I recently had an interesting exchange with my mother about my interest in Keep Virginia Beautiful, why we recycle, and the Green Movement. We talked about our family and the way things used to be:
Her town was like many and had a local milk man. You left empty bottles on your doorstep and fresh bottles of wholesome milk magically appeared the next morning. I can remember being a child and taking soda bottles to the grocery and grabbing an ice cold soda out of a cooler full of chipped ice. Seems that all of these bottles were taken back to the plants, washed, sanitized and put back into use. Talk about recycling.
I have a candle that promises the aroma of “fresh linen”. I knew laundry day at my great grandmother’s house from the sheets and overalls hanging from the line off of her back porch. My cousin still lives in the house and we marvel at the hand-cranked washer that Mamaw used until her death. The dryer was solar and wind powered. I wonder what her EnergyStar rating would have been?
Back in Mamaw’s day they didn’t have gym memberships. They walked. They walked to the neighbor for coffee, they walked to town for the latest Sears catalog. They used the catalog to buy the latest rotary mower (a truly green machine; no motor) which they pushed across the yard because the goats were getting into the neighbor’s flowers. Green transportation at its best.
When the mower arrived it was packed in newspaper from a city far, far away from rural Virginia. None of that fancy bubble wrap or styrofoam peanuts.
They didn’t need a fancy GPS or an iPhone to order dinner because having a meal delivered meant that someone stopped at the chicken coop on their way back to the house. One electrical outlet per room and one television for the house. A television with a screen the size of a pie tin. Remember those? A little metal pan that you could use for making desserts with fresh blackberries that you picked up on your walk back from the Sears outlet in town. Then you washed it and made some more.
My great grandmother didn’t have a green movement in her day. She didn’t need one.
I was like a lot of people this week that watched with geek lust the unveiling of the latest incarnation of the iPad. But once the intoxication of the dual cameras and shiny body wore off I began to take stock of my office environment.
Computer, land-line, cell phone, iPod, iPad, DVD player, television…I am officially connected. But as I contemplate the queue for my latest gadget I wander to the closet and see: old tube TV, flip phone, VCR player, Commodore 64.
What is the impact of all of these obsoletes? We mine materials, manufacture products, we ship wares, we shop for goods, we bring them home and plug them in and wait for the satisfying hum of new machinery. Then we kill them or grow tired of them.
Discarded electronics (or E-Waste) makes up only 2% of landfill use. But did you know that your old gadgets contribute 70% to overall landfill toxins? Look at what’s inside: copper, lead, nickel, aluminum, cadmium, mercury, not to mention the plastics and glass that don’t really degrade!
We need to start practicing the Four R’s in our connected world: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Rethink. I spend more time on my computer than in front of the TV. Programs like Hulu and Netflix are bringing entertainment to my computer. My iPhone holds more music than I could ever listen to in one sitting. My old hard drive is humming like a champ after some petting from a tech squad. I’ve rethought how I’m wired, what’s plugged in, what lights are blinking. Now the Recycle part:
Technology is like a new car driven off of the lot, often obsolete seconds after purchase. Your old gadget should not be considered a waste. It’s a resource! Best Buy and Staples have recently started lease and recycle programs for your used electronics. Sites like econewonline.com and electronicrecyclingofvirginia.com will responsibly dispose of your gadget. Companies like Inveneo and Close the Gap will refurbish your gadget and get it into the hands of folks across America and in Third World Countries who need technology to grow and develop.
So after starting with a responsible, green purchase, remember the Four R’s. When you’re done, unplug.
In honor of Earth Month, Keep Virginia Beautiful (KVB) is announcing the 30 Grants In 30 Days campaign. This grant campaign is co-sponsored by KVB, Walmart, and Waste Management.
We are proud to provide the opportunity for organizations in Virginia to apply for one of (30) $1000 grants to be awarded during the 30 days of April, 2011. This grant program will focus greater resources and attention on individual localities throughout the Commonwealth and how they are addressing the issues of litter prevention, recycling, waste reduction, beautification and education.
1. Cigarette Litter Prevention
Ten (10) $1,000 grants to ten separate government or non-profit entities that implement programs within targeted geographic boundaries in Virginia to reduce cigarette litter. Funding would support educational outreach materials, cigarette litter receptacles, and portable ash trays for adult smokers. The purpose of these grants is to support sustainable prevention and a measurable reduction of cigarette litter within the predetermined geographic boundaries.
