Chicago Tribune: Tips and titles for eco living

Filed under: Earth 911 - July 22, 2007

By Tiffany Meyers | Special to the Tribune
July 22, 2007

Inspired by this column and fellow readers’ tips, Teri Wiley of Elkhart, Ind., recently started recycling — and asked us for resources to learn about living ever more environmentally conscious. Some of our favorites:

Books

Web sites

Washington Post: Hints From Heloise - Fluorescent Facts

Filed under: Earth 911 - July 20, 2007

By Heloise
Friday, July 20, 2007

Fluorescent Facts

Dear Heloise: Please inform your readers that if they BREAK A FLUORESCENT LIGHT BULB, they should NOT pick up the pieces with bare hands. Instead, wear protective gloves (that are disposable — Heloise), open the windows for ventilation and DO NOT vacuum up any residue or small pieces of glass. The small particles should be removed with a damp paper towel.

Fluorescent lamps contain a small amount of mercury. The larger, longer bulbs are more hazardous than the small, compact bulbs, but both should be cleaned up with caution.

All fluorescent bulbs should be taken to the dump (you need to check locally for guidelines — Heloise), as you would batteries, electronics, etc. The package containing the bulbs warns that they contain mercury and should be disposed of properly, but it does not mention the precautions for cleaning up a broken one. I have found out that most of my friends did not know this information, so please help to spread the word. — Connie, via e-mail

Connie, this is a “hot topic,” and one worth printing. Major manufacturers suggest the cleanup method you mention (NOTE: Open windows or doors for ventilation so the vapor can dissipate for at least 15 minutes before starting cleanup. — Heloise) and putting all of the broken pieces in two sealed plastic bags, even the paper towel(s). They suggest using duct tape to pick up stubborn little pieces, and you must wash your hands well after handling the bag. And do not burn the bulbs!

However, information on disposal is a little harder to find. You should call your trash company to see if there is a collection site in your area. If there isn’t a hazardous-waste center near you, the garbage company should be able to tell you how to prepare the bulbs for proper disposal. You can also call the United States Environmental Recycling Hotline at 877-EARTH-911. You enter your ZIP code, and there will be information for your state. It takes a while to go through the prompts, but be patient.

NPR Morning Edition: Popular Swimming Holes May Be Double Trouble

Filed under: Earth 911 - July 19, 2007

Morning Edition, July 19, 2007

In the summertime, there’s nothing more inviting than refreshing pools of water. Unfortunately, pools, ponds, rivers and oceans are also contaminated with microbes that could make you sick.

At Gunpowder Falls State Park in Maryland, it’s easy to think everything is fine. The park is beautiful, with a lush green lawn, a row of shade trees and picnic benches. There’s a clean, broad beach and a sparkling, blue river a mile wide. Several dozen people splash about under the watchful eye of a lifeguard.

But Thaddeus Graczyk knows there is at least the potential for problems. In his day job, he’s a microbiologist at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. For the last three years, he has been coming here on weekends to play.

“This is very nice spot for recreation,” Graczyk says. “I use it for windsurfing.”

But right from the start, he noticed something: “When there are a lot of people in this water, the water is turbid.”

People were kicking up sediments. Sediments can carry organisms called protozoa, and some of those can make you sick. At swimming areas that are monitored, local officials routinely test the water for bacteria. But not for protozoa.

Graczyk got some grad students together. They waded out into the water and collected samples on weekdays, when there were few people in the water, and on weekends, when there were a lot of people.

“More samples came up positive on the weekend,” he says. “And concentrations of the pathogens in the weekend samples were higher than the weekday samples.”

So how much should you worry about these and other microbes before diving in?

That’s a hard question to answer, says Michael Beach. He’s head of the Healthy Swimming Program at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. There are no national surveys, he says.

“We see 30 to 40 outbreaks per year occurring in recreational waters, but we think that’s the tip of the iceberg,” Beach says.

Outbreaks can affect a few people or a few thousand. Usually the infections aren’t serious. But Beach says people with open wounds should be extra careful. And so should another group.

“People who have compromised or weakened immune systems should consider that swimming is a communal bathing activity,” he says. “They need to consider whether swimming is an option for them.”

At Gunpowder Falls State Park, Bill Howard and his wife and son are eating their lunch. They aren’t fazed by talk about germs.

Though not all parks are monitored, this one is. Park officials have closed the beach a few times in the past few years because of bacteria contamination. So Howard figures he’s safe – the closings show officials are paying attention.

“Probably I’m more worried about sun overexposure than what you might get from the water,” Howard says.

Another picnicker, Kristin Devaux, is here only because her father-in-law likes it. She prefers her water chlorinated — like in community pools, “because I know what’s in them.”

She’s assuming chlorine takes care of the germs. But does it?

“I think that was reasonable until about two decades ago when we’ve seen the emergence of a parasite that’s actually chlorine resistant, so now we have a bug out there that can bypass the major barrier to disinfectants in swimming pools,” says the CDC’s Michael Beach.

And nobody checks pools for these chlorine-resistant protozoa. Still, chlorination takes care of most bugs.

Beach says pools should be chlorinated several times a day.

As for rivers, ponds and oceans, think twice before jumping in after a heavy rain, when sewage runoff can contaminate the water.

