Contra Costa Times: Green Tips

Filed under: Earth911 - October 30, 2009

By Rebecca Jepsen

Recycle your old electronics. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, recyclers recover more than 100 million pounds of materials from electronics each year. Go to www.earth911.com/electronics to find a recycling station near you.

Food waste and yard clippings take up nearly one-quarter of the space in landfills. Composting can provide free, high-quality fertilizer for your plants and garden. Most community centers offer composting classes.

UTV Weekly: If You Are a Do-It-Yourself Oil Changer Here are Some Tips

Filed under: Earth911 - October 28, 2009

By Ben

Do you change your UTV, Truck or Car motor oil? If so, you’re considered a do-it-yourself (DIY) oil changer! According to the American Petroleum Institute, more than 50 percent of all motorists fall into this category. DIY oil changers generate approximately a quarter of all used motor oil that has the potential to be reused or recycled: that’s about 150 million gallons of used motor oil each year!

When you change your own oil, you take responsibility for properly disposing of your used oil, too. Mobil Oil wants to help you with that: Just enter your postal zip code in their locator to find the location of the oil recycling or disposal facility nearest you.

With business activities in some 200 countries and territories across six continents, ExxonMobil realizes the potential environmental impact of its operations and desires to maintain the highest standards for environmental stewardship. Because Exxon/Mobil believes protecting the environment is everyone’s responsibility, the company has joined with Earth 911, a nonprofit network that provides access to local environmental programs in the United States and parts of Canada, to make it easier for consumers to properly dispose of their used motor oil.

Oil is a valuable resource!

According to Earth911.com oil originates from fossil fuels and is valuable in both its original form and as a recyclable substance. Many consumers don’t realize that oil can be reused and recycled through reconditioning, reprocessing, and re-refining. These recycling efforts help to:

You might not know it, but used motor oil is already valuable energy resource! A large portion of the used motor oil collected is reprocessed into fuel that is burned in furnaces, turbines, power plants, and manufacturing facilities to provide heat and electricity. This can support the conservation of natural resources and help protect our environment. To put this into perspective, two gallons of used motor oil can generate enough electricity to:

But even more important than that, it is extremely important to keep oil out of our waterways and drinking water supplies! Each year in the United States alone, millions of gallons of used motor oil are improperly discarded, which can result in the contamination of lakes, rivers, streams and groundwater supplies. In addition, used oil is insoluble, slow to degrade, and very sticky which poses a health threat to humans, plants, animals, and the environment.

Should oil get into the environment, it can quickly pollute large amounts of water. For instance, one gallon of motor oil can:

Recycling the motor oil from just one oil change can help protect one million gallons of drinking water!

For more information about Earth 911, go to www.Earth911.com or call 1-800 CLEANUP for quick access to information about recycling used motor oil and other environmental programs in your local area. Click here to locate the nearest oil recycling or disposal facility.

WISN Milwaukee: Doyle Bans Dumping Of Electronics

Filed under: Earth911 - October 25, 2009

Wisconsin is making it harder to dump old computers and other electronics into landfills.

Gov. Jim Doyle signed a bill banning computers, fax machines, and other electronics from being dumped into Wisconsin’s landfills. The ban would halt the leakage of dangerous chemicals from the machines into the ground.

The problem that arises is most people do not know where to take their old electronics.

“I don’t even know where to get rid of any of the electronics,” said Samantha Boege.

Samantha is not alone according to Consumer Reports’ Urvashi Rangan, it can be tricky looking for a place to recycle old electronics. The bigger problem he says, is people throwing thme in the garbage and not realizing the danger.

A Consumer Reports National Research Center survey of more than two thousand Americans reveals only about 11 to 17 percent are recycling electronics.

“Cell phones can be loaded with toxic metals such as arsenic, cadmium, and mercury,” said Urvashi Rangan, “When they break in a landfill they can pose an environmental and a neurological hazard.”

Retailers like Best Buy, Office Depot, and Staples accept electronic devices, as do many manufacturers.

Consumer Reports says to find a location to drop off your electronics, go to www.Earth911.com. People can type in what they want to recycle and ZIP code, and get a list of centers in their area.

Some recyclers ship electronics overseas where they are dumped into landfills. To find a responsible recycler, they will have signed the “Electronics Recycler’s Pledge of True Stewardship.”

Muskogee Daily Phoenix: PAWS Readies for Fundraiser

Filed under: Earth911 - October 22, 2009

Today’s economy has affected Muskogee’s no-kill animal shelter just as much as it is stressing area families.

