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Eco-friendly answers tocommon green questionsWritten by Janice Wells. Designed by Jane Millan.
Committedto protectingcommunity& planetGreen WisdomRecycle or toss? Many individuals, families and businesses have pledged to protectthe environment, yet almost everyone still has questions about how to wiselygo green.Green Wisdom answers common questions about the environment, with a specialfocus on easy ways to recycle, reduce and reuse. This collection of tried-and-trueeco tips is designed to inspire you to transform your everyday actions into goodgreen habits. Once you get started, we think you’ll notice that what’sbetter for the environment is almost always better for your budget, healthand happiness.You can help grow a greener planet by keeping Green Wisdom in a handy placeor sharing it with friends, family and co-workers. We appreciate your efforts to keepour planet safe and healthy.Janice Wells and Jane Millan2
ContentsCOMMUNITY RECYCLINGpageDo items in the right cart make a difference?4How can I better help the environment?4What if my garbage company doesn’t offer it? 5How much garbage do Americans generate?5Can I recycle spiral-bound notebooks?6Is all paper recycled?6Does recycling save trees?7How can I stop junk mail?7Should I remove tops from bottles and jars?8How many plastic bags can we keep outof the landfill in a year?8What’s made from recycled plastic bottles?9Why is it OK to put plastic tubs, but notplastic bags, in my recycling cart?9HOME OFFICE & BUSINESS RECYCLINGIs recyled paper more expensive?Do waste-free lunches save money?How will my business save money usingeco-friendly products?How can my business “go green”?RECYCLING GREEN WASTEHow can fallen leaves help the environment?How do I dispose of uncoated woodvs. painted wood?What does “mummify” really mean?Can I put BioBags in my green waste cart?HOUSEHOLD HAZARDOUS WASTEWhy is it illegal to throw old batteriesin the garbage?How can I recycle old electronics?What should I do with outdated medicine?What do “toxic” and “hazardous” mean?101011111212131314141515CONSERVING OUR RESOURCESpageAny ideas to lower my heating bill?16What is the best barbeque grill option?16How can I make planet-friendly road trips?17Where can I find information on purchasinga green vehicle?17WATER IS GOLD. SAVE IT!Where does waste washed downa storm drain wind up?Can you give advice on finding a water leak?Any suggestions for saving water?Any advice on watering lawns?18181919BRIGHTER SHADES OF GREENWhat should I do with pet waste?Any advice on packing waste-free lunches?Any eco-friendly gardening tips?Is cooking oil recyclable?20202121RECYCLING MOTOR OILWhy should I recycle motor oil?How is recycled motor oil used?2222ECO-FRIENDLY RESOURCESDo you have any favorite website links?How can I get more green habits oreco-marketing advice?23243
If I put items in the right cart,does it really make a difference? DwightHow can my family and I betterhelp the environment? DorothyAnswerAnswerAbsolutely! Your efforts keepunnecessary waste out of landfills—because the contents of carts havevery different destinations:123Green waste cart materials goto composting facilities wherethey break down to become partof rich composting mixes.Recycling cart material issorted and sent to specializedfacilities where it is remanufactured into new products.We’re glad you asked because good4R habits offer an important way toprotect the environment and helpkeep unnecessary waste out of thelandfill. Here’s how to begin:12Reduce. Make the effort to useless stuff so that you produce lesswaste.Reuse. Use items more thanonce or find new ways to use olditems.3Recycle. Discard acceptablematerials in your recycling cartinstead of your garbage cart sothat your garbage company cantransport them to facilities wherethey will be remanufactured intonew products.4Rot (compost). Place foodwaste, food-soiled paper,and yard waste in your greenwaste cart so that your garbagecompany can transport them tofacilities where they decomposeinto rich soil amendment.Garbage cart material is takento a landfill.ECO FACTPutting green waste into landfillscreates methane, a greenhousegas that is 21 times as potent ascarbon dioxide.4QuestionCOMMUNITY RECYCLINGQuestion
