Batteries and the Electric Car: A Challenge for Recycling, How to recycle electric car batteries.

Recycling electric car batteries. Learn how at RecyclerFinder.com

Electric cars may be gaining popularity because of fuel savings and a reduced impact on the environment, but the type of battery typically used in these cars could pose a problem if not properly recycled. Not only is having a recycling program for batteries from electric cars good for the environment, but it helps consumers avoid some safety issues associated with battery disposal.

Safety Issues

The first consideration regarding an electric car battery is that it typically weighs about 550 pounds. This obviously poses a problem when the average driver is attempting to dispose of such a large item. A recycling program would allow consumers to take their used batteries to a place where the battery would be handled using the appropriate lifting equipment.

Much of the energy contained in the battery remains there even after the battery can no longer be used to power a vehicle. A safety hazard is posed by this storage of unused energy. Electric shock from the leftover charge may injure a person, and there is a significant fire risk.

Established Used Electric Car Battery Programs

There are some car companies that have already partnered with recyclers to allow consumers to recycle an electric car battery.

• Toxco operates a plant in Canada that specializes in using state-of-the-art technology to recycle lithium-ion batteries.
• In Europe, car manufacturer Tesla has established its own program for allowing consumers to recycle a spent battery from an electric vehicle.
• Toyota allows Prius owners to take the battery to the dealership to be recycled.

How To Recycle a Used Electric Vehicle BatteryConsumers should start by consulting the owner’s manual for their electric vehicle. Details on how to recycle a spent battery is likely to be found somewhere in the manual. If no information can be found, call a customer service representative.

Consumers can also contact a local recycling plant for a referral to a facility that can handle a large lithium-ion battery.

The bottom line is that electric cars cannot be considered fully green unless the manufacturer has established a way for consumers to recycle the battery.

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The Green Party: How to Throw One and What Not to Throw Out!

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Even people wanting to live a green lifestyle deserve to throw a party once in a while. However, having concern for the environment can make the party planning process complicated. How can a person throw a fun bash without making a lot of trash?

Green Invitations

People planning a party should look into companies that only sell invitations that have been made from recycled materials. Research whether recycling materials were also used for the envelopes. There are even websites that allow people to design their own recycled invitations.

An even more environmentally-friendly option is foregoing paper invitations entirely and sticking to evites via email or social media websites.

Can Food Choices at Parties Impact the Environment?

Make a point to only purchase enough food for the amount of people coming to the event. This cuts down on the possibility of wasted food ending up in the trash.

For the most green food selections, stick with minimally-processed, locally sourced foods.

Decorating Sans the Landfill

Instead of purchasing paper decorations, decorate by using natural items like fresh flowers, pine cones and dried berries. Recycling is built in as these items can often be used in a compost pile after the event.

Keep trash out of a landfill after an event by choosing only materials that are recycled and can be sent to a center again for repurposing. Recyclerfinder.com is a great resource that lets users find a recycling center in the local area.

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How green is your pet?

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Going green is a popular way to live these days, but how far can people take their attempt to lessen their impact on the environment? While most people know that using less electricity, water and fossil fuels is a great way to help the planet, most are unaware that their choice in pets can make an impact as well.

Greener Pet Choices

The first thing to note when deciding on a green pet choice is that the population of dogs and cats in the United States is out of control. A step toward a greener pet is to choose an older dog or cat to discourage the intentional breeding of animals for commercial purposes. Breeding cats and dogs simply fuels the overpopulation of these animals, while adopting a pet is almost like a form of recycling.

A benefit of owning a dog or cat is that their feces can be used for compost. In turn, the compost can be used to grow food for pets.

Environmentally-friendly Pet Supplies

Companies that embrace recycled materials for use in their products are the best option. Consumers should choose a company that only uses recycled, sustainable materials in its products.

Some examples of unique green products for pets include a cat toilet that eliminates the need for cat litter waste, pesticide-free grooming products that are safer for use on animals and around humans and hemp collars that are more comfortable for animals to wear regularly.

Pet owners can help the environment even more by recycling pet products after use.

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Mirror, Mirror on the Wall–Who’s the Greenest of Them All?

San Francisco the city by the bay, is number 1 in recycling!