But there are two immediate ways that people can help—attending the upcoming Animal Fest and recycling aluminum cans.

Promoting Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) is preparing for its primary yearly fundraiser, Animal Fest, which will be from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday.

PAWS receives all of its income from donations.

Animal Fest will feature concessions, pet contests, animal demonstrations, raffles, and pet supply retailer PetCo will be there awarding prizes for the pet contests, free goodies and they will have a groomer for free pet toenail clippings. Petco will also have a dog obedience specialist giving short seminars.

“We’re asking everyone to come out and support PAWS at Animal Fest,” said Paige Frix, PAWS director. “Our group does so much to help with Muskogee’s stray animal problem, but we cannot do it alone.”

Frix said pets are welcome to attend, as long as they are properly leashed or contained.

Another easy way to help PAWS is by dropping off aluminum cans to the shelter facility.

Aluminum beverage cans may be deposited in a special container located behind the facility at 4321 E. Hayes St. When the container reaches capacity, the cans are hauled away to be recycled, which translates into desperately needed funds for PAWS.

Aluminum cans are 100 percent recyclable and can be recycled indefinitely, according to the website Earth911.com. The website states that in 2003, 54 billion cans were recycled, saving the energy equivalent of 15 million barrels of crude oil—America’s entire gas consumption for one day.

Information: PAWS at 686-7297.

If you go

WHAT: PAWS Animal Fest

When: 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday.

Deseret News: Three Simple Storage Solutions for Kids’ Rooms

Filed under: Earth911 - October 22, 2009

By Catherine Newman
Disney FamilyFun magazine

Make the most of your child’s room with these easy ideas for organizing her favorite things.

Hang a Rotating Art Gallery (ages 12 months and up)

Wooden skirt hangers make pretty and practical “frames” for showing —and storing— your little artist’s portfolio. As it grows, just clip the latest work to the front of the collection. (We bought six hangers for $7 at Bed Bath & Beyond and painted them.)

Store Stuffies Out of Sight (ages 18 months and up)

Here’s a cozy, convenient solution to the problem of stuffed animals piling up: tuck them in an empty beanbag chair. Just dump out the beans (we turned our chair inside out over an empty trash can) and stash your little one’s collection inside. For information on recycling polystyrene beanbag filler, go to earth911.com.

Keep Art Supplies Handy (ages 2 years and up)

Stow crayons, paper, and other essentials in a new or repurposed cleaning caddy to help your child keep track of her supplies—and easily move them from place to place whenever the creative impulse strikes.

Reading Eagle: Ask the Vet’s Pets: Cigarette Butts Can be Lethal to Cats

Filed under: Earth911 - October 9, 2009

By Dr. Deborah Lee Pickett

Dear Christopher Cat: My boyfriend leaves his cigarette butts in the ash tray, and our kitten tries to eat them. Will they hurt her?

Christopher Responds: Yes, definitely. Many of us cats are attracted to tobacco, but it’s dangerous for us to nibble cigarette butts—and even to live in homes where people smoke.

When your boyfriend smokes, he exhales toxins and particles that float down to the furniture and floor where we cats spend most of our time. These substances stick to our hair, and we ingest them when we groom.

They then accumulate in the back of the feline throat, often causing a type of cancer called squamous cell carcinoma. It’s aggressive and, at that location, nearly impossible to treat.

If your boyfriend must smoke, ask him to smoke outside. And instruct him to discard his cigarette butts in the trash.

Cigarette butts carry 25 percent of the cigarette’s nicotine, 13 to 30 mg, depending on the brand. Around 20 mg is lethal to us cats, so your kitten shouldn’t be allowed to nibble on butts.

If she does, excitation, rapid breathing, drooling, vomiting or diarrhea may develop within 15 to 45 minutes.

Depending on the dose of nicotine ingested, she could experience twitching, muscle weakness, increased heart rate, shallow breathing, collapse, coma and cardiac arrest. Death is usually due to respiratory paralysis.

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Dear Daisy Dog: I am in nursing school, and while researching a report I’m writing on disposal of expired and unused medications, I found your Web site.

I read your article on the importance of not flushing drugs down the toilet. You offered several alternatives for safe drug disposal.

My research identified an additional resource: www.earth911.com/hazardous/medications. Just enter your zip code, and the Web site will direct you to organizations that accept and properly dispose of unwanted medications.

Daisy Responds: Thanks for your suggestion. Nurses are some of the smartest people I know.

Your www.earth911.com Web site directs visitors to organizations that accept and dispose of all kinds of things, from automotive fluids, batteries, compact fluorescent light bulbs and electronics, to paint, pesticides and tires.