Beach also advises people to protect your fellow swimmers and stay out of the water if you’ve had a recent gut-wrenching illness. And parents shouldn’t rely on swim diapers for their kids.

“These are not a panacea,” he says. “If your child is ill with diarrhea, swim diaper or not, they shouldn’t be in the water.”

Overall, your chances of getting sick are slim.

“There are hundreds of millions of visits to swimming venues every year,” Beach says. “Most of those people are just fine.”

Beach regularly swims in a lake — he just tries not to swallow the water.

As for Graczyk, he likes his spot on Maryland’s Gunpowder River. You won’t see him packing away his windsurfing gear, unless the wind is better somewhere else.

What’s in Your Beach Water?

Want to know how safe your beach is? Browse Earth 911’s interactive state-by-state map that allows you to monitor your beach’s water. You can also find out what your local officials are doing to make sure water-quality levels remain high during the swimming season.

Business Wire: Snap’s CO2 Saver Helps Computer Users Prevent More Than 125,000 Lbs of CO2 Emissions in Three Months

Filed under: Earth 911 - July 18, 2007

July 18, 2007

Free, Lightweight Application Adjusts Users’ Computer Power Settings to Reduce Power Consumption, Thus Reducing Emissions

PASADENA, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Snap Technologies, Inc. today announced that CO2 Saver – a free, lightweight application that allows computer users to quickly and easily start saving electricity when away from their computers – has collectively reduced its users’ power consumption and prevented more than 125,000 lbs of CO2 emissions from entering the atmosphere. CO2 Saver calculates the amount of energy it saves, converts it to prevented emissions from power plants, and displays the amount of CO2 an individual user has saved, as well as all other CO2 Saver users combined.

“We’re thrilled to see such a significant milestone achieved in such a short amount of time,” said Tom McGovern, CEO of Snap Technologies. “It’s a testament that even small changes like this can have a meaningful and significant impact on our environment.”

CO2 Saver resides on the desktop and immediately adjusts user’s Windows Power Management settings to reduce their computer’s energy use when idle, saving energy and decreasing the demand on their power utility. Users have the added flexibility of adjusting the level of power management at any time and can position the toolbar anywhere on the desktop. CO2 Saver is available as a free download from http://co2saver.org/

Snap.com continues to work with environmental organizations to deploy the CO2 Saver or a custom version that allows the group to keep a running total of their group’s cumulative CO2 savings.

“CO2 Saver is completely in line with Earth 911’s mission to provide information to the Earth’s citizens enabling them to take action to help protect the environment. CO2 Saver really allows people to do something to make a change. Not just talk about it,” said Mark Rappaport, program manager, Earth 911.

About Snap Technologies

Snap Technologies, Inc., operator of Snap.com, is dedicated to getting users to results they really want faster. Snap.com delivers superior relevance and visual, rich and interactive search results to broadband users, and offers risk-free, flexible Cost-Per-Action advertising with unmatched ROI to advertisers. The company’s Snap Shots service is an open platform for delivering contextually relevant content such as stock quotes, streaming audio or video, product information and more, directly to users as they browse the web. Snap Technologies is a network company of Idealab, a creator and operator of technology businesses, with additional funding from Mayfield Fund. Snap.com builds on Idealab’s achievements in the search industry, including its creation of the paid search model through its former network company Overture Services, which was acquired by Yahoo! in 2003. Snap Technologies is based in Pasadena, CA.

Wakulla.com: DEP Encourages Use and Recycling of Compact Flourescent Lamps

Filed under: Earth 911 - July 17, 2007

07-17-2007

–CFLs reduce energy consumption and prevent greenhouse gas emissions–

Encouraged by the growing popularity of compact fluorescent lamps, or CFLs, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) is urging residents to continue replacing incandescent lights with this energy-efficient technology that now comes in a variety of sizes and lighting qualities. CFLs should be recycled with other household hazardous waste items.

“While energy-efficient lighting is beneficial for your home, it is important to know how to recycle the bulbs to ensure protection of the environment,” said DEP Secretary Michael W. Sole. “Both the Department and the federal Environmental Protection Agency are working with groups nationwide to identify ways to make recycling of compact fluorescent light bulbs much easier for consumers in the future.”

CFLs are small fluorescent light bulbs that can be screwed into a regular light socket, use about 75 percent less energy than standard incandescent bulbs and last up to 10 times longer. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), if every American home replaced just one light bulb with an ENERGY STAR qualified CFL, it would save enough energy to light more than three million homes for a year and prevent greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to more than 800,000 cars.

Each CFL does contain a very small amount of mercury – usually around 5 milligrams, or about the amount that would cover the tip of a ball-point pen. In comparison, a mercury fever thermometer usually contains about 500 milligrams of mercury. DEP is encouraging residents to recycle CFLs. If a CFL or other fluorescent lamp should break in your home, DEP recommends the following guidelines for cleanup:

1. Ventilate the room
* Open a window.
* Leave the room and restrict access for at least 30 minutes.
* If available, point a floor or pedestal fan at the open window. Using a ceiling fan will not be as helpful at moving the air out of the window.

2. Pick up all materials you can
* Wear disposable gloves.
* Carefully scoop up the fragments and powder with stiff paper or cardboard.
* Sticky tape (such as duct tape) can be used to pick up small pieces and powder.
* Wipe the area clean with a damp paper towel or disposable wet wipe.