QuestionWhat if my garbage company doesn’toffer a recycling program for stuff likepaper, fallen leaves and food? KimberlyAnswerYou can still be your best green self bytaking these eco steps even when yourgarbage company doesn’t pick uprecyclable items:123Visit earth911.com or call800-CLEAN-UP.Give them your zip code to receivethe addresses of nearby recyclingfacilities for your unwanted paper,metal, household hazardous waste,plastic, glass, electronics, automotive,household, garden and constructionmaterials.Take items to recycling centers whenrunning errands to save gas and avoidcreating unnecessary pollution.QuestionHow much garbage doAmericans generate each year? AndrewAnswerHere are the latest garbage statisticsaccording to the U.S. EnvironmentalProtection Agency:Paper 40.4%(71.6 million tons)Yard trimmings 17.6%(31.6 million tons)Metals 8.5%(15.3 million tons)Plastics 8.0%(14.4 million tons)Food scraps 7.4%(13.2 million tons)Glass 7.0%(12.5 million tons)Other 11.6%(20.8 million tons)ECO TIPRequest a service brochure if your garbage company hasa recycling program so you can learn how to make themost of their program!terrapass.com Fight global warming. Reduce your carbon footprint.5
Can I put spiral-bound papernotebooks into my recycling cartwithout removing the spirals? LoriAnswerFollow these guidelines for allschool, office and craft supplies:1 Separate paper from non-papermaterials (bars, clasps, staples,plastic sheet protectors, vinylcovers, etc.).2 Place only separated “clean”paper in recycling cart or bin.3 Unless separated metal and plasticmaterial is reusable or recyclableelsewhere, place in garbage cartor bin.Your efforts to follow these rules helpto protect natural resources, reduceunnecessary landfill waste, andmaximize recycling efficiency!QuestionI’ve heard a rumor that all paperis now recycled. Is it true? PiperAnswerNo. It’s another eco myth that’ssimply not true. Unfortunately,more than 90% of printing andwriting paper sold in America isvirgin paper. If you can’t findrecycled paper on store shelves,please ask retailers to stock itsince it: Uses less energy, water andchemicals and produces fewerpollutants during manufacturingprocesses. Saves money since many typescost the same as or less thanvirgin papers. Preserves forests by reducingwood demands. Reduces solid waste by helping todivert usable paper from landfills.Protect your identityand our planet!Prevent identity theft during tax season and throughout the year:Shred old tax forms, secure in a paper bag, and place in your recycling cart.6COMMUNITY RECYCLING: PAPERQuestion
QuestionCan you tell me if paperrecycling saves trees? MeganAnswerYes. According to conservatree.com,recycling paper:1 reduces the number of trees thatare cut down to make paper,2 can reduce overall demand forwood, and3 helps save natural forests.Recycling paper reduces theoverall demand for virgin paperand the need to convert naturalforests and other areas into treeplantations.ECO TIPPurchase recycledpaper that is at least30% post-consumer waste,chlorine-free and/orForest Stewardship Councilcertified.QuestionLately my mailbox has been floodedwith junk mail. How can I stop it? JudyAnswerTo promote a junk-mail drought, avoidgiving your address whenever possibleand ask companies that send junk mailto remove your name from marketinglists. Download a free Stop Junk MailKit from Bay Area Recycling OutreachCoalition at stopjunkmail.org.For widespread removal, visitstopwaste.org, at Recycling PurchasingWizard, under Where Can I Recycle?,select Paper, then select Junk Mail(reduce).Or contact: Catalogscatalogchoice.org Credit Card & Insurance Offersoptoutprescreen.com(888) 567-8688 Direct Maildmachoice.org Direct Mail & Catalogsmailstopper.tonic.com (for a fee) Faxesjunkfax.orgpaperrecycles.org Recycling starts with you!7
Is it best to remove tops fromplastic and glass bottles and jarsbefore we put them in ourrecycling cart? PatAnswerGenerally, yes. It’s considered agood recycling habit to removecaps and lids for these reasons:1 Tops to plastic and glasscontainers can be made frommaterials that are not recyclable.2 They can harm the sorting andprocessing equipment thatrecycling centers use.3 Pressure can build up in a sealedcontainer causing it to explode,which can injure workers.ECO TIPRecycle clean, dry plastic bags andother accepted plastic packagingat stores.Visit plasticbagrecycling.org fordrop-off locations.8QuestionIf our family uses reusable shoppingbags, how many plastic bags doyou think we’ll actually keep outof the landfill next year? ParkerAnswerDuring an average shopping week,we estimate that a family of fouruses a minimum of 10 plastic bagsfor groceries. If your family consistently uses reusable bags everyweek, you would keep at least520 plastic bags from ending upin the landfill each year. Right nowCalifornians use an estimated19 billion plastic bags a year, yetrecycle fewer than 3%. Studiesshow that plastic bags:1 pollute our streets, soil andwaterways;2 consume nonrenewable resourcesin manufacturing; and3 substantially harm wildlife andfish that mistake litteredplastic bag particles for food.COMMUNITY RECYCLING: PLASTICQuestion