Christopher Cat and I are pleased our Web site helped you research your nursing school project.

The site, www.askthevetspets.com, contains over 700 pages of replies to questions from animal people – as well as nursing students with helpful suggestions.

A page of links to other reliable Web sites is included to round out the site’s usefulness as a research tool.

As always, your most valuable resource is your pet’s veterinarian.

Ask the Vet’s Pets appears Friday. The animal authors of the column live with veterinarian Lee Pickett, V.M.D. Write to them at P.O. Box 302, Bernville, PA 19506-0302, or visit www.askthevetspets.com.

Contra Costa Times: Green Scene: Lunchboxes

Filed under: Earth911 - October 9, 2009

By Trine Gallegos

Cyndi Pedrazzi wasn’t tired of making lunches for her daughters, but she sure was tired of all the trash.

“I was disgusted with the amount of waste I was creating, not to mention fed up with the dirty lunchboxes that I could not put in the dishwasher. They smelled of mildew and were filthy on the outside.”

So Cyndi and her husband, Paul, created a dishwasher-safe lunchbox with reusable containers.

The San Ramon couple quickly partnered with Whipsaw designs, and the “Yubo lunchbox” was born. Despite being a newbie, Yubo is already receiving buzz, including a segment on MSNBC.

“It’s incredible,” Cyndi says. “The response has been nothing short of amazing.”

Cyndi is more than happy about Yubo and the path it’s taking.

“I never dreamed that my husband and I would create something kids and parents would love. It’s such a rush to see our invention in the hands of children.”

She’s especially thrilled that the product is eco-friendly.

“I feel that I am actually doing something to help reduce waste. I’m teaching my kids the value of caring for our planet,” said the hybrid-driving mom, whose family is big on recycling.

The colorful, charming lunchboxes are a win-win. The inside of the box pleases parents, while the outside excites kids. With a large array of faceplates to customize and jazz up the box —from animals to sports to a personal photo or artwork— there’s something for nearly everyone. My 7-year-old picked all her Yubo details and is downright thrilled about getting it.The standard lunchbox is $21.95, while the deluxe model runs $29.95. For more details, go to www.getyubo.com.

And if you’re wondering about the Yubo name, it’s a combo of you and your lunchbox. You, box, Yubo.

Coast Boast

My daughter, husband and I joined nearly 250 others in East County for International Coastal Cleanup day Sept. 19. Our big group hit the area near the Antioch Marina. I was impressed and inspired by the number of families giving up a Saturday morning to help. This cleanup day appears to have been just in time as the Save the Bay group announced that four East Bay sites, including the Antioch Shoreline, made the Top 10 trash hot spots. For more information on this and other news from the group, go to www.savesfbay.org. For the scoop on how to help other waterways throughout the year —and for the 2010 cleanup event— go to www.oceanconservancy.org.

Hang it Up

Have a bundle of wire hangers you don’t want? Donate them to a thrift store or go to earth911.com for a list of dry cleaners in your area that will accept and reuse them. You’ll help cut back on the estimated 3.5 billion hangers that end up in landfills every year.

Recycled Sneakers

I love a product that gets made into another. I call it an eco-transformer. For example, some cute sneakers are made with materials such as old recycled aluminum and water bottles. Keds, which has a green label line, has them.

Payless Shoes features zoe & zac “Daisy Frayed” skimmers for $20. They’re made from an organic cotton upper and recycled rubber outsole.

Bag It

Already toting reusable bags to the supermarket? Go a step further and ditch those smaller plastic bags used for onions, apples, tomatoes and the like by snagging some reusable produce 3B Bags. The nylon mesh drawstring bags are breathable, see-through and machine washable. Plus, they weigh next to nothing. A set of three sells for $7.50 at www.3bbags.com.

Treats, No Tricks

Help Mama Nature out this Halloween with these simple tips from Earth Share:

San Luis Obispo Tribune: 7 to Recycle: Beyond Bottles and Cans

Filed under: Earth911 - October 5, 2009

By Better Homes and Gardens

You’re committed to curbside recycling. Now how do you tackle the tough stuff? Check out these solutions for seven hard-to-recycle items.

1. APPLIANCES

Freezing out inefficient models reaps cool rewards.

Most appliances can be tricky to dispose of. Refrigerators and freezers in particular are required by law to be properly recycled due to their hazardous components.