3. Double bag and recycle
* Place the broken CFL and cleanup materials in doubled plastic bags and seal the bags.
* Take the materials to a local household hazardous waste center or collection event, a fluorescent lamp recycling facility, or put into the household trash stored outside if no other recycling options are available.

4. Wash your hands
Florida has first-rate household hazardous waste programs that accept fluorescent bulbs in nearly every county. To find a place to recycle these bulbs and other household hazardous waste items, visit www.earth911.org or call 1-800-CLEANUP to use your zip code to learn about the recycling options in your area of Florida. For more information on CFLs, visit EPA’s website at http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=cfls.pr_cfls. For more information on DEP’s Division of Waste Management mercury program, visit http://www.dep.state.fl.us/waste/categories/mercury.

Green Options: Tip o’ the Day: Extend the Life of Your Magazines

Filed under: Earth 911 - July 17, 2007

By Amy Stodghill
July 17, 2007

Are those magazines piling up? Gaylene of Conroe, TX has a tip for extending the use of magazines before you recycle them.

Glossy magazines and mailers from stores can first be “reused” before being recycled. Consider encouraging your child (age appropriate of course) to cut out pictures from ads to make their own collage or a picture of their “new room”. Once they’re done with the cut outs, recycle everything. You get double duty out of a recyclable material and have an entertaining activity for your child.

Schools or other organizations such as scout troops or churches may have similar projects in mind for their young participants.

Other places that might benefit from your magazines include health clinics or libraries. Many large doctors offices or hospitals have the budgets for magazine subscriptions to keep waiting rooms full of reading material. However, some smaller locations or non-profits may welcome your magazines including health clinics or the veterinarian’s office. Even places such as hair salons or laundromats might need a little more variety on their magazine racks.

Libraries subscribe to many magazine titles for archival purposes. However, the prices are much higher for institution subscribers than it is for the average reader. Your public library, community college or university library, or the libraries at high schools and middle schools in your area may also benefit from magazine donations. Before you donate, tear off your name and address from the covers of the magazines if you’re a subscriber. And encourage the person you’re giving the magazines to to recycle. Most curbside recycling services accept magaiznes. If you’re unsure about yours, check with your local recycling center or find out at Earth 911.

Of course you can always bypass the print edition and read your favorite magazine online. Many publications offer the same info online to print subscribers.
Amy says: I currently subscribe to five print editions of magazines, and I usually buy a few from the newsstands each month. Some issues I save, the rest go into the recycling bin. Although if I happen to finish reading an issue en route (usually at a cafe), I’ll leave it for someone else to enjoy.

St. Charles Republican: ‘Eco-friendly’ bulbs may pose health, environmental dangers

Filed under: Earth 911 - July 13, 2007

When it comes to compact fluorescent bulbs, the devil is in the details.

By Danya Hooker and Erin Sauder
St. Charles Republican
Fri Jul 13, 2007

The bulbs are cleaner, last longer and are more efficient than traditional incandescent bulbs. But to make those CFLs burn bright, they rely on a small amount of mercury powder — a potentially toxic substance that can pollute the very environment that the use of fluorescents are supposed to help protect.

“The amount in each tube is minuscule but with 130,000 homes in Kane County, if everyone threw one away a year that adds up to a significant amount in the landfill,” said Gary Mielke, Kane’s recycling coordinator.

Mercury, which can be inhaled or absorbed through the skin, can cause permanent nervous system and kidney damage. Among other things, the substance gave rise to the phrase “mad as a hatter” — made popular by a character in “Alice in Wonderland” — because workers once used mercury in the hat-making process before the practice ended in the early 1940s in the U.S.

Mielke said the compact fluorescent bulbs are accepted during the household hazardous waste program which holds a one-day drop-off at the Kane County fairgrounds every May. This past May, more than 1,000 households participated in the drop-off and 1.33 percent of all the hazardous waste collected was fluorescent material, Mielke said. The bulbs can also be taken to the regional drop-off site in Naperville every weekend.

Maggie Carson, from the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency, said residents are not restricted from throwing compact fluorescent bulbs in the regular trash.

“Landfills are constructed so they can accommodate a certain amount, however, our general philosophy is that as much as you can avoid putting in landfills is better for all of us,” she said.

Cliff White, St. Charles environmental services superintendent, said the city does not have a CFL recycling program but does use a contractor to recycle city CFLs.

Now, with a proposed national phase out on incandescent bulbs being led by manufacturers and other groups — following similar plans in Australia — local recyclers and waste disposal firms face having to safely dispose of another source of mercury from household waste.

In the early 2000s, Massachusetts worked to eliminate mercury from trash, but the focus of those efforts was largely on products such as thermometers.

If a bulb breaks, that mercury — in powder form — can spread into the air and potentially be inhaled. In Maine earlier this year, a homeowner who broke a bulb over a carpet reported a $2,000 clean up bill after an inspector from that state’s environmental protection office detected mercury traces in an area the size of a dinner plate.

The Environmental Protection Agency recommends waiting about 15 minutes after breaking a bulb and then clearing the broken bits and mercury particles into a sealable container. Use a stiff piece of paper or cardboard to sweep up the debris — and avoid using a vacuum cleaner which can kick mercury powder up into the air.

