“There’s nothing in our system that we haven’t covered personally via phone or email this year for our treecycling update,” said Corey Lambrecht, president of Earth911. “We only have about three weeks from Thanksgiving to Christmas to update our information for almost 1,200 cities, so it’s an incredible effort to get this extensive number of resources confirmed in time.”

According to this year’s research, the cities with the highest number of treecycling resources include:

1. New York City, N.Y. – 81
2. Los Angeles, Calif. – 26
3. Chicago, Ill. – 23
4. Las Vegas, N.V. – 22
5. Phoenix, Ariz. – 18
5. Gainesville, Fla. – 18
7. San Diego, Calif. – 17
8. Miami, Fla. – 13
8. San Francisco, Calif. – 13
10. Indianapolis, Ind. – 12

Earth911’s staff worked with officials in more than 40 states to compile the information, reaching a significant portion of the U.S. population.

Last year, the most popular day for treecycling was Jan. 3, with more than one-third of the searches on Earth911.com’s directory focused on Christmas tree recycling resources. Out of the more than 240 materials available for recycling on the directory, the demand for treecycling information is significant.

Between 30 and 35 million real Christmas trees are sold in the U.S. each year, and approximately 93 percent of those trees are currently being recycled through more than 4,000 available recycling programs.

Real Christmas trees can be recycled in a variety of ways. They are commonly turned into mulch and used in landscaping and gardening or chipped and used for playground material, hiking trails, paths and walkways.

And treecycling pays for all involved: In cities such as New York and Denver, Christmas trees are mulched, and the remaining material is made available to the public free of charge.

Be sure to check your local listings for varying times, availability and how to prepare your tree for recycling.

If your city, municipality or organization runs a recycling program and would like to be listed in Earth911’s free directory for treecycling or other products, please visit Earth911.com to learn more.

About Earth911

Earth911.com is an environmental services company that addresses product end-of-life solutions for businesses and consumers. Through its innovative Local Recycling and Proper Disposal Database, Earth911.com hosts recycling and disposal information for hundreds of products in over 110,000 listings across the country. Additionally, daily news, exclusive features and weekly emails provide more ways to inform and help people connect with the sustainability issues related to the products they buy. Earth911 also provides the platform and tools needed to support recycling and proper disposal for various products once their purpose is served, giving the people who buy them a number of ways to participate in companies’ sustainability initiatives.

Contact Information
Jennifer Berry
Public & Strategic Relations Manager
Earth911.com
480-889-2650
jberry@earth911.com
http://earth911.com

This New Year, get more bang for your resolution buck.

The weak economy has had a ripple effect on several industries, making 2010 the year to start easily cutting costs on infamous New Year’s resolutions like losing weight, eating healthier, quitting smoking, going green or saving more money.

1. Lose weight

Gym memberships can end up being a money pit if you don’t use them, but if you’re serious about losing weight, there are some serious deals to be had.

According to a survey by the International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Association, 49 percent of gyms and fitness centers are reporting year-to-date decreases in membership dues.

Those numbers correlate with a new survey by the American Heart Association that showed 25 percent of respondents with gym memberships have canceled them to save money.

The month of January tends to be the best time of year to sign-up for a membership, according to industry analysts, as most centers offer specials. To get the best deal, analysts suggest checking online message boards to see what rates people are reporting and the quality of the gym. Also, check with employers and schools for any discounts. Visit some clubs, get their rates and compare. Armed with that data, negotiate with gyms to get the best price.

Local YMCAs are waiving the joiner’s fee ($125 for families, $75 for individuals) to draw in clients.

Both the Atrium YMCA and Downtown Middletown YMCA will be running a citywide competition, Choose to Lose, to assist residents with their New Year’s weight loss goals, said Grace McIntosh, membership coordinator.

From Jan. 10 through March 20, residents can get the help they need with weigh-ins and health and wellness seminars. Each participant will receive a T-shirt. The person to lose the most weight at the end of the program will receive a two-month membership to the YMCA and a $50 gift card to Walmart. Second-place receives a one-month membership and a $20 gift card. The cost of the program is $10 for YMCA members and $20 for nonmembers, McIntosh said.

