It may sound like a science fiction movie, but the idea is to issue wheeled totes to people that have a computer chip implanted in it that would keep information about the people who own the tote. In addition to the name, address and phone number information there would also be included a bank account number, linked to RecycleBank that would tally the amount of recyclable-waste that is turned in to a collection truck that would be equipped with a special computer and barcode system. It will work along the same lines as the self-serve lane at the grocery store and other retail stores.

Once the data of the weight of the recycled material is entered an amount of RecycleBank-Dollars would be deposited into the RecycleBank account. Residents would then have access to those recycle-dollars to be used at participating retailers. Some of the companies already working with RecycleBank include Target, Starbucks and Whole Foods Market and their hopes are to have as many local businesses included as well. Some may find it to be a rewarding experience in being able to donate their RecycleBank Dollars to a local environmental group or organization, rather than spend the money themselves. What a great idea and a great way for people to be given an opportunity to help an organization whose sole purpose it is to keep our planet alive and well? What a beautiful way for some of us to be able to make our contribution to the environment times two? First by recycling and then again by being able to donate the RecycleBank Dollars we tally up.

When you think of it, the opportunitites are nearly endless for single homes to be able to contribute to the positive changes of our environment and if that is the case, imagine the impact a small business could have? How many thousands of dollars and trees could be saved by the implementation of a program like RecycleBank?

For me, this idea is a much better one than the other option proposed by some companies of “Pay-As-You-Throw” (PAYT) which operates in the opposite direction where you would pay for what you throw away. I guess the ideas are similar but I sure like the idea of being credited for my good deeds rather than being punished for what I throw away.

How many cities and towns could gain not just monetary benefits from a program set-up like RecycleBank but the benefits of turning us all into recycle-oriented consumers and residents?

What If You could Be Paid To Recycle? is a post from: Green Living Home Guide

I’ve given myself a great gift this year; call it a field trip, if you like, but I took myself to my town’s landfill and had my eyes opened for the first time. Maybe the concept of someone reaching their 40s and still not being contientious of recycling is one that sounds far-fetched, well, it’s the truth. I didn’t grow up imagining the Earth covered in over-flowing landfills, piles and piles of garbage as high as the tallest building that was not my experience. But because the idea of leaving too much waste for the Earth to handle is a bitter reality today, I’ve begun to educate myself.

I guess I’ve always thought of using credit cards as not being real money, that’s the same way I viewed trash. I know I’ve read about landfills becoming, well, full and how that will cause a problem but until I took myself out to the site itself, I still had this childish idea that once I put something into the trash can, it just went – away.

Seeing, with my own eyes, the area designated for my community’s left overs was like a big slap of reality. I was finally able to comprehend the thought; “if I’m not the only one throwing things away carelessly, and if others are doing it too, this space will not last too long.”

I was surprised at some of the items I saw at the town’s landfill, too. There were pieces of furniture that, being someone creative, I could see would make nice trash-to-treasures pieces. Maybe these refurbished items could be the one piece that brought the feel of a room together, that completed what the room is to feel like and express. Instead, someone tossed them out and they were taking up (a whole lot) of space in a limited area and would cause stress, not happiness.

I’m fortunate because my children, who are early teens, have been taught about the importance of recycling and the importance of what we need to do to keep the world from being buried in useless trash. They have been paying attention to the lessons that have come their way, where as, I had to see it for myself before I could be motivated to change the way I do things.

The good news is, it only took one quick trip to the landfill, for me to come to my senses and make changes about the way I do things and about the way I think. If we are not thinking globally when it comes to waste, and what we’re leaving behind, we’re not being smart.

Grab some kids, or some forty-somethings and take yourself on a field trip that may very well, do for you what it did for me; make the changes necessary for me to see what the reality of our situation is and change the way I do things.

Recycling: Visit A Landfill is a post from: Green Living Home Guide

When you think of recycling you should really think about the whole idea; reduce, reuse and recycle. Think about it; if you don’t need it, don’t get it. If you have to get it, get something that can be used again and if you get something that needs to be recycled by the professionals, put it in the recycle bin.

These are easy concepts and yet there are still people out there who ignore the signs. The signs aren’t just the ones that bare the recycle logo, but the signs that the oceans are warming and the snow caps that were visible a few years ago are barely an outline as far up as you can see. If you’ve seen the Al Gore movie, An Inconvenient Truth, you’ll know that those of us a few miles inland from the coast will be looking at water front property one day, without having to move.

We’ve been careless up to this point with the way we’ve treated the Earth and it’s time to change; not just the way we do things but the way we think. The days of brushing your teeth with the water running the whole time are over and if we want to stay with this forward motion, we can’t go back. We can’t go back to the days when we believed we had all the room in the world for our trashed “stuff.” We’re getting full and we have to learn how to make less, use things more or find a way to reuse them again.

