Recycling Incentive Programs

USA Today ran an article in July, outlining a recycling rewards program in Cherry Hill, NJ. Some of the statistics cited show an increase in recycling nationwide from 62 million tons in 2000, to 82 millions tons of trash in 2006. The rewards program focused on the individual statistic, revealing average households create 80 pounds of recyclable garbage a month. Read the article to see how the program works, and how a municipality can earn money through the commodities market.

Reaping Rewards for Recycling, Charisse Jones (USA Today).

DIY Recycling!

Here's a fun summer project...make your own paper with your own paper! Every week we all receive plenty of junk mail and generate plenty of unwanted paper. Collect it for a week or so, and follow the instructions in the video below. You'll end up with your own style of paper when your done! Good Luck!

Home Depot Has a Bright Idea!

Home Depot became the first national chain to accept expired, unbroken CFL bulbs. Simply bring the bulbs in to your local Home Depot and pass them over the counter to a store associate. For citizens of Fredericksburg, your closest Home Depot is in Kerrville, but on trips to San Antonio, you can stop in at the stores in Boerne and Dripping Springs. Read more from the press release from Home Depot at: http://www6.homedepot.com/ecooptions/stage/pdf/cfl_recycle.pdf

2008-07-20 - NPR on Bottled Water

Bottled water is becoming a bigger concern for a lot of people. NPR ran a story about the recent US Conference of Mayors' resolution to ban the purchase of bottled water in city buildings. If you missed it, take a moment and give it a listen at: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=92705092.

L.A. Times OP/ED about Geo-Engineering

Beyond reduction of emmisions, what else can be done to offset the effects of Global Warming? Are there engineering solutions that could be used to block solar radiation? Take a look a the L.A. Times OP/ED piece: Reseting the Earth's Thermastat. Remember to leave a comment with your thoughts!

Lighter Footprint - Bottled Water

LighterFootstep.com released "5 Reasons Not to Drink Bottled Water" recently. They point out that not only is bottled water a poor value, it also creates more trash, and real health advantage over tap water. There is also a mention of the commoditizing of, what many feel, is a basic human right.

The April 20th Austin American Statesman also ran a story abuout the trouble with bottled water: Bottled Water's Problems Surfacing. It is becoming hot topic...stay tuned.

Also of note, Nestle is making efforts to create more eco-friendly bottles; but is it enough?
Nestle's Eco-Shape Bottles - Making Plastic Bottle Green? I think.

Global Renewables

Based in Sidney, Global Renewables is combining trash-sorting technology (wind-sifters, magnets, optical scanners) in order to keep as many recyclables out of landfills. Wired magazine did a nice graphic to explain the process in their April 2008 Article: Garbage In, Garden Out.

Also, check out the Global Renewables website and their press release from the Australian Contamination Summit.

Automotive X-Prize

Take a look at the great technology on display with the latest entries in the Automotive X-Prize. The goal of the program is to reach the elusive 100 MPG mark! Take a look at some very clever entries Progressive Automotive X-Prize website!

Also check out the Wired Article from December.

SOS at Trinity University!

Recycling excitement hits Trinity University! The Students Organized for Sustainability (S.O.S.) placed 5th in RecycleMania sponsored by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. I'm sure other schools were green with envy.....S.O.S.RecycleMania!

Plastic Sorting

How important is it to sort your plastics to make sure you only put 1's and 2's in your recycle bin? Slate.com covered that topic in this piece from May 6th. --> Thou Shalt Sort Thy Plastics

May 5th, City Council Meeting

Fredericksburg C.A.R.E.S. presented the results of the recycling survey at the last energetic city council meeting. As a group we pointed out the large response to the survey, along with the overall positive feelings about recycling in Fredericksburg. Click on the slide show above to see a break down of the data!

Austin Recycling

Another great resource about recycling from the Austin American Statesman. Recycling Answers by the Bagful helps explain some of the new programs being offered in Austin!

Statesman Earth Day Recycle Article

The Austin-American Statesman put out a great guide on Earth Day for how to recycle everything else! Take a look to see what you can get out of your trash and re-used!

http://www.statesman.com/life/content/life/stories/other/04/22/0422recycle.html

Earth Day Celebration

The 1st Annual Celebration was a big success! We had great weather for everyone to come out and enjoy good music and share environmental friendly ideas! Fredericksburg C.A.R.E.S.
Would like to thank everyone who attended, participated, volunteered, and donated at Earth Day Celebration 2008!

Derek Spence, Graham Pearson, Emily Lively, Sunshine the Clown, ERJ Club, Fbg. Farmers’ Market, Berkman Books, HEB, Fbg. Garden Club, Native Plant Society, Boy Scout Troop 137, Susan Ehlers, Hunter Scott (FOG), Fbg. Coffee & Tea, HCSPCA, PAWS, Wildseed, Sutherlands, Nature Center, HC Land Trust, A Rocha USA.

Earth Day 2008

Take a look at the photo gallery above to see all the excitement!

2008-03-30 - Backyard Composting

Here is an interesting article about Portland's Backyard Compost plan. They found that providing home composting bins created a more economical way to keep organic garbage out of the landfill and onto the lawns! There is some data in the article that would be interesting to generically "size down" to see how well Fredericksburg would benefit from a program like this one. The cost of composting per ton per year vs. curbside pickup per ton per year was particularly interesting!

Link: SATISFYING DEMAND FOR BACKYARD COMPOST BINS

2008-03-26 - Show Us Your Green Self

Whole Foods Market is holding an online contest on You Tube for young film makers. According to the website, if you are...

"under 18 and thinking green? Show us what you're doing to be a part
of the Whole Earth Generation. Are you recycling at your school? Planting trees?
Forcing your parents to go green? Get in front of the camera and tell us about
it."

Check out the website and take a look at a few of the entries!

http://youtube.com/wholefoodsmarket

2008-03-22 Batteries

I dropped off two batteries today at Soundwaves. The first was for a hand held B&D screwdriver, the other was for a B&D Drill. Both were Ni-Cad, and both were gladly taken to be recycled!