“We are trying to make it a little easier and give a little incentive to start. It’s a great program,” she said.

In the pursuit to lose weight, consider these no-cost options:

• Take a jog around the neighborhood.
• Use 8-ounce soup cans instead of free weights to work out arm muscles.
• Find a free fitness channel on television
• Do yard work a couple times a week to increase your heart rate. Your neighbors will benefit, too.

2. Eat healthier

According a report by the U.S. Department of Labor, food costs have been rising an average of 5 percent per year. Low-calorie food options also have increased about 19.5 cents per year, according to a report by the Journal of the American Dietetic Association.

An easy way to eat healthy and keep grocery costs down is to focus on vegetables and fruits, said Robert Murray, a faculty member at the Ohio State University College of Medicine.

Buying frozen or canned food can save money. These items are often on sale at the local grocery, and coupons can make them even cheaper. Find coupons in the Sunday newspaper, on Web sites and even on your cell phone.

3. Quit smoking

Puffing on a cigarette can have negative effects on your health and your wallet. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, cigarette smoking costs more than $193 billion annually and second-hand smoke adds more than $10 billion in health care expenditures.

Free resources are available. Right now at Walmart, receive a free sample of Nicorette gum on their Web site. For free tips and counseling about how to quit, visit SmokeFree.gov.

4. Financial strength

According to the U.S. Treasury, consumers today have a whopping $2.5 trillion of debt, and the average household in 2009 carried nearly $5,100 in credit card debt alone.

Patrick Harris, spokesman of the Ohio Credit Union League, said a first step to building financial strength in 2010 can be taking control of credit card debt by paying the card with the highest interest rate first. Once paid off, keeping the account open will improve your credit score.

Also, create a budget to know where your money is going.

“Tracking your spending identifies unnecessary expenses such as excessive cell phone usage, eating out, movies and other forms of entertainment. After tracking a month’s expenses, most people are shocked by where there money is going,” he said.

For a free resource on tips for saving money and avoiding debt, visit www.moneyandstuff.info.

5. Go green

Balancing a budget and going green really goes hand-in- hand. In fact, simple tricks like buying in bulk, using less paper towels and installing a programmable thermostat can save $762.30 a year, according to Earth 911.

For more ways to save the environment and money, visit www.earth911.com.

Article available at: http://www.middletownjournal.com/news/middletown-news/how-to-cut-the-cost-of-keeping-your-new-years-resolution-474645.html

Despite an ailing economy, words like flat-panel, Blu-ray, smartphone and Kindle were heard quite a bit during the holiday season. If you need to get rid of aging electronics to make room for upgrades, keep in mind that many items can be hazardous to the environment. For example, about 20 percent of the typical cathode-ray tube television is composed of lead, according to environmental group Earth911.com.

If you aren’t able to sell your old electronics and other items, there are some options for safe disposal in the Austin area.

Computers: Goodwill Industries of Central Texas’ Project Reconnect, a partnership with Dell Inc., accepts computers and computer accessories such as keyboards and printers for recycling. Drop off items at Goodwill Computer Works, 1015 Norwood Park Blvd. Many other Goodwill locations also accept donations, including television sets. Visit reconnectpartnership.com to find a drop-off spot near you.

In addition, computer manufacturers in Texas are required to offer free recycling of their equipment. The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality maintains a directory of links to each manufacturer’s recycling information at www.texasrecyclescomputers.org. The TCEQ also maintains a directory of other recycling businesses at www.recycletexasonline.org.

Other electronics: Another resource for electronics disposal is Round 2 Technologies, 6301 E. Stassney Lane, Building 6, Suite 400. The recycling company charges a fee, but will accept a variety of electronics and other appliances, including televisions ($15 for a table-top, $20 for a console), old computer equipment ($5-$10 for old monitors, printers, etc., no charge for desktop and laptop computers), microwaves ($10) and other miscellaneous equipment (15 cents per pound). Drop-off hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays-Fridays. Call 342-8855 with questions about disposal of specific items.

