HelpTheEnvironmentByRecycling.info

Recycling Items Like Computers & TV’s

With the way technology is out-doing themselves year after year with newer, better, bigger and improved products for computer users, you can just imagine the amount of waste that is generated when consumers upgrade along with the process.  One household may have one or two computers to upgrade on a yearly basis but if you add to that computers and monitors from even a small business, the numbers add up very quickly.

What is the problem with throwing computers, their monitors, TVs and the like away with the rest of our trash?  The main concern is that with CRTs and TVs they each contain approximately four pounds of lead per unit.  Lead cannot be biologically broken down and if it were placed in a landfill there is the possibility of the landfill becoming contaminated with the toxins from lead.  Lead poisoning has been associated with several health problems in children, including, learning disabilities and behavior issues and in some extreme cases, where high doses of the lead has been found, there have been reports of seizures, coma and even death.  There is always the risk of lead toxins seeping into a water source if left in a landfill and any results of lead poisoning are made even more tragic because they are so easily preventable.

In addition to the lead in some household items like computer screens and TVs, the plastic parts of these items sometimes contain a component that is called, brominated flame-retardant that helps the item to be resistant to flames in case of a fire.  Unfortunately, while the exact results of exposure to this additive are undocumented there is sure to be some kind of negative result that it’s just better to steer clear of.

In an effort to keep these potentially hazardous materials out of landfills there are many other options for ridding your home of older, outdated technology.  The first option should be to check with your community to see if there is a program set up to receive older CRTs and TVs for recycling.  For instance, in Massachusetts, where I live, many cities and towns were given grant money for the specific purpose of setting up such a program.

If your town does not have such a program the next place to look would be at a local TV repair shop or even an electronics retailer because they may be able to reuse what you want to throw out.  Some areas even have electronic recycling companies that will come to your residence or business and pick up such items and from there they are responsible for the recycling of the items.  Even if a piece of electronic equipment can no longer be used for refurbishing an older model they can always be dissected and the individual components can be sold for their scrap value.

No matter what the item is that you want to recycle, there is a way to do it, all you need to do is make a phone call or two and you will have done your part to follow the recycling laws.

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Fire in the Amazon produces a lot of destruction forever. 60-70 percent of deforestation in the Amazon results from cattle ranches and soyabeans cultivation while the rest mostly results from small-scale subsistence agriculture.

The Amazon Rainforest

How can you graduate from being a rainforest wimp? Visit an especially unique park in the highlands of Panama. It will be a wildlife experience for foreigners that come to the area, so they can visit the sanctuary, see the animals, and learn about the importance of the rainforest and why it needs to be saved. TRC President Alex Rubin visited the rainforests of Costa Rica, “We are in the process of finishing up our Wildlife Sanctuary for animals that can never be released”.

Everybody knows the significance of saving the rainforest. In addition, they live their whole lives in trees, only coming down to the ground once a week to go to the toilet! In the wild, they grow algae and moss on the exterior of their fur that serves as a camouflage to conceal them from predators. We all know endangered animals are being destroyed each day and that we all have to take steps to maintain the rainforests. Due to the influence of their diet on their metabolism they are some of the slowest animals you will ever see.

They spend the majority of their day sleeping and eating. Everybody knows the significance of saving the rainforest. We have been working for years now trying to increase the species’ survival. One example is Save the Rainforest Inc that helps lead exhibitions and gets people into the rainforests so they can see for themselves how important it is to save them. EcologyFund is another example of a way you can send money to help save the rainforests. In addition, find out whether these companies and stores give money to save the rainforests.

Survival of the Fittest: Mother Nature always has the superior hand in deciding which animals are going to survive and which ones aren’t to survive under our care. The Amazon Rainforest is disappearing at a rapid rate. We need to teach people about the Amazon Rainforest. The Amazon Rainforest is disappearing at a rapid rate.

Buy recycled paper to thwart more of the Amazon’s trees from being hack down. Plastic and glass can be recycled to avoid the use of additional land to be used for landfills. Buy captive bred pets instead of animals trapped in the wild. All in all, it is the tourist’s paradise; learn more about the Amazon Rainforest and how it impacts Earth.

Rainforest Devastation

Species populations worldwide are tumbling and in many cases species are disappearing all together due to pollution, climate change, over consumption, invasive species, exotic diseases, poaching and hunting, but no peril proves more persistent and demoralizing for the world’s species than habitat loss. Except for rotting vegetation which nourishes the slim tropical soil, the forest floor is almost bare.

Tropical Rainforest Coalition is working to protect and preserve the world’s tropical rainforests, “We are escalating our sister program and our membership program which exists around the world. We have a monkey bridge program that keeps monkeys from being electrocuted, hit by cars, and allows them to get to other troops for breeding purposes. We want everyone to have an understanding of the importance of saving the rainforest and be enthused to help as well”.

