So I finally managed to talk to Mr Vincent Pao, the General Manager of Concepts Computer regarding the recycling issue that I had, resulting in my “Concepts Computer Lying to Us?” post. In my talk with him about a few things but most important to me at the this time was the recycling issue. He stated that people from the recycling place came and picked up the equipment and that he did not have the contact number of the place or of the person in charge. He mentioned the place was at “Sungai Akar” which I believed to be the Sungai Akar rubbish dump. He said there is a little building/section where they recycle the equipment.

Today I went to the rubbish dump to try and find this recycling place that was supposed to be there. After some walking around and talking to the workers there, I was directed to “Ah Huat” who told me that they did pick up the equipment from Concepts but they are not recycling it. They are merely taking the equipment apart and dumping them in the dump. As shown below you can see the remains of some of the monitors and some PCB (printed circuit board) remains.

I admit, in my last post I was a bit harsh on Concepts, but after some thinking it could be a misunderstanding or miscommunication. It could have been that the person misled Mr Pao to think they were recycling or it could have been a misunderstanding on Mr Pao’s side. Whatever the story may be, I believe everybody should just know that at the end of the day the items being traded-in are not being recycled

In coordination with Recycling Avenue, Schaumburg Township is sponsoring a small electronics dropoff at Town Hall.  Take your used laptops, ink cartridges, cell phones, digital cameras and MP3 players to One Illinois Blvd in Hoffman Estates.  They are open Monday through Friday 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Items not accepted are computer monitors, printers, PCs, towers, fax machines, TVs, DVD players or any other large electronic.

For more information, please visit www.recyclingavenue.com

If Thanksgiving is the appointed time for rampant overeating and Black Friday our annual date with discount frenzy, then today could perhaps become enshrined as Hangover Saturday, a good time to reflect on consumption rather than engage in it.

Here a selection of Hangover Saturday thoughts gathered in the course of a restful day:

When people talk about what they are grateful for (on Thursday), they never say, “I’m grateful that I have so much stuff” or “My cup runs over because of those Manolo Blahniks I bought last spring” or “The best thing that ever happened to me is my Lamborghini.” It’s possible they’re just trying not to tip their hand, but I suspect we don’t hear those things because, actually, we all do know better.

Our current economic woes have had one advantage: to clarify the point that consumption is not a selfish indulgence but a patriotic duty, philanthropy flowing ceaselessly towards the wealthy, so that our expenditures can come back to us in the form of jobs, which may be defined as a palliative for massive debt or as a subsidy for patriotic duty, sadly insufficient.

Can't touch that 42% of greenhouse gas tied up in goods and food!

Whoever thought of the slogan “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle” was not really clued in to the realities of our economic system. We do our bit to help with recycling at least in some parts of the country, but when we make an (unwilling and modest) start on the “Reduce” component, the whole country goes off the rails. That must be why the EPA report “Opportunities to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions through Materials and Land Management Practices”—which is to say “How to Save the World by Tackling Consumption and its After-Effect, Garbage”—declines to estimate the impact on greenhouse gas production if we ate less and bought fewer things. Instead, it tries to figure out what difference it makes if, for example, we were to capture ALL the landfill gas that percolates up from our trash and convert it to electricity or if we recycle ALL the construction and demolition debris coughed up by the never-ending pursuit of bigger and better (as opposed to affordable) homes and gardens.

The opposite of consumption that most easily comes to mind on Hangover Saturday would be abstention. But consumption also has an opposite in creation, which is or can be blameless and much more fun than just saying no. The best place I know to get a feel for the truth of that proposition is S.C.R.A.P. (www.scrap-sf.org), an inspired program in San Francisco that diverts virgin merchandise from the landfill, makes it available for dirt cheap to all those with an urge to create rather than consume, and provides a bunch of jobs into the bargain.

What one might do with scrap

The San Francisco warehouse (on Newcomb between Toland and Selby) is huddled rather inauspiciously under Highway 280, but step inside and be greeted by a carnival of color and texture—papers, fabrics, buttons, doodads, figures, threads and yarn, birds, notions, glass, wood, boxes and containers, table legs and carpet squares,  stickers, ribbons, cards, and vinyl discs. On and on. Not everything leapt out at me as obvious fodder for art, including the industrial-sized potato mashers. For many things, it is immediately obvious why they are not in a store somewhere. In their original identity, the scraps that S.C.R.A.P. offers are not saleable, but as art materials they’re irresistible, guiltless, and very inexpensive.

Over it all hangs an exhibit of unpretentious art: scrap boxes emulating the best of Joseph Cornell, mobiles, a digestive tract laid out in flopping beakers and retorts, quilts, and many other works that demonstrate the virtues and joys of clean salvage.