Phones: If you received an iPhone, Droid or Blackberry in your stocking, don’t throw the old flip-top model in the trash. SafePlace, 1515 Grove Blvd., accepts both working and non-working phones from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesdays. Visit www.safeplace.org for a list of other accepted items.

Other organizations accepting cell phones include the Travis County Sheriff’s Office, 5555 Airport Blvd., and Cell Phones for Soldiers, which uses money from recycled phones to buy calling cards for troops overseas. Visit www.cellphonesforsoldiers.com to find one of several Austin-area drop-off locations.

Eyeglasses: Donate old eyeglasses to the Lion’s Club by placing them in a protective donation box, available at various locations throughout town, including Central Presbyterian Church, 200 E. Eighth St.; Senior Activity Center, 2874 Shoal Crest Ave.; and all LensCrafters locations. For a complete list and information on how to get a box, visit www.austindowntownlions.org/eyeglasses_recycling.

Books: Need to make some space on the shelf for that new stack of books? Austin Public Library’s Recycled Reads store, 5335 Burnet Road, resells used books and donates unusable books to Books Beyond Borders, which converts them into building material for use in developing countries. Donations are accepted at all Austin Public Library locations and at the Recycled Reads store.

Greeting cards: Finally, if your coffee table is overflowing with holiday greeting cards that you’d like to put to good use, the St. Jude’s Ranch Recycled Card Program is accepting used all-occasion cards through Feb. 28. Mail donations to St. Jude’s Ranch for Children, Recycled Card Program, 100 St. Jude’s Street, Boulder City, NV 89005. Visit www.stjudesranch.org for more information and to purchase cards.

Article available at: http://www.statesman.com/life/out-with-the-old-sans-pollution-160684.html

Cleaning up a young child’s room can be both time consuming and tedious.

“I have to clean up probably three to four times a day. Put the LEGOs back in the LEGOs box. Put the blocks back in the block bag,” said Lisa Galinson-Treitman who is the mother of a four-year-old.

A better option might be to purchase the Box4Blox. This tiered box sorts blocks by size. That means your child won’t have to dump out every piece to find the right one. For stuffed animals, Good Housekeeping suggests the Boon Oval Animal Bag.

“The Boon Animal Bag is so great because you can stash all of the extra stuffed animals inside and then it doubles as seating,” said Amy Roberts of Good Housekeeping.

If you still have too many toys lying around, it may be time to donate the old ones. Both charities and your family friends would be happy to get them.

“You want to make sure that the toys are clean and in working order,” said Roberts.

If not, recycle the toys by going to: Earth911.com.

Before donating old toys, it’s a good idea to make sure they haven’t been recalled.

Every holiday season brings a breakdown.

No, it isn’t when all of the chores or the credit card bills seem insurmountable or when that can’t-miss gift for that special person falls flat.

No, this breakdown is when it is time to take apart all of the decorating that has been done and return the home to its non-festive life.

Organizers, decorators and business owners all say there are ways of handling it that will create an easier holiday next year—and every year.

“Planning is the key,” says Nancy Sakino Spears, an interior decorator from Upper St. Clair, sounding the phrase that becomes something of a mantra.

These organizers agree the best way of handling the matter is to store things away in such a planned manner that making decisions next season is just about unneeded.

Jill Revitsky, owner of the Mt. Lebanon’s Discover Organizing firm and a like-named supply shop, says some devices such as wreath cases and tree bags are a quick step to safe and reasoned storage.

Most of the ideas seem rather basic, but perhaps are so simple they are overlooked.

• Take pictures of successful decorating you have done, and store the elements for that success together, says Bob Palermo, founder and owner of Jolly Holly Lights, a decorating firm from Robinson.
• Don’t be afraid to throw away things you are not using or do not like anymore, says Carol Briney from Universal Order, an organizing firm from Aspinwall. It is surprising the space unwanted stuff takes up.
• Plastic storage crates are not popular in the love-of-things-green mentality, but do the job well because they protect items from water damage, says Jody Adams, owner of the In Its Place organizing firm from Greensburg.

Having a system matters.

A method and not madness

Plans can make it seem easy. For instance, Stephanie Tomasic, executive director of Overly’s Country Christmas at the Westmoreland County Fairgrounds near Greensburg, has a way of storing the display’s lights.