If you’re traveling, use airlines that work with paperless ticketing (if you have to fly that is) and be sure to scope out hotels that are inline with the recycling idea. Bring your own soaps and shampoos; leave the little bottles provided by the hotel for people who forget to bring their own. Reuse your towels more than once and don’t have the linens changed daily, let it go a day or two.

Before you leave for a trip remember to turn down your thermostadt and/or adjust the AC. Unplug your electronics from the wall to stop possible leaking wattage while it’s turned off. Utilize some of the power strips for pulling items in and turn off the whole strip when you’re leaving the house.

Use linen napkins that can be washed and reused instead of paper products, check your cleaning supplies for any that have the words dangerous, poisonous or hazardous and stop using them right now! The damage they are causing to the earth whether it’s through direct contact or drainage from a landfill, these chemicals are not healthy and have no business in our soil and our drinking water.

Be mindful of what you do, pay attention to the items you buy and always check yourself to see if you really need it or if it comes in a package with less waste. We can all do our part and we will make a huge difference.

Recycling To Keep Our Planet Healthy is a post from: Green Living Home Guide

Along with the simple fact that all of these items are unnecessary and annoying, the amount of waste they create is drowning the average American family in misused, unread paper. How can this issue be dealt with and the waste be reduced, or never pro-duced, for Americans all over the country?

The answer to that question is, yes, there is something we can do to stop the madness of junk mail that litters our mail delivery every single day! There is a group that has done all of the work for us, and they have all of the information needed to put an end to the junk mail that we are assaulted with in just a few easy steps and with the patience of a few weeks.

First you order the Junk Mail Reduction Kit for $15.00. Once you have purchased your kit, you simply sign on to the website and have the kit activated by clicking on the apropriate link. It is as simple as entering your name and address and the names of any other people living at your house, even variations of a name that appears on junk mail can be added. The next step is to register your name and the names of the others at your address with the Direct Marketing Association Mail Preference Service, which will remove the names from hundreds of mailing lists. This service is a one time fee of $1.00 per name and along with monthly monitoring to ensure your name remains off of unsolicited mailing lists. The option of having mail addressed to “resident,” “occupant,” or even “neighbor,” can be done, too.

Because the fact that conventional or “snail” mail isn’t instantaneous, it will take a few weeks for things to get rolling but in a few short weeks you will receive customized pre-printed postcards to sign, stamp and mail in and your name will be removed from as many lists that have your name in their data base.

Eventually all of the companies that have your name will be notified and the endless barrage of junk mail will cease. If a piece of junk mail finds its way into your mailbox, simply sign in to your online account and have your name removed as quickly as possible. Just imagine the impact of one house on one street in one town will make and why shouldn’t it be YOUR house?

Recycling: Putting An End To Junk Mail is a post from: Green Living Home Guide

I’ve done it. I’ve had times where I can’t add another article of clothing to my bulging closet, full of items I don’t wear, and then I do it…I go buy more. There is nothing in that process that looks anything like the model of recycling; reduce, reuse and recycle.

One of the best ideas I’ve come across in learning all I can about recycling is the idea that when it comes to our attention that we are in possession of items we are no longer putting to use, pass them on. I love the idea of knowing that someone who maybe couldn’t afford it is wearing something of mine that no longer fits me. The other part of that positive thought is that the particular article is no longer taking up space and collecting dust in my closet!

We need to be mindful of what items are hanging in our closets that could be possibly worn by someone else. Isn’t the base idea of recycling to reduce the excess? If I’m buying new clothes and just hanging on to the old ones, I’m not doing my part at all. I’m allowing for waste to accumulate right under my nose! But if I am mindful of what I own, I can keep the clutter in my closet down to a minimum by paying attention to items that no longer see daylight with me. I’m not a woman who is sentimental about things, even clothing that has meaning and I seem to be okay passing on to others what once meant something to me, but could now mean something to them.

Why have items that we no longer have any use for taking up precious space in our lives? Doesn’t it feel better when you can go into your closet and move hangers around and not have a twinge of guilt that you no longer fit into certain items? It took me a while, but that was one of the best things I ever did for myself; cleaning out my closet. I didn’t do it just once, either. I am aware of the new items I buy and I don’t allow the closet to over flow with things I’m not longer having a use for; I pass them on and that feels really good.

Do yourself a favor, go through your closet, find what you’re no longer wearing and pass it on to someone who can once again, breathe life into it. It may not seem like a big deal but, guaranteed, someone out there, maybe a little less fortunate, will be grateful.

Recycling Our Closets is a post from: Green Living Home Guide

Loon Mountain has started a new way of doing things in regards to recycling and energy conservation that should not go unnoticed and will hopefully pave the way for other resorts, all over the world, to follow.

