With the Presidential race taking up most of the news and the Iowa caucuses just about a month away, it seems appropriate to take as close a look as possible at how “Recycling Friendly” our 2012 Presidential candidates may be.

To keep things simple, I am focusing on the top talked about contenders: President Obama, Mitt Romney, Newt Gingrich, Herman Cain, and Rick Perry. Because whispers are growing that a new late entry Republican candidate may emerge from the political rubbish, I will save the complete “Presidential Recycling Analysis” for a later date. (Goodness knows I would not want to leave any viable contender out.) Read the rest of this entry »

Just as it is important for all of us to recycle plastics, it is also important for us to support companies that make plastic goods from recycled plastic. When purchasing a product made from plastic, confirm it contains recycled plastic content. Our purchases help to promote recycling too. -R.G.

Imagine a world where all plastic products were recycled. Living in a world where no plastic debris litters the roadways, nor floats in our oceans, nor sits in landfills for hundreds, if not thousands, of years. To most of us this seems almost unimaginable, but is it? Read the rest of this entry »

When doing back to school shopping make sure to purchase environmentally conscious school supplies. Make back to school shopping a green experience. -R.G.

August is the month that big box stores load up on traditional school supplies. For us environmentally conscious shoppers, there are more green choices for back to school supplies than ever before. Also, knowing how to properly recycle these scholastic tools can make them even greener. Smart teachers and PTA moms know well that establishing a recycling club, collecting items, and recycling in bulk can be great educational and fundraising opportunities too. Read the rest of this entry »

Support cigarette recycling in your area. Visit the website of your local assembly member and let him or her know about New York State’s assembleman, Michael DenDekker, and his Bill- New York A02147. Maybe we can get a national effort going to support cigarette butt collection and recycling. A grassroot effort could actually lead to a viable recycling idea and an implementable plan to recycle cigarette filters. Let’s take it to Twitter too!

There is no doubt about it, where smokers trod, cigarette butts remain. Left behind with a flick of a finger, many smokers treat the disposal of a cigarette butt as if nature can just reabsorb it. Well, this simply isn’t the case. Cigarette filters, the most littered item in the world, are not biodegradable. These polluters of our city streets, roadways, and beaches not only look unsightly but release harmful toxins into the environment. Often travelling via drainage systems into our inland waterways which eventually empty into our oceans, cigarette filters can pose serious poison and choking hazards to aquatic wildlife. Yes, cigarette butts do travel and take along their toxins too! Read the rest of this entry »

Become familiar with the plastic resin identificaiton codes found on the packaging of the foodstuffs and personal care items that you purchase. Purchase products with recyclable and/or compostable packaging. Be leery of packaging made from mixed plastic resins; this packaging is not recyclable. Oftentimes, you can purchase the same or similiar items packaged in highly recyclable glass or tin instead of mixed plastic. -R.G

When it comes to recycling, there is nothing lucky about plastic resin code, Seven. The last member of the code numbers developed in 1988 by the Society of the Plastics Industry (SPI) to help identify the type of plastics entering residential waste streams, this catchall “OTHER” resin code no longer helps clarify plastic identification, but confuses everyone. Read the rest of this entry »

Lately, as you wander through the grocery store aisles it doesn’t take long before you notice that some shelved items seem to be jumping out at you.   Many beverages, yogurts, snack foods, toddler meals, pet foods, cleaning and personal care products seem to be screaming, “Look at me!”  Glossy, vividly colored, labeled items do stand out from the crowd, but are they wreaking havoc in our recycling streams?

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