Most people don’t think about the plastic that’s used to provide healthcare.
For example just to have a baby– from the pregnancy test to the delivery room syringes — many medical supplies we rely on are plastic or are packaged in plastic. And there’s good reason for it– plastics impart a wide range of characteristics. Some is needed to make medical supplies and packaging light and flexible; some makes supplies durable and shatter-resistant. Many medical supplies are protected against contamination by sterile plastic packaging; and puncture-resistant gloves help protect doctors and nurses from infections. We really couldn’t have modern medicine without it. That’s why it’s really encouraging to hear that a newly formed group is working to make sure more of all that hospital plastic gets recycled. The Healthcare Plastics Recycling Council (HPRC) is made up of healthcare, recycling, and waste management companies with the shared goal of increasing recycling at the nation’s hospitals. And wouldn’t you know it, a California Hospital system is already leading the way on this front.
Catholic Healthcare West has been working on sustainability initiatives since the mid 1990’s and they’ve been recognized consistently, for the past several years, for Environmental Excellence by Practice Green Health. This year they remain listed among the top hospitals in the nation for sustainability efforts. The systems’ 40 hospitals do a comprehensive sustainability assessment annually looking at everything from food to energy use and look for ways each year to further reduce, reuse and recycle. They work with Redemtech to recycle their e-waste and in some of the system’s hospitals, they look for opportunities to use reusable and biodegradable materials where they can, and they contract haulers to collect their recyclable plastics.
The hospital system’s sustainability director Sister Mary Ellen Leciejewski says while Catholic Healthcare is always looking for ways to use reusable materials, they know that, in a hospital, there are many plastics that must be single use, which is where the new HPRC could be a valuable new partner for hospitals across the nation. The council says they’re focused on developing recycling solutions for plastics that don’t come in contact with patients– like the packaging that many medical supplies and devices come in — and also for things like IV bags, wash basins, and bottles. It would be great to see hospitals everywhere embrace increased opportunities to reduce, reuse and recycle as part of their commitments to sustainability!
I married into a large family. I’m talking Irish-Catholic large. So there’s always an event happening: a wedding, a new baby, Confirmation, baptism and, during this time of year, graduations. And with graduation comes the ever-present cap and gown. Call me a geek, but I still have both of mine from high school and college.
While planning graduation parties may be more at top of mind for students, schools are definitely thinking about making those caps and gowns from more sustainable materials. We’re seeing some big steps in the last couple of years with classic graduation attire being made of recycled plastic bottles.
One academic apparel manufacturer says about 23 plastic bottles go into each gown – a far cry from the heavy polyester monsters we’re all used to and that I still have packed away in a box for my children to eventually take out and laugh about. I’m also hearing these recycled gowns are a little lighter and breathe a little better than the standard issue. Plus, some manufacturers are taking them back to be made into new gowns again; schools are setting up recycling bins right at graduation sites. Of course, for nostalgic fools like me, this is a new way of thinking that I’m sure the younger generation is much more open to.
If you know of any schools in California that will be using recycled plastic gowns this year, let us know – we’d love to see them in action—and perhaps we can replace my sad old photo with something new!
Casting nets during the Plankton & Plastic Surveys of U.S. Ocean Waters
Marine debris is a topic that’s been in the news a lot lately, as researchers continue to learn more about the nature and extent of this problem. Although it’s not currently possible to precisely quantify the amount and exact location of the worst concentrations, we can all agree that litter – including plastics – does not belong in the ocean. Most researchers do agree that most marine debris starts out as land-based litter. Human behavior created the problem and human behavior can solve it. That’s why plastic makers are partnering with governments, academics and NGOs to support plastics recycling and to launch anti-littering education programs. And, we’re especially looking forward to participating in the upcoming 5th International Marine Debris Conference (5IMDC) this spring.
5IMDC presents a tremendous opportunity to deepen our understanding, meet with researchers and other experts, talk about best practices, and find new ways to work together on real solutions. Some of the things we look forward to sharing include successes we’ve had with public-private partnerships in California. For example, for the past three years we have worked in California (including with Keep California Beautiful, California State Parks, Caltrans and the City of Woodland) to place nearly 700 recycle bins throughout the state. Those bins diverted over 45 tons of plastic and over 105 tons of other recyclable materials from the waste stream, and importantly, prevented them from entering the marine environment as litter.
More recently we expanded our efforts with a Los Angeles area after school program provider (LA’s BEST) to continue a recycling education program that teaches kids the importance of reusing and recycling. Over the past two years we’ve reached more than 27,000 children in the Los Angeles area. And, last year, we worked with the Southern California Youth Soccer League, The Los Angeles Galaxy and the Sports Authority on a recycling collection program that engaged 400 young soccer players. Armed with large plastic bags and a quick lesson on what they could collect for recycling, these amazing kids collected and recycled more than 3,156 pounds of items, including 1,695 pounds of plastics, during a 7 week challenge. Many of the organization’s coaches and parents now tell us that the education has taken root and the kids have begun integrating recycling into their daily lives.
These successes show us that, when we work together, we can create change.
All of us can help make a difference by making sure plastic doesn’t get in the ocean in the first place. With thoughtful programs, more on-the-go recycling options, tough litter abatement laws, well-run municipal recycling and waste management systems, and behavioral changes, we can help keep plastics (and other materials) out of our waste stream, off our beaches and away from our oceans. Changing behavior – and making it easier to recycle – are the best ways to help preserve our environment for future generations.