2. Plastic Shopping Bag Litter Prevention and Recycling
Ten (10) $1,000 grants to ten separate government or non-profit entities that implement programs within targeted geographic boundaries in Virginia to reduce plastic bag waste and litter. Funding would support increasing plastic bag collection sites, education of consumers, and distribution of reusable shopping bags to consumers. The purpose of these grants is to support sustainable prevention, promote a measureable waste reduction and a measureable increase in reuse and recycling of plastic bags within the predetermined geographic boundaries.
3. Beautification and Community Greening
Ten (10) $1,000 grants to ten separate government or non-profit entities within targeted geographic boundaries in Virginia which support programs that beautify and clean including community gardens, restoring vacant lots, highway and shoreline enhancement, plantings, and graffiti abatement. Funding would support community clean-ups, revitalization projects, and sustainable neighborhood gardens. The purpose of these grants is to support beautification efforts within the predetermined geographic boundaries.
Process for Submission
Grant nominations will be accepted online beginning on February 1, 2011 with a deadline of March 15, 2011. A panel of judges will review submissions and award grants for winning applicants in each of the three categories. Grant programs selected must be completed by the end of 2011.
Winning applicants will be notified one week prior to award date. All remaining applicants will be notified by April 30, 2011. Applicants who are selected will receive funding by May 5, 2011.
“A Bag’s Life” Creates Buzz at America Recycles Day at VA Capitol
(Richmond, VA) – Nov. 15, 2010 – A statewide plastic bag recycling awareness campaign in Virginia called A Bag’s Life, which includes an interactive and educational website (www.abagslife.com/VA), mobile app with nearly 800 drop-off sites by zip code, and video contest was launched today during America Recycles Day at the Capitol. Keep Virginia Beautiful (KVB),Virginia Retail Federation (VRF), Virginia Recycling Association (VRA), American Chemistry Council (ACC), VA Department of Environmental Quality, and the Office of the Secretary of Natural Resources were among those in the public-private partnership who kicked off the program.
A Bag’s Life, through quirky messaging like “Don’t treat me like trash,” and “Gimme a second chance,” encourages Virginians to reduce, recycle and reuse their free grocery bags. It also reminds consumers that other bags like those used for dry cleaning, newspapers and bread, as well as wraps used on products like paper towels or bottled water also can be dropped off at many retailers for recycling.
“America Recycles Day has been set aside as a day when we individually pledge to take extra steps to reduce waste and make recycling work at home and in our communities,” said Mike Baum, executive director of Keep Virginia Beautiful. “By taking the extra time to bring grocery bags back to the store to be recycled, people are giving that bag a second chance to be made into something else like outdoor decking, park benches, or even new bags. It’s a simple earth-friendly practice that can yield tremendous results.”
Margaret Ballard, vice president, Advocacy for the Virginia Retail Federation, noted that while plastic bag recycling programs are not new to Virginia, a statewide educational initiative that partners public and private groups toward the common goal of recycling plastic bags is unique. The VRF was instrumental in obtaining state funding for the first Plastic Bag Recycling project in the state — in Isle of Wight County. Isle be Green was kicked off in September 2009, and to date more than 1 million plastic bags have been recycled in the county. Nationwide, plastic bag recycling is on the rise, with more than 832 million pounds recycled in 2008.
“Retailers across Virginia are well aware of the impact plastic bag litter has on our roadways and agricultural environment in Virginia,” said Margaret Ballard, vice president, Advocacy, Virginia Retail Federation. “That’s why nearly 800 retail stores are offering their locations to consumers as drop-off sites to recycle these bags. Recycling not only helps clean up plastic bag litter, but supports economic resources for our Virginia-based partners like Trex, the Winchester-based manufacturer of plastic building materials.”
Trex joined in the A Bag’s Life Virginia launch, as well as Hilex Poly, a plastic bag manufacturer with facilities in Richmond.
A Bag’s Life also includes a video contest and social networking element to fire up support for recycling. The easy to use recycle location finder lists the nearest drop-off points and the Google Maps option makes recycling plastic bags and wraps easier than ever before. The plastic bag icon on the website is designed to take on a life of its own, smiling when it’s happy, frowning when it’s not. Website copy suggests that individuals should step up and do their part to address litter and waste rather than blame the bag if it’s not being recycled or reused.
