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…)

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! (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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Recently, I received one of those gifts many people do not buy for themselves, an electronic book. Having well learned the art of bending book spines to open up a paperback and creasing paper pages to make bookmarks, the idea of an electronic book seemed too “plasticiky”, too “unintimate” for entering the world of a novel. Like many others, I kept telling myself, “I just like the feel of a real book”. After all, isn’t the tactile splendor of paper beneath your fingers an essential part of pleasurable reading? (more…)

Be curious and inquire about how the merchandise you purchase gets to market. Do the retail outlets where you purchase goods have green supply chain management (SCM) practices? Managing pallets via a pallet pooling program can greatly lower the impact that pallets have on the environment. While pallets are often put to work behind store front activities, we consumers can best see pallets in action at big warehouse outlets. Next time you are in such a retail establishment, take a look at the pallets underneath the stacked goods for sale. Look to see if the pallet wood is stamped or painted. If yes, the pallets are probably part of a pallet pooling program. For example, the CHEP program paints its pallets blue for easy identification. If you see a blue pallet, take a closer look, it will probably be stamped with the CHEP logo. Support retailers with green SCM initiatives.

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…)

On November 15th, participate in America Recycles Day and help increase recycling awareness and participation in your community. Together we can increase the U.S.A. recycle rate.

Double, double toil and trouble; fire burn and cauldron bubble”¹.

While this famous phrase may conjure up thoughts of witches concocting a potion, it surely doesn’t represent all the Halloween fun we have carving pumpkins, trick or treating, and dressing up for costume parties. This year Americans will spend $1.8 billion dollars on candy, $1.6 billion dollars on decorations, $2.0 billion dollars on costumes, and almost $350 million on greeting cards. After the holiday, tons and tons of candy wrappers, rotting pumpkins, polystyrene and latex masks, glow sticks, inflatable lawn decorations, and even pet costumes will end up in our landfills. As a nation are we under some sort of “throw away” spell?” (more…)

Make greener holiday choices this Halloween. Before choosing your costume or any decoration ask yourself, “Can I recycle this?” Let your neighbors know you are trying to make greener choices, so they wil make greener choices too. Don’t throw away your Halloween, recycle it!

Check to see if your municipality offers curbside pick up for plastic wraps and films. If not, collect your used plastic wraps and films and drop them off at the nearest recycling station which accepts them. When possible, store your foods in reusable containers. Most plastic and glass reusable containers are recyclable. Help keep plastic out of our landfills. -R.G.