When you think of New Hampshire, the White Mountains, or even the northeastern area of the United States and you picture the area during the winter time, you probably have visions of yummy hot cocoa with tiny marshmellows, hats, mittens and scarves covering as much of a person from Old Mr. Frost, a roaring fire and a foot and a half of snow. Most of that image is accurate, except, unfortunately, for the snow part. For more than a decade or so the northeast region has not been able to enjoy Mother Nature’s usual assault of blizzard upon blizzard, resulting in a sno-globe fantasy of winter sports. While there is still an occassional blizzard, and a lot of the White Mountain Resorts are blessed with a foot or so of base snow, it just isn’t like the winters of our grandparent’s generation. What used to fall from the sky without hesitation or exception, for the most part, today, must be manufactured.

While most resorts have to run their snow-making machines there have been advances made in their production to further help with recycling in mind and using energy saving principles. Loon turned to a new idea in snow-making guns where the gun generates its own compressed air, thereby saving on the energy used to have a compressed air hose as a separate unit. At one place they have combined one “disconnect” between two of their popular slopes; Little Sister Trail and Loon Mountain Park and will be able to service both trails with the same snow-making apparatus.

Other efforts toward recycling include changing their light bulbs over to compact fluorescent alternatives, which are said to use 75% less energy and last ten times longer than the average light bulb. Bathrooms now have motion sensors for the lights and fans, so energy is not being used when no one is in the room. New windows and doors have been put in to replace older models that allowed for heat to leak out and the cold northeastern wind to come in.

Let’s take the lead that resorts in New Hampshire have provided and make the changes necessary in our own homes this winter, in the name of recycling and energy-saving efforts. By following the lead set by resorts like the ones on Loon Mountain, you can bet that more resorts will fall in behind, and utilize all of the resources they have in the effort to recycle.

Recycling On Loon Mountain In New Hampshire is a post from: Green Living Home Guide

This new, younger generation, is an impressive one, to me. They seem to be aware of humanity on a global level. Lessons they’ve been taught in school on a consistent basis have always had a common theme; take care of the Earth or we may lose it. They are keenly aware of how wasteful prior generations have been and seem to be of one mind when it comes to solving those problems.

When we recycle we are taking a step away from ourselves and begin to think about the Earth as a whole. It has become obvious to us that by recycling our waste we are going to be leaving less waste for future generations to have to deal with and we are taking an active step in keeping the planet ‘around’ for a longer period of time.

Today’s teens have inspired me by their dedication to helping others who have less than they do and how wasting any commodity or resource we may have, the idea of wasting it is simply not an option. They are forever coming up with new ways to reduce production of an item or they are constantly thinking up ways in which the item can be reused; they do this without needing to “think” about it, it’s the only way of life they’ve known.

There is an organization that has taken something many of us take for granted and figured out a way to pass on to those who are unable – to feel a little normal. Locks of Love takes hair donated by people and has that hair made into wigs for people who have had their hair fall out due to chemotherapy treatments or as the result of another disease or condition. How brilliant to think of those of us who grow our hair without thought or effort, to be able to have the privellige of helping another! It’s beautiful to me, how this new generation is always thinking about how they can help others.

There are two teens that I know of who took this idea of growing their hair in order to donate it, and dedicated this past summer to doing just that; and the week before school opened in September, sat together and had their hair cuts. What is remarkable about these two teens is that only one is a girl, the other, a young man knew there was a need for other boys his age to have wigs made for them and took on the challenge valiantly. Boys don’t have to have their hair quite as long in order to donate it, but it does have to be grown-out. My awe at teens like these two from town, who at such a volatile age, where self-image is so very fragile, would step out of their comfort zones of following the crowd, in order to do grow their hair long enough for it to be recycled and reused by others, is overwhelming. By stepping out of those comfort zones they leave themselves in a vulnerable situation, where they can become the targets for some of the ridicule that goes on in Middle school; and yet they still do it.

Maybe they are less likely to go against the idea of recycling because of the timing of their birthdates; it’s just refreshing to know that the idea of recycling is strong in this up coming generation and if we continue to foster that innate responsibility in them, we may just keep this planet around a little longer.

Recycling and Today’s Teens is a post from: Green Living Home Guide

What is the problem with throwing computers, their monitors, TVs and the like away with the rest of our trash? The main concern is that with CRTs and TVs they each contain approximately four pounds of lead per unit. Lead cannot be biologically broken down and if it were placed in a landfill there is the possibility of the landfill becoming contaminated with the toxins from lead. Lead poisoning has been associated with several health problems in children, including, learning disabilities and behavior issues and in some extreme cases, where high doses of the lead has been found, there have been reports of seizures, coma and even death. There is always the risk of lead toxins seeping into a water source if left in a landfill and any results of lead poisoning are made even more tragic because they are so easily preventable.

