Recycle unwanted wire hangers. Most recyclers will not take these because they are usually made of steel. However, most dry cleaners will take them to recycle or reuse.
Recycle newspapers. If your recycling program does not accept paper products, many kennels will accept them. We take ours to our favorite vet for them to use with the dogs they need to board.
Dont throw it out. It might be just the thing someone else is looking for! Have a yard sale, donate to your local women's shelter or other charitable organization or sell it to someone else. Use Habitat ReStores, Craigslist or Freecycle to your advantage to clean up your space or perhaps even find something you need!
Do you have a lot of your kid's crayons lying around in various drawers around your house? Don't throw them out! Crazy Crayons has sponsored the National Crayon Recycle Program and takes all unwanted, rejected and broken crayons to a better place a recycles them into fresh, new crayons. To date they have recycled over 47,000 pounds of unwanted crayons and kept them from going into the landfill. This could be a great project for your school, homeschool organization, Brownie troop or other children's organization! All you have to do is collect them and mail them off to the company. One note: they do discard crayons from China or other foreign countries because they may contain lead or plastics. Go to their website for more information: http://crazycrayons.com/recycle_program.html.
Pop the cork and recycle it! Don't throw your wine or champagne cork into the trash. Natural corks are 100% natural, biodegradable and renewable and can be made into flooring tiles, building insulation, automotive gaskets, craft materials, soil conditioner and sports equipment. There are a few companies who recycle cork into recycled products. ReCORK America has partnered with many wineries, businesses and restaurants to recycle their corks into cork soles for SOLE shoes. They do have a number of collection sites but unfortunately seems to be mostly located in California, New York and Oregon. Another company in Missouri, Yemm & Hart Green Materials, collects wine & champagne cork stoppers and coverts them into beautiful wine cork tiles. They will accept small shipments of corks but this could be a good community project. Don't forget these companies if you are planning an event, a wine-tasting or an open house.
Recycle your plastic shopping bags. Although it is a very good idea to use cloth or canvas when you go grocery shopping, we think that using a plastic shopping bag is fine as long as you NEVER throw it in the trash. You can find a bin to recycle your plastic bags in almost any grocery store. We have many new industries that have developed to handle those recycled bags. Most plastic bags are recycled into composite lumber but can also be reprocessed into post consumer resin. That resin becomes "feed stock" to make a variety of products such as new bags, pallets, containers, crates & pipe.
Purchase recycled paper products. We do have a lot more choices these days for recycled paper products. Look carefully at labels and make the choice when you can. There are also biodegradable cutlery and paper products - made from cornstarch or potatoes. They are not as readily available in your local grocery store and will be higher priced.
Recycle your cell phone. Most cell phone stores have recycling programs as well as Office Depot, Staples and Best Buy. If it is still usable, give it away through Freecyle or sell it. There are also many reputable programs to donate your cell phone to including women's shelters and sheriff's departments because, even if they do not work properly, most can be used to dial 911 in an emergency. We even found a website where you can donate your cell phone to help out our military - www.cellphonesforsoldiers.com. They do sell them to a recycler and use the money to provide prepaid calling cards to our soldiers so that they can be in touch with their families.
Reuse your old CDroms. So how many of you have piles of those little silver discs sitting around? We have a particularly large stack from a "mistake" make with the recording of some conference workshops. We were able to use several of them this summer in our garden. Glue two discs together - printed side in - with a little household glue or construction adhesive and then run a loop of fishing line through them. I hung them on my tomato cages this year and I will have to say that this is the first year that the birds have not poked little holes in my prize tomatoes. I also have found this great plan to make a lamp out of old CDroms [http://photocreations.ca/cd_lamp/index.html]. I am determined to gather the supplies for this lamp and make it one day. Watch out my family - they may become Christmas gifts some year!
There are also a couple of companies that will help you recycle your old CDs. CD Recycling Center is a free recycling service. Recyclers are asked to register, notify the company you are sending something and then ship them off. Owner Bruce Bennett says "“a CD itself, as well as the case, are made of two very dense, complex plastics. A CD is made of polycarbonate and the average case is made of polystyrene. In a nutshell, these are very high-grade plastics and can be re-used, especially the CD. Now, when I say ‘recycle a CD,’ a layman thinks, ‘you’re going to make a new CD out of it.’ But no, we’re going to salvage the plastic, and that plastic can become safety glasses, a fence post, an automotive distributor cap--it can be used as many, many things. Polycarbonate is one of the highest-grade melt plastics available.” Discs recycled by the CD Recycling Center have become products ranging from building materials to poker chips..." Website: www.cdrecyclingcenter.org.
Recycle your old computer equipment. Reconnect is an alliance between Dell and Goodwill to help recycle your computers & computer equipment in almost any condition and the service is free. Items that cannot be reused are recycled responsibily. Their website states that they do not export the waste to other countries or place them in a landfill. You can find out what they will accept and the locations where you can drop off your equipment on the site. They will also give you a receipt to file with your taxes! Website: www.reconnectpartnership.com.