Massachusetts enacted an all-out mercury ban that begins in May 2008. Until then, the state will allow residents to throw away broken compact fluorescent bulbs if they are sealed inside a container before being dumped in the trash.

More information can be found at www.earth911.org.

National Geographic Channel: Dog Whisperer Week

Filed under: Pets 911 - July 13, 2007

Katrina Dogs - July 11, 2007

Ilusion Millan: When we first got the katrina dogs, our primary goal was to not only rehabilitate them, but also find their original owners. I’m gonna, once, I’m gonna type in the description and all the information on Pets 911 and so people can try to find their dogs, these owners, yeah. If we’re unable to find their original owners, then our plan is to find great homes for these dogs.

Narrator: As the dogs from the Big Easy adjust to the California coast, their photos go out on the internet, in the hope that someone, somewhere, is praying for them to come home.

E-Wire: With Environment at Forefront Earth 911 Encourages Local Follow Up to Live Earth Concert

Filed under: Earth 911 - July 11, 2007

July 11, 2007

SCOTTSDALE, ARIZONA – On the heels of this weekend’s Live Earth record setting concert and thousands of pledges committed on behalf of the environment, Earth 911 (http://www.earth911.org) urges people to visit its zip-code based recycling locater and environmental resource portal for information on how and where to recycle in their communities. US residents can find local recycling centers on Earth 911 for everything from cell phones and computers, to used motor oil, batteries paper, plastic and many other items.

Earth 911’s new Web site, which was officially relaunched on May 18, 2007, also includes thousands of tips and resources on implementing more environmentally-friendly activities in one’s daily life. The site features actionable content on numerous environmental issues with opportunities for users to interact and post comments.

“Just because events like Earth Day and Live Earth have concluded doesn’t mean people should forget about the purpose of the event,” said Earth 911 CEO Jeffrey Rassas. “Our goal at Earth 911 is to make every day Earth Day, the green movement now has momentum.”

With Environment at Forefront, Earth 911 Encourages Action Today

Filed under: Earth 911, Press Releases - July 10, 2007

Scottsdale, AZ – On the heels of this weekend’s Live Earth record setting concert and thousands of pledges committed on behalf of the environment, Earth 911 (http://www.earth911.org) urges people to visit its zip-code based recycling locater and environmental resource portal for information on how and where to recycle in their communities.

Earth 911’s new Web site, which was officially relaunched on May 18, 2007, also includes thousands of tips and resources on implementing more environmentally-friendly activities in one’s daily life. The site features actionable content on numerous environmental issues with opportunities for users to interact and post comments.

“Just because events like Earth Day and Live Earth have concluded doesn’t mean people should forget about the purpose of the event,” said Earth 911 CEO Jeffrey Rassas. “Our goal at Earth 911 is to make every day Earth Day, the green movement is now a momentum.”

About Earth 911
Earth 911, a Cause Media channel of Global Alerts, delivers actionable local information on the environment that empowers people to act locally, live responsibly and contribute to sustainability.

By simply entering your location or zip-code at the www.Earth911.org environmental portal or 1-800-CLEANUP, users can access the leading comprehensive resource for community-specific “actionable” information about:

These resources are provided at no cost to the user or taxpayer. Earth 911 centralizes information and resources into single user-friendly, neutral and non-governmental network. This Public and Private Sector Partnership combines the strength and action of America’s marketplace with local, current, and high quality information to achieve economies of scale and scope and contribute significantly to sustainability through public service.

As Americans become increasingly engaged in environmental causes and responsible lifestyle, it is critical that local information empowering awareness, education, and action be made easily accessible and widely available. Earth 911 delivers these resources and in doing so, establishes a proactive and unparalleled solution to today’s environmental challenges.

Earth 911 Factoids

Huntington News: CULTURE ARTIST - CFLs and Mercury

Filed under: Earth 911 - July 10, 2007

Chuck Hall

July 10, 2007

Compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) can greatly reduce the amount electricity used to light your home. An average CFL uses only 15 watts of energy to produce the same amount of light generated by a 100-watt incandescent bulb. However, several readers of this column have written to express their concern about the fact that CFLs contain mercury.

While it is true that CFLs contain mercury, and that mercury is toxic, there is no danger of the mercury escaping as long as the bulbs remain intact. That means that unless you break the bulb, the mercury is safely contained. In the event that a bulb breaks, a few basic precautions should keep your family safe: first, open doors and windows in the room so that any potential mercury vapors may escape; next, sweep up the fragments (don’t vacuum, as the blower in the vacuum will vent the mercury into the room and disperse it into the atmosphere); finally, secure the fragments in an airtight container (a tied plastic bag works well) until they may be properly disposed of.

To reduce danger of mercury contamination, never dispose of your CFLs in the trash. Instead, find a recycling center that will accept CFLs for reprocessing. If you are unsure if there are CFL recycling centers in your area, Earth 911 maintains a database of recycling centers at: www.earth911.org.

How serious is the danger from mercury contamination in CFLs? A standard CFL contains about 5 milligrams (mg) of mercury. There are several other common household items that contain more mercury than a CFL. Here are some examples:

A standard lithium watch battery contains about 25 mg of mercury. That’s equivalent to 5 CFL light bulbs.

Older dental fillings contain about 500 mg of mercury. That’s equivalent to 100 CFL light bulbs.