She had better. There are 21 million of them to put away. The lights and extension cords all are wound in the time-tested “Overly Way.” She is unsure of the origin, but positive it works, although she couldn’t really describe it.

She also says another important job is to check for burned-out bulbs and replace them before storage, to make use next season easier.

She, and other planners, also remind to pack items so the first needed are the ones in front.

Revitsky says you may need to rotate items so material for the next holiday is in the front. That requires a shuffling of goods at each holiday, she says, but makes any decorating task easier.

Many of the storage savants urge the use of plastic containers that come in a variety of sizes and sometimes have colors or colored lids to help identify them.

Jodi Eisner, owner of the Method to the Madness organizing firm in McCandless, says they are not only protective, but the colors can be keys such as “here’s orange for Halloween and pink for Easter.”

Revitsky says color-coding creates easy recognition and allows a non-decorator to get the right material simply by “looking for the red lid.”

Rubbermaid Totes, which range from 3 to 50 gallons in size and cost $4.99 to $19.99, often are mentioned for this job.

Lauren Spahr from Rubbermaid says the containers were not necessarily designed for holiday storage but “we are always pleased when we get a letter telling us about uses we didn’t think of.”

Finding the right space

Revitsky also believes in zoning storage, or keeping items close to the area where they will be used. Outdoor items could be kept in the garage, she suggests.

That means, of course, finding more than one space around the house, but it allows those spaces to be smaller.

Spears recommends creativity in space use, too. For instance, a pole or rod of some kind can be put in unused closet space to become the home for wreaths. Similarly, hat hooks can be installed to hold bags of items or extension cords, she adds.

Labels are important when specificity is demanded, Palermo says. He stores enough lights to fill three tractor trailers, he says, so labels are necessary to indicate what items are needed for his more than 100 clients. Similarly, if there are lights or decorations needed for a specific display, he says, label them.

Lists of what goes where and what items are available also are useful, Spears says. Tomasic says the crews at Overly’s make sure to keep inventories so there are no problems when decorating begins next year.

If belongings are organized and stored in known positions, space is not wasted, and the decorating job in the future is easier.

“Make it like shopping,” Eisner says, “You can just go to a spot and pull out exactly what you need.”

What to do with the tree?

Christmas trees can do more than hold lights and ornaments.

The more than 4 billion Christmas trees growing in the United States provide a great deal of oxygen and, when their days are done, can be composted into mulch or even made into materials for flood barriers, tree and recycling experts say.

Recycling programs in this area generally are run at the municipal level and can be found by contacting local governments.

But Earth911.com, a environmental-awareness firm headquartered in Arizona, has a comprehensive list of the more than 4,000 recycling programs in the United States. The list is put together for many large cities, including Pittsburgh.

Rick Dungey, a spokesman for the National Christmas Tree Association in Missouri, points to the list as a good one. He says recycling programs have grown to their current level from about 1,000 when he started with that group about 12 years ago.

Jennifer Berry from the Earth911.com says this year’s list will be the “most comprehensive” one of their efforts and will be updated by Christmas day.

If you’re like most Americans, by Friday evening you’ll have a pile of wrapping paper, cardboard, plastic, Styrofoam and a pile of packing peanuts in your living room ready to be put on the curb.

But if you’re like many people in Dane County, you’re hoping to recycle as much of it as possible.

And depending on where you live, the rules for what you can recycle through your municipal services are often different. The City of Verona contracts through Waste Management, the Town of Verona employs Pelliterri and apartments, condominiums and businesses often have their own services or contract through other companies.

To make things more complicated, the town just switched operators this year and went from hand-dumped collection to automated. And if you’re new in the area, you might have had a completely different set of rules where you came from.

So how do you know what you can recycle?

The good news is the recycling operations in Verona are among the most user-friendly and inclusive in the nation. Most things that can be recycled anywhere can be put into our bins, with one major exception: Styrofoam, otherwise known as expanded polystyrene.

That means everything with that familiar triangular recycling symbol (except the number 6) is fair game, as long as it’s not full of contaminants, like a pizza box or a frozen food container would be. And so is most paper-based material.

