12/3/2007 - Green tip #11

Tis the season to buy electronic Christmas gifts. and tons of batteries to go with them. Here are a few battery facts and tips:

Non rechargeable batteries: since 1984 mercury (Hg) content in batteries is decreasing.
   Alkaline batteries have reduced Hg by 97%
   Some alkaline batteries are 0-added Hg or Hg-free
   Heavy duty, carbon-zinc batteries are available
   Sliver-oxide and zinc-air button batteries are replacing mercuric-oxide batteries

Reduce waste first:
   Batteries in land fills leak their toxic heavy metals into the soils
   Check to see what sizes you have at home before you buy more
   Try hand operated items that function without batteries, you’ll get some exercise to work off that second (or third) piece of pumpkin pie
   Read the labels, look for 0-Hg or less Hg and less heavy metal batteries in general
   Consider rechargeable. they also contain heavy metals such as nickel-cadmium but they last longer. They should also be recycled.

Tips for longest use of batteries:
   Turn off the appliance when not in use
   Remove batteries from toys/appliance if they are not going to be used frequently.
   Do not mix old batteries with new ones; this can cause them to leak
   Do not recharge batteries that are not considered rechargeable: this too can cause them to leak
   Do not put old batteries in a fire; they can explode
   Do not open the casings on batteries
   Do not insert batteries backwards
   Recycle all batteries

We are collecting batteries in Maxwell: a box is in the lobby next to our paper shelf. If you’d like to make a box available in your building for others to use just let everybody know and label it clearly. When we have a box full we’ll make a "recycle run" for the entire campus.

Thanks for recycling.

11/26/2007 - Green tip #10

Sorry I missed last week I could have given you all kinds of ideas to recycle your turkey but you’ve probably had enough bird by now so we’ll move on.

If your mailbox is like mine this time of year it is filled with catalogs you do not necessarily want. What can you do?

Go to this website: Catalog Choice

Follow the instructions and they’ll stop the catalog for you. It is promoted by "The Ecology Center" and has saved over 2 million catalogs from arriving in mailboxes across the country.

Save a few trees!

And thanks for recycling.

11/13/07 - Green Tip #9    

November 15 is Recycle Day. Celebrate by recycling and then on Saturday head for the Transfer Station.

TOWNS COUNTY SWAP & SHOP
Saturday, Nov 17 - 8:30 - 11:30
Come on out Saturday Morning, November 17th and Celebrate National Recycling Day at the Towns County Transfer Station.

Bring the family, your recycling and that item you haven't been able to throw away, the one that still works, that's still good and would be a sin to toss in the dumpster! If you see something you can use while you're here, then by all means take it away.
Come and meet your neighbors, have a cup of coffee and learn more about our recycling center and see what you can do to reduce the amount of waste going into the landfills.

The three R's for being environmentally friendly stand for reduce, reuse and recycle. Here's your chance to do all three!
By the way Common Ground had a trash audit on campus last month and found that we are reducing our recyclable wastes. They found in 25 bags of trash lifted from YHC dumpsters:

1.3% aluminum (down from 6.2% in 2005)
3.3% plastics (down from 10.4% in 2005)
7.3% paper (down from 31.5% in 2005)

We have now recycled 4,056 lbs of plastics, aluminum, paper and cardboard this semester. That's equivalent to 3.6 dumpsters full!

Thanks for recycling.

11/05/07 - Green tip #8    

Whether we like it or not, the holiday season is upon us. Many of us make the "over-the-river-and-through-the-woods" trip to somebody’s house, maybe even Grandma’s. As we travel there are ways to lessen the impact of driving or flying. One gallon of gas used in a combustion engine sends 5.5 pounds of CO2 into our atmosphere.

First: There are alternatives to driving and flying. A bus or train (mass transit) options are better for the environment and give you time to reflect, sleep or try to figure out how to not eat Aunt Thelma’s oyster dressing.

Second: If you drive, plan the best route to minimize gasoline use. Carpool or use this idea to just stay home. "I’m going carbon neutral this year. Mom can’t make the trip."

Third: Airplanes emit more heat-trapping gases per person than cars. If you must fly consider offsetting your carbon use by making a donation to a zero- or negative-emission projects such as building renewable energy facilities or planting trees. The idea is to cancel out the CO2 produced by your flight with real world carbon reducers.

Betterworld

If you have questions, give me a shout.