Which American city recycles the most? A study of major cities sponsored by Nalgene, a company that makes reusable drinking bottles, gives us some indication. By their measurements, San Francisco recycles more glass, metal, and plastics than anywhere else. Ninety percent of San Franciscans report that they recycle. San Francisco’s commitment to recycling is clearly part of a larger concern for the environment. The Nalgene study named it the most “green” city overall, as well.

It’s no surprise that San Francisco gets such high marks for caring for the environment. The city government has launched a “zero waste” initiative that aims to completely eliminate waste by the year 2020. According to the latest statics offered by the city, it already recovers 77% of the materials it discards. It has accomplished this through proactive efforts by the local government: all residents are required to separate recyclable and compostable material from their trash, and building owners and event managers must provide color-coded receptacles for recyclable materials. The city government also promotes awareness in various ways, including a television advertising campaign. In addition, it has worked to ensure that every residence has access to a recycling service.

Most cities aren’t as green as San Francisco, but with RecyclerFinder.com, it’s easy and free to find the nearest recycling center, no matter where in America you live. Recyclerfinder.com also offers a mobile app that allows you to keep the nearest facility’s information in your phone through the use of a QR reader.

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Play the Zip & Win Game to find the golden coin.

Play the Zip and Win Game at RecyclerFinder.com

Win some cool prizes, It’s free! The golden coin can appear next to any facility, anywhere across the U.S. and Canada. Enter a zip code search the facilities displayed and if you see this Golden Coin next to a facility name then click it to win a $5 gift card for one of our retailers listed on the drop down list. MUST BE 18 OR OLDER TO PLAY

The search is limited to a 5 mile search radius from the zip code you entered. Once a coin is discovered and redeemed our system randomly selects a new facility from one of our over 16,000 facilities listed to place the coin next to. So you never know where the coin might pop up next. RecyclerFinder.com employees and family are not qualified to play. Game may be terminated at any time. Over 100 coins available!

Below is a list of the retailers you can redeem your card for. Some Gift Cards may or may not be redeemable online. Not all retailers listed are available in all areas.

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How to Make Money Recycling your Electronics

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Making money by recycling electronics is a simple task that can bring in some extra cash and get rid of those unused items just sitting around the house. This is an excellent way to go green and is great for the environment. Disposing of electronics is very important because improper disposal can be harmful to the environment. The contaminants found in electronic items are harmful materials that are not ideal for landfills.

Many different companies are dedicated to assisting with the proper disposal of electronic waste also known e-waste. There are internet companies that specialize in collecting e-waste and will provide payment for the items sent in. Most of these websites have easy to follow instructions for the recycling process and will pay for the shipment of the e-waste. These companies are found by typing recycle electronics for money in any search engine.

There are many steps to follow when choosing to go green with e-waste. The first step is to evaluate all the items you would like to recycle and find a company that takes each item. Research the companies and find out which is willing to pay the most for the recyclables. When researching the facility for the recycling of the e-waste, a great website is www.recyclerfinder.com. This site helps locate facilities around you in seconds after only entering the item to be recycled and the zip code of the individual. The mobile app is ideal for assisting when on the go.

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How does cigarette smoking harm our planet?

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The detrimental health effects of cigarettes in relation to the body of a smoker are well known, and are actually printed on most advertising and packaging. There is even research that suggests the smoke that is exhaled can have adverse heath effects on people, children, and pets that are in the immediate area. One area that is not often considered, however, is the environmental impact that the entire process of smoking has on the planet and its population.

The amount of resources that are spent in order to produce a pack of cigarettes is much higher than some other products. The agricultural methods that are used to produce tobacco use an excessive amount of water and deplete the nutrients in large areas for many years. The plants themselves sometimes have negative reactions with surrounding fields, making it impossible to integrate the crop. The genetic engineering that is involved in creating drought and disease resistant tobacco plants has also caused problems with germination in surrounding areas.

A single cigarette requires paper that is produced from trees, and the filters are made in such a way so that when a smoker is done, the filter still contains many of the thousands of chemicals that are produced. Cigarette butts account for a large percentage of the waste from many countries and can take up to 25 years to decompose. When improperly disposed of, the butts can be consumed by animals in the environment and can cause intestinal blockages. Even after the butts have broken down into component parts, the chemicals from the treated tobacco can contaminate an area so it is unhealthy for habitation.