“Communities that are recycling plastics 3 through 7 are recycling a material that is not recycled in many programs throughout the country through the curbside program,” said Lynn Morgan, the public relations contact for Waste Management. “That’s more inclusive than we would generally see throughout the nation.”

The reason for that is simple: There’s a big market for recycling newsprint, office paper and plastics with the numbers 1 and 2. But it’s much more difficult to recycle the rest.

Just this year, the Town of Verona moved to a single-stream recycling program, which means everything that is recyclable is placed into one bin. That has one major downside for recycling in general —introducing more contaminants and therefore lowering the quality of the material— but it increases the rate of recycling significantly.

“Communities that adopt single-stream, it’s possible to see increases of even more than 20 percent,” Morgan said. “It helps people who recycle to recycle more and is just enough convenience to get people who aren’t recycling to take it up.”

The city has not yet gone to single-stream —it’s working on a plan to switch to the large bins in June 2011— but because Waste Management dumps Verona’s recyclables into its single-stream mix, the collection is the same.

Despite a document on the city’s Web site that lists instructions for separating different types of paper, magazines, cans, bottles and cardboard, Morgan said, it’s not necessary to do so. She said separating is still recommended, however, because the 18-gallon bins get full quickly and overflowed bins lead to litter.

Some preparation, such as flattening boxes, is still recommended, as well.

“It’s not necessary to remove staples, but when you’re flattening boxes… it’s sometimes safer,” Morgan said. “Things that are readily removed, like when you’ve got the long strips of tape that can be pulled off, that makes a purer recycling mix.”

As for Christmas afternoon, some of it is easily recyclable and some isn’t.

Wrapping paper is accepted in Verona by Pellitteri but not by Waste Management because there tends to be foil in the paper. Anyone in an apartment or outside of the area should check with local rules.

Styrofoam packing peanuts aren’t accepted curbside, but more and more retailers, such as the UPS Store, are accepting them for reuse. J.T. Puffins at 5505 Odana Road (274-5613) also takes the peanuts, along with bubble wrap.

Plastic film and plastic bags aren’t accepted curbside, but most other plastics will fall in Nos. 1-7 and therefore can be sent off to the curb. Morgan said greeting cards are acceptable, even those with extra attachments like ribbons.

“The proportion of (non-paper) is small enough it’s not to the detriment of the entire load,” she said.

And the regular Styrofoam pieces inside boxes can be really difficult to get rid of. Other than reusing it yourself —always promoted as the top choice— there is at least one location in Dane County that accepts it, Home Concepts at 2134 W. Beltline Highway (271-4663). Otherwise, it can be mailed to the Alliance of Foam Packaging Recyclers (AFPR) for the nominal cost of postage (it’s usually pretty light).

Overall, recycling everyday materials can be complicated, and it’s always changing. That’s why it’s a good idea to check Web sites such as Earth911.com, the AFPR (epspackaging.com) for up-to-date information and to check with your local municipality.

“Every community sets up its own program,” Morgan said. “It is important to check with their communities, and with their specific recycler.”

While it’s easy to put a little green into the daily routine, parents with young children tend to cringe at the idea of changing things up.

The routine is already hectic enough, right?

For the New Year, many families are attempting to turn “green living” into a family-fun activity.

Jenna Matson, mother of four kids under the age of 10, decided recently that “green” means “game.”

“I have all boys, so they really get into it,” she said. “There are rewards involved, so what kid doesn’t love that? They are having fun; they are helping the environment and learning about why it’s important. We’ve been having a good time with it.”

Peggy Roland, self-proclaimed mother of a tree-hugging family, said there are a couple of things that can be done around the holidays to help the green efforts too.

“The first is Christmas tree recycling for wood chips or compost,”Roland said. “If the tree ends up in a landfill, it will degrade slowly if there’s not enough oxygen present. While that’s still a better option that PVC (artificial) trees, Mother Nature would get a kick out of you starting the new year with treecycling. If you visit www.earth911.com, you’ll find a local center that can help.”

