5 Easy Mistakes to Make in the Name of Eco Friendliness
Aug 29, 2011 Eco Friendly Home
It’s easy to make mistakes when you’re trying to be eco friendly. There are a lot of confusing options, and many terms aren’t regulated, so claims of one sort of eco friendliness or another may not mean what you think they mean.
Even the terms “green” or “eco friendly” don’t have significant meanings, although the FTC is looking at how those are used, since so many false and vague claims have been made in those areas. Sometimes the steps you hear to help you be more eco friendly can result in more pollution than what you’re doing right now.
Mistake #1: Buy things you don’t need.
Too often people are prouder of buying something because it said it was eco friendly in one way or another than in actually considering how the product will be eco friendly for them. It’s nice when you buy something produced in an environmentally friendly way, and you’ve done the research to be sure of that, but is the purchase really necessary? Think it over first. The most eco friendly purchase may be the one you don’t make at all.
Mistake #2: Fail to recycle old appliances and electronics.
So you’ve decided it’s time to replace one of your household appliances or electronics. Did your research, found what looks to be an environmentally responsible choice. Now what did you do with the old one?
If you didn’t say send it for recycling, you’ve made a mistake. Many retailers have a take-back program, making recycling pretty easy on your part. The EPA has a Responsible Appliance Disposal program that retailers, local governments and others can participate in.
Computers and other electronics can be more difficult to recycle properly, but it’s not impossible and doesn’t have to be terribly difficult. Many Target locations now have bins to accept old cell phones, MP3 players and so forth. The EPA has a Plug-In to eCycling Campaign, or you can check for electronic waste recycling days set up in your local community.
Mistake #3: Buy what looks eco friendly, without making sure you’ve made the right choice.
Many terms used on product packaging aren’t regulated. They sound good, but unless they have a legal meaning, they may not mean what you think they mean. They may be essentially the same as any other product, just with better eco marketing.
Mistake #4: Prefer recyclable or recycled products to reusable ones.
It’s good to use recycled or recyclable products. Recycling is a big part of being more environmentally friendly, as it keeps waste out of landfills and cuts down on the use of limited resources. But it’s not the biggest part of being environmentally friendly.
Reduce is, but once you’re making the purchase anyhow, reusable trumps recycled or recyclable. Buy reusable water bottles. Reusable shopping bags. Use washrags for cleaning around the house rather than paper towels, even if you’ve bought paper towels made from recycled paper. The same goes for napkins.
Mistake #5: Use pesticides and conventional fertilizers in your garden.
Gardening can be a wonderful, eco friendly activity. It’s also a nice physical activity for you, can make your yard more attractive, and if you plant vegetables or fruits, makes a nice addition to your food supply.
They aren’t so good for the environment if you use conventional pesticides and fertilizers. These can be harmful to the environment, and may leave residues you need to wash off your foods.
You’re better off using natural fertilizers such as compost from the food scraps and yard waste you produce anyhow. Done right, there should be minimal stink from the compost, and you get great soil to use in your garden.
You can also look at safer ways to control pests, such as using ladybugs to control certain other insects, learning about which plants discourage problem insects, and so forth.
Don’t forget the simple things, such as pulling weeds by hand rather than spraying for them. No chemicals needed.
You can buy more environmentally friendly pesticides and fertilizers, but you have to be careful about researching the products you choose.
Tags: eco friendly living tips, eco friendly mistakes, Recycling
Caps On or Off for Plastic Bottle Recycling?
Nov 8, 2010 Environmental News
Even when you try to avoid plastic bottles, most of us end up dealing with them sometimes. If you’re lucky and live in an area with easy recycling, you can toss them into the recycle bin. If you’re really lucky, they take all types of plastic, not just #1 and #2.
There’s one step that confuses a lot of people. It’s whether or not to remove the lid from their plastic containers before recycling. It’s a different type of plastic. Can the lids be recycled too?
That depends on where you live. The Association of Postconsumer Plastic Recyclers says it is more often okay to leave the lids on now, but to check with your local recycler to be certain. Used to be they didn’t want the lids at all, and would toss any bottles with lids rather than take the time to remove the lid. The lids would jam their machinery. Now many of them are willing to deal with the lids. The demand for the type of plastic used in lids has apparently increased over time.
Personally, I don’t like to leave the caps on when I send a bottle for recycling. Not that I have a problem with recycling the lids. It’s just that I think it’s better to let the bottles dry out with the lid off.
You always need to pay attention to the recycling rules in your area. Where I used to live, their flyer only said they too plastics #1 and #2, and only in the shape of a bottle. When my husband talked to some of their representatives at a home expo, he was told they took all types of plastic, including plastic bags.
Where we are now takes plastics #1-7, but absolutely no plastic bags. They provided a great little chart we keep on the fridge that shows what they do and do not accept.
Just as with the rules about plastic caps, the rules for recycling other products can change over time and by where you live. You can’t take the answer from one place and be certain it’s right for another. You have to get answers that are specific to where you’re dealing with the recycling.
Overall, however, I’m just glad to hear that plastic caps can often be recycled. Much as I prefer to avoid using plastic at all, it’s nice to know that when it comes into my life, even that little piece may be able to be recycled. I just have to check the local rules.
Tags: plastic caps, plastic recycling, Recycling
Is Recycling Only About the Environment?
