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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Recycling your soap for a good cause – How to recycle soap

Tiny bubbles!!!

Massive quantities of soap scraps go to waste every day in America. Most people throw them in the garbage, adding to the nation’s many landfills. Some are burned in trash incinerators. Other scraps go down the drain, often helping to clog the pipes. All of this waste leads to unnecessary production of hand soaps and packaging materials.

Fortunately, a couple of nonprofit organizations are working to change this. The Global Soap Project collects scraps from American motels and uses them to manufacture new soaps. It gives the new bars to poor people, primarily in African countries. This green recycling process both benefits the environment and protects people from diseases.

Clean the World is a similar recycling organization. It obtains scraps from hotels and manufacturers. CTW also holds local collection drives in various parts of the country. This green nonprofit helps people in 45 nations, including Honduras. It supplies free products to American homeless shelters as well. CTW is based in Orlando, Florida.

There are several different ways to help these organizations recycle soap. Anyone may volunteer or donate cash. An alternative is to start a local collection drive in cooperation with Clean the World. Motel and inn owners can aid these organizations by collecting and donating scraps from their guest rooms.

People also have the option to collect their own scraps and recycle them into new bars. Although this won’t help people in poor countries, it does save money and benefit the environment. Detailed instructions are available from RecycleThis.co.uk and National Geographic.

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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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Keeping an eye on the planet-glasses or contacts?

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People who require vision correction may not stop and think about the environmental impact of their choices. Some people prefer contact lenses over eyeglasses because they are less bulky. Other people prefer not to hassle with lens cases, soaking solutions and remembering when to replace their disposable contacts. When basing their decision on its impact on the planet, is there a clear choice?

Because contacts and eyeglasses are both so small, it is difficult to imagine either having a significant negative effect on the environment. However, the manufacture of polycarbonate, a material often used to make eyeglass lenses, requires the use of toxic chemicals. Contact lenses are sold in blister packs that are also often packaged in cardboard packages. Contact lens users may go through up to 15 12-ounce bottles of solution per year. With more than 100 million people in the world using contact lenses, that is a lot of waste.

The amount of lens solution required depends on the type of lenses. Daily use contact lens wearers are less likely to go through several bottles of solution per year, but they will discard more packaging than wearers who change their contacts less often. When it comes to glasses, frame-less styles use less raw material.

Regardless of the type of lens used, wearers can help save the planet by recycling as much as possible. In many countries, glasses can be recycled through a variety of organizations. Recycling options are also available for the cardboard and plastic packaging that houses contact lenses. Recyclefinder.com can help lens wearers find local facilities to recycle their eyewear so they can help the environment and produce less waste.

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

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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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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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The Hidden Language of Plastic Recycling

View of over 2 million plastic bottles for recycling.

When people recycle, they protect the environment and prevent valuable materials from going to waste. However, it’s important to check the recycling codes on bottles, tubs, bags and other items. Proper sorting improves efficiency and reduces the operating costs of recycling facilities. Plastic manufacturers use seven different codes.

#1 PETE/PET: Polyethyl tetraethylenei. Many beverages come in plastic bottles of this type. If your city doesn’t accept these bottles, you may be able to bring them to a redemption center.

#2 HDPE: High-density polyethylene. Manufacturers often use this plastic for rigid containers. Most recycling programs accept this type. You may have to recycle number two plastic bags at a grocery store.

#3 PVC/V: Polyvinyl chloride. Various chemical containers and other products contain this plastic. Only some towns and cities accept it. Remember to thoroughly rinse out any chemical residues.

#4 LDPE/LLDPE: Low-density polyethylene or linear low-density polyethylene. This more flexible plastic is used in some bags and condiment bottles. Most cities recycle it.

#5 PP: Polypropylene. This relatively common plastic is found in some cereal bowls and containers for refrigerated foods. You might be able to recycle it in a major town or city.

#6 PS: Polystyrene. This material can come in the form of plastic or foam in disposable cups, trays and cartons. It is particularly harmful to the environment. In most areas, it must be discarded.

#7  OTHER: Unlike the other numbers, seven doesn’t refer to a specific plastic. The material may consist of multiple plastics or a less common type. Few cities recycle it.

Metal, glass and cardboard often lack code numbers. If you need to sort metals, use a magnet; it won’t stick to aluminum. A symbol with a phone number usually means that you must take the item to a special location to recycle it. Contact your local government for specific sorting guidelines.