When it comes to wrapping those holiday gifts, the Medical University of South Carolina conducted a study that found a 25 percent increase of waste output around the Christmas season.

Instead, try using packaging from previous years or the funny pages. Ask your kids to join in and get creative with packaging too. Boxes from other gifts and cloth bags make great blank slates for seasonal packaging.

When it comes to the entire family joining in, start the morning off with a race! Allow your children to time themselves in the shower, Matson said.

“It cuts down on the water bill and helps save water,” she said.

When it comes to recycling, allow the kids to help out.

“If parents recycle, allow kids to sort,” she added. “The family that recycles together stays together. Sometimes parents don’t realize how much children care. Going green is a lifestyle, so include your kids.”

What about those dreaded dishes? Matson said it’s best to split the work with your kids into stations.

“For every five dishes that are washed, dried and put away, each kid receives a special prize at their respective station,” she said. “Now, this isn’t to get confused with normal chores. I realize chores are important to complete without rewards, but this is about bypassing the dishwasher with the help of your kids and in the end, staying green. That certainly deserves some accolades.”

Yvonne Musafelli, local green author and enthusiast, said green can be achieved in these foundation steps.

“First, decide on your level of green,” she said. “Planning is always a great first step and living an alternative lifestyle is a huge change. How eco-friendly do you really want to go? If you just want to tinker in the idea for a bit, you can change out a few light bulbs and invest in caulking to cut down on wind drafts that cause electric bills to increase. Sometimes, these changes call for an initial investment.

“Next, set a budget. Choosing eco-friendly alternatives to traditional items is more expensive; there is no way around it. You will need to establish a yearly or monthly budget and stick with that.”

The benefits of changing habits, however, will pay off.

“This is my favorite part,” she said. “Set up a savings account. Changing your life to be more energy efficient will result in saving money. It is best to save that money for a rainy day or special purchase. Each month, place the savings you see from your changes into the bank account.”

And finally, when it comes to the whole family enjoying a chunk of green savings in the New Year, an across-the-board effort is key.

“Get the family on board,” she said. “If you are trying to cut back energy costs and fossil fuel consumption and the family is not coming along for the ride, so to speak, you may soon grow tired of the process. If the entire family makes a change and sees the benefit of that change, everyone will stick with it for the long haul.”

Clean out the house for the approaching New Year by doing so the green way.

1. Recycle the tree

Fresh trees are easily recyclable and also the most common kind of tree for American households. Earth911.com offers a list of 4,000 recycling programs around the country. Contact your community waste management company to see if they offer curbside pick-up for trees or if they have set up drop-off locations.

Before you recycle the tree, make sure to do the following:

• Remove lights, ornaments, ribbons and all strands of tinsel.
• Remove the tree from the stand
• Refrain from wrapping the tree in a bag for pick-up unless you are told to do so.
• Cut the tree in pieces if needed

Flocked trees are not able to recycled and must be put into the garbage. However, artificial trees can be donated, given to charity or sold on Craigslist or Freecycle.

2. Recycle the wrapping paper

Remove ribbons and bows, saving the ones that are still in good shape for use next year, and take off all remaining bits of tape, staples and glue. Then, separate out any metallic or glitter-encrusted paper as none of the fancy stuff is recyclable. Then, throw the rest of the paper into your recycle bin. Next year, opt for fabric gift wrap ideas, reusable gift bags, and recycled materials.

Have a happy holiday and make sure the earth is left a little happier than you left it this New Year!

I am so thankful that environmentalists know how to spell when we present our three Rs of sustainability as Reduce, Reuse and Recycle how refreshing when contrasted with reading, writing, and arithmetic.

I entreat everyone to take the environmental Rs to heart, and endeavor to practice them daily in the year ahead. Doing so will make a monumental difference in the resources you need, money you have, and waste to dispose of.

If everyone in the county jumps on board, we can have a dramatic impact on the costs of garbage collection and landfill operation, and utilize the money garnered from recycling aluminum cans and plastic soda containers to purchase what few new items we may require.

Tehama County is already one of the best performers in this regard, having achieved with the help of Green Waste and the operators of the Tehama County landfill a diversion and reduction rate of more than 50 percent, meaning that more than half of what would otherwise have been added to the landfill was saved through source reduction and diversion, aka recycling.

