recycle

Recycling arrows surrounding a wrapped gift

Return, Re-Use, Recycle Unwanted Gifts

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Recycling arrows surrounding a wrapped giftMaybe that sweater Grandma gave you isn’t your style, or the neighbor’s well-intended gift card missed the mark?  Don’t stash those things in the back of the closet or the bottom kitchen drawer.  They can benefit other people, or even give you a chance to trade it for a gift you would use and enjoy.

If the item is clothing, you may be able to determine where it was purchased by the brand name.  Search online by the name on the tag, and it will probably point you in the right direction.  Even without a receipt you can sometimes return an unused item.  The dollar amount offered may be at the item’s last sale price, but if you can turn a sweater you’d never wear into an on-sale shirt you like, that’s a win!  If you can’t find a brand name for a store near you, or you suspect it may be a re-gifted item that’s not current stock, you can either re-gift it yourself, or donate it to a charity shop who will put it to good use.

If you received a household item, small appliance, or a pillow with a silly slogan, you can sometimes determine the store where it was purchased and return it for a store credit or partial refund.  If not, consider unloading the unwanted item in a way that will make someone else smile when they receive it, by finding a “Buy Nothing” community in your area.  The Buy Nothing Project is an international network of local gift economies. Buy Nothing offers people a way to give and receive, share, lend, and express gratitude through a worldwide network of gift economies in which the true wealth is the web of connections formed between people who are real-life neighbors.  There is a long list for communities in Virginia.  Their tag line is, “Buy Nothing Share Everything!”

What if you received a gift card to an establishment you would never use?  First, check with your friends and family members to see if anyone would want to trade it for a gift card that may not suit them.  You can also put the gift cards on the market for sale (at a reduced rate) on Raise.com.  Or you can donate them to a charity that will be able to put them to good use.

If, on the other hand, you received a gift card that was the perfect choice, once you’ve redeemed it DON’T THROW IT IN THE TRASH!  Most plastic cards are made with petroleum-based products, and while they can’t be recycled through your curbside recycling bins, there are some no-waste options.  First, check with the retailer who issued the card.  Some retailers reuse the cards, and some collect cards to send to recycling centers that handle PVC recycling.  Or offer your redeemed cards to crafters, art teachers, or kids.  The thin plastic can be punched and upcycled into guitar picks, small flat circles for bracelets, or constructed into other creations.  And lastly, Best Buy (who recycles so many things!) accepts used gift cards to be sent to a facility that recycles that kind of plastic.

So with a little bit of effort you can start the new year in a low-waste way!

Hand reaching out of pile of plastic

What’s SUP?

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Hand reaching out of pile of plasticSo, what’s SUP?  It’s the acronym for “Single-Use Plastic” and the source of much of the litter in our landscape.  A 2020 nationwide litter study conducted by Keep America Beautiful determined that plastic is the most littered item by material group.  It includes plastic water bottles, plastic produce bags and store shopping bags, straws, plastic utensils, sandwich baggies and many, many others.

In 2022 OpinionWorks, in collaboration with the Virginia Coastal Zone Management Program and Clean Virginia Waterways of Longwood University, conducted a representative statewide sampling of 901 Virginia registered voters March 8-13, 2022.  It concludes that 55% of those surveyed believe “Plastic floating in the ocean” was second on the list of top concerns, and 24% believe that “Trash and litter in your community” is a “very serious concern.”  The study also showed broad support among voters for laws that would decrease litter and marine debris.  You can read more about this Virginia Voter survey:  2022 Public Perception Survey Plastic Pollution

SUP is a huge problem.  Single-use plastics are items that are made primarily from fossil fuel–based chemicals (petrochemicals).  They become discardable almost immediately, once the candy is popped in your mouth, the fork for your take-out food is being used, the wrapper on a pack of almost anything you buy.  SUP is unsightly on the side of the road, it clogs storm drains, it pollutes waterways, and it’s harmful to wildlife.

But there is much we can do to help.

Although many plastic items are technically recyclable, there are fewer opportunities to recycle with some businesses being unwilling or unable to offer to collect and sort used plastic, and some residents can’t locate facilities that accept all forms of plastic.  If you are on a litter cleanup, it’s often necessary to dispose of items that can’t be recycled — such as a bottle that has been run over by a car or has been lying in the mud  for a year — because it is no longer a viable product to be recycled.

The best plan of action is to stop using SUP when possible.  Arm yourself with a few items daily, and you’ll be prepared to say “No thanks” to SUP throughout the day.  Get yourself a refillable water bottle – with your favorite color, sports team, nonprofit cause, pooch, or alma mater; a metal or silicone straw you keep in your purse or pocket; a bamboo or metal spoon and fork will help you avoid plastic utensils at lunch time when you dine out, as will reusable Stasher bags eliminate the need for SUP sandwich baggies if you like to brown bag it.

