Post-holiday waste

As the holidays draw to a close you may find yourself pulling out your shiny new monitor from its box and likely heading to the nearest trash can with all that polystyrene packing...STOP!

I have collected some info (albeit a little on the tardy side) on recycling those items which curbside does not accept:

Sealed Air, Fill-Air inflatable packaging #4 (LDPE)
Fill-Air® RF air-filled packaging cushions can be manually reinflated with a drinking straw for reuse. If reuse is not an option, all Fill-Air® cushions can be deflated and recycled commercially with low density polyethylene (#4) bags. This is the same material as plastic shopping bags which most supermarket chains accept at the store for recycling so check in at your local Shaws, Shop n' Save, etc.

Packing Peanuts
Find a drop off center near you: http://www.loosefillpackaging.com/
Often times, Mailboxes Etc and such places will accept drop offs. You can also purchase peanuts made from cornstarch which dissolve in water at Staples (Staples® Biodegradable Packing Peanuts)

Expanded polystyrene (EPS) foam packaging #6
DROP OFF: http://www.epspackaging.org/pdf/AFPRWebsiteRecyclingLocations112907.pdf

OR MAIL it: EPS National Mail-Back Option

If there is no EPS recycling in your community please send it via U.S. Postal Service or other carrier to the address below. Average shipping fees range from $1.50-$9.00 based on the total packaging size. To maximize your EPS recycling efforts via the mail-back option we recommend the following:

1. Make sure the EPS is clean and free of any plastic film, loose parts or glued-on cardboard.

2. To increase the amount of EPS in each shipping container, it can be easily broken or cut into smaller pieces so that more foam can fit in individual boxes. AFPR will also recycle the corrugated boxes used to ship the EPS.

3. When shipping EPS biomedical coolers simply tape the top and bottom pieces together with shipping tape and apply the label and postage directly to the EPS. An outer, corrugated box is not necessary.

4. AFPR does not accept extruded polystyrene (XPS) foam including meat trays, cups, egg cartons or other disposable foodservice items for recycling.

5. Prepare shipping label and affix postage for delivery to:

Alliance of Foam Packaging Recyclers
1298 Cronson Boulevard, Suite 201
Crofton, MD 21114 USA

6. To facilitate shipping from home, the United States Postal Service (USPS) provides numerous options for printing labels and/or postage using online resources. This convenience also allows you to have the shipment picked up by your local USPS carrier as outbound mail.
EPS can be identified by the number 6 plastic resin identification code. Many types of foam plastic are not clearly marked; if you have questions please contact AFPR at (410) 451-8340 for clarification.

Gift Wrap
Unfortunately, can not normally be recycled but can be reUSED

WasteCap of Massachusetts
Check out this great search engine to find a pick up/drop off for a melange of items: http://www.wastecap.org/wastecap/RSD2003/search.asp

Happy recycling!

Offsetting the jet setting.

It all began with the snow blower discussion.

"I don't mind shoveling. I like it." This was me pre two New England storms.

My husband on the other hand does not like shoveling....he likes skiing. This requires leaving one's house to pile up with snow and to return when it is sufficiently buried.

“My back hurts and my shoulder blade feels like its been stabbed” This was me post two New England storms.

I revisit what hubs said, “Let’s offset”. Hmmmmm….

Carbon offsetting is something that I’m begrudgingly accepted as necessary in some cases. I know I am difficult to live with in that I want to do everything unplugged and fossil fuel-less, but there are instances where I have to compromise.

Take my car for instance. It’s a Subaru Impreza that gets decent mileage but I’d much rather a hydrogen vehicle ($$), a hybrid or run a Mercedes on bio-diesel. The problem of course: $$. I don’t doubt that I will attain one of these options in the not to distant future but for now, how do I mitigate my current emissions?

First step, calculate my personal footprint. There are a number of online resources to help with this:

• http://www.earthday.net/footprint/index.asp#
• http://www.climatecrisis.net/takeaction/carboncalculator/
• http://www.fightglobalwarming.com/carboncalculator.cfm
• www.safeclimate.org/calculator/
• www.gmpvt.com/energy101/myhome.shtml
• http://www.carbonfootprint.com/calculator.aspx
• http://www.nationalgridus.com/masselectric/home/energyeff/3_calculator.asp

Second step, reduce what I can. There is the usual, change to CFLs (compact fluorescent light bulbs), insulate doors and windows, unplug unused appliances to prevent phantom loads and the list continues on the following sites:

• Clean Air - Cool Planet: 10 Cool Climate-Saving Actions
• Earth Day Network: Top 10

For the items left over which are in green transition or for which there is no compromise, I turn to offsetting.

I need to re-calculate my emissions after the above reductions, determine the cost of how much carbon I am emitting per year and spend that amount to fund emission reducing projects. Here is where the research comes in. As with anything else, I have to be an educated consumer. I'm paying for an intangible good so I need to find a reputable organization or investment.

I'll start with this comprehensive comparison and guide of non-profit and profit carbon offset providers:

http://www.ecobusinesslinks.com/carbon_offset_wind_credits_carbon_reduction.htm

http://www.cleanair-coolplanet.org/ConsumersGuidetoCarbonOffsets.pdf

Ahhh yes, isn’t it about that time for New Year resolutions? I think this will be mine.

Perhaps you are in need of one? :)