About A Bag’s Life in Virginia
A Bag’s Life is a public educational campaign that unites non-profits, business, community and government organizations around the common goal of promoting the three R’s as they relate to plastic bags — reduce, reuse and recycle. Partners include: Keep Virginia Beautiful, the Department of Environmental Quality, Virginia Retail Federation, Virginia Recycling Association, Trex and the American Chemistry Council. For more information visit www.abagslife.com/VA
I haven’t used printed Yellow Pages (or White Pages for that matter) in so many years that I forget the last time. In fact, in a world of smart phones, iPads, ubiquitous wi-fi every waking moment, and America’s obsession with content and connection, I find it hard to imagine who still uses these antiquities. I’m sorry to my friends at Verizon, YellowBook, or whoever else is still selling this dying media, but the need for a four-inch-thick alphabetized list of ads and numbers is past its prime.
555 million phone books are delivered in the U.S. annually. The phone book market is a competitive one, and it’s not just Yellow Pages on the doorstep anymore. And even though each company only delivers one per year, that doesn’t preclude other carriers from coming into each market trying to look just like the same old Yellow Pages.
Is there even a “business phone book” concept out there that ISN’T yellow?
According to Earth911.com, in New York City they get as many as five phone books per year. FIVE.
“Annually an estimated 650,000 tons of phone books are distributed to America’s 100+ million households. At an EPA estimated national recycling rate of 18%, only 117,000 tons of phone books are recycled each year, many of them on the day that they are received,” according to treehugger.com.
Luckily, we now have options. For the last year or so the Yellow Pages Association has operated an opt-out service so that unnecessary or unwanted book simply aren’t delivered. The site is fairly easy to navigate, and is quick and painless. Go over to Yellow Pages Opt Out and make yourself heard!
The Yellow Pages was a valid reference book 15 years ago, but has never been the most efficient at delivering the desired data, at least without being draped in display advertising. Now we all fire up Google Maps or one of a few dozen service applications like Yelp or Urban Spoon when we get the urge to get dinner out. Or we fire up our favorite browsers and search engines for a quick answer. It’s nice to know that there’s an option more “in line” with environmentally-conscious individuals who are simply tired of carrying the Yellow/White Pages from the front door stoop, around the porch, to drop the 30-pound bundle directly into the recycling.
You’ve seen me on this website (www.abagslife.com) and on buttons, ads and magnets. I’m the free plastic bag with enough chutzpah to tell you: “Don’t treat me like trash” and “Gimme a second chance.”
Now for my next act: I wanna be in pictures.
So if you’re a high school student in Virginia, get out your video camera and make my dreams come true. You could win some cash if you’ve got the best and most creative clip.
Reuse me. Recycle me. Repurpose me. And show others how it’s done in one to two minutes.
About the Contest
Sponsored by a coalition of recycling partners, including Keep Virginia Beautiful and HR Clean, A Bag’s Lifevideo contest entries must be submitted by March 1, 2011 at 5 p.m. The assignment is to create a positive, one-to-two-minute-long video featuring original content, promoting the reuse and recycling of plastic shopping bags like those found in grocery and home improvement stores.
Entries should be submitted at www.abagslife.com/VA and are being accepted in two categories: Reuse and Recycling.
For “Reuse,” entries should depict fun, positive ways plastic bags can be reused. For example, ideas could include: reusing bags as a rain hat, lunch bag, wet bathing suit tote, suitcase shampoo wrapper, shoe saver, cast protector or poop picker-upper.
“Recycling” entries should be educational in nature and showcase the positive ways you remember to recycle your bags, or how you remind others to recycle theirs. When recycled, we bags can go on to have great second lives as low-maintenance fencing, decking, building and construction products and of course, new bags.
Judges will then select up to 10 finalists in each category. On March 9, 2011, those finalist videos will be posted online and voting begins! Online voting ends at 5 p.m. on April 3, 2011, and winners will be announced April 8, 2011.
Use your imagination to make videos that are fun and engaging. The reuse and recycle message doesn’t need to be a lecture. There are lots of creative high school students out there — so make me laugh and learn.
Are your creative juices running? Great! Before you get started, take some time to learn more about how versatile plastic bags can be – and how easy it can be to take them back to participating stores for recycling.
The grand-prize winner in each category will receive $1,000, second place $500 and third place $300. So get shooting and upload your video before the March 1 deadline.
I stumbled upon this awesome step-by-step guide to recycling your clothes. I just had to share…
From wikiHow:
Plan: Set aside some time to go through your closet and/or dresser and pull out anything you are tired of, hate, or never wear. Put these clothes into a pile (or a box if you are super neat).