So know what’s SUP in your life that can be replaced with reusable items.  Besides not adding to the SUP problem, you’ll most likely be saving money!  It’s good for the environment, and it’s good for you.

Santa Clause with Christmas tree saying Recycle Right

Help Santa by Recycling Right

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Santa Clause with Christmas tree saying Recycle RightWe recently heard that Santa wants to make the North Pole a Zero-Waste community by 2025.  The Elves are working diligently to be more sustainable.  It would be good to help them out by doing our part too!

According to the Recycling Center at Stanford University, Americans create 25% more waste during the holidays. That includes packaging materials, shipping boxes, wrapping paper, and more.

Sometimes it’s difficult to know what we can add to the recycling bin and what we cannot add.  The answers may vary by your location in Virginia, but there are some generalizations.  And remember, the new mantra (sadly) is, “When in doubt, throw it out.”  When an unrecyclable item is added to a pile of otherwise recyclable items, it contaminates the whole pile, generating even more waste to go to the landfill.

Looking at the Christmas holiday, here are some guidelines as to which items are NICE to recycle, and which items are NAUGHTY to put in the recycling bin.

First, the Naughty list.  If you add these items to your curbside recycling bin or include them with your trip to the convenience center will not make Santa (or the recycling plant managers) happy:

  • Christmas tree lights.  The long cords can get wrapped around the sorting machinery, causing major problems.  If a strand of lights isn’t working, you can often replace the little fuse or a burnt-out light with the package of extra supplies that comes with the lights.
  • Christmas Cards with glitter.  You don’t like that glittery stuff all over your house, and neither do the folks at the paper processing plant.
  • Shiny bows.  Unless you’ve made them yourself from recyclable material, save your shiny bows for next year.

Now the Nice list!  These items are good to gather up and add to your recycling bin.

  • Wrapping paper that is made of, well, paper.   If it’s not obvious, like brown craft paper or newspaper, scrunch up the paper in your hand; if it stays in a ball it CAN be recycled. But if it springs open it most likely cannot be recycled.
  • Cardboard boxes from shipping or gift packaging.  Open them up at the seams and flatten them before adding them to your other recyclable paper products.
  • O Tannenbaum!  Yes, a live Christmas tree can be very purposeful after celebrations of the holiday are over. Often trees are added to beaches to help retain sand dunes.  Some retail locations, such as Chicho’s Pizza in Virginia Beach, accept trees after Christmas.  Or you can put your tree in a corner of your backyard for birds and small creatures to use as shelter in the winter.  You can also check with your local zoo or wildlife shelter to see if they will accept trees this year to give to some of their animals who enjoy exploring new objects in their environment.

So be a good elf yourself by recycling responsibly!

School 3 R (300 × 300 px) (1)

Back to School 3 R’s: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

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Have a Sustainable Back-to-school this year! There’s so much that can be done to stay environmentally conscious while preparing for in-person classes again.  Here’s just a few ideas to consider.

Put a fun twist on the end-of-summer party by hosting a backyard school supply swap in your neighborhood!  People can bring surplus inventory from their Costco pencil deal, and swap with all the extra packages of notebook paper you stockpiled in the back of the closet last year.  Markers, glue sticks, gently used binders – all can be useful to others this school year.

Moms of younger kids could also have a clothes swap, while middle school girls might enjoy a pop-up backyard boutique featuring everyone’s outgrown clothes!  Add a mirror and some charity shop accessories for fun.  Teens might be better at buying (and selling!) clothes online – here’s an article with the scoop on the most popular websites to try.

Remember that DSW Shoes accepts gently used shoes.  That will help you clean the excess out of your closet, plus you’ll earn 50 points as a VIP member.  Best of all, you’ll be helping others through the Soles4Souls nonprofit.

Heading to college?  Don’t just put everything in the trash can as you unpack.  Find the recycling bins around campus for your collapsed cardboard boxes and many other products.  Don’t see any?  So now YOU can be the person who starts the effort to get recycling in place on campus!

Try using washable cotton rounds, complete with mini washing bag.  They’re great for removing makeup and applying skincare items, and don’t end up in the landfill like the disposable ones.

Switch out disposable K-Cups for a refillable one.  Or if you’re more likely to grab a cup of joe in the student center, take a reusable travel mug to fill instead of getting a disposable cup.

Here’s a tip that keeps on giving:  rent or buy used textbooks. It reuses what’s already out there, saves money, and you can sell the purchased texts when you’re done with them.

There are a lot of ways to live more environmentally conscious, both at school and at home.  Look for ideas on Pinterest, or for new products on Etsy.  And it can be fun to challenge your friends and family to do the same!

Lady shopping for bulk food

Tips for a Plastic Free July

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Lady shopping for bulk foodYou may have heard the reference to “Plastic Free July,” but are you wondering what you can do about it within the constraints of your time and budget?  There is significant amount of plastic waste comes to and from our homes that we do have control over.