Old-fashioned home thermometers contain up to 2000 mg of mercury. That’s equivalent to 400 CFL light bulbs. If you use the new battery-powered ones, these usually run off of lithium batteries, so you’ve cut the mercury down to the equivalent of 5 CFL light bulbs.

Automatic safety shutoff switches in steam irons (the ones that shut off the iron if it’s accidentally knocked over) contain about 3500 mg of mercury. That’s equivalent to 700 CFL light bulbs.

Some other common household items that may contain mercury include greeting cards that play music, shoes with lighted soles, pilot light sensors, electric switches, barometers, analog blood pressure devices, stoves, ovens, water heaters, space heaters, clothes dryers, furnaces, ball point pens, latex paint manufactured before 1992, pesticides manufactured before 1994, older children’s chemistry sets, batteries, and anything with a safety shutoff switch.

This is not to suggest that mercury is a safe thing to have around your household, but if you are concerned about mercury contamination, there are plenty of other items around your home that pose a greater risk than CFLs. If CFLs are properly handled and properly disposed of, there is less risk of exposure to mercury than posed by other household items.

One final thing to consider with CFLs is the energy savings. Since CFLs generate the same amount of light as a 100-watt bulb for only 15 watts of power, they save a tremendous amount of energy. Most energy generated in the United States comes from coal-burning power plants. Burning coal releases mercury into the atmosphere. So it is conceivable that using incandescent bulbs poses a greater risk of mercury contamination than using CFLs.

Eastern Arizona Courier: Recycle locally to conserve

Filed under: Earth 911 - July 9, 2007

Monday, July 09, 2007
By Aimee Staten, Managing Editor

With the expansion of the Graham County Rehabilitation Center, there are now, more than ever, more opportunities to reduce waste.

For many years, Vista Recycling, 114 W. Eighth St. in Safford, has collected and recycled aluminum, brass, copper, cardboard and computer paper. Now, the Rehabilitation Center, formerly known as the Graham County ARC, has joined in the recycling efforts and collects and recycles newspaper, magazines, copper wire, electronic equipment, computers, aluminum and other metals.
The organization already collects used clothing in bins at the Bashas’ parking lot, the Champion Home Center and by the Discovery Park traffic light on Jensen Hill.

So how hard is it to recycle?

Mostly, it just takes a few changes in habits and different waste containers. While you once just tossed your newspapers and computer parts in the garbage can, you can now bag those items separately and take them to bins designated for those products.

The Rehab Center plans to place additional bins near the ones already available.

The benefits of recycling have been calculated by numerous organizations, and the consensus is that for every ton of paper made from recycled materials 17 trees, 6.953 gallons of water, 463 gallons of oil, 587 pounds of air pollution, 3.06 cubic yards of landfill space and 4,077 kilowatt hours of energy are saved.

If all morning newspapers in the United States were recycled for one day, the equivalent of 41,000 trees would be saved and 6 million tons of waste would never end up in landfills.

In one year, recycling allows aluminum companies to save the equivalent of more than 19 million barrels of oil - enough energy to supply electricity to about 18 million households for a year.

So, maybe your small bags of recyclables seems paltry now, but with a combined effort of most of the homes in the Gila Valley, we can start to make a difference in energy consumption and costs.

For more information on recycling visit www.recyclenow.com or earth911.org.

Live Earth.org: THE CONCERTS FOR A CLIMATE IN CRISIS

Filed under: Earth 911 - July 7, 2007

Reduce, Re-use, Recycle With Earth 911

Earth 911 is helping Live Earth to provide citizenry with “community-specific” information on how to recycle, reduce and re-use in their own backyards. Earth 911 delivers actionable local information on the environment that empowers people to act locally, live responsibly and contribute to sustainability.

By simply entering your location or zip-code at the www.Earth911.org environmental portal or 1-800-CLEANUP, users can access the leading comprehensive resource for community-specific “actionable” information about:

· Recycling Centers;
· Green Shopping;
· How to Live Green;
· Energy Conservation;
· Beach Water Quality and Alerting;
· Household Hazardous Waste;
· Programs for Children;
· Environmental Education
· Composting; and· much more…

These resources are provided at no cost to the user or taxpayer. Earth 911 centralizes information and resources into single user-friendly, neutral and non-governmental network. This Public and Private Sector Partnership combines the strength and action of America’s marketplace with local, current, and high quality information to achieve economies of scale and scope and contribute significantly to sustainability through public service.

As Americans become increasingly engaged in environmental causes and responsible lifestyle, it is critical that local information empowering awareness, education, and action be made easily accessible and widely available. Earth 911 delivers these resources and in doing so, establishes a proactive and unparalleled solution to today’s environmental challenges.

Earth 911 Factoids

· 16 years in business providing a comprehensive environmental network for recycling resources and actionable content

· Powering content for TV network environmental campaigns reaching up to 66M Households

· 11,000 federal, state and community coordinators entering community specific content

· US Environmental website & Hotline listing over 74,000 recycling centers and more than 400,000 recycling services

· Over a million monthly visitors to the Earth 911 website

· Over 35,000 call per month to the 1800Cleanup environmental hotline

· Links to the Earth 911 website from over 100,000 websites

· The #1 Google result for the search term “recycle”, “prevent global warming”, just to name a few environmental key words…

· Over 5 Billion consumer product labels include Earth 911 and 1-800-CLEANUP call to action to learn how to properly dispose

· National Beach Water status and alerting for 22 coastal states and 2,221 beaches

Natick Bulletin & Tab: Are fluorescent bulbs helping or harming the environment?