Organize: Pick one item at a time to recycle (or re-vamp) and find one thing you like about it. Maybe it has super fabric, a great print, or the style is awesome. If you can’t find anything good about it, put it aside for now and choose something else.
Think Creatively: Decide if you can embellish it in some way to spice it up (paint, beads, extra fabric, trim, lengthen it, etc.) or if you can deconstruct it into something else (take off sleeves, shorten it, slash it for peek-a-boo effect with or without fabric underneath, iron on a transfer that you printed from your computer, etc). Maybe you can dye it a different color (or colors).It is probably best just to do one colour of dye though.
Find Inspiration: Search the Internet and in magazines for inspiration and how-to’s. Some terms to do searches on are “deconstructed clothing” and “D.I.Y.” (do-it-yourself). Great sites are listed below, too, but don’t forget to look on your own – there are lots of ideas and how-to’s out there!
Branch Out: Learn to sew, but if you’re really bad with crafty things, don’t despair! Try alternative methods like using safety pins instead of sewing, for example. You can probably get help from a friend or a relative who sews if you ask.
Have fun!: Make something that is uniquely yours and that you just love. Then when someone gives you a compliment, or asks you where you got that amazing shirt/dress/etc., proudly say “I made it myself!”
Accept “Defeat”: Sell or give away the items that you absolutely can’t find anything you like about them or think of anything to do with them. Or find a local, second-hand consignment clothing store, and take them there. Usually these stores give you the option of receiving cash or in-store credit for your items that sell. You will receive more in credit than you would in cash, and then when you come back to the store in a month or two, you can use your credit to get clothes you do like. If you bring in clothes to consign every time you visit the store, you will most likely have credit the next time you come in, and can establish a monthly or bi-monthly wardrobe rotation without spending any money.
Don’t always throw out clothes that are too small; for girls, you could cut your too short trousers or jeans and make them into shorts for summer! If a top is too small and it shows off a little bit of your belly, try and cut that a bit to make it into a cool belly top!
Major props to our friends in Fairfax County! Recycling is real in Fairfax County! Recycling plays a big role in keeping Fairfax County clean and is extremely beneficial to the environment. Fairfax County code requires all trash collectors to provide any customers living in single family homes, townhomes, apartments, and condominiums with recycling service. Recycling is easy, do your part. For more information visit: Fairfax County Website
It’s hard to believe that in 2011, in the Commonwealth’s capitol, we don’t have recycling at our office. I could even understand this more if, say, our offices were in the outer reaches of Mechanicsville or Hanover….but we’re on MAIN St. And not any remote section of Main, we’re two blocks from the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, at one of the most active areas in the Fan. A vibrant business district to say the least, yet we still have to bag up our recycling and take it home to put out on the curb with our residential recycling (which they thankfully support wholeheartedly).
But I digress. The majority of people between 17 and 28 working and living in the surrounding neighborhoods are enrolled at VCU, MCV, UofR, or any one of countless other educational institutions – all of which are active in their own environmental outreaches (it’s the Year of the Environment at VCU, after all). They have some fantastic initiatives, including the amazing Rice Center, all outlined on their site for more specific info.
I saw this article this morning and thought it pertinent to share. These tips are great, many thanks to the Alternative Consumer blog. It begins…
A green revolution is in full swing at many campuses as a growing number of colleges adopt Earth-friendly programs for students and staff. Eco-conscious students can join the movement by following these 10 simple steps to go green on campus:
1. Use recycled paper and notebooks. 2. Ride your bike or walk to class.
Read more…The original article, 10 Tips for Going Green & Saving Green on Campus found HERE.
This is a fantastic idea for early adopters and gadget freaks (like myself). I’m almost guaranteed to jump on a new product or a new standard, sometimes before it’s even approved for the general public. Meaning, if a new standard of HD video comes around (Blu-Ray) and I bought a DVD player a year ago, I’m basically out of luck and now I’ve got an “old” DVD player to dispose of.
Enter Best Buy’s “Buy Back Program”. The electronics giant has introduced a new program that, for a price, assures that you’ll always get some money back from your OLD electronics (assuming you recycle them within two years). And they take care of the whole recycling process. You don’t need to worry if you’ve disposed of a Li-Ion battery correctly, or whether certain parts could be re-purposed, harvested for repairs, or handed down to a needy community.
In summary: The Buy Back program encourages repeat business because consumers who bring back gear that they no longer want are paid with a Best Buy gift card. Smart….for everyone.
