way to get these into the hands of people who need them.

Now... go clean that medicine cabinet! And, while you're there, check to see if you have any of the recently recalled children's medications (Motrin, Tylenol, Zyrtec, and Bendadryl).
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Friday, May 21, 2010

How Do I Recycle Styrofoam Peanuts?

I get a lot of questions about styrofoam, and while I don't have any great answers about how to recycle styrofoam cups or take-out containers, I do know what to do with those little packing peanuts that sometimes arrive in boxes.

Actually, it's more re-using than recycle. Take them to your local packaging store and most will gladly take them off your hands for free. One store even offered me a few dollar coupon for my next visit in exchange for a bag of peanuts.

In regards to the rest of the styrofoam dilemma, it looks like some cities may just get rid of it altogether. Edmonds, WA is one city contemplating a ban on styrofoam takeout containers. There are nice, compostable options, but as with everything price is always a factor too.



Thursday, May 13, 2010

Sometimes You Just Have to Ask...

For over a year, I have been lamenting the fact that I get 365 plastic bags delivered to my house each year. One for each newspaper. I know I live in Seattle, but it truly doesn't rain here every single day and I'm always frustrated on sunny days looking at one more plastic bag. I recycle them, but still...

The other day I noticed that my local newspaper The Herald had switched to green15 bags which are made with 15% less plastic. OK, it's 15% less plastic, but still at least 50% too many bags in my opinion (surely, it rains less than half the time here). Have I thought of just reading it electronically? Well, yes, but for now I like the idea of sitting at the kitchen table and seeing my kids trade the comics and sports pages.

As much as I have grumbled about the bags, I really don't think I've ever had anyone from The Herald tell me that my newspaper must come in a bag so I picked up the phone and called. A live person answered on the first ring and within 60 seconds, she had sent a note to my delivery person requesting "plastic bags only if necessary." Wow, that was easy! I promise I won't complain if unexpected rain dampens my paper.
What is your environmental pet peeves? Have you tried to change it? Sometimes, just asking politely can yield great results!

Monday, May 10, 2010

But I Don't Want to Compost

Composting seems to be a big deal these days. Gardening season is upon us and wouldn't it be great if we all had some rich compost to mix in with the soil? In my case, it would be great to just have the beginnings of a garden, but I'll save my woes of the gravel-pit-which-won't-morph-into-a-garden-without-me for another day...

I'm no composting expert, but I get so many questions on it, I decided to tackle the three biggest questions - why should I do it, how do I keep it, and what do I do with it.

Why? Composting is better than dumping the food into a landfill because it creates far less methane, which is the 3rd most common greenhouse gas. Composting is better than sending it down the garbage disposal because that requires water usage and chemical treatment at the sewage plant.

If you don't compost, are you responsible for the demise of our planet? No, definitely not. If you honestly can't see yourself in the choices below, move on. Focus your efforts in other areas that seem more natural to you.

Where do I keep the food?
* Under the sink - I keep my food scraps under the sink in a basic Rubbermaid garbage can. We use a paper grocery bag (which we still have from all those trips to the store where I forgot the bag), but truthfully the bag does usually rip because the stuff on the bottom is frequently wet. It doesn't smell, but it doesn't always leave the garbage can looking pretty either.
* In a container in the fridge - This is for the people with super-sensitive noses. The downside would be the space it takes up space in the fridge.

* On the counter - Companies like Williams-Sonoma have all kinds of fancy containers that actually look good on the counter. They also have charcoal filters for the odor issue.

What do I do with it?

* Worm bin - clearly not for the casual composter...

* Compost pile/bin - Here's an earlier blog I wrote about this.

* Curbside yard waste program - Check with your local company to see if this is an option. If not, suggest it!
* Local drop-off sites - Some urban areas have created drop-off sites. Try Googling your city name and "compost drop-off site."


Ok, enough garbage talk for a while!

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Tuesday, May 4, 2010

What to Do with Latex Paint

A blog reader recently asked about how to recycle latex paint. I assumed it fell under the normal Household Hazardous Waste Program, but apparently things have changed and, at least where I live, latex paint is no longer considered a hazardous material.

paint canImage by House Of Sims via Flickr



Still, it is made of chemicals which would be better off not seeping into the ground or water, so what do you do? I got my answers from an informative flyer put out by Charlevoix County in Michigan.

The short story is:
  • If it's over 20 years old, it is lead based and should be handled through your local hazardous waste program.
  • If the paint can is already dry, you can simply toss it in the garbage.
  • If there is still a small amount of paint, take the lid off and let it dry before you throw the can in the garbage.
  • If you have a lot of paint, you need to find a way to dry it yourself. The recommended way is to get a box or other container that you can line with plastic (the larger the surface area, the quicker it will dry). Pour in about an inch of paint and wait for it to dry. Repeat the process until your done, making certain that it isn't somewhere that kids or pets can get into while the drying process takes place. Adding dry kitty litter to the paint can speed up the drying process.

The latter option will definitely be time-consuming, which is a good reminder to not over-buy next time you're painting.

I'll keep that in mind when we're painting my son's room this summer. He seems to have outgrown the pastel walls, but we haven't yet agreed on a new palette. His favorite colors are red, black, and metallic gold. I'm open-minded, but can't imagine any of those colors on the walls!

Footie Protection for your Fruit

Do you ever get frustrated with fruit trees that only seem to bear worm-infested fruit at the end of the season?

Apple TreeImage by Steffe via Flickr



I heard an interesting tip on NPR today on the best way to protect your fruit. Go to your local nursery and buy a box of footies - yep, those little nylons women don on their feet before trying on shoes in a store. You just wrap one around each piece of fruit in the beginning of the season and you're done! Does it work? Here's some non-scientific analysis, as well as some advice on how to get the best results, but the verdict seems to be yes. If you want to order online, check out Home Orchard Society.

Now, I suppose if you were super environmentally friendly, you could even recycle your old nylons for this purpose, but I don't think I'm quite that green. Besides, I hardly ever wear nylons anymore!

Sunday, May 2, 2010

So sad and frustrated...

As I keep reading the reports about the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, my sadness and frustration are growing equally.

So sad for all the fish, dolphins, birds, and shellfish that are getting mired in the oil. So sad for the people whose livelihood depends on the health of the oceans.

So frustrated that we can allow our oil companies to pump oil out of the ocean floor with no plan for what to do in the event of a catastrophe. The oil continues to spill and we're spinning our wheels trying to figure out what to do. It's already washing ashore in the Gulf Coast, and the most recent reports say that it isn't a question of if it will hit the East Coast, but rather when.

Let's hope some smart scientists figure out how to stem the flow -- and fast! Let's also hope we learned something about cleanup from the Exxon Valdez oil spill.
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So sad to see the Gulf...