Several special events are being conducted to help residents divert electronic equipment and tires from the landfill at no cost. In addition to curbside pickup of recyclable material many local recyclers provide convenient opportunities for residents to pocket cash by redeeming their aluminum and CRV containers while diverting other material from the landfill.

It is a sad state of affairs that our Governor has suspended nearly all the support for these recycling centers and raided their coffers to help balance the state budget.

Hopefully the stupidity of this action will become apparent before our local recyclers will have to further suspend operation and lay-off the dedicated workers that help us maintain a sustainable lifestyle. I encourage you to contact Assemblyman Jim Nielson and the governor’s office to restore full funding of recycling activities and apply for stimulus funds to further enhance sustainable practices in the North State.

With respect to the R for reduce, take the time to adopt methods that diminish the quantity of material you use and waste.

Things as simple as using washrags in place of paper towels, cutting purchase of foods with wasteful packaging, and bringing your own bags for shopping can make a significant difference. Consider sharing magazines and periodicals with your neighbors and avoid styrofoam containers, plates, and cups like the H1N1 virus, as these cheap and convenient items are an environmental and disposal nightmare.

Reuse or re-purposing of items is the best practice of all by substituting an already produced material to offset the need for new raw material and the energy for fabrication and transportation. Before purchasing new items check out the Salvation Army, Goodwill Industries, The Hospice Store, The Hope Chest, Sherry’s Antiques, yard sales and other second hand stores for usable and inexpensive items.

Using your ingenuity to craft home-made solutions for new needs and desires can save you a lot of money and engender a sense of satisfaction for your cleverness.

Let me conclude by providing a list of useful websites for further information on the three Rs for the planet. The Tehama County Landfill has a great site with information about disposal costs, locations, and recycling centers see www.tehamacountylandfill. com. There is a convenient one-stop source of information to help you find places to discard of most anything by zip-code see http://earth911.com.

You can post items on Craig’s list at no cost that may be useful to someone else see www.craiglist.org. By using these resources and making the effort to faithfully use the three Rs as you conduct your daily activities you can make the world a better place for yourself, your community, and indeed everything on the planet.

Richard Mazzucchi is a retired research engineer specializing in energy efficiency and renewable energy. He has travelled extensively and now makes his home in Los Molinos, where he is striving to manifest a sustainable and spiritual lifestyle. He can be reached at living-green@att.net.

If you bought a real Christmas tree this year, how are you planning to get rid of it after the holidays? Instead of sending it to the landfill, consider having it recycled it into wood chips for mulch or compost.

First, check with your local community to see if they recycle the  Christmas trees put out with the regular trash and garbage pick-up.

With Christmas trees, timing is of the essence because most recycling programs only last a few weeks into January.

If your curbside collection program accepts trees, it likely only does so for two or three weeks, because it often requires a separate truck to haul the extra waste.

Many yard waste facilities operate under special hours in January, as there isn’t a lot of yard waste to compost when trees are bare and there’s snow on the ground.

You can search by cities across the country for tree recycling programs by going online to www.Earth911.com or clicking on the local links below.

Click on the link below to see some tree recycling services from Avon to Bainbridge.

Tree recycling around Northeast Ohio

Click on the link below for tree recycling services around Akron, Summit and Stark counties and other areas nearby.

Tree recycling around Akron

Willing to take your tree to a recycling center? In Lake County, the Lake Metroparks has convenient Christmas Tree recycling/drop off locations.

Trees will be chipped and the chips composted or used at Lake Metroparks Farmpark.

Here are the recycling/drop off locations:

• Chagrin River Park (Reeves Road entrance)
• Erie Shores Golf Course
• Helen Hazen Wyman
• Hidden Valley Park
• Chapin Forest Reservation (East Entrance, Rt. 306)
• Concord Woods Nature Park
• Girdled Road Reservation (South entrance Radcliffe Rd)
• Grand River Landing
• Parsons Gardens
• Penitentiary Glen Reservation
• Veterans Park

For directions to any park, click here.

For questions call (440) 639-7275.