Reuse shipping supplies. Don't throw out those boxes, shipping peanuts, bubble wrap and air pillows! We keep a section in our attic for all of our re-usable shipping supplies. They save a lot of time and money when we have to make a shipment from our office or ship off those birthday and Christmas gifts. If you don't want to reuse them, then donate them to through Freecycle.org or ask your local charity if they can use them.
Recycle VHS tapes. DVDs have pretty much become the norm these days and most of us have stacks of VHS tapes still sitting around gathering dust. There probably still are some parents out there who still have a VHS player and would love to have your children's movies. List them on Craigslist or FreeCycle to offer them to someone else in need. Contact your local women's shelter and ask if they have a need for them. Additionally, there is a company in Missouri that provides jobs to those with disabilities and will be happy to have your unwanted VHS tapes. Contact ACT for more information.
There will be a broad range of sponsorship opportunities associated with this project. We will be updating those relationships on the Jeremiah Ridge site on a regular basis.
If you are interested in learning more about the details of the various types of sponsorships, contact Bill Jennings at BillJennings@jeremiahridge.com or call toll-free at 888-560-8080.
Living Green
We have noticed, as have you, the cost of being green is pretty stiff. We looked at paints recently and realized that a gallon of Low VOC or No VOC latex is between $40 and $50. This is in comparison to $25 to $30 for a “regular” gallon of paint. When you consider that a room may require 2 or more gallons and a whole house in excess of 10, you’re talking about a significant increase in cost – which many families can’t afford.
Solar technology, low-E replacement windows, LED light bulbs, bamboo floors and fabrics – across the board it takes green to be “green”. But we can all do something. In the future, you’ll find information on this site with “comparative analysis” of the actual performance of some of these products – with the MSRP and “real world” prices included. We will share some tips on Living Green and hopefully find some bargains for you along the way. Have your own tips? Please contact us at
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and we will include your contributions.
Quick & Easy Tips
Turn Off the Power. Did you know that many of the electrical devices in your home still draw power even if they are turned off? This is commonly called phantom energy or vampire power and can account for up to 10% of your electrical bill. The easiest thing to do is to go around your house right now and see how many devices are still plugged in but not being used on a regular basis. You may be surpised by how many devices you find.
Old habits die hard and it can be hard to remember to go around turning off and unplugging devices when not in use. We have found several products to help you save green - dollar-wise and energy-wise. The Kill-A-Watt P3 is a nifty electric usage meter that can help you discover exactly how much energy your home is using. Just plug one end of the meter in the wall socket and the other end into the device you want to test. You will receive a digital readout that gives you the number of watts used. Test your electrical devices turned "on" and "off" to help you locate the phantom energy loss around your home. You can purchase one for about $20 and can be a great investment to help you save money in the long run. Belkin makes an 8-outlet energy-saving surge protector called Conserve. It has a one-touch remote switch that powers off up to six devices plugged into the "remote switched outlets". There are also two "always on" outlets that lets to keep devices like your fax machine, answering machine or router powered on constantly. This surge protector cost around $22 and makes it simple to eliminate wasteful standby power. There are other similar power strips available on the market including BITS Smart Strip LCBG, Wattstoppers Isole' and APC's SurgeArrest and range in price from $30-$200. All with help you reduce energy consumption, save on your energy bills and lower your impact on the environment
Get an Energy Audit. This is a great way to reduce energy bills and save money. Your first step should be to contact your local utility to see if they might offer free or discounted energy audits to their customers. You can also check out Home Energy Saver, an online do-it-yourself energy audit tool.
Change Your Lightbulbs. Change from incandescent to compact flourescent or LED bulbs. Both do cost more than your regular incandescent bulbs. Compact flourescents typically cost $3-8 each and now come in all shapes, colors, and sizes. Look for sales, coupons or buy them in bulk at Costco/Sams Club for savings and determine that you will change at least one or two a month or replace them as old ones burn to make a difference. Choose a good brand that has an Energy Star label and pay close attention to the color temp of the bulbs on the package. Look for something in the 2500-3000K range of color temp - 2700K is most similar to yellowish incandescent light. What we don't like about compact flourescents is that they actually contain mercury. You should NEVER just throw your compact flourescent in the trash. Larger cities have disposal sites and you can also drop them off at Ikea or Home Depot for recycling.
LED lights are much more expensive but prices are coming down and they are much less expensive to run. A high quality LED will generally last 70,000 hours or longer. You can now retrofit your light fixtures with LED bulbs. If quality of light is important, then stick to the major manufacturers - different companies have diffferent quality control in how they pick their LEDs. An off-brand might look too yellow, or too blue and not really white - which has to to with the quality of the LED batches. A 7-watt LED bulb will be approximately the equivalent of a 60 watt incandescent bulb. We have found LED light bulbs at Walmart and Home Depot starting at about $15.