In addition to the lead in some household items like computer screens and TVs, the plastic parts of these items sometimes contain a component that is called, brominated flame-retardant that helps the item to be resistant to flames in case of a fire. Unfortunately, while the exact results of exposure to this additive are undocumented there is sure to be some kind of negative result that it’s just better to steer clear of.

In an effort to keep these potentially hazardous materials out of landfills there are many other options for ridding your home of older, outdated technology. The first option should be to check with your community to see if there is a program set up to receive older CRTs and TVs for recycling. For instance, in Massachusetts, where I live, many cities and towns were given grant money for the specific purpose of setting up such a program.

If your town does not have such a program the next place to look would be at a local TV repair shop or even an electronics retailer because they may be able to reuse what you want to throw out. Some areas even have electronic recycling companies that will come to your residence or business and pick up such items and from there they are responsible for the recycling of the items. Even if a piece of electronic equipment can no longer be used for refurbishing an older model they can always be dissected and the individual components can be sold for their scrap value.

No matter what the item is that you want to recycle, there is a way to do it, all you need to do is make a phone call or two and you will have done your part to follow the recycling laws.

Recycling Items Like Computers & TVs is a post from: Green Living Home Guide

As an individual you can’t control factories pouring toxins into water ways or prevent oil leaks that endanger some species, but you can make an impact, none the less. How? First, by not adding to the madness and wasteful ways others are handling items and materials that can be recycled and secondly, and maybe more importantly, you can make an impact by being a leader in the crusade to save the planet by doing the right things.

It’s a well-known fact that when we are parents we are the top role-models for our children and that they will imitate what they see us do. Even if you are not a parent, you can still lead the way for others by taking on the awesome responsibility of being the leader. Imagine the people you come in contact with in your neighborhood who see that you don’t just talk about recycling but every week your trash collection is separated and ready for the recycle truck. What if the people you work with come to notice that instead of having your coffee every morning in a throw-away cup from the local coffee chain, you are drinking from a mug you brought from home that you rinse out and reuse? Can you just imagine the impact you would have for someone who is maybe not quite recycling like they should but decides that, after seeing that you take this responsibility seriously, decides to change the way they do things and follow suit?

Most people don’t recognize the impact they have everyday on people in their lives that they may or may not have a connection with. As a leader you “walk the talk” by abiding by the causes that mean the most to you and not just by saying the words. We are all aware of people around us and never know what we may do that will make a difference for another person. Don’t misuse this opportunity to make an impact for recycling.

When you recycle yourself, believe that there are people who are watching and making decisions everyday, by watching how you handle yourself. Big issues are often started with a few concerned, aware people, well before the word gets out to big corporations and law makers that there is a change that needs to be made.

Make every step you take count for something. Do your part in the efforts to keep our planet healthy; reduce, reuse, recycle.

Recycling: How You Can Make An Impact is a post from: Green Living Home Guide

Be aware of the items you purchase and how they are packaged. Some manufacturers use layers of wrapping that will just get tossed into the trash because there isn’t another use for it. Try not to purchase such items. Do a little looking, a little digging, a little research and find items that have less packaging and stick to only buying them. I believe the manufacturers will get the hint when consumers start paying attention to the waste one product makes and opt for its competitor.

A good way to utilize this kind of thinking is to buy in bulk. Buying in bulk cuts way down on the packaging and more often than not, it is a better buy just by the price. That’s a win-win, in my book!

If you have to buy something that has an excess of packaging, stretch your mind a little and figure out what you can use that excess for and then put it to good use.

A great way to curb the surplus in a landfill is to reuse things and an easy one to do this with is the plastic bags you get to carry your groceries home in. Rather than getting the bags home, emptying the contents and putting them away and throw the used bag into the trash, think about the different things you can use that bag for; in my house all of our home-lunches are carried to and from school in reused plastic bags. We even reuse the bags over and again, until we know that nothing will stay bagged but will fall out. Just by reusing items like this will cut down greatly on the stuff that is filling up our precious space-craved landfills.

At my grocery store the store has manufactured mesh bags with the company’s logo on it and they sell them for less than a dollar. These are excellent for reuse because they last a lot longer than the plastic bags do and if you continue to bring these bags to the store rather than the plastic or even the paper bags that is a few more less that will ever leave the store.

Recycling, at its best, is prevention of excess. Keeping that in mind and taking the steps to incorporate the changes into your life will further enhance the lack of waste and will make it much easier for landfills not to get so over-filled; because over-filled landfills are not a pretty sight and not what we want in our future or in the future of our children, down through the generations. Prevention of waste takes just a little forethought, and any of us are capable of that.

Recycling: How To Prevent The Excess is a post from: Green Living Home Guide