There are few immediate solutions for many of these problems. Campaigns to reduce or stop smoking are the most effective way to prevent damage to the environment and to people. Advanced agricultural methods can help reduce the water and energy needed to grow tobacco, and new materials can make cigarette filters that are recyclable, although without strong governmental regulations the chemicals they contain can still be harmful.

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Location, Location, Location–Do You Live by a Landfill?

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A landfill can adversely affect the property values of the homes in the area and the health of the residents who live in the community. It also has a negative impact on the environment. Although landfills are relatively easy to locate on an Internet search or map, many people do not think about the surrounding area before moving into a home. In addition, residents often have no control over a new landfill being built or an existing one expanding close to their home. Sometimes, people only discover that they live close to a waste management facility after they become chronically ill.

One of the best ways to minimize the toxic effects of pollution on people and the environment is to recycle more and refrain from contributing to the amount of waste that gets thrown out. In many cases, people automatically throw things away because they don’t know where to find a recycling facility, or they are not aware of everything that can be reused or recycled. There are so many items that can be reused or re-purposed now, and the Internet is filled with creative ideas on how to do this. People can also use RecyclerFinder.com as a resource for locating recycling facilities in their area. When more items are recycled, both the population and the environment enjoy the benefits.

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Solar Sidewalks: Taking a Stroll on the Sunny Side of the Street

Taking a Stroll on the Sunny Side of the Street!

Solar panels already appear on buildings, street signs and even buses. The sidewalk may be one place you would never expect to find them. However, two companies in Spain are working to change that. Solar sidewalks could eventually become a common sight in major cities.

These sidewalks consist of photovoltaic panels embedded in other durable materials. Spanish tile manufacturer Butech and solar panel maker Onyx have developed paving tiles made of glass and ceramic. A possible alternative is to embed thin-film panels in the sidewalk.

Questions remain about the durability of these tiles. The Butech/Onyx paving tiles use very strong glass to protect the photovoltaics. This glass can support the weight of humans and furniture, according to Inspiration Green. Their ability to survive a wintry climate remains unclear.

These sidewalks will benefit the environment by decreasing the amount of energy that power plants must generate by burning coal, oil and natural gas. This limits air pollution and curtails the environmental damage caused by fossil fuel extraction.

Such walkways will also help the environment by reducing the need for petroleum-based sidewalk materials. The manufacturing process for Butech/Onyx paving tiles will cause less harm to the environment than pavement production, according to Inhabit.com.

An additional advantage of photovoltaic sidewalks is that they can generate power near homes and businesses that use electricity. When transmitting power across many miles, transmission lines lose a portion of the energy. Such sidewalks would help to counteract this problem.

As of early 2012, no sidewalks of this type have been installed. They are still not available for purchase in the United States. A few years ago, IBM predicted that photovoltaic sidewalks would become affordable by late 2013. For now, the future of this technology remains uncertain.

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Recycling Shoes for the Environment (and Others)

Recycle these ASAP please!!!

In the past, when shoes became unwearable, they were thrown away or taken to the landfill where they added to the existing piles. Today, recycling is a friendlier solution for getting rid of worn-out footwear. Not only does this create a cleaner environment, but the components produced through recycling can be used to create new products. This process prevents landfill overflow and creates an atmosphere of stewardship and sharing among societies. How do people get started?

The easiest way to recycle footwear is through a program like Nike’s ReUse a Shoe, which breaks them down and uses the resulting nylon, rubber, and foam to create products like Nike Grind, a component in athletic mats, or even new footwear to donate to others. Nike’s website lists over 200 drop-off locations around the world where people can bring athletic shoes and LIVESTRONG wristbands to be recycled or donated.

While Nike focuses mainly on preserving a trash-free environment, other programs such as Crocs Cares, Soles4Souls, and the Cinderella Project focus on donating. These organizations collect worn Crocs, athletic footwear, and high heels to donate to impoverished communities across the globe. For example, Crocs Cares donates Crocs to developing nations to prevent the spread of disease; the Cinderella Project donates formal evening wear and accessories to teenagers who cannot afford them for proms and formal dances. Websites for each of these groups list locations and contact information for donating gently used pieces.

Finally, for those who wish to recycle within their local communities, Recyclerfinder.com provides a free application for computers and mobile devices so people can search for nearby facilities. Plenty of options exist for turning shoes into usable materials or for donating them to a worthy cause, both of which keep them out of the landfill and on people’s feet where they belong.

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