Filed under: Earth 911 - July 5, 2007

Kathy Uek

Gatehouse News Service

July 05, 2007

Natick -

Compact fluorescent bulbs save energy and are being touted as an environmentally-friendly alternative to incandescent bulbs because they cut down on electricity use. But compact fluorescent bulbs also contain mercury, the very substance federal and state agencies have been working diligently at ridding from the waste stream.

“It’s a very significant issue,” said state Sen. David Linsky, D-Natick. Linsky wanted to review the matter in more depth before talking about whether more funding will be necessary to dispose of mercury products as more people use the bulbs.

State Sen. Karen Spilka, D-Ashland, said she supports increased funding for local mercury-disposal efforts but that at this point there is no discussion at the legislative level about setting aside more money for them.

Ed Coletta, a spokesman with the state Department of Environmental Protection, said the DEP is working on new regulations for the disposal of household CFL bulbs, but noted commercial users must recycle any mercury-containing lights.

“We want to get all the mercury out of the waste stream,” said Coletta, who noted the amount of mercury in the bulbs is a relatively small amount.

The mercury powder inside the compact fluorescent bulbs, about four to five milligrams, helps them burn bright. But the mercury, which can be inhaled or absorbed through the skin, can cause permanent nervous system and kidney damage. Among other things, the substance gave rise to the phrase “mad as a hatter” — referred to a character in “Alice in Wonderland” — because workers once used mercury in the hat-making process before the practice ended in the early 1940s in the U.S.

What makes the bulbs attractive to both consumers and environmentalists is their energy-saving capacity. According to Energy Star, a joint program of the federal Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Energy, compact fluorescents use about 75 percent less energy and last 10 times as long than their incandescent counterparts.

Federal officials say if every home in America had one compact fluorescent, the country would save about $600 million in annual energy costs — enough electricity to light about 3 million homes and prevent greenhouse gases equivalent to the emissions of 800,000 cars.

But what helps the bulbs burn bright, said Coletta, is the mercury powder, and he said makers have not found a non-toxic substitute that can do the job.

Now with a proposed national phase out on incandescent bulbs being led by manufacturers and other groups — following similar plans in Australia — local recyclers and waste disposal firms face having to safely dispose of another source of mercury from household waste.

In the early 2000s, Massachusetts worked to eliminate mercury from trash — where it can re-enter the environment — but the fluorescent bulbs were not main concern then.

“I think the focus was on mercury products like thermometers… and less so on compact fluorescents,” said Coletta. “They’ve become more of an issue as they become more popular.”

Mercury thermometers have considerably more of the material inside — about 500 milligrams — than compact fluorescent bulbs.

If a bulb breaks, that mercury - in powder form — can spread into the air and potentially inhaled. In Maine earlier this year, a homeowner who broke a bulb over a carpet reported a $2,000 clean up bill after an inspector from that state’s environmental protection office detected mercury traces in an area the size of a dinner plate.

In Massachusetts, the DEP recommends waiting about 15 minutes after breaking a bulb and then clearing the broken bits and mercury particles into a sealable container. Coletta said to use a stiff piece of paper or cardboard to sweep up the debris - and avoid using a vacuum cleaner.

“You have mercury powder there, and you don’t want it kicked up into the air,” said Coletta.
Roger Wade, director of Public Health in Natick, said the town accepts fluorescent tubes at its recycling center at 75 West Street.

The Town of Natick in its Recycling and Trash Collection Guide for Residents available through the town’s Web site, states its Mercury Recovery Program as follows:

“Products containing mercury pose a risk to all of us and can pollute our environment. Items such as thermometers, thermostats, mercury switches and button cell batteries, blood pressure machines and fluorescent bulbs all contain mercury and can be dropped off at the Recycling Center.

Residents can also exchange an old mercury thermometer for a free digital one at either the Board of Health office or at the DPW office.

Since the beginning of this program, mercury emissions have decreased 30 percent statewide, according to the guide.

The town supports recycling products containing mercury rather than sending them to the incinerator, which would put mercury into the environment.

“People usually tape (the bulbs) all together or put them in a box,” said Tom Hladick of the Highway Sanitation Recycling Division.

Natick recycles the mercury products with Veolia Environmental Services, formerly Onyx, and then the town gets reimbursed by the state.

Massachusetts enacted an all-out mercury ban that begins in May 2008. Until then, the state will allow residents to throw away broken compact fluorescent bulbs if they are sealed inside a container before being dumped in the trash until then. Coletta recommended recycling the bulbs if possible and contacting local departments of public works to arrange a drop off for broken bulbs. He said more information can be found online at www.earth911.org.

CNC staff writer John Hilliard contributed to this report.

AZ Family: Fireworks can be terrifying for pets

Filed under: Pets 911 - July 3, 2007

Catherine Holland / azfamily.com

Tuesday, July 3, 2007

While people all over the country are looking forward to the traditional Fourth of July fireworks show, it’s important to remember that what’s fun and entertaining to us can be terrifying to our pets.

Frightened by the explosions and bright flashes of light, it’s not uncommon for frightened animals to dig under or jump over fences. Even the best-behaved and most well-trained animals run when they’re scared. And once they’re out of familiar territory, they get lost.