Go Online. Go paperless and check your bank account online. Pay your bills online. Download your software online [except you won't have many of those silver discs to make that nifty lamp mentioned in the ReUse/Recycle column!]. Eliminate those catalogs [many stores have an opt-out option] and shop online.
Install a Low-flow Shower Head. This is a very easy and low cost way to save water. It only takes minutes to install and cost $10-50. When they first came out, low-flow shower heads would just block part of the water flow and did not provide a very satisfying shower. However, today's low-flow showerheads willl control the flow of water but also adds pressure through air or engineering to provide a nice blast of water for a more satisfying shower. You may also need to install an anti-scald valve to make sure the water doesn't heat up when the water pressure changes.
Conserve Water. Every two minutes you save on your shower can conserve more than ten gallons of water. We are not saying that you shouldn't take a bath but a bath uses 30-50 gallons of water as opposed to 10-20 for the average shower of four minutes. But a nice long soak in the tub is a lovely thing and a great stress reliever!
Check inside and outside your home for leaks and repair them right away because leaks can account for as much at 10% of your water use. Some leaks can go undetected because they are hidden in walls, basements or underground. How do you check for that? Turn off all water uses in your house for an hour and see if your meter moves. In that case, you probably need to call a plumber. However, many leaks are an easy fix and just require a few parts from your local hardware store.
Load It Up! Do full loads of laundry - it costs the same amount of energy to wash and dry a half load as it does for a full load. Consider setting the the temperature to cold. We have done this for years and find our clothes last a bit longer and see no difference in the clean product. One exception: do wash your towels and bed linen on warm or hot to kill germs and bed mites. We also use a diverter on our dryer vent during the winter to vent the heat back into our home. The diverter can be found at your local box store and only costs about $15. Don't rinse your dishes before you load them in the dishwasher and do full loads of dishes in the dishwasher. If you need to replace your dishwasher, consider a two-drawer model - great for couples or empty-nesters who might not have as many dishes to clean at one time.
Install Ceiling Fans. It really is not that difficult to change out your ceiling fixture for a ceiling fan. There are energy-efficient models and the fans allow you to use less air conditioning in the summer. Ceiling fans are also great for winter use becaue they help keep warm air circulating in your room. Hint: there is a little button/switch at the top of the fan to switch it from summer to winter mode].
Lower Your Thermostat. You can save 10% a year on heating and cooling costs by simply adjusting your thermostat by 10-15 degrees when you are away from home and when you are sleeping. In winter, set your thermostat for 68º while you are awake but turn it down to 58º when you leave for work or are out of town. In summer you can use the same strategy by turning the thermostat to 78º when you are home but turn it up to 88º or more when you are at work or out of town. You can bump the temperature higher in the summer and use your ceiling fan to make the room more comfortable.
Programmable thermostats are a great idea and can cost you between $30-$100 to install. You can set it to raise the temperature before you get in the morning and then have it adjust the temperature after you leave for work. Most allow you to store and repeat multiple settings and have a manual override. We found a great guide for choosing a programmable thermostat on the This Old House website: Buyers Guide: Programmable Thermostats. Programmable thermostats are generally not recommended for heat pumps, electric baseboard heating or radiant flooring. However, specialized thermostats for these applications are now beginning to appear on the market.
Buy Local or Grow Your Own. Whenever possible, buy from local farmers or farmers markets. This helps support your local economy and helps to cut down on the amount of pollution that it takes to get your food from farms to your local grocery store and then on to your table. We don't actually advocate abandoning your grocery store because that would not be great for your local or national economy either. However, encourage your local store to buy locally as much as possible. Whether you have a large parcel of land or live "in town", grow some of your own vegetables. If you have children, get them involved and let them learn where food really comes from! In our Virginia home, we have a moderate size [20x40] plot and have enough veges to share with neighbors, put up in the freezer and have wonderful fresh food from spring to early fall. If you don't have much room, you can always grow a few tomato plants and lettuce on your patio or deck. There is nothing quite like a fresh tomato from your own garden. Another option is to join a food co-op buying club in your area. These buying clubs are comprised of several families who share the chores of collecting money, making the orders and then distributing the orders when they arrive. To find a local buying club near you, you might try the Co-Op Directory Service. Another version of this concept is the CSA [Community Supported Agriculture]. Your local farmer will offer a certain number of "shares" for purchase. That share will entitle you to a box of seasonal produce each week throughout the farming season. One important thing about using a CSA over the grocery store is that you have direct contract with the farmer who is growing your food. You can ask qustions and find out about how local weather or economic conditions will be affecting the harvest. CSAs are not typically available in the winter and you will not find certain produce available during the entire growing season. However you will be exposed to new vegetables and have access to ultra-fresh produce. You can find more information and locate a CSA in your community on the Local Harvest website.