Message from Sarah Ruden at Southern Oregon University:

Over the summer, Southern Oregon University signed a 2-year (renewable 3rd year) contract with
Sodexo.  The transition was quick and disorganized, so things got off to a
rough start. Over winter break they are putting some major $$$ into
renovations on campus and it sounds like they intend to invest quite a bit
here. So far, the food is marginal at best (I’ve personally only purchased
one meal just to investigate. Nope… I’ll be sticking to my cheaper,
organic snacks, thanks.)

As put-off as we were about contracting with one of the “big three,” I’m
actually encouraged by the philosophy of our general manager. She comes from
U of AK-Fairbanks where she helped start a student garden and her 2nd-down
manager (who just arrived a couple of weeks ago) is a guy from my hometown
who is supposed to be a sustainability-guru. I haven’t had time to sit down
and chat with him, but I know that he’s going to be researching local
availability and purchasing from the Ashland Food Coop.

I was recently hired as the Sustainability Intern – I’m determined to hold
Sodexo accountable for their practices and really stir things up! I’ll
mostly be in charge of telling the marketing what to market, but I’d like to
take it one step further and be a real activist. (I’m hoping SOU can be a
pilot campus for the Real Food Calculator, though that’s only been a thought
and I haven’t figured out my approach yet…)

Projects I’ll be working on next term:
- Going trayless
- Promoting “eco-containers” (washable plastic to-go clamshells) and
eliminating bioware from the freshman dorm dining
- Composting bioware from our other dining areas (SO close on getting this
implemented)
- Recycling training for employees & students(?)
- Last, but not least: A STUDENT-RUN GARDEN

Sodexo would like to establish a student garden on campus!!! (We already
have a community garden, but it’s off-limits for Sodexo takeover.) The
initial talk just took place on Thursday 11/19, but it sounds like we have a good
spot of land and we’ll start small with an herb garden in another location
as we work everything out. I’ve offered to take on a coordinator position in
this initial phase, so I have some questions for all of you! I’d appreciate
any personal stories, struggles, ideas, and suggestions if you’ve been
through this process.

MAJOR QUESTIONS:
- Who should be in charge of the garden? (Remember that SOU will probably
not be able to hire a new person and Sodexo may not be here long unless they
rock at this.)
- Where should the labor come from? (Especially over the summer – we have a
Mediterranean climate, meaning it’s HOT and DRY.)
- What are the FIRST steps? (I think we’ve gone so far as identifying
potential areas and will be testing the soil as the next step.)

I’m really just reaching out for any help. With break and finals coming up,
I’m going to be honest and say that I just don’t have as much time as I’d
like to dedicate to researching, but I’m impatient and want to see things
proceed as fast as possible. Email me at sarah.rudeen@gmail.com or leave me
a message on the blog.

Thanks so much RFCers – this is what networking is
all about!

Reading Response #11-Earth 911
Looking for a place to recycle almost anything? The website Earth 911 breaks down products and product packaging into recyclable units. Entering a physical address and a zip code provides the reader with detailed information on recycling facilities available near your residence.
Materials are broken down into distinct categories for easy reference. How to reuse specific products is explained in detail. The website is loaded with many practical ideas about how individuals can reduce their carbon footprint in everyday ways. An awareness of products that can be recycled when that product is purchased gives the reader valuable information about the actual life of that purchase. Modern day consumers are living in the disposable age. Landfills are abundant with products that could have been recycled and reused, some at considerable savings for the consumer.
In many cases people are not aware of the consequences of discards. This website emphasizes the direct impact recycling has on the environment. A change in attitude, in that new is not necessarily better, is mandatory if we are to lessen our negative environmental impact. This website can direct individuals to behaviors that will affect the earth in a positive way. The limited raw materials our society tosses as trash everyday need to be recycled whenever possible. This site offers practical information that will directly result in positive actions that can be shared with other consumers, and those consumers’ children.
Particularly during this consumer driven holiday season we need to step back from the cash register and reflect on the impact that purchase will have on the environment. The reader is encouraged to reuse gift wrapping and purchase items that are environmentally sound and will last beyond the new year. The Earth 911 website is a practical guide to recycling and dealing with items not generally thought to be recyclable. This website was easy to navigate and has links to many helpful, related sites. It encourages the reader to take an active role and helps them to make that New Year’s resolution of lessening their carbon footprint a reality.

In response to Kelly’s Theme Thursday challenge – Christmas Holiday Creations – I decided I really should get a move on and create my own card for the holidays. Here’s Birdie and co. wishing you an “arty-farty” Christmas!

All stamps – handcarved!! Off to see what everyone else created!