Personnel at animal shelters throughout the Valley, including Maricopa County Animal Care and Control and Arizona Humane Society facilities, say that July 5, is usually their busiest day of the year because so many animals get loose during Fourth of July fireworks.

“In addition to seeing dozens of lost, scared, sick and injured pets on July 5, we see many distraught people in search of their lost companions,” AHS president and CEO Cheryl Naumann has said.

Summer is an especially dangerous time for an animal to be lost and on its own. Without water, animals can easily suffer heat exhaustion or dehydration. Roaming streets and sidewalks that have been baking in the Arizona sun often lead to burned paws.

Both Animal Care and Control and the AHS have some simple suggestions to help pet owners keep their animals safe this holiday.

Resources

Arizona Petline
602-252-2727

Missing Mutts
480-898-8914

Pets 911
www.Pets911.com
1-888-PETS-911 (738-7911)

Arizona Humane Society www.AZHumane.org

602- 997-7585

Campus for Compassion
1521 W. Dobbins Road

Sunnyslope facility
9226 N. 13th Ave.

Animal Care & Control pets.maricopa.gov 602-506-PETS (7387) West Valley Center
2323 S. 35th Ave. East Valley Center
2630 W. Eighth St.

Protecting pets from the heat

First, keep your pets indoors. If you are hosting a party, be sure to watch for open doors and gates. Pets are quick and can slip away before you know it. If you do have to take your animal outside, make sure it is securely on a leash.

If you can, confine your pet to a single room where it will feel safe. Make sure it has plenty of food and water (but don’t overfeed) and lots of toys to play with. You might also consider turning on a radio or television to drown out the noise of the fireworks. Also be sure to pet-proof the room, removing anything that could hurt your pet if chewed or swallowed.

Whatever you do, do not take your animal to an event featuring fireworks. Between the noise of the show and the bustling crowd, chances are good your pet could get away from you.

Finally, make sure your animal has current identification. Make sure to include your name and at least two phone numbers on the tag. If your pet does run away, that will increase the chances your getting it back safely.

If your pet does run away, visit the AHS Sunnyslope facility, as well as the Maricopa County facilities.

People who lose pets, as well as those that find them, should report it online at Pets 911 .

Be aware that the law only requires shelters to hold animals for 72 hours before putting them up for adoption. What’s more, pet suffering irreparable injuries or failing health and temperament exams may be euthanized after that 72-hour period.

Filed under: Earth 911 - July 1, 2007

Green Guide 121 | July/August 2007

Repair or Replace?
by Amanda MacMillan

As long as you’ve got electronics and appliances in your home, you’re inevitably going to be faced with a choice: Something breaks. Now what?

According to a 2005 Consumer Reports survey, Americans are repairing 16 percent fewer products—including high-cost items like television sets and refrigerators—than in 1997. The number of appliance-repairs shops has declined roughly 37 percent in 15 years while the number of electronics-repair shops has plummeted by 64 percent. So-called “e-waste”–computer monitors, televisions and other electronic waste—is the fastest growing portion of the U.S. waste stream. In 2005, electronics accounted for 2.63 million tons of waste—only 12.5 percent of which was recycled.

If you’re lucky enough to find a repair shop, it may seem that the best environmental option would be to hang on to old appliances and electronics for as long as possible. Along with the environmental impact of new-product production, there’s another concern: Many electronics contain heavy metals (such as lead and mercury), flame retardants and other toxic chemicals that can wash into waterways and pollute groundwater if sent to a landfill. But older products can be a big drain of household energy. “You need to consider buying a new product—which must be manufactured—or fixing your existing product, which may not be up to the latest energy standards,” says Greg Keoleian, Ph.D., co-director of the Center for Sustainable Systems at the University of Michigan.

From a price perspective, if the cost to repair a household appliance is more than half the price of a new product, advances in energy efficiency will generally make buying a newer model the cheaper choice. Based on these numbers and considering today’s more environmentally friendly technologies, here’s a guide to when you should repair or replace.

Washers

* Replace all top loaders.

When Keoleian and his colleagues compared the average lifecycle of a washing machine (14 years) with the amount of water and emissions that could be saved by a newer model, they determined that even replacing a 2005 machine could have water-saving benefits. The reason: Water- and energy-saving technology continues to evolve as companies push beyond standards. It’s most important to replace top loaders with Energy Star-labeled new front loaders as soon as possible; although they’re generally more expensive, these models circulate clothes in a shallower pool of water, using less water and heat, and saving money in the long run. (Getting rid of a pre-1994 washer, for example, can save a family $110 a year on utility bills.) For models, see our Washing Machine Product Report.

Clothes Dryer

* Repair if possible, but line dry clothing whenever you can.

As long as your dryer has a moisture sensor (nearly all models in operation today should), it functions at about the same efficiency as current models, according to the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy. A dryer’s average life cycle is about 13 years, so if it’s possible to fix it during this time, try that first. When it is time to buy a new dryer, look for one with the sensor in the drum, as opposed to in the exhaust vent; it will shut off a little sooner and save slightly more energy. However, since dryers consume large amounts of energy, line drying or hanging your clothes on a rack is a better option. For dryers and drying racks, see Virtuous Cycles.