According to the 2021 Keep America Beautiful Litter Study, plastic films, both general use films and food-packaging films, such as candy wrappers or snack bags, represent the second and third most littered items in America.

You can choose to keep plastic waste from coming into your home by being selective of how your food products and take-out food are presented.

First and foremost, BE PREPARED!

  • Put reusable shopping bags and mesh produce bags in your car, ready to use!
  • Carry a reusable bottle of water with you to work, school, errands, or wherever life takes you. Many public places now offer water refill stations.  Hopefully that trend will continue to increase.
  • Find some beautiful mismatched stainless-steel cutlery to take with you when you pack your lunch, or keep them at your desk ready for a soup or snack. Wash, rinse, and repeat!
  • If you want to use a straw, there are many alternatives available to the plastic throw-away ones restaurants offer. Or you can get a ready-to-go kit of utensils and straw here.

And consider making some small changes:

  • Instead of disposable dryer sheets, try Friendsheep Eco Dryer Balls that naturally soften and fluff your laundry by gently tumbling in your dryer. Their movement helps separate your fabrics allowing the heat to better flow between them, reducing wrinkles, static cling, and drying time.
  • Patronize local restaurants that offer take-out food in recyclable or compostable containers.
  • Many grocery stores have sections that offer bulk sales of rice, nuts, and grains that you purchase by-the-pound with no packaging (except for the one you bring to reuse!)
  • Shop at your local farmers markets for unpackaged produce, which you’ll take home in the reusable mesh bags you keep in your car 😉

I hope that you’re finding simple swaps and alternate ways to avoid your reliance on single-use plastic in your life!

Children smiling

$1,000 Award Goes to the Children’s Museum of Richmond

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Children smilingCongratulations to the Children’s Museum of Richmond for their Green Grant award of $1,000 in the Recycling Category!  By installing a water refilling station at their downtown location, they will offer families the opportunity to refill water bottles brought from home.

Community volunteers created the Children’s Museum of Richmond in 1981, with the goal of designing a place to inspire young children to develop their imaginations.  Their mission is to inspire growth in all children by engaging families in learning through play.

Through its 40+ year history, the museum dedicated its efforts toward further serving our local communities by bringing even more opportunities to learn and play closer to where our visitors work and live.

The Children’s Museum of Richmond’s Downtown location currently has several water fountain areas for families to use during their visit. However, they do not have a place for families to refill water bottles that they bring with them. The Museum does offer individual plastic bottles of water for sale at the front desk. The water refilling station will help the Children’s Museum reduce its own waste footprint by limiting the number of plastic bottles sold.

The Children’s Museum serves children 0-8 years old and their families. As an educational institution, they know the importance of teaching foundational skills and knowledge to the youngest citizens. Funds received from the Green Grant will be used to purchase a water refilling station.  This will allow the Museum to expand its environmental education by talking about the water refilling station and the benefits that it provides. Information and signs at the  refilling stations, along with parent-led and teacher-led prompts, will explain the impact of plastic on Richmond, Virginia, the United States, and the world at large.  This will be a practical addition to the Museum as an educational tool for those that visit.

The hope is that by setting the example of refilling water bottles, rather than depending on single use bottles of water, it will introduce good habits at an early age.  Providing children with a strong sense of environmental ethics while they’re young will make eco-friendliness second nature to them as they grow up.

Cville TimeBank Logo

Cville TimeBank receives $500 Green Grant for Repair Café

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Cville TimeBank LogoWe’re about a week away from announcing the last of the thirty grants in June as part of our 12th Annual “Green Grants” Program!

To help repair broken items, the Cville Timebank has been awarded a $500 grant for its Repair Café initiative.

The Cville Timebank is an organized exchange system through which members earn Time Dollars for time spent helping other members. One hour of service earns one Time Dollar, and everyone’s time and service are valued equally. Cville TimeBank keeps track of service offers, requests, exchanges, and Time Dollars.  Some recent examples are learning how to make sushi, one member repairing an heirloom quilt for another member.  And a request to dig four post holes was answered by a member who had that ability and time to offer that service!

At a Repair Café event, hosted by Cville Timebank, folks bring their broken stuff to be repaired by volunteers for free. It’s a fun, friendly way to keep perfectly good stuff out of the landfill and spend some quality time together as a community.

Funds awarded by the Green Grant will go towards putting on the Repair Café and purchasing supplies needed for repairs, such as replacement electrical cords and plugs, assorted sewing supplies, bulbs, batteries, tape, glue, and gloves.  Cville Timebank expects about 50-75 attendees, each allowed to bring in up to three items for free repair.  All those items will be put back into service and kept out of the landfill!

What a great way to reuse what we already have – congratulations Cville Timebank!