To download this and all my other mashups click here: norwegianrecycling.multiply.com Keep yourself updated with Norwegian Recycling: thepeterbullblog.blogspot.com norwegianrecycling.multiply.com www.facebook.com twitter.com www.myspace.com www.ilike.com www.vimeo.com Samples: 1. Jason Mraz – I’m Yours 2. Howie Day – Collide 3. Five For Fighting – Superman 4. Angela Ammons – Always Getting Over You 5. Boyzone – All That I Need 6. 3 Doors Down – Here Without You … mashup mash-up copyright …

So here’s a lideshow for the big mixed media abstract painting I mentioned yesterday. If you can think of a title that really rocks, I’ll send you a handmade gift. It could be anything – you know what I’m like!! I don’t usually struggle to name a canvas, but I’m too close to this one…

Click HERE for the Photostream on Flickr.

And thanks for the help!! =)

Marriott, one of the largest hotel chains in the US, has started down the path to being green.  Every small step this huge hotel chain makes is going to be a big impact with hopefully more hotels will following in their footsteps.  Marriot is on track to reduce greenhouse gas emissions close to 100 million tons by 2010, what an impact.  So they started in Washing D.C. where their headquarters is located.

By switching over to compostable plates and silverware they will be significantly helping the environment.  What a great way to leave a positive footprint in the ground!  They even went a step further by supplying their employees with re-usable coffee mugs and water bottles, to cut down the usage of paper ones.

Marriot headquarters even made an office model to how a green office should run.  With bubble cut outs in a carton like effect they showed which containers recycled what.  They even placed signs to show how shutting of a lamp that isn’t needed will save energy as well as their printers and monitors when not in use.

In the next five years Marriot plans to have their Marriot Courtyard hotels be LEED certified, they currently have more than 160 hotels in development.    The Courtyard Settler’s Ridge in Pittsburgh, Penn., will open next summer.  It will be the first hotel structured and designed with these standards. More than 30 of their hotels are being designed to receive LEED certification as of now – very impressive.

For a dollar a day Marriot is also offering their guest the ability to green their stay.  They have adopted a creative saying, “Green Your Marriott Hotel Stay for $1/Day.”  It is only offered to guests who book online and the $1 a day will go towards the preservation of a Brazilian rainforest.  By doing this it allows the guest to offset his/her carbon they generated throughout their stay.  What a fun an innovative idea!

By Kate Kiselka /  Follow me on Twitter

The following excerpt is taken verbatim from an article entitled Has God Gone Green? Found in the Issachar Report section of Volume 19, No. 11 (November, 2009) issue of the Personal Update, which is the news journal of Koinonia House.  The entire article is found on pages 11-15.  It was written by Leisa Garcia, Folio Specialist.  Get this newsletter for free for one year by clicking here:  Personal Update.

I have struggled with how to explain the mistaken concept of God being immanent that many false religions hold to be true.  I have never found a better explanation than this article puts forth, and so I included it in my blog for all to read.

Please understand that being “green” is not a negative thing in theory…saving energy, recycling, avoiding the use of toxic chemicals, replanting trees…just being a good steward of the earth and our health overall is God’s command to us.  However, many have taken it to extremes and are turning God’s command to be good stewards into an extremist agenda, and in some instances, a religion unto itself.  It is not the “green” part I am focusing on here.  For the moment, I am just focusing on the religions that use the concept of God being immanent as support for their “green” agenda.

I am thankful to God for the wisdom and insight he gave Leisa Garcia to write this fantastic article, and I strongly suggest that you read the entire piece,  if you get a chance!

Blessings,

Carl

“…immanent - emanating or issuing from, or as if from a source.  Not to be confused with the similar words “eminent” (high station, rank or repute) and “imminent” (likely to occur at any moment; impending).

One Scripture commonly used to try and prove their assertion that God is immanent (in everyone and everything) is Ephesians 4:6:  ‘One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.’

God truly is transcendent-above and separate from His creation, but God does NOT emanate from from any part of creation.  According to Thayer’s Lexicon the word ‘through’ in this passage means ‘diffusing his saving influence through all.’

It is critical to understand that Paul is writing to ‘the Saints which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus.’ God does not dwell in everyone.  He dwells only in those who have been born again by the Holy Spirit, who are direct creations of God.  He does not dwell in unbelievers.

God indwells us.  However, He does not become us and we do not become God.  As God’s Shekinah glory dwelt in the Holy of Holies  in the Tabernacle  and Solomon’s Temple, God dwells in us.  God did not become part of the Tabernacle or the Temple.  He simply dwelled there. [emphasis mine]

In a vain attempt to provide scientific proof for their beliefs, the ’spiritual greens’ espouse that God is in every cell and every atom at a quantum level.  Therefore, everything from the universe to the elements that make up creation are one with divinity, or one with God.