Thanks for recycling.

10/29/07 - Green Tip #7    

Heating your house will get more expensive this year – we expect it don’t we? According to the Reuters article below we can expect an average of 10% increase for all heating fuels; that’s $997 this winter for heating oil with propane, natural gas and electricity following. Each year in the U.S., heating and cooling systems release over a half billion tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Plugging any air leaks in windows and doors is an easy often inexpensive method to help the atmosphere and your heating bills. The southface website has good suggestions: Reuters, Southface

Thanks for recycling.

10/22/07 - Green Tip #6    

Today’s weather forecast is the best we’ve seen – 80% chance this afternoon – less through the rest of the week. KEEP DOING THOSE RAIN DANCES! With 40% of the world’s people living without clean water – we are very fortunate – but most future predictions are for more drought and worse water problems. The state of Georgia has already had 24 cases of West Nile Virus – up from 9 cases all last year. The mosquito that carries West Nile Virus like polluted waters – in drains and buckets. If you are saving water outside to water plants keep it covered to keep mosquitoes out. Here are a few more ideas to conserve water: sfwmd.

Never pour water down the drain when there may be another use for it. Use it to water your indoor plants or garden. Make sure your home is leak-free. Check your water meter when you are certain that no water is being used. If the meter reading changes, you have a leak! Repair dripping faucets by replacing washers. One drop per second wastes 2,700 gallons of water per year! Retrofit all household faucets by installing aerators with flow restrictors. Check for toilet leaks by adding food coloring to the tank. If you have a leak, the color will appear in the bowl within 30 minutes. (Flush immediately to avoid stains.) If the toilet handle frequently sticks in the flush position, letting water run constantly, replace or adjust it. Install a toilet displacement device to cut down on the amount of water needed for each flush. (Don’t use a brick! There are devices available at most hardware and home centers.) Be sure installation does not interfere with the operating parts. Consider low-volume toilets which use less than half the water of older models.

NOTE: In many areas, low-volume units are required by law. Take shorter showers. Replace your showerhead with an ultra-low-flow version. Place a bucket in the shower to catch excess water to water plants. In the shower, turn water on to get wet; turn off to lather up; then turn the water back on to rinse off. Repeat when washing your hair. Operate automatic dishwashers and clothes washers only when they are fully loaded or set the water level for the size of load you are using. When hand washing dishes, save water by filling two containers – one with soapy water, one with rinse water containing a small amount of chlorine bleach. Store drinking water in the refrigerator. Don’t let the tap run while you are waiting for water to cool. Do not use running water to thaw meat or other frozen foods. Defrost food overnight in the refrigerator, or use the defrost setting on your microwave. Kitchen sink disposals require lots of water to operate properly. Start a compost pile as an alternate method of disposing of food waste. Do not waste water waiting for it to get hot. Capture it for other uses such as plant watering or heat it on the stove or in a microwave. Consider installing an instant hot water heater on your sink and insulating your water pipes. Think twice about installing a water-to-air heat pump or air-conditioning system. Newer air-to-air models are just as efficient and do not waste water. Don’t let water run while brushing your teeth, washing your face or shaving. Install water softening systems only when necessary. Turn softeners off while on vacation. If you have a well at home, check your pump periodically. If the pump kicks on and off while water is not being used, you have a leak. Avoid flushing the toilet unnecessarily. Dispose of tissues, insects and other similar waste in the trash rather than the toilet. Shower with a friend – just seeing if you’re still reading. Here’s a website for making your own rainbarrel: Rainbarrel.

Thanks for recycling!

10/15/07 - Green Tip #5    

Nike will recycle your old athletic shoes. 250 sport court surfaces have been donated to underserved communities around the world. Shoes are sliced into 3 layers; upper material, foam inner layer and the soles, and then processed into other things such as sport court materials. 20 million pairs have been recycled from centers around the world. To find a center near us use the website: Shoes.

Or better yet let’s have a “recycled sport shoe day” at the end of each semester. By the way – thanks for recycling your electronics - on Saturday Towns County filled a large paneled truck – the most ever in Towns County. Do not know who won the contest – Towns or Union – but I’ll let you know when I find out. Thanks for recycling!

