that GREEN blog

Minneapolis based Target (NYSE: TGT) announced Tuesday that it is rolling out a massive nationwide recycling initiative with centers at the front of each of its 1,740 U.S. stores. The recycling stations will accept aluminum, glass and plastic beverage containers, plastic bags, MP3 players, cell phones and ink cartridges.

“The launch of store recycling stations allows us to continue to partner with [our guests] to curb unnecessary waste in our stores and our communities, ” said Shawn Gensch, vice president of brand marketing, Target.

Over the course of the last several months, retail chain Target has ramped up its sustainability programs and image, partially in response to retail giant Walmart’s big push to become more sustainable, which includes programs to green its supply chain, use less energy and produce less waste.

But Target isn’t just copying the sustainability programs their friends down in Bentonville, Arkansas are rolling out (though they should probably copy some of them), they’re forging their own path with some unique programs of their own, recently announcing they would no longer sell farmed salmon.

And whether they would admit to it or not, the Target recycling move puts a bit of pressure back on Walmart to up the ante, thereby contributing to a kind of ’race to the top’ — at least until the term was commandeered by the Obama administration.

More Information: http://www.matternetwork.com/2010/4/target-opens-recycling-centers-all.cfm

Whether you’re a hippy from way back, or just riding the trend of the times, Green is definitely in. Savvy moms win cool points and save cash by being eco-conscious and teach kids important life lessons about caring for the planet.

Go Green for Lunch – Ditch boring brown bags and send your kids off to school with a lunchtime statement. When you pack your kids’ lunch in eco-friendly food containers, like those made of cloth or stainless steel, you ease your deliveries to the landfill. As a bonus you might also save you a pretty penny when you stop buying those disposable containers. There are many chic steel latch tins available that come in an assortment of colors, and the hand latch even transforms the tins into the cutest lunch pail. Not only are these reusable containers a style statement, they’ll keep your perfect PB&Js from getting smooshed. Your child will appreciate not having to eat mush for lunch and you can be satisfied in reducing your child’s exposure to harmful chemicals found in plastic containers.

Give Rewards for Recycling – When in doubt, money talks. Encourage your kids to earn their allowances by participating in green chores like recycling. They’ll find out early that being green can be easy on the wallet! Home recycling services are still picking up speed in some parts on the country, so you might not know what your local municipality offers. And if you are really a penny pincher, you might even get a couple bucks out of your recycling habit. Some recycling centers will give you cold hard cash for turning in clean cans or bottles. Contact your local recycling centers to find out their policies.

Donate & Buy Second Hand – When you and your family are done with items, like clothing, toys, or furniture, donate the items to an organization of your choice. Check out many national organizations that take donations, and give back job-training opportunities. There might also be a local cause that could benefit from your lightly used items. Let your kids in on why donating is a good thing and tell them how people will benefit from their generosity. But there’s a flip side to the secondhand scene. Also teach your kid early not to be ashamed of owning secondhand items. Thrift and vintage shops are a fun way to get something unique. Take advantage of the fact that many retro styles are in fashion right now. And the bonus: Your dollar will go a lot farther than at the mall!

Secondhand shopping is great for furniture, too. Do you really want to drop $200 on that Pepto-pink dresser your 5-year wants? There are plenty of ways to indulge her creative spark without breaking the bank on furniture you probably won’t use for many years. Skip the department store and purchase a sturdy piece of used furniture at your local thrift store or antique shop. Customize the piece with a new paint job or a change of hardware. The time you spend on the project together will good ol’ bonding time away from the TV.

Make Quality a Priority – Being green doesn’t have to mean giving up glamour (thank goodness). A hip, eco-conscious mom knows that quality over quantity means you get to treat yourself and your children to high-end, well-made items. Instead of getting a lot of cheap or trendy things that will have to be replaced often, go for the good stuff in classic, durable styles. Add spice and personal flair with a few choice items from inexpensive sources like the aforementioned thrift or consignment shops. When you buy luxe, you might have to spend a bit more upfront, but you’ll see the savings over time, as you’ll have to buy less often. It’s also great opportunity to show your children the importance of taking good care of their belongings so that they can be used and loved for years. But buyer, beware! There’s a fine line between paying for quality and paying for label names. Browse various online forums to read up on products and find out what other customer’s think.

I’m Fia Caballero. I have a life long love affair with tiffins. I have collected numerous examples of the “tiffin” from a multitude of countries. Each and every one is functional and beautiful and a unique example from the country they came from.

The discussion continues regarding the potential of a no cost power system. The idea being that, by harnessing the best technology, power may be created in a fashion that might provide an infinite and abundant supply. Although many aredebating whether or not this know-how even exists – i have identified other people that have moved forward, having experienced these types of units in action but are asking questions like how much power do they generate and could it be used on a much larger scale.

Now the technological know-how exists nonetheless it seriously has not taken that huge leap forward to be used on a mass scale. For the ordinary homeowner, this really is still excellent news. Most home owners are not interested in powering vast structures. Should this technology create sufficient electricity to run a normal size house, then the questions which we should be asking might be how much may it cost and will it be reliable.