Interestingly, this belief that ‘all is one’ has been confirmed by the powerful sensation experienced by those who practice Eastern Meditation, Yoga and Contemplative Prayer in which they feel ‘at one with the universe.’  In fact, this may simply be a physical phenomenon caused by restricting the flow of information to the parietal lobe of the brain which causes you to lose your sense of boundaries…”

Here are some ways that I ‘go green’ in my daily life.  [Note: there is no implied judgment about others here - do what you need to do!  The important thing, in my humble opinion, is to be well informed...  Every choice we make affects everyone else in some way shape or form.  And even doing nothing at all is a choice in and of itself.  So the least one can do is make a well-informed choice, even if it is to do nothing at all.    Trust me, I have teenagers in my life - I have these kind of discussions on a regular basis!]

• LIFE-LONG VEGETARIAN
  • I have been vegetarian my whole life and have made changes more recently that include a considerable decrease in processed foods, increase in local foods, less canned goods.  My choice to be vegetarian is very important to me and shapes who I am.  I chose to be vegetarian both for ethical and health-related reasons and am happy to elaborate.  I will post about it at a later time as well.
    • Regarding the canned goods, it takes a lot longer and more planning ahead to make dishes that require beans, for example, but there’s a trade-off between convenience and extra packaging/potential leaching from can lining (http://www.dotmed.com/news/story/10748/ ). ‘Prudent avoidance’ seems like a good tactic and certainly one that I ascribe to.

• ORGANIC/LOCAL FOODS
  • I do try to get organic but only selectively get those organics as indicated by The Organic Center as being the most susceptible to be high targets of pesticide use. This is simply a matter of considering the cost of organics and the sources of organic produce and then making sure that we focus on getting organic versions of the most susceptible fruits and vegetables. Buying organic and buying local at the same time is made easier by having a good CSA (community supported agriculture) farm nearby and also growing our own of some things.
  • Buying seasonal local foods, eg. from farmer’s markets and the like can be so much fun.  And I do enjoy helping out on the farm whenever I get a chance.
  • I do have a vegetable garden and strawberries but I must say they did not do well this year AT ALL.    Too much rain.  But I am hardly alone in that.

• CONSERVING ENERGY – LIGHTS
  • We are pretty vigilant about lights and equipment and turning things off when not in use. And I try not to forget the large appliances that aren’t in use because while they may not draw that much power, it can add up!
• CONSERVING ENERGY – SHOWERS
  • I take lukewarm showers or even cold showers sometimes.  Hot water isn’t good for your skin anyway!  This one was hard to get used to at first because I used to love hot hot showers… but then I learned to get used to taking really fast army-style showers.  Then again, I’m not really a girly-girl so YMWV on this one.  [The point here though is that whatever temperature you are used to, I can bet you can probably get away with turning it down a wee bit and save some $/energy.  Again - do what you need to do.]

• I use a Diva Cup – THANK THE GODDESS!!  I won’t elaborate for fear of TMI but feel free to email me if you want further information.  I will post links to relevant websites also.  For women with heavy menstrual cycles and/or anyone interested in being done with/decreasing the amount of waste associated with this aspect of being female – learn on! 

• RECYCLING PLASTIC/PAPER BAGS
  • At home we reuse both plastic and paper bags as a regular course of things. We use them to take out the recycling, to cover the floors when the kids are painting, to cover the floors when we repainted the kitchen, for the kids to tear up and make crafts out of, to make signs, as gift wrapping or they get spruced up as gift bags, as liners for the tiny wastebaskets, to hold library books, etc.
• RECYCLING CONTAINERS
  • Same deal with containers, eg. spice jars, sauce jars, large jars of honey etc.  Basically anything that comes in glass and is a decent size is washed and saved and reused usually for leftover sauces, soups, etc.  The smaller jars are used for buttons, pins, etc.  All kinds of things!

• THRIFTY SHOPPING
  • I went to a wedding in a beautiful shimmery blue gown I got at a thrift store for $5. It was clearly something someone had paid over $100 for and was in perfect condition. Sadly I can’t fit into anymore (though for good reasons!!!)
  • Our local town craft fair is hit or miss for gifts but the associated tag sales have, in the past, yielded some interesting finds. It’s all a matter of how much time you are willing to spend to sift through things AND to haggle.
  • But haggling can be fun. And is also a valuable skill to learn even for regular stores. We typically don’t think of haggling as the domain of regular retail stores and it all depends, of course – but if you take a mindset of looking for bargains and ways to get a seller to cut you a deal, then you are more likely to find such opportunities. You never know if you don’t ask.