QuestionWhat types of products aremade from recycled plasticwater bottles? ConnorAnswerWater bottles with the #1 inside therecycling symbol and PET (or PETE)on or near the bottom are used topackage soft drinks, juice and otherproducts. These PET containers canbe remanufactured into a variety ofnew products, including carpet,tee shirts, sweaters, coats, shoes,luggage, fiberfill for sleeping bags,and toys. According to CaliforniaDepartment of Conservation,recycling one ton of PET containerscan save 7.4 cubic yards oflandfill space.ECO TIPChoose reusable totesinstead of plastic bags.QuestionWhy is it OK to put plastic tubsand bottles (but NOT plasticbags, Styrofoam or bubble wrap)in the recycling cart? DavidAnswerPlastic tubs & bottles (#1-7) fromnonhazardous products are sentto facilities where they are remanufactured into a variety of newcontainers and products. Plasticbags, Styrofoam and bubble wrapare usually unacceptable inrecycling and green waste cartsbecause during the sortingprocess, they get tangled aroundblades and cause equipmentfailure. You can usually place theseunwanted items in your garbagecart. However, it’s better to avoidthem altogether or reuse whenpossible.thegreenguide.com Living green today leads to a brighter tomorrow.9
Is recycled paper used in offices andprofessional printing more expensivethan virgin paper? SteveAnswerNot necessarily. Recycled paper cancost the same as or less than virginpapers — especially paper used for letterhead, brochures and business cards.Here are some cost-saving eco tips:1 Buy paper in large quantities totake advantage of bulk discounts.2 Make sure your graphic designercoordinates projects with yourprinter before creating the designto minimize waste.3 Pay less for lighter weight paper,which uses less fiber/fewer trees toproduce and may reduce postageand shipping costs.4 Use the correct grade of recycledcontent paper for the job to avoidpaying more than necessary for ahigher grade of paper.Is it true that both my employeesand company will save moneywhen individuals pack waste-freelunches? ChristyAnswerYes, on both counts. Assuming a costof 3.50 for a home-packed lunchcompared to 6.00 for a take-outmeal—your employees can savequite a lot of money. A singleemployee can save about 20,000over a 30-year career by packinglunches from home! Individuals savemoney with waste-free lunches because they can buy food in bulk, purchase reusable items only once, useleftovers from other meals, and avoidthe expense of disposable baggies.Your business benefits wheneveremployees create less waste becauseit reduces your need for disposal,saves energy, prevents pollution andconserves natural resources such ascoal, oil, natural gas and trees.ECO TIPTurn off computers at the end of the dayto reduce energy use by 50%.10HOME OFFICE & BUSINESS RECYCLINGQuestionQuestion
QuestionHow will my business save moneyby using and buying eco-friendlyoffice products?Question LauraCan you give me details on thefree “Waste-Saving Assessment”for businesses? JohnAnswerAnswerHere are four cost-saving features ofeco-friendly purchasing:1 As a result of purchasing morerecyclable products, you canmaximize the use of a recyclingbin. Doing so could require asmaller garbage bin and/orreduced pickup frequency,resulting in lower overall disposalexpense.2 Some eco-friendly products nowcost less than comparable prod-ucts harmful to the environment.3 Energy efficient electronics andappliances can reduce energy bills.4 Products that are repairable,reusable, refillable and more durablecreate less waste and can be morecost-effective in the long run.Most garbage companies offera Waste-Saving Assessment program to help businesses evaluate current waste practices anddisposal expenses. Those that takeadvantage of this free programoften reduce garbage volumesenough to require smaller garbagebins and/or fewer pickups, whichsaves money! To get started, callyour garbage company’s customerservice number and ask if arecycling specialist can visityour business—at no charge—to: assess your waste stream, set up a recycling programcustomized to your needs, and train your employees.calpsc.org California Product Stewardship Council11
What can I do with fallen leavesthat will help the environment? ChadAnswerSince fallen leaves and other decaying compostable materials releasenutrients into soil, here are a fewplanet-healthy tips:1 Place leaves in your green wastecart along with other yardtrimmings (some garbagecompanies also accept foodwaste and food-soiled paper)to be transpo
Prevent identity theft during tax season and throughout the year: Shred old tax forms, secure in a paper bag, and place in your recycling cart. Question Can I put spiral-bound paper notebooks into my recycling cart without removing the spirals? Lori Answer Follow these guidelines for all school, office and craft supplies: 1 Separate paper from non-paper materials (bars, clasps, staples .