Best Steps: If you’re replacing an old refrigerator, first check with your local utility. Just by getting rid of an inefficient but functioning model, you may qualify for a rebate and free removal. If your refrigerator doesn’t work, contact your local waste management facility to have it picked up, usually for a fee. Another option: When you buy a new refrigerator or other appliance, some retailers, including Best Buy and Lowe’s (select stores), will haul away your old one and send it to a recycling facility.

2. TIRES

Local efforts promote a smooth ride nationwide.

Piles of tires can pose problems from excessive landfill consumption to mosquito breeding grounds.

Best Steps: Ask about recycling when you replace your old tires. Regulations in all but two states (Delaware and Alaska) keep scrap tires out of the landfill, so it’s common for retailers to contract with recyclers. They’ll turn tires into rubber crumbs that become new products such as outdoor surfacing. If you have a tire at home, contact your local waste management service. Be prepared to take it to a disposal facility and pay a fee.

3. ELECTRONICS

It’s prime time for refurbishing programs.

Unwanted TVs, computers, and other common electronics (known as E-waste) are perhaps today’s biggest concern because of the increasing volume and limitations. Metal and glass pieces can be removed, but what’s left piles up in landfills and leeches toxins into the ground.

Best Steps: Now required in some states, some manufacturers and retailers have mail-in or drop-off programs for their own products. The best course for a newer computer is to donate it for refurbishing. For options, see electronicstakeback.com or the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s “Plug-in to eCycling” program. And with all electronics, ask yourself, “Do I really need a newer model?”

4. MATTRESSES

There’s no overnight solution for giving your old softie a new life.

With only a few mattress recycling facilities in the U.S., this is one of the more problematic categories. Springs are recyclable, but there’s not a big market for the other components. The store where you purchase your new mattress may offer to take your old one, but it could still go to the landfill.

Best Steps: You may be able to donate your old mattress to a shelter, but probably not a charity that handles resale, such as Goodwill or Salvation Army. Consider giving it one last shot at being used through reecycle.org — an online exchange that offers a variety of items, all for free.

5. CARPET

Consumer interest helps lay it on the line.

The mix of materials in carpet makes it difficult and costly to separate in the recycling process, but the desire to address the problem is evident. More than 243 million pounds of carpet were recycled last year, according to the Carpet America Recovery Effort or CARE (carpetrecovery.org).

Best Steps: Currently, carpet recycling is handled commercially, so ask your local retailer if your old carpet will be recycled when your new flooring is installed.

6. TOILETS

After the flush comes the crush.

Water-guzzling toilets threaten the environment even after they’ve been replaced with new efficient models when they’re sent to the landfill.

Best Steps: Though available only in limited areas, independent recyclers salvage old toilets for their replacement parts (such as lids) and crush the leftovers. Porcelain chips can be used for road paving; they’ve also found their way into composite countertops. Eventually, toilet recycling is sure to become widespread; for now, check with your local waste management division for disposal procedures.

7. SHOES

A solution for downtrodden sneakers becomes a runaway success.

One old pair of athletic shoes may be the least of your recycling worries. But if you could help keep millions of pairs out of the landfill, wouldn’t it be worth the effort?

Best Steps Donate wearable shoes of any kind to a local charity or to an organization such as soles4souls.org. Take worn-out athletic shoes (any brand) to a Nike store or one of its other collection sites. Nike’s Reuse-a-Shoe program is responsible for recycling the rubber, foam, and fabric from more than 23 million pairs of shoes into various types of surfacing, such as playground material. For details, see nikereuseashoe.com.

LABEL LESSONS FOR NEW PURCHASES

When you buy carpet made from plastic bottles or doormats made from tires, you’re helping “close the loop” on waste. Look for labels that indicate a product contains recycled content. Post-consumer content (materials that otherwise would have been thrown away) is thought to be greener than preconsumer content, which refers to waste collected during manufacturing. Products labeled recyclable have the most meaning when they’re necessary purchases or have a short life span. For example, it’s more important to be able to recycle a glass food jar than a vase.

RECYCLING RESOURCES

(Want to see what else is coming from Better Homes and Gardens magazine? Go to www.bhg.com for more.)

Tacoma News Tribune: What to do When Those Energy-efficient CFL Light Bulbs Burn Out

Filed under: Earth911 - October 1, 2009

By Ken Sheinkopf

Q: Your recent article in our local newspaper touting CFL bulbs was unfortunately one-sided. The cost savings dwindle when these bulbs burn out and they must be taken to a toxic waste disposal site. The time taken to find such a site plus the time and car expense involved offset any original price reduction. Why don’t you write about this?