Sources

1. Argonne National Laboratory, http://www.newton.dep.anl.gov/newton/askasci/1993/environ/ENV003.HTM
2. New York City, http://www.nyc.gov/html/nycwasteless/html/resources/plastics_codes.shtml

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Turn Scrap Into Cash With RecyclerFinder.com

Everyone can use a little extra cash these days. Turn your scrap into cash at RecyclerFinder.com!

Scrap yards and bulk recyclers are willing to pay for certain materials, but many people don’t realize that their junk could be worth cash. With its new mobile application function, RecyclerFinder.com makes it even easier to research and locate local and regional companies that pay for copper, brass, steel, aluminum, glass and more.

The first step is to find out what materials are available to be sold and recycled. Old appliances, furnaces and air conditioners, for example, often include copper tubing and brass fittings. Both materials are in high demand and can bring a nice cash payout. Steel, tin, iron and glass can also be sold at many scrap yards, though the prices per pound are often low. Electric motors, batteries, radiators, and copper wiring and plumbing fixtures are other items commonly purchased by recyclers.

At RecyclerFinder.com, a ZIP-code search quickly reveals a list of nearby facilities that accept specific materials. The recycling company’s name, address, phone number and website are provided, making it convenient to contact the company for information about current prices and other details, such as the amount of sorting and dismantling required. The list of facilities also includes a “Scan and Go” QR code for each center. Once scanned with an iPhone, Android, BlackBerry or other smartphone, the code brings up a map to the recycler along with the contact details.

Recycling scrap can add up to big cash with very little time and effort. It helps keep potentially hazardous materials out of landfills and provides a good incentive to clean up trash in the yard or around the community. RecyclerFinder.com makes the process of tracking down a recycler quick and convenient, and supplies all of the needed details in one place. The new smartphone-friendly QR code takes the guesswork out of getting there with one simple scan.

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CD Case Recycling: Music to Our Planet’s Ears

Say goodby to CD's, the 90's and these nut jobs! My eyes hurt!

MP3 players, such as iPods, have revolutionized how the masses buy music and provide a compact way to carry around entire music libraries, while also reducing one’s carbon footprint. These rechargeable gadgets have popularized digital downloads and reduced the demand for CDs, making them a big win for the environment, which is music to our planet’s ears.

Of course, with this eco-friendly move away from CDs, which are notoriously hard on the environment with their material requirements, manufacturing process, packaging and long-distance delivery, there are plenty of folks who now are wondering what to do with all of those old CD cases that are taking up space on their bookshelves. The key, of course, is to recycle, which leads to the question of where exactly this CD case recycling happens.

Some CD cases have a recycling code, which most often consists of a triangle with a 6 inside and PS underneath. This lets us know that CDs are categorized as type 6 plastic – aka polystyrene. This type of plastic is not often accepted for pick-up in curbside recycle bins in most cities, but using a site like RecyclerFinder.com is an simple, convenient way to locate recycling facilities that accept CD cases. This makes it easy to do your part to save the planet and helps you get rid of all of those old cases that are no longer needed.

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The Magical World of Recycling

The Happiest Place on Earth!

Theme parks aren’t known for their recycling efforts or for attempting to reduce their carbon footprint. But with recent developments it seems that amusement parks are starting to do their part to keep the world as green as possible as long as possible.Major theme parks like Six Flags and Disney World have started recycling programs in order to keep the millions upon millions of plastic cups and the like out of landfills. Some amusement parks have even switched to biofuel to fuel rides and machines, friendly cleaning products and locally grown ingredients in their eateries.

An online company called Green Halo Systems allows users to track what they recycle and where it’s going. What this means for amusement parks is that Green Halo software will give them the ability to see what they waste and how much they waste. Now companies can see first hand the impact they have on the environment rather than having to make an educated guess. Any data from Green Halo software can be shared with multiple users and can also be printed out.

Other efforts some theme parks are making to go green are using LED lights, switching to water-saving fixtures and switching from plastic trash bags to ones that are biodegradable.

For many of us, an amusement park is one of the last places that we could think of as going green, but why not? It’s place where a large amount of people gather, eat and walk, which can add up to quite a lot of trash in a short amount of time. Amusement parks are doing their part to keep the environment intact, make sure you’re doing yours.

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