The idea of perpetual motion has been around for quite some time. A device which once started does not require an outward power source to continue working is certainly not science fiction, but is based on technology. The problem that most individuals have on the subject of perpetual motion is that it is not easy to perceive that a machine might continue to work with no external factors, in fact, the perpetual motion devices that function produce more energy than they require to operate.

It isn’t uncommon for hydrogen plants to make use of the power they produce to continue to run while the remaining energy is stored and used in our households, so why is it so difficult to suppose that a smaller device is able to do a similar thing within each of our very homes.

Magnetic power is resulting from the polar influence that magnets have. This flux of attraction and repulsion allow for motion which in turn will be modified into power. The science has not been given a lot of newspaper and tv attention, chiefly because the larger corporations can’t see a way to manufacture these systems on a large scale and profit by them. For your ordinary man on the street, these devices are outstanding, needing very little maintenance and will make an incredibly consistent and justifiable output.

The home magnetic generator is a excellent diy undertaking for anyone who has fair do-it-yourself skills and needs to save money on their electrical energy bill.

To find out more about how this technology works, visit our site at Free Magnetic Energy for Your Home. Check out the most userfriendly Diy Magnetic Generator Manual Here and start making money from electricity rather than paying for it. More articles on Free Home Power

Recycling through a recession will be the focus of this year’s Oklahoma Recycling Seminar, scheduled for Tuesday, Dec. 8 in Stillwater. The full day seminar will take place at Oklahoma State University’s ConocoPhillips Alumni Center. “Participants will be getting the latest updates on everything from recycling markets and operations to organics diversion and container deposit bills,” said Ilda Hershey, OSU ooperative Extension assistant state specialist for solid waste management programs.

The seminar is designed for city and county government officials, recycling professionals, community leaders, educators, students and Oklahoma residents interested in the business of recycling or expanding local programs.

“December’s seminar will provide plenty of opportunities for learning, sharing and networking,” Hershey said. Seminar registration includes all sessions, a buffet lunch and breaks. Cost is $25 if registering by November 23 and $35 thereafter. Students can attend for $20. Exhibitor rates are $100 for business or government and $50 for non-profit organizations. Participants can download registration forms or register online at http://recycleok.org/recyclingseminar.php or by contacting OSU Ag Conference Services at 405-744-6489.

Michael Patton of the Metropolitan Environmental Trust will begin the program with an update on current recycling markets and the economic outlook for recycling. Patton will also discuss how to set up a recycling center during a Recycling Operations Panel moderated by Fenton Rood of the Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality. Other panel topics include Measuring Recycling Efforts and Successful Partnerships.
Al Drinkwater of Advanced Environmental Recycling Technologies, Inc. will present information about the organization’s new plastics processing facility in northeastern Oklahoma and several members of the Oklahoma Recycling Association (OKRA) will present new initiatives such as the online Materials Exchange Program for business and industry.

“We also felt it important to feature an Organics Diversion Panel, given that so much of municipal waste is biodegradable,” said Hershey, who is also OKRA’s membership chair. “Representatives from the cities of Edmond, Miami and Norman involved in yard waste collection will present case studies and answer questions about their composting or mulch operations.”

The seminar will conclude with a session on container and bottle bill deposit programs, including a discussion about the current bottle bill being considered by the Oklahoma Legislature. “Jim Bologna, site-energy manager for Saint-Gobain Containers Inc., will be among the experts on hand to present the benefits of a bottle deposit program and its implications for increasing recycling, reducing waste, saving energy and generating revenue,” Hershey said.

After the seminar, there will be an optional site visit of the Stillwater Convenience Collection Center. This tour is included as part of the basic registration fee. “Recycling through a Recession” is hosted by the Oklahoma Recycling Association and the Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service, and is sponsored by the Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality, OGE Energy Corp. and Busch Container Systems.
Up to five hours of continuing education credits will be available to members of the Solid Waste
Association of North America who attend the seminar.

Anyone seeking additional information about the Dec. 8 seminar should visit OKRA’s Web site
at http://recycleok.org or contact Hershey at 405-744-9806
###
Media Contact:
Ilda T. Hershey
Assistant State Specialist
Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service
Solid Waste Management Programs
Oklahoma State University
536 Ag Hall, Stillwater, OK 74078
Phone: 405-744-9806
Fax: 405-744-9835
ilda.hershey@okstate.edu

A responsible way to reuse and recycle?
According to the EPA, Americans retired 130 million cell phones in 2005. 98% of them went straight into the trash, then landfill.

Gazell provides a practical, rewarding way for people to finally rid themselves of all those old cell phones, digital cameras, and gaming systems that they no longer use, but can’t seem to find a way to let go of.. I haven’t tried it yet, but I intend to.  They have a real time feed of what people were just paid for electronics and some of them are not that new. If they purchase your used electronic and it has no market value this is what their website claims…

What Does Gazelle Do With My Used Electronics?
Gazelle believes that electronics recycling starts with reuse. After we buy electronics and gadgets, we evaluate their condition. When we receive items that are still in working condition, we extend their lives by removing all personal data from them, and selling the electronics through a variety of retail and wholesale outlets. Items without market value are recycled responsibly.

Buy and Sell Used Electronics It’s good to Gazelle.