A: This isn’t the first email I’ve gotten from readers in recent months about the dangers of compact fluorescent bulbs (CFLs) and wondering why anyone would want to bring these “hazardous products” into their homes. I think it is time to get the facts and the myths together in one place to address the concerns, questions and rumors that seem to be everywhere these days, growing as the very use of CFLs increases thanks to dramatic price drops, widespread availability, and new bulbs that work in everything from dimmers and recessed fixtures to three-way switches and track lighting.

I set aside a couple of weeks this summer and read through every report, news story and paper I could find that talked about CFLs, discussed them with several energy experts, and tried to come up with a concise accounting of the myths and the facts about the safety of compact fluorescent bulbs. Because there is indeed mercury in CFLs, I read EPA’s and manufacturers’ recommendations for cleaning them up if they break. And because I often hear from readers complaining that the CFLs they buy never last very long, I tried to find out the best ways to use the bulbs so they reach the promised lifetimes their manufacturers claim. Consider the following:

  1. Compact fluorescent bulbs do contain mercury, an element that is found naturally in the environment, though exposure to a large quantity of it could cause health problems. The bulbs do not give off any mercury when they are being used or being handled. When putting them into lamps, hold the bulbs by their base and don’t force them into the socket to avoid breaking them.
  2. The amount of mercury in a CFL is about 5 mg — not even enough to fill the period at the end of this sentence. By comparison, some watch batteries have 25 mg of mercury in them, dental fillings can have 500 mg, and a common household thermometer has 500 to as many as 3,000 mg of the element in them. CFL manufacturers continue to work on reducing even the very small amount of mercury in the bulbs, and there have been significant reductions in recent years.
  3. The only way for the mercury vapor to escape the tube is if the bulb breaks. If that happens, ventilating the room for about 15 minutes will allow the gas to escape. You can then carefully scoop up the broken pieces, double-bag them and throw them out with your trash. For more details on the best disposal of a broken CFL, visit www.epa.gov/mercury/spills/#fluorescent/.
  4. The largest man-made sources of mercury are coal-fired power plants (the Sierra Club estimates that coal-fired power plants, which produce about half of the country’s power, put about 50 tons of mercury into the air every year). If you’re really concerned about the amount of mercury in our air, then, you’re actually better off buying CFLs than incandescents. Since CFLs use less electricity than incandescents, they actually reduce the amount of mercury getting into our environment. EPA estimates that during its 8,000-hour rated lifetime, a 13-watt CFL would put out about 1.8 mg of mercury from electricity use and from emissions if it goes to a landfill, while a 60-watt incandescent that puts out the same amount of light would give off more than three times that amount of mercury from its electricity use.
  5. To dispose of unbroken bulbs, it is recommended that you bring them to a recycling center in your community. Contact your local municipal solid waste agency to find the locations of recycling centers near you, or get information online at sites such as www.epa.gov/bulbrecycling, www.lamprecycle.org, www.recycleabulb.com, or www.earth911.com (or call them at 800-CLEAN-UP). In addition, stores such as Home Depot, Ikea and others as well as other businesses around the country offer recycling to consumers who drop off the used bulbs at their local stores. Some CFL manufacturers also accept burned-out CFLs for recycling.
  6. There have been reports about CFLs causing fires, smoke pouring out of them when they burn out, and presenting other hazards just by their use. While there has been little proof that bulbs actually caused these problems, you should make sure that the CFLs you buy carry the Underwriters Laboratories UL mark that show they have been tested for safety hazards.
  7. Frequently turning CFLs on and off will shorten their lifetimes. For uses of about 15 minutes or less (such as in closets or stairways), use incandescent bulbs. It is also important that you use the proper type of CFL in the fixtures you choose. For recessed fixtures, 3-way fixtures, dimmers, outdoor use or other specialized situations, make sure the package says the bulb is appropriate for this use. Vibration can also shorten their lifetimes so if you want to use them in ceiling fans, be sure to buy bulbs made for this purpose.
  8. Cheap bulbs probably won’t last as long or work as well as those with the ENERGY STAR seal on the package that ensures it meets their strict standards. Low-quality bulbs often buzz and flicker and have short lifetimes.
  9. Finally, one other fact is clear: you will save money by using CFLs. It’s estimated that between 10 and 20 percent of the average home’s electric bill is for lighting. CFLs will last 7 to 10 times longer that incandescents and use one-fourth of the energy to produce the same amount of light. Handle them properly, choose the right bulb for the fixture, and they will be safe to use for many years.

(Ken Sheinkopf is a communications specialist with the American Solar Energy Society (www.ases.org). Send your energy questions to askken(AT)ases.org.)