Gloucester Logo

Gloucester Clean Community Bags a $1,000 Green Grant

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Gloucester LogoGloucester Clean Community’s “Bag It Up” campaign was selected as one of the thirty Green Grant Awards we’re announcing each day in June.  Their goal is to offer reusable grocery bags to consumers at the farmers’ market this summer to decrease the amount of single-use plastic bags used during food purchases.

Although plastic produce and shopping bags are popular with consumers because they’re lightweight, and a hygienic way of carrying food item, they can take their toll on the environment.  Many plastic bags are sent to the landfill, fowl up recycling sorting equipment, or end up littering the landscape, becoming a hazard for farming and mowing equipment as well as wildlife.

Clean Community is aiming to help mitigate the use of single-use plastic bags in their community. Through a public outreach program, they plan to provide community members with reusable bags at farm stands in Gloucester.  They want to educate and encourage residents and visitors to think before automatically picking up single-use plastic bags.  They hope to enlist the help of the local 4-H, boy scouts or girl scouts to assist in enlightening the youth and the public by handing out reusable cloth bags at local farm stands.

Green Grant funds will be used to purchase reusable grocery bags to give away for free to the public.

Farmers' MarketClean Community will measure how many bags are handed out throughout the summer. A short survey or outreach will be offered to people regarding their knowledge of plastic pollution and ask why they do or do not use reusable grocery bags. Any leftover reusable grocery bags will be used to hold our Clean Gloucester Day cleanup volunteers’ supplies for our Fall Cleanup.

Gloucester County Clean Community in Gloucester strives to help keep Gloucester County clean and green. They promote recycling and proper disposal of solid waste, facilitates group cleanups and beautification projects, as well as conduct community outreach and education programs for schools.

Way to keep your community clean Gloucester!  Congratulations!

Man at workbench

$1,000 Green Grant Awarded to Upper Tennessee River Roundtable

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Man at workbenchIn an effort to encourage reusing and fixing items that are owned, instead of throwing the item away, the Upper Tennessee River Roundtable will host a Fit-it-fair with funds awarded as part of our 12th Annual Green Grants Program.

The Upper Tennessee River Roundtable provides environmentally beneficial programs to a wide range of communities ranging from cities to rural counties.  They will organize the Fix-it-fair in partnership with Keep Southwest Virginia and the Clinch Valley Soil and Water Conservation District at the local farmers’ market in Russell County.

The event would have “fixers” for mending, furniture repair, small appliance repair, electronic repair, bike repair, handyman, and jewelry repair.  Community members will sign up for time slots online and bring their items in during that time on the day of the event.  Repairs will be made at no cost to the residents.

Green Grant funds will be used to offer a small stipend to those who are repairing items, as well as costs of signage and repair supplies.

Upper TN River LogoRepairing items gives people a chance to hold on to items that have sentimental value, or ones that have a second life in them, and it avoids those items being added  unnecessarily to the landfill.  The area in Southwest Virginia has a strong community with a love for things with historical significance and fixing things in creative ways so, it is expected that the community would celebrate this event wholeheartedly.

We look forward to seeing how many items can be saved by skilled “fixers” and hope to share pictures of this great community event!  Congratulations and good luck!

Farmers Market with Tents

$1,000 Green Grant Award for Dorey Park Farmers Market

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Farmers Market with TentsCongratulations to The Dorey Park Farmers Market is a collaboration between Henrico County Recreation and Parks and Dorey Farmers Market, Inc., a nonprofit organization. The market is a producer-only market, meaning that vendors must grow or produce their wares, which include vegetables, honey, meat, pork, fermented foods, and dairy products.

Although Henrico County has an active recycle collection program, it is not widely adopted  in some of the rural areas such as around Dorey Park Farmers Market.  At the market itself, there are recycle containers available.  However, they are usually so mistakenly filled with trash that they are nearly useless for recycling.

By initiating an active and effective recycling and composting program at the Farmers Market, it will improve the cleanliness and appearance at the park, as well as increase the recycling effectiveness.  They also hope that by educating the public about the proper collection of recyclable products, it will influence families to be better at recycling at home.

Logo SketchA local Boy Scout will use his Eagle Scout project to create a large recycle, compost, and trash stand that will be located near the center of the market.   It will be easily seen and accessed from anywhere in the market for patrons to find and use, and also allow easy access to recover the recycled and composted material. The stand will be large enough to draw market patron’s attention and substantial enough to last for many seasons.

Green Grant funds will be used for materials to construct the recycle/compost/trash stand, signage, and other costs of the project.

One or two high school-aged students will stay by the recycling stand to assist and educated patrons which of the marked bins is best for the materials they’re disposing.  The Dorey Park Farmers Market is partnering with Varina High School to have its Science National Honor Society students assist as guides at the stand, and also lead classes and discussions about best recycling and composting practices.

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