standforless: C'mon TeamUSA.... RT @TreeHugger: China Beat US in Offshore Wind, Europe Still Trounces Everyone Else in Solar Power http://bit.ly/aI7byB Tue, Sep 7th @ 10:29am

  • Drive down pollution! You can also eliminate one pound of greenhouse gas emissions by eliminating just one mile of driving.

  • Californians bought 21.9 billion drinks in aluminum, glass, plastic and bi-metal containers last year. More than 16.2 billion of those were recycled, saving natural resources and extending the life of our landfills.

  • The U.S. transportation sector as a whole is responsible for almost 9% of the world's total CO2 emissions. That stinks.
  • Cut your monthly energy bills by as much as 30% by replacing the old equipment in your home with state-of-the-art Energy Star appliances.
  • CRV stands for California Refund Value. It equals 5¢ for each beverage container less than 24 ounces and 10¢ for each container 24 ounces or greater.
  • Report "smoking" vehicles. Call 1-800-28-SMOKE to report vehicles with excessive tailpipe emissions.
  • Shade provided by trees can reduce your air conditioning bill at home by 10-15%. Cool.
  • Save paper...save resources. Change your printer settings to 2-sided printing to reduce the amount of paper you consume at the office.
  • Close the loop! Visit greengiftguide.com and discover a wide range of household, recreational and beauty products made from recycled materials.
  • Unplug your cell phone charger and other household electronics from the wall when you're not using them. Even when they are turned off, they use phantom power.
  • Use cold water when you can. Water heating accounts for about 13% of home energy costs.
  • Carpools and vanpools can use High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lanes and HOV by-pass on ramp meters, which allows you to get to work faster.
  • Help eliminate the use of disposable plates, cups and utensils. Bring re-usable dishware to work.
Feb
4

Super Bowl parties in San Diego–Remember to recycle

Go for the trophy by hosting or attending the Super Bowl party that generates the least amount of waste.

Go for the trophy by hosting or attending the Super Bowl party that generates the least amount of waste. © BrokenSph.ere / Wikimedia Commons

The City of San Diego’s Environmental Services Department reminds residents to  reduce waste while watching the Super Bowl. Here are some simple tips and reminders of what to recycle, not just during your football watching parties, but year-round:

Plates, cups and napkins

  • Trash increases during Super Bowl so drink beverages out of recyclable glass or aluminum cans. Avoid Styrofoam, plastic drink ware and paper cups because they are not compostable.
  • Choose reusable plates and flatware, which can be washed and used again.
  • Plastic ware such as plastic utensils is not recyclable, so use durable, reusable tableware to avoid putting plastic in the trash.
  • Avoid compostable utensils because they take too long to break down and there are no local recycling programs that can properly compost them.
  • Paper plates and cups contaminated with food goes into the trash.
  • Use washable cloth napkins instead of paper.

Snacks

  • Consider eco-friendly snacks such as compostable veggies with homemade dip and organic beer, and don’t forget to place two containers out: One for recycling and the other for trash, and mark them clearly.

Pizza and Pizza Boxes

  • Consider making your own pizza from scratch.
  • Put clean pizza boxes in the blue bin, but not soiled boxes.
  • Tear off the soiled part of the box for the trash, but recycle the clean part.

Recycling

  • Remember the City of San Diego KISS (Keep It Short & Simple) Rule: Give us your cardboard, paper, cans, bottles and jars.
  • Don’t bother with the number on the bottom. Recycle all your empty plastic/glass bottles, jugs and jars. These are recyclable, regardless of the plastic/glass type.
  • Paper or frozen food boxes can be recycled.

Non-Recyclable

  • Milk cartons cannot be recycled.
  • Plastic round dairy tubs, clamshell packaging, and microwave food trays are not accepted.
  • Few manufacturers use recovered injection molded containers in new production, so collecting these items for recycling would impose a cost on the program and the City does not have funds for those extra costs.

How to “Error”?

  • Recycle all papers and cardboard; plastic and glass bottles and jars; cans; and aluminum foil.  Error on the side of caution. When in doubt, leave it out of the recycling bin.  Don’t recycle such things as paper plates and pizza boxes contaminated with food; that goes into the trash. For information on what is recyclable in the City of San Diego’s curbside program, call 858-694-7000, or go to www.recyclingworks.com .

Tags: , , ,
Posted in Partners, Recycling and waste management | No Comments »

May
14

Have a Waste Less Summer

pic1Summer tips for reducing waist waste: No, this isn’t a diet plan to fit your winter body back into your Speedos. This is a reminder of how to keep your carefree summer days waste-less, if not waste free.

As summer temperatures heat up in San Diego, people will shed their winter layers and head out for beaches, bays, parks, and trails and where ever we go, stuff is sure to come along. Whether you head for the water or the hills, some common gear is likely to be part of your survival pack. A little pre-planning will help you to make your outings waste free.

pic4Staying hydrated on hot summer days is a number one health priority. Be sure to carry water with you if you are outdoors and away from a faucet. But eschew those single use water bottles and find a refillable variety. If you want your water filtered, you can save money by having a filter system added to your home tap, getting a filtering water pitcher, or buy your water in larger quantities, such as 1-gallon to 5-gallon jugs.

Tote it, pack it, carry it back home. Dining alfresco is no excuse for waste. Here are some tips for keeping your picnics waste free:

Keep a picnic basket or bag packed with reusable table service items

Keep a picnic basket or bag packed with reusable table service items, such as: cloth napkins, reusable plastic or metal beverage mugs, wine glasses, and cutlery. Many of these things can be acquired for a small cost at resale stores.

If your picnic includes food to keep cool, use a durable cooler in lieu of the Styrofoam kind. Use freezer packs to chill your cooler. Cooling your food with water frozen in a reusable bottle will have the side benefit of giving you a refreshingly cold drink as the ice is melting. And you don’t have sloppy melting ice cubes to contend with.

Pack your food in reusable containers. When plastic bags must be used, wash and reuse them. Bring beverages in reusable or recyclable containers.

Got leftovers…take them back home to your compost pile. Remember that meat and dairy products are not recommended for home composting operations as they do not compost well and might attract vermin.

pic3Zero waste backyard parties: For intimate groups, you can follow the same rules as a zero waste picnic. Keep a supply of inexpensive, reusable table service items on hand. Cloth shop rags that can be found in bulk at many big box stores make great casual, reusable, napkins. For larger, catered affairs, there are several “green” caterers in San Diego who will make your event waste free. For a list of green caterers, Click Here.

If your guest list outstrips your capacity for durable table service and your budget does not include a green caterer, you can still have a green party if your guests are up to the challenge. In your e-invitations, let your guests know your intentions for a zero waste event and ask that they bring their own table services to take back and launder at their own home. Let the attendees know that single use, disposable items are not welcome. You can have your zero waste party and educate your guests too.

At this time San Diego does not have food waste recycling available to the general public, so compostable tableware will not be accepted in your curbside greenery collection. However, if you are an active composter you may able to compost these items at home, but they will take a while to decompose in a backyard composting system.

Other summer tips for waste reduction:

With warmer weather and longer daylight hours, consider saving gas and air pollution by walking or biking to work one or two days a week. Too far to go? Consider combining mass transit with biking or walking. Or drive half the way and bike the rest.

For more facts and tips about zero waste, visit the California Integrated Waste Management web site

Tags: , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in Recycling and waste management | 3 Comments »