10/08/07 - Green Tip #4    

Sorry for the delay – I’m sure you were on “pins-and-needles” all day wondering what the tip is. A 25 watt compact fluorescent light bulb gives off the same amount of light as the traditional 75 watt incandescent light bulb with less than one third the power usage. If the CFL last 15,000 hours, which most can, the energy savings also is 1,000 lbs less of CO2 (a greenhouse gas) into the air. Check out your savings below:

Incandescent CFL Lumens Cost Savings CO2 Savings
40W 11-14W > 490 $39-$44 507-572 lbs.
60W 15-19W > 900 $62-$68 806-884 lbs.
75W 20-25W > 1,200 $76-$83 988-1,079 lbs.
100W 26-29W > 1,750 $107-$112 1,391-1,456 lbs.
150W 38-42W > 2,600 $163-$169 2,119-2,197 lbs.

Yes, there are CFLs for dimmers – check the package. Yes, there are CFLS for 3-way use – again check the package. CFLs do contain small amounts of mercury – about 4 mg in each bulb. Power plants emit mercury into the air when producing electricity. About 10 mg of mercury is released when making enough energy to power one incandescent bulb versus 2.4 mg for the same amount of time for one CFL. CFLs should be recycled instead of throwing them in the trash. Southeast Recycling Technologies Inc. in Kennesaw, GA is our closest recycling center for CFLs. Perhaps we can make a recycling run once yearly for our community. To find out if there are recycling options near you, call 1-800-CLEAN-UP for an automated hotline or visit earth911.org.

(At the top of the earth911.org home page, enter your zip code and press "go." Click on the "Household Hazardous Waste" link, then the "fluorescent bulbs" link. This page will identify the nearest mercury recycling or disposal facilities near you. If the page contains no specific information on CFs, go back and click on the link for "Mercury Containing Items.") If you break a bulb, do not pick it up with your bare hands. Sweep contents into a sealable plastic bag and save it for recycling. The above information came from the following website: Mercury.

If you have made it to the bottom of the page, remember Wednesday is our day for filling the trailer with electronics that need recycling. We still need volunteers to trailer-sit in the afternoon. And Tuesday at 4:00 is the Greener Campus Union meeting in Maxwell. Thanks for reading all the way down!

10/1/07 - Green Tip #3    

Turning your computer off when not in use (nights and weekends) can save YHC an average of $115 per computer per year with the average Kw use per computer at .12 Kw X 24 hours X 365 days X $0.11. If each Kw costs $0.11. Each Kw used gives off 1.45 pounds of CO2 per year. Over Fall Break and Thanksgiving weekends especially we could save money and carbon output! Reminder: recycle bins are available for $5 (or a larger donation) from Common Ground. Reply to this email if you want one. Thanks for recycling.

9/21/07 - Green Tip #2    

October 13 in Towns and Union Counties there will be an electronics recycling event.

In Towns County at the courthouse, in Union County in front of the courthouse and here at the college we will use our trailer to collect your electronics on Wednesday, October 10 from 9 – 5 (we’ll need volunteers to sit at the trailer and help for 30 minutes to one hour during that day). If you can help us reply to this email the times you can trailer-sit in the parking lot behind Maxwell. The county commissioners are having a contest to see which county recycles the most so if you want Union County to win do not bring your electronics to the college. We’ll take the trailer to the courthouse on Saturday.

This event will recycle "electronics" which is any devise that has an electronic component. Everything brought to the event will be completely recycled at a plant in Atlanta. Hard drives are crushed for security/privacy reasons and no scavenging will be allowed. Electronics are: computers, mice, hard drives, cell phones, again, anything with an electronic component. Unfortunately NO TV's will be accepted at this event. Also just “FYI” Common Ground is selling blue desk-side recycling containers for $5 or a larger donation. You can email Thomas Kloepfer thomkloe@student.yhc.edu or return to this email if you want one. Recycling totals for the semester so far are: 1570 lbs or 31 total 55 gallon drums full of paper, plastics and aluminum. This is 1.25 dumpster loads we have saved from the landfill. Tadaaaaa!

9/17/07 - Green Tip #1    

Hello all! Every Monday you’ll be hearing from the Greener Campus Committee with an idea or tip on recycling (and probably other things as we grow). You have noticed by now the new recycling containers around campus. We’ll give you help on using them and ideas for your office and home. Green Tip #1 All #1 And #2 plastic containers (soft drink and water bottles especially) need to be empty and with caps removed – caps go in the trash so far – before you toss them into the recycle containers. Thanks for helping us improve our greenness! Your tipster, bkhull