Refrigerators

* Replace all models manufactured before 2001.

New refrigerators consume 75 percent less energy than those produced in the late 1970s, and are even more efficient than models just six years old, Keoleian’s research has found. The newest federal standards went into effect in 2001—so if you need to make repairs on an older fridge, it’s worth getting a new one instead. When replacing your refrigerator, opt for a top-freezer configuration rather than a side-by-side, and make sure it’s Energy Star-certified. A new refrigerator should then last you about 14 years. And resist the urge to hold on to your old fridge or give it away, since inefficient old models can cost over $100 a year to run. Most communities have specific requirements for disposing of refrigerators and other large appliances; visit www.earth911.org for information in your area. For models, see our Refrigerator Product Report.

Dishwasher

* Replace non-Energy Star models.

Newer, more efficient dishwashers use less hot water, have energy-efficient motors and use sensors to determine the length of the wash cycle—making Energy Star models 25 percent more efficient than the minimum federal standards. This can mean a savings of $25 a year if you replace a pre-1994 machine. When shopping for a new dishwasher, choose one with a “light wash” or “energy saving” cycle—and expect to hang onto it for about 9 years, suggests the National Association of Home Builders. And remember that handwashing dishes is an inefficient alternative, generally wasting more water than dishwashers. For models, see our Dishwasher Product Report.

Air conditioners

* Replace window units older than 7 years and central-air systems older than 10, but consider alternative cooling methods.

Upgrading your window units to a more efficient model can cut energy bills by an average of $14 a year, estimates the Energy Star program. The most efficient room air conditioners have higher-efficiency compressors, fan motors and heat-transfer surfaces than previous models. Central ACs are rated according to their seasonal energy efficiency ratio (SEER)—for which most 1992 to 2005 models score about a 10; older ACs have ratings of only 6 or 7. New minimum standards set in 2006 require current central-air units to have a SEER of at least 13. Because of the coolants used, old room-AC units need to be disposed of in hazardous waste facilities; old central units are usually disposed of by the contractor hired to install the new unit, but always ask ahead of time to ensure proper disposal.

Before you buy, however, consider alternatives such as ceiling fans, evaporative coolers (if you live in a dry climate), whole-house fans and landscaping or decorating changes, all of which can keep your home comfortable for a fraction of the cost (see Keep Your Cool With Less AC). For models, see our Air Conditioner Product Report.

Water heaters

* Replace all electric heaters, and any gas heaters older than 10 years.

If you have an electric heating system, you can achieve a 50 percent energy savings used by switching to a high-efficiency gas model. Gas heating systems can last for about 25 years but will operate for years at very low efficiency before they finally fail [but do they operate at low efficiency because of something that can be repaired?] ; if yours is more than 10 years old, it probably operates at less than 50 percent efficiency and deserves to be replaced. Consider a “demand,” or tankless, system, in which water is circulated through a large coil and heated only when needed. Although EnergyStar doesn’t certify these models, the government estimates that they can save between 45 and 60 percent of water heating energy and up to $1,800 a year when compared to standard, minimum-efficiency heaters.

Computers

* Repair as long as you can.

“The manufacture of brand new computer models uses more than four times the energy and resources it would take to extend the life of an older machine for another few years, says Sheila Davis, executive director of the Silicon Valley Toxics Coalition—so it’s best to always repair it yours if possible. Memory can be added to slow computers (1-gig will run about $100 and you can install it yourself). But it’s important to consider the repair process, says Davis: Name brand computers often have proprietary parts and need to be shipped back to the manufacturer—or sometimes even overseas—to be fixed. “White box” computers, that is, generic models without name brand parts, can easily be upgraded at local computer stores, but warranties for them can be tricky. They come without software, and finding technical support may be difficult. White box models are available online or at large computer chains.

If you prefer a name-brand item, choose one with a strong takeback program that will guarantee your computer won’t end up in a landfill. Dell takes back all branded products for free; others accept new models or charge a small fee. Visit www.computertakeback.com/docUploads/Using_takeback_programsv7a.pdf for a comparison of most popular brands. As far as desktops versus laptops, it’s a toss-up: “Even though laptops are smaller, they often have just as many chemicals to dispose of,” says Davis. If you still have a large cathode-ray tube (CRT) monitor, replace it with a flat-panel liquid crystal display: A 15-inch LCD screen uses about 18 watts of energy, as opposed to about 200 for CRT’s. For models, see our Computers Product Report.

Smaller electronics

* Replace, but recycle.

It’s probably not financially practical to repair electronics such as printers, televisions, and digital cameras, but it’s best to keep them out of landfills. Before ditching them, always consult the instruction manual and consider contacting the manufacturer; sometimes they’ll provide repairs for a small fee. When they do need to be disposed of, visit www.greenerchoices.org for recycling options that won’t put toxic chemicals back into the environment. Cell phones, for example, are often reprogrammed and donated to women facing domestic violence (as a 911 lifeline), and chains such as Best Buy and Staples often sponsor collection drives for other broken electronics (see also www.eco-cell.org). Apple will take back iPods (as well as cellphones), offering a 10 percent discount towards your next purchase.

Resources

To recycling appliances, check with your local sanitation department or visit www.Earth911.org.

Repair Clinic: www.repairclinic.com

Point and Click Appliance Repair: www.pcappliancerepair.com