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Volunteering Resources

• United Planet offers many opportunities for environmental volunteering in different climates and locations across the globe.
• Save The Rainforest Habitat Wildlife Sanctuary.
• Eco Volunteers can go to Ecuador for two weeks and work in the Cloud Forest of Nanegal, located just two hours north of Quito.

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Recycling: Even Bricks Can Be ReUsed!

One of the most innovative ways of recycling materials that have probably been over-looked came in the form of a contractor re-using bricks from a brick wall that needed to be torn down during the construction of an addition to a home.

The contractor learned his trade from one long time mason worker who believed that if you have brick as part of your building project, it could last forever.  He believed that the only structures that were worth a plugged nickel contained the strong and classy component of brick; also adding that more brick is better.

How could you go wrong following that kind of advice?  In the Age of Recycling, as this time in our lives could be described, what would be the sense in sending perfectly good bricks off to a landfill?  If we are going to be efficient at recycling, our best course of action is to prevent waste, right?  Here are some ideas the contractor had when talking about recycling the brick wall, one brick at a time and his suggested materials.

This project may not be one where any kind of further education degree required, but it is a laborous task and keep in mind the fate of your back from bending and picking up throughout this activity.  The only materials needed are, a bucket with water, brick hammers and some muriatic acid for those really stubborn cement-clinging bricks.

This project could really make an impact on the home renovations in keeping with the theme of recycling, if done properly.

The wall needs to be taken down a brick at a time.  The best way to do this and still keep the bricks in tact is to be patient and methodical.  Tapping the bricks away from the mortar may sound easy but it is a sure test of patience when, in the back of your mind, you continue to think about how much more easy the task would be if you were using a large sledge hammer to do the job!

Once you have the bricks removed from the wall, begin to remove the mortar from each individual brick by chipping at it with the tapered end of the hammer.  There will be some instances where the mortar is not going to come off so easily and it is suggested that by placing the brick into a 5 gallon bucket of water, that should almost always make it easier for the mortar to come off the brick.  In cases where the mortar is still clinging onto the brick after a few dips in the water, try soaking the bricks in a solution of water and muriatic acid.  Please remember to pay close attention to the instructions when using muriatic acid and be sure to wear gloves and protective goggles.  After the bricks have soaked in the acid and water mix, all mortar should come off by using a wire brush and cleaning them off.

Reuse the bricks anyway you choose and walk away from the project knowing you’ve done your best to recycle!

Recycling: How To Prevent The Excess

The idea of recycling is to reuse an item rather than toss it into the trash and have it end up filling space in a landfill, right?  Here’s a thought; why not have the waste in the first place?  Are you with me?  How can this be accomplished, you may be asking yourself, and that’s good because I have a few ideas I’d like to share.

Be aware of the items you purchase and how they are packaged.  Some manufacturers use layers of wrapping that will just get tossed into the trash because there isn’t another use for it.  Try not to purchase such items.  Do a little looking, a little digging, a little research and find items that have less packaging and stick to only buying them.  I believe the manufacturers will get the hint when consumers start paying attention to the waste one product makes and opt for its competitor.

A good way to utilize this kind of thinking is to buy in bulk.  Buying in bulk cuts way down on the packaging and more often than not, it is a better buy just by the price.  That’s a win-win, in my book!

If you have to buy something that has an excess of packaging, stretch your mind a little and figure out what you can use that excess for and then put it to good use.

A great way to curb the surplus in a landfill is to reuse things and an easy one to do this with is the plastic bags you get to carry your groceries home in.  Rather than getting the bags home, emptying the contents and putting them away and throw the used bag into the trash, think about the different things you can use that bag for; in my house all of our home-lunches are carried to and from school in reused plastic bags.  We even reuse the bags over and again, until we know that nothing will stay bagged but will fall out.  Just by reusing items like this will cut down greatly on the stuff that is filling up our precious space-craved landfills.

At my grocery store the store has manufactured mesh bags with the company’s logo on it and they sell them for less than a dollar.  These are excellent for reuse because they last a lot longer than the plastic bags do and if you continue to bring these bags to the store rather than the plastic or even the paper bags that is a few more less that will ever leave the store.

Recycling, at its best, is prevention of excess.  Keeping that in mind and taking the steps to incorporate the changes into your life will further enhance the lack of waste and will make it much easier for landfills not to get so over-filled; because over-filled landfills are not a pretty sight and not what we want in our future or in the future of our children, down through the generations.  Prevention of waste takes just a little forethought, and any of us are capable of that.