• PAPER TOWELS
  • We use cloth towels when possible and choose-your-own-size towels only for the paper.  That just means they cut them into smaller sections so we aren’t wasting as much paper each time you pull off a section unless you really need a lot.

• YARD WORK
  • We live in New England and have a long driveway. Ouch. So you might understand when I say that we made a conscious choice not to have a snowblower. That’s a conscious choice that has a lot to do with the environment and prioritizing our own resources. We do have a leaf blower but hardly ever use it. But let me tell you – every year is a challenge because we have a lot of trees!

• CARDS
  • I like to make a lot of my presents/greeting cards every year … it’s fun to do with the kids too! I still buy presents, mind you but who doesn’t love a handmade present?
• CLEANING
  • I clean with vinegar!!  And essential oils like lavender and lemon!  Oh yes.    Who needs nasty stuff like bleach (YUCK!  That stuff is toxic.  I’m actually allergic to it, in that I have trouble breathing around it) or other commercial products?  For most things, all you need is some vinegar or baking soda.  I’ll share some tips later on this.  There are good books out there on this too.
• NO DRIPS!
  • Ok this one is both a $ saver, and a pet peeve.  I hate the sound of dripping water or squeaky pipes.  But I also hear the sound of $ disappearing so it is good to get those leaks fixed.  But I will freely admit here that I don’t always do it right away, pet peeve or no pet peeve.  DIY plumbing is no fun!  And plumbers ain’t cheap. 
• PLASTIC TOYS
  • I try to avoid buying the kids in my life plastic toys because I certainly don’t want to add to the chemicals they are being exposed to already in their daily lives!  Plastics leach out chemicals and plastic toys are almost always from China, and hence are not known for their safety profiles, which includes the paint.  So wood, electronics (like they need anymore stimulation!), BOOKS etc.
• ETC.

Não tenho o livro, mas foi depois de ver algumas fotografias de alguns dos projectos de Handmade Home que me lembrei de transformar uma toalha num tapete de banho.

A toalha tem um siginificado especial porque a comprei na Alemanha e desde então andou a viajar por ai comigo, mas é pequena e está velhinha e bem, as viagens já não são assim tantas… Por isso foi a solução ideal de guardar algo precioso (para mim) e dar-lhe uma nova utilidade.

Printer Green Line

Obwohl alle Selbstfärber-Stempel ohnehin extrem langlebig und durch austauschbare Textplatten und Stempelkissen bereits sehr umweltfreundlich sind, hat Colop das Thema Umwelt zu seiner “grünen Mission” erklärt und das Thema konsequent weitergedacht.

“Green Line” nennt COLOP seine neue Serie der umweltfreundlichen Printer Green Line und Profi-Line Green Line Stempeln. – Hier setzt COLOP weitestgehend auf Recyclingmaterial, um diese Stempel möglichst resourcenschonend herzustellen.

Für die Produktion der Kunststoffteile der Green Line wird überwiegend Recycling-Kunststoffe verwendet. Dieses Material wird aus Kunststoffabfall erzeugt, der gesammelt und wieder zu Granulat verarbeitet wird. COLOP kauft dieses Recycling-Kunststoff-Granulat bei einem österreichischen Anbieter zu, da bei der eigenen Produktion nicht genügend Abfälle entstehen.

Profi-Line Green Line

Die Holzgriffe, die bei der Classic-Line verwendet werden, sind aus Europäischer Buche. Es stammt aus nachhaltig bewirtschafteten Wäldern, die über das international anerkannte FSC-Zertifikat verfügen.

Selbst bei der Verpackung wird bei diesem Produkt auf Umweltfreundlichkeit geachtet. Die verwendeten Karton-Verpackungsmaterialien bestehen selbstverständlich aus bis zu 100 % Recyclingkarton. Die verwendeten Kartonagen sind zudem ungebleicht. Beim Bedrucken wird auf ganzflächigen Druck verzichtet – es wird nur partiell bedruckt.

Unabhängig von der Umweltfreundlichkeit, machen die Green-Line Modelle mit Ihren schönen Holzgriffen auch so einen guten Eindruck. Die Qualität ist gewohnt gut.

Mehr zur Idee von COLOP erfahren Sie unter COLOP – Die grüne Mission

They are now setting a new waste legislation in Finland. But, it doesn’t happen in a day or two, and there are few challenging things to settle on. One of them is money; let’s say couple hundred million euros.

Mr Risto Saarinen, the leading expert in waste issues in Finnish Environment Institute, says that we produce 70 million tons of waste in a year in Finland. Our municipal waste amount is about 2,5 million tons.

”There are over one billion euros moving with the waste”, tells Saarinen. “And I tell you that there are a couple hundred millions in the municipal waste too. And they have been arguing, or should I say there is a war going on, who is finally having the right to collect this garbage, and this money.”