Aug 4, 2010 Recycling
Recycling is a major part of living a more eco friendly lifestyle. It’s a part many people focus on, and something that has become easier to do in many communities. Some may only offer recycling for the basics, such as metal, glass and paper, while others accept a wide range of plastics as well.
But recycling isn’t all about the environment. It has other benefits, depending on what’s being recycled.
Manufacturing Can Benefit
Some metals are much cheaper to recycle than they are to use fresh from the mine. The EPA says recycling aluminum saves 92% of the energy it takes to process it from bauxite ore. The demand for aluminum is high, as it is used in common products such as soda cans or siding on houses.
Recycling Creates Jobs
If you want a recycling program, people are going to have to work at the recycling center. That’s jobs for people getting products ready for recycling, transporting recyclable and recycled materials and so forth.
Recycling takes more people to do the work than similar jobs at landfills. Despite that, many kinds of recycling are economically feasible enough that this still saves money over dumping it all in the landfill.
Recycling Saves Money
Communities have realized that it’s worthwhile to have recycling available. Businesses have realized that it’s worth their time to recycle. There’s a good reason for that. They save money.
A good recycling program costs less than many other waste disposal options. The products being recycled can be sold, reducing the cost of the recycling program.
Landfills Benefit
Recycling can’t do away with landfills, but it can slow down the rate at which they are filled. Some areas of the United States are facing a shortage of available space for landfills. Other areas aren’t facing such problems, but it doesn’t hurt to slow down how fast we fill up landfills.
If local landfills are full, then states have to send their garbage elsewhere, increasing the costs to consumers. That’s significant to people living in areas where they have to send their garbage away.
Remember the Other Two Rs
Recycling has a lot of benefits, both to the environment and economically, but it’s not the only thing you should be considering. It’s more important to reduce your consumption and to reuse products when possible. These two actions are the most beneficial to the environment, and are pretty good for your personal finances as well.
Tags: environment, Recycling, why recycle
How Do You Figure Out What You Can Recycle?
Feb 5, 2010 Recycling
In some areas recycling is required. In others, it’s all but impossible due to a lack of facilities. How do you figure out what you can and cannot easily recycle in your area?
The simplest solution is to check with the company that handles garbage in your area. Many are also in charge of recycling too. If you’re lucky they’re already providing you with a bin for recyclables that you don’t even need to sort yourself. The information you need may even be on the company website.
Many are pretty picky. It’s not too uncommon for plastics recycling to be limited to #1 and #2 plastics in bottle form only. Others will take pretty much any kind of plastic.
Then there’s paper recycling. It’s generally not as restrictive as it used to be, but you do still have to be careful. Most won’t want food stained paper, paper towels or paper napkins. But it’s often not a problem to include glossy paper, envelopes with plastic windows or staples in with the paper.
Glass recycling can be a bit interesting. Glass jars are fine. Most companies ask that you not put in broken glass of any kind. They also generally don’t take light bulbs, glass from dishes, mirrors or windows.
If you have a local recycling company that picks up at your house but is a bit pickier than you’d like, it can pay to check out options for places you can bring your recyclables. Sometimes they’ll be within a reasonable driving distance. Just search for your area and include the word “recycling” and see if anything good comes up.
If the recycling companies don’t have websites, you’ll just have to call them to find out if you can bring anything to them and what they will take.
In general, recycling companies prefer that glass and plastic be rinsed. You probably don’t need to scrub things out, but a quick rinse isn’t a bad idea. It also means your indoor recycle bin won’t get dirty so quickly even if you don’t line it with a bag.
But don’t just think of the everyday little things. You can recycle big things and things you don’t often dispose of too. Just be picky about how you go about it.
Some electronics can be recycled. Be picky, as too many companies aren’t all that honest about how they recycle electronics. Sometimes they’re just shipped off to other countries, where the recycling is done in a rather hazardous and polluting manner. Check the e-Stewards website for reputable electronics recycling. You may even be able to mail your electronics in.
For cell phones that still work, consider donating it instead. There are companies that will send old cell phones to people in developing countries or domestic violence victims.
Compact fluorescent bulbs don’t belong in the trash when they burn out. They have mercury and really aren’t good for the landfill. But IKEA, Home Depot and some other stores may take them in. Check with your nearest location.
Don’t forget the reuse option, of course. Anything that can be reasonably reused consider offering up on Freecycle or donating to a local charity. That’s even better than recycling!
Tags: electronics, freecycle, Recycling
Check Local Recycling Laws – Green Step By Step
Jan 18, 2010 Green Step By Step, Recycling
One of the challenges of recycling is knowing exactly what you can and cannot recycle. It varies a good bit from place to place. So many places take only plastics #1 and #2 in bottle shape only, while others take just about the whole spectrum. If you don’t know you could be throwing out recyclable plastics or dropping in things that mess up the recycling routine.
In many regions the recycling company has a website you can check. It may be on your bill from the disposal company. If not, find them using your favorite search engine. Smart companies will list on their websites what they do and do not take.
Companies can be picky about the type of plastic. They can be picky about how clean your glass and plastic are before recycling. You may need to sort, although you probably know that one already by the kinds of bins you deal with. Some are more or less restrictive on the kinds of paper you can send in and if they accept shredded paper.