Recycling: Visit A Landfill

For 43 years I’ve been someone who never really finished the thought; when I throw something away it goes…

I’ve given myself a great gift this year; call it a field trip, if you like, but I took myself to my town’s landfill and had my eyes opened for the first time.  Maybe the concept of someone reaching their 40s and still not being contientious of recycling is one that sounds far-fetched, well, it’s the truth.  I didn’t grow up imagining the Earth covered in over-flowing landfills, piles and piles of garbage as high as the tallest building that was not my experience.  But because the idea of leaving too much waste for the Earth to handle is a bitter reality today, I’ve begun to educate myself.

I guess I’ve always thought of using credit cards as not being real money, that’s the same way I viewed trash.  I know I’ve read about landfills becoming, well, full and how that will cause a problem but until I took myself out to the site itself, I still had this childish idea that once I put something into the trash can, it just went – away.

Seeing, with my own eyes, the area designated for my community’s left overs was like a big slap of reality.  I was finally able to comprehend the thought; “if I’m not the only one throwing things away carelessly, and if others are doing it too, this space will not last too long.”

I was surprised at some of the items I saw at the town’s landfill, too.  There were pieces of furniture that, being someone creative, I could see would make nice trash-to-treasures pieces.  Maybe these refurbished items could be the one piece that brought the feel of a room together, that completed what the room is to feel like and express.  Instead, someone tossed them out and they were taking up (a whole lot) of space in a limited area and would cause stress, not happiness.

I’m fortunate because my children, who are early teens, have been taught about the importance of recycling and the importance of what we need to do to keep the world from being buried in useless trash.  They have been paying attention to the lessons that have come their way, where as, I had to see it for myself before I could be motivated to change the way I do things.

The good news is, it only took one quick trip to the landfill, for me to come to my senses and make changes about the way I do things and about the way I think.  If we are not thinking globally when it comes to waste, and what we’re leaving behind, we’re not being smart.

Grab some kids, or some forty-somethings and take yourself on a field trip that may very well, do for you what it did for me; make the changes necessary for me to see what the reality of our situation is and change the way I do things.

Recycling Tips & Resources
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that 75% of our waste is recyclable. This is grand news, particularly because the American Forest and Paper Association states that 87% of the U.S. inhabitants, or 268 million people, have access to curb-side or recycling programs. The delay is a lot of people are [...]

We Can Help Save the Environment through Waste
Management and Recycling Programs…   

With the ever increasing population of our earth, and the consumerist society which exists today, it is very important that we help to save the earth’s environment through waste management and recycling programs.  There are many different ways to apply waste management and recycling in all areas of the world, but especially with our vast availability of resources here in the United States.  The U.S. leads the world in trash production and any of that trash which can be kept out of the landfills helps to save the earth’s environment from pollution.

With the ever increasing population of our earth, and the consumerist society which exists today, it is very important that we help to save the earth’s environment through waste management programs.  There are many different ways to apply waste management and recycling in all areas of the world, but especially with our vast availability of resources here in the United States.  The U.S. leads the world in trash production and any of that trash which can be kept out of the landfills helps to save the earth’s environment from pollution. 

With the age of technology upon us, we need to find ways to recycle technology products which are no longer of use to us.  Home computers are recycled in most areas which allow you to safely dispose of your unwanted computers, monitors and printers.  Computer recycling is very important because monitor disposal needs to protect the earth from the toxic gasses contained within them.  (The same is true for television set disposal.)  If your local waste company does not recycle computers, look in your phone book for local electronics recyclers or computer donation programs. 

Another important way to help the earth’s environment
through waste management and recycling is to compost as much organic matter as possible.  Your local community probably has programs for weed recyclables and Christmas trees.  These are great programs to help keep organic matter out of your local landfill.

At your home you can start your own waste management and recycling habits as well.  Composting can provide your home garden with wonderful soil.  All you need to start composting is a kitchen counter compost container and a pile in your yard to dump it on each day.  You do not need any special composting equipment to start.   

Another program you can easily start in your own home is as simple as taking aluminum and plastics to your local drop off recycling center, or curbside program.  Many areas offer all residents containers to put their aluminum and plastics in for easy processing.   

Many common items you use in your home you can substitute with recycled products.  You can ask your local grocery stores to use recycled paper shopping bags, or you can bring your own canvas bags to the store with you and use those.  You can purchase recycled copier paper and recycled paper checks.  Think of how many trees your family and community can save by just doing these few simple things!  

It is also easy to recycle moving supplies and packing supplies.  You can either save your supplies to use in the future or pass them on to someone else who has a more immediate need for them.   

It is very important to the health of our environment to find ways to help through waste management and recycling programs.  Think about your life and think of ways you and your community can help out.

Recycling Bins
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