After one year, in December 2010, Finland has the new legislation for waste management. The schedule is set by EU with the waste directive.

The coming waste directive has set new recycling targets as well. By 2020, member states of the European Union must recycle 50 percent of their household waste and 70 percent of their construction and demolition waste. About two thirds of the municipal waste is generated in households. Within service industry, the biggest waste producers are trade and healthcare sectors.

Several surveys indicate that Finns are eager to recycle but they need more information about the means and ways of re-using waste. There is something to start with and soon. Finns have already adopted the recycling of organic waste that forms one third of the household waste.

“The organic waste can be composted in plants or it can be decomposed. Depending on the processing method, the waste turns into energy or soil enrichment material. On dumping grounds it rots to methane which can be exploited as energy in gas plant”, clarifies Head of the Consultation and Communications Unit, Riitta-Liisa Hahtala.

In 2007, 26 percent of municipal waste was recycled in Finland. So, there is still a lot of catching up to do. Nowadays, 60 percent of municipal waste ends up on dumping grounds. That has to change.

Still, the fact remains that amount of waste is growing each passing year. The amount of waste has correlated with the growth of gross domestic product but European Union aims to alter it. The situation is already changed in the Helsinki metropolitan area, also called YTV area.

Markus Haapamäki
Kirsi Ristaniemi
Annette Saksman

Thanksgiving is a time for reflection and while reflecting (and digitally filing papers on my desk) a fact sheet from ADEQ (that’s AZ Department of Environmental Quality) surfaced for consideration.

42 Recycling Facts and Statistics.

Let’s look at a few of them…

• Recycling 1 aluminum can saves enough energy to run a TV for 3 hours
• Recycling a single run of the Sunday New York Times would save 75,000 trees
• Each ton (2000 lbs) of recycled paper can save 17 trees, 380 gallons of oil, 3 cubic yards of landfill space, 4000 kilowatts of energy, and 7000 gallons of water
• A modern glass bottle would take 4000 years or more to decompose — and even longer if it’s in the landfill
• Steel cans contain 25% recycled content and are completely recyclable
• On average, it costs $30/ton to recycle trash, $50 to send it to the landfill, and $65-$75 to incinerate it
  

  Kathy Howe

While ADEQ’s website does not show a link or a page to this handout, there are many very informative pages about educating the public on how they can help to make Arizona sustainable.  The education of kids to the benefits of recycling is a great place to start.

Sedonans are great recyclers, but there’s always room for improvement.

SedonaKathy

Today has been a grey old day in Amsterdam, but I’ve been continuing with some colourful papercutting to keep the grey at bay.

In stark contrast to the peaceful monochromatic winteriness of the wolf and bear cards that I blogged about earlier in the week my papercutting has taken on a positively summery direction, colour bursting at every seam.

I’ve raided my paper stash – of Japanese origami and washi papers, saved gift-wrap and envelope security patterns, ticket stubs and other ephemera – collected over many years and in many different places…

i ♥ paper

envelope security patterns

… and I have been cutting and layering them to create what I’ve dubbed ‘rare blooms’ (as each papercut-thread-and-sequins-concoction is very much one-of-a-kind).

It’s a completely addictive activity and so much fun!

On the subject of fun… tonight we’ll see Scout perform at the Occii (I think its small size will make it the perfect intimate venue for her, always in my past experiences, intense & exposed performance), and tomorrow we’re off to Brussels (just a hop and a skip across the border) for more musical fun in the form of the Toutpartout festival @ Botanique (can’t wait! Although I’m gutted that The Cave Singers and Jason Molina have had to cancel due to illness – get well soon one and all!).

In between all the excellent music this weekend I’ll be participating in the Etsy Holiday Sale (I’m thankful for modern technology and the virtual ’shop’, which allows me to be in more than one place at once . My small garden of rare blooms has taken root over there.

Whatever you’re up to this weekend, I hope it’s fun-filled and colourful!

Newly listed Nat Geo paper bead necklace….. order online

Go Green by wearing recycled paper beaded artwork necklaces!

This ethnic looking necklace was made from hand rolled beads from Nat Geo, and coated with an acrylic finish. The necklace is multi colored in browns and blues and the spacer beads are wood tones.

Approx 34″

Now What?
Be Responsible.  Learn Where Old Electronics Should Go To Die.

What we throw away goes somewhere.

The average electronic device contains:

• LEAD
• Mercury
• Cadmium

We are shipping our highly toxic e-waste to developing countries to “processing centers” where men, women and children are being exposed to the most toxic chemical compounds found in the world.

Help end the choice between poverty and poison and place the health of people and the environment first.

