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.) (more…)

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? (more…)

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. (more…)

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. (more…)

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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Let your friends know that PVC heat shrink labeled packaging is not environmentally friendly. If you must purchase an item that is heat shrink labeled, please remove the label before your recycle the bottle or container. You will be helping to ensure the item you are recycling actually gets recycled. -R.G.

While the word, RECYCLING may bring “green thoughts” to mind, for many of us the word, CHEMISTRY, conjures up thoughts of bad chemicals, mad scientists, and incomprehensible concepts. Even the definition of chemistry, “the science that deals with the composition and properties of substances and various elementary forms of matter,” is enough to make most of us either yawn or not want to learn more. But, let’s put all of our preconceived ideas about chemistry behind us and take a look at where chemistry is heading; it is in the early stages of going green. And, let’s take one step further and see how this new green chemistry can even make recycling greener. (more…)

November 15th is America Recycles Day (ARD). Started in 1997 to raise public awareness about the benefits of recycling, this event will be celebrated by hundreds of communities across our nation. Municipalities, schools, companies, and other organizations will conduct recycling-related activities to spread the message that recycling is good for our environment, economy, and society. So, with ARD’s thirteenth anniversary upon us, how well has America’s recycling rate improved during this time? (more…)

No matter where we shop, the retail landscape is loaded with miscellaneous merchandise that tempts our impulses to gather and to purchase. Designed and packaged to best capture our attention, many goods are marketed in multi-material packaging to provide optimum shelf presence, safeguard product integrity, and reduce in-store pilferage. As a rule, multi-material packaging is not recycling friendly. Often comprised of both recyclable and non-recyclable materials, individual packaging components must be properly separated and sorted prior to reclamation. One such format, the blister pack, is both a merchandising marvel and an environmental nightmare. (more…)