Greenpeace

 Sharon, a radio reporter and Vanessa, the Greenpeace education officer.

 S          Vanessa, could you tell us more about Greenpeace ?

V         It was started in 1971 in Vancouver by a handful of people who were very concerned about the damage being done to the environment.

S          Why does Greenpeace use peaceful direct action ?

V         Well, an awful lot of people are very ignorant about the destruction of our environment. We are trying to alert the public’s attention by taking peaceful direct action.

S          for instance ?

V         If we want to make sure the public understands how and why whales are being killed, we position a Zodiac full of human beings between the whaling ship and the whale. So that if the harponist tries tries to kill the whale, he has to fire over the heads of the people.

S          do you film the action ?

V         of course! We film the whale being slaughtered and Greenpeace trying to peacefully protect it. And we show the film all over the world so that the public becomes aware of what’s going on.

S.         where does the money come from to do all this ?

V         well, it comes from the public at large through donations, wills, fund-raising events, and the selling of Greenpeace merchandise. We have no official backing from anywhere, so if the public doesn’t give us support and money, we can’t carry on.

S          what are the main campaigns right now ?

V         In England we are campaigning against the dumping of nuclear waste in the sea. In Norway, we fight against the killing of baby seals for fur. In Germany we are also campaigning against acid rain.

S          and how about the future ? will Greenpeace continue in the same way ?

V         well, it’s hard to say how things will change. But certainly for the immediate future we’ll pursue peaceful direct action as a means of exposing what’s going on to the public. We do a tremendous amount of scientific research to back up our claims. We’ll remain relatively small in staff. But we are hoping to improve membership worldwide. So the future looks pretty well the same although campaigns will probably change as situations change.

S          Well, I hope you will succeed in your actions ! Thank you very much for telling us about Greenpeace, Vanessa.

V         Thank you.

 Questions :

• What is Greenpeace ?
• What is a direct action ?
• What are the past actions ? the future actions ?
• What could be further actions ? could you think of some more actions ?

  – suggestion de Corrigé :

 1)      Text :

 The text talks about a green organisation which tries to preserve the earth and our environment on a world basis. Its name is Greenpeace. We can read about 2 women Sharon a radio reporter interviewing Vanessa a Greenpeace education officer.

  Greenpeace was founded in Canada in 1971. A lot of people do not realise that our environment is endangered so Greenpeace tries to stop the killing of whales by placing Greenpeace members in a boat between the whaling ship and the whale, their action is peaceful but sometimes risky.

 Their funds come from the public mainly, and the raising of funds they organise.

 Norway kills baby seals and Greenpeace acts against what they call a slaughter, some other countries also have problems with Greenpeace as their actions are spread worldwhile.

 Vanessa thinks that the direct action will continue on the same line for the future as there is a lot to do. Greenpeace has a rather small staff but they do a tremendous amound of scientific research.

 She thinks there will be more members all over the world as they are campaigning for it.

2)       Your Personal part :

Talk about your own experience as far as Greenpeace is concerned, what you know, examples of some of their actions you’ve heard about.

 Talk about your action concerning recycling, and around you. As a teacher what can you do ?

Explain how you could help children realise how important it is for the future.   

Did you know that 176,470 billboard ads are printed annually on 7,500 tons of vinyl to create attention grabbing, car swerving, crash inducing ads? Once they are removed from their structures, these large sheets of premium vinyl used to be headed for the wastestream. But now you can give your billboard ad new life.

AdVinylize is an affordable and eco-friendly solution for recycling used billboard vinyls into a variety of promotional products such as tote bags, messenger bags, and other innovative accessories.

Imagine, giving back a piece of your company in the form of unique, one-of-a-kind product such as tote bags, cooler bags, messenger bags or custom designed products, demonstrating your stewardship and commitment to the environment. By recycling your outdoor boards into corporate promotions, the life of your brand extends way beyond the life of the ad.

Billboard bags, I love me a swag bag.

posted by KDL | follow me on Twitter:  newscaster

There’s this thing on a certain social networking site, known as Facebook, where one writes up 25 things about themselves and sends the list to 25 people. The idea is to share intimate, less known facts about yourself with people of your choice. Instead of writing down my 25 things and posting it on the above mentioned website, I thought I’d toss them here and make a salad out of it.

1. Almost every morning, as I dress up my bottom, I glance in the mirror and smile with approval at the sight of my profile.

2. The more I cook, the more appreciation I gain for my mother’s culinary talents. I didn’t realize how good of a cook she was until I tried the trade myself. The goal is NOT to be able to make a few dishes I can later alternate when making dinners for my family. Instead, I cook to free my soul and go to heaven for having discovered and exploited my potential.

3. There’s something about Jason’s nipples I cannot simply resist.

4. I am on non-speaking terms with Starbucks for their new line of VIA Ready Brew. While the world screams “RECYCLE! USE LESS PACKAGING! STOP CUTTING DOWN THE AMAZON!” they come up with those tiny coffee sachets worth 1 cup each. Hello! Have you not heard of global warming and The Great Pacific Garbage Patch, which is twice the size of Texas?? These Starbucks people are bananas! Argh!

5. The awesome thing about the holidays is that Jason can’t stop me from making peanut butter and chocolate brownies, or a shit load of chocolate cookies, or even a brownie pie!

6. My favorite candy store? Sur la Table for breakfast, lunch or dinner.

7. My favorite day of the week? The bra-free day. I like to keep my girls free and give them all the play-time they want before I get them to work for food when I get pregnant next year.

8. Hey, Mister! Have you not noticed your car has built-in blinkers? Nooo, these are not Christmas ornaments. You ought to use blinkers all year round dammit. Oh, yeah, that’s a huge pet-peeve of mine.

9. I grew up surrounded by books. Love ‘em to the last page. However, since I started this blog, I’ve been mostly purging words rather then inhaling them. I miss that.

10. Cosmo is a four-legged Pelè in disguise.

11. I have a vivid imagination. In my head, I see pictures of myself and/or people close to my heart in extremely catastrophic scenarios. Those images come to me randomly and out of the blue. Often they are so realistic I start to cry. I am unaware of the origin of this condition. I don’t know how to overcome it either.

12. Beauty moves me. It fills up my chest till it hurts and I start to cry. Again.

13. I secretly fart.

14. I haven’t used a hairbrush in six months, since I cut my hair short.

15. I was a witch in one of my previous incarnations, who lived in the woods and brewed herbal concoctions for various ailments.

16. – 24. Last night I made a salad, a twist on Coleslaw, that was so good the world stopped spinning for a moment. It was so fantastic in fact it’s worth 9 points of the 25 Important Things From Agnieszka Graczyk’s Life. Here’s how I did it…

I bought a package of shredded cabbage. I’d have gotten a whole head if the store offered one, as you know how I feel about the unnecessary packaging, etc. They didn’t carry the veg in its natural form. Back in my kitchen, I emptied the bag into a large bowl and added shredded Granny Smith Apple along with a bunch of chopped scallions. In the meantime, I toasted maybe a 1/2 a cup if raw walnuts, let them cool, and then roughly chopped them into small boulders of brain nuts.

Don’t they totally look like brains? The truth is they are really good for your brain, so it’s a clever tip to remember. The smurfs that write on Whole Foods web pages made my life easier for describing in detail the nuts’ magic:

Walnuts have often been thought of as a “brain food,” not only because of the wrinkled brain-like appearance of their shells, but because of their high concentration of omega-3 fats. Your brain is more than 60% structural fat. For your brain cells to function properly, this structural fat needs to be primarily the omega-3 fats found in walnuts, flaxseed and cold-water fish. This is because the membranes of all our cells, including our brain cells or neurons, are primarily composed of fats. Cell membranes are the gatekeepers of the cell. Anything that wants to get into or out of a cell must pass through the cell’s outer membrane. And omega-3 fats, which are especially fluid and flexible, make this process a whole lot easier, thus maximizing the cell’s ability to usher in nutrients while eliminating wastes–definitely a good idea, especially when the cell in question is in your brain.

The salad would not be complete without the dressing I quickly whipped up in our Magic Bullet. These were the components:

-       freshly squeezed lemon juice from 1 lemon

-       1 tbsp of honey

-       2 tbsp of heavy cream

-       3 tbsp of olive oil (the whole nine yards – organic, extra virgin, first cold pressing, etc.)

-       2 tsp of sea salt

-       1 tsp of black pepper.

Everybody in the bowl (the cabbage, scallions, apples, and nuts) got coated evenly with the silky dressing, then chilled in the refrigerator for at least 45 minutes before consumption time. Then I took a bite, and with it I heard music and saw fireworks on a horizon. It was amazing, beyond delicious. There was the tartness from the apples and the dressing, but instantly the nut took off the edge and spread comfort and bliss in my mouth.

I didn’t need anything else for dinner. That was my delight of the day. For Jason, however, I reheated leftover penne over pancetta and garlic, and grilled three chicken tenders. Just like that. Nevertheless, the salad still took the Guest of Honor’s seat, and got a round of applause. Pure brilliance on a plate.

25. I am madly and uncontrollably in love with that white boy from Texas named Jason Blaine. Moreover, I am madly and uncontrollably loved by that white boy from Texas named Jason Blaine. He loves me just the way I am.

Gobble, gobble…!