The following is a guest post by Antonio Gamboa, President of the Diamond Bar Soccer League
I’ll be the first to admit: I never thought much about recycling. I mean, I knew it was good to do for the environment and that it helps keep our communities clean, but that was about it. Now, the Diamond Bar Soccer League is inspired. The Recycle.Goal. contest has opened our eyes to many new possibilities.
Recycle.Goal. was a competition for soccer teams throughout Southern California to see which team could recycle the most materials by weight. We had five teams participate from our club, and our boys and girls recycled a little more than 1,100 pounds of aluminum, glass and plastic in 6 weeks. I’m very proud of my teams, but I’m even more proud that they have caught recycling fever.
Each team received a generous gift card from Sports Authority for recycling the minimum amount of materials, and we’re grateful for that, but Recycle.Goal. will continue to pay off long after we’ve used the gift cards.
Because of Recycle.Goal., my entire league has started two new recycling programs: for printer cartridges and for electronic waste. Soon, we’ll start collecting and recycling juice pouches, which are so popular with players on game days and at practices.
We have learned a great deal about the value of recycling, thanks to the program and all of the supporters: Keep California Beautiful, the American Chemistry Council, Sports Authority and the Los Angeles Galaxy.
All of the funds we collect through our new programs will go right back to where they belong—to the kids.
Again, we are grateful that Recycle.Goal. has given us so much, but it’s really only just begun. We have so much left to do and so much more to collect to keep our cities a little cleaner and our fields a little greener.
I was so pleased to see this article about the increased rate of recycling in San Diego that I wanted to share it with you all.
San Diego’s ability to combine smart policies and public education sets a great example for us all. We commend city officials for broadening the list of plastics that municipal facilities can accept while also making it easier for residents to reduce waste. California’s potential for increasing the statewide waste diversion rate looks bright with San Diego leading the way!
ACC recently had the pleasure of spending a Sunday morning with the LA’s BEST community to announce the Go H2O! Challenge. The Challenge, now in its second year, is an exciting way to educate more students and families in Los Angeles about recycling and healthy habits. You can read more about the challenge here. Now that we have officially launched the second year of the program, keep an eye out for more exciting news from the challenge. And don’t forget to Go H2O!
Despite the cloudy day, the LA's BEST community was out in full force.
Recycling tip magnets and stickers were a hit at our GO H2O! booth.
There’s nothing like summertime at the ballpark. Taking in a baseball game, day or night, is a great way to spend time with family and friends. I’ve been lucky enough to visit a handful of parks this year – and all of them have adopted the recycling spirit.
I went to Miller Park in Milwaukee and Nationals Park in DC on back-to-back days in June. Both teams were out of town but I saw much of each stadium. Milwaukee actively promotes their recycling program with signage and those large recycling bins that look like plastic bottles. DC’s stadium has special bins just for used plastic bottles and cans, some with bottle-sized holes and others designed to be fun, with big batting helmets on them (built by a local Maryland company).
I’m a huge Angels fan, and you can’t miss the bins for collecting plastic water, soda, and beer bottles there, either.
I also saw a game at Seattle’s Safeco Field in early June. There they ask fans to separate their food and recyclables because they not only have recycling bins – they compost!
AT&T Park in San Francisco is a great example too. Late in the game, Manager Bruce Boche appears on the scoreboard and encourages fans to pass their recyclables to the end of their aisles where ushers collect items like plastic bottles for recycling. Here at Raley Field in Sacramento, the Oakland A’s AAA minor league team (the Rivercats) have a similar program.
As America’s pastime, baseball is full of tradition and sometimes slow to change. But even big league teams are quickly recognizing the importance of recycling and adapting accordingly.
It gets easier everyday to recycle when you’re away from home. If you’re at the game, remember to get those plastic bottles to the recycling bin. It’s great for the environment and a great way to teach the next generation about the importance of recycling our valuable resources.
A young recycler cleans up at the beach in San Diego.
We’ve all seen litter on the beach. Where does it come from? A recent study by Coastkeeper Orange County tells the frustrating story – most of the trash that ends up on the beach is actually left behind by visitors or dumped there, rather than coming from inland sources.
But here’s the encouraging news from the study: more and more people are getting the message about the importance of recycling and keeping our beaches clean for everyone to enjoy. And Coastkeeper’s research also shows that the average number of trash pieces found on beaches decreased significantly – from an average of 137 pieces a day to an average of 65 a day – between 2005 and 2008. That’s almost a 50 percent reduction. Great news, but we can do better.
This article shows that increasing access to recycling bins and trash receptacles, like the bins that plastics makers are placing along California’s coast, is helping to keep our beaches clean. ACC and our members who make plastics are proud to help play a role in finding solutions by placing recycling bins throughout the state.
I challenge all of us to do our part and commit to keeping California’s beaches and coastlines clean and spread the word so others do their part too. Maybe we can reduce the number of trash pieces to ZERO (or somewhere close to it) for the next Coastkeeper’s report! Have other ideas about how to clean up our beaches? We’d love to hear from you – leave them in the comments section.
We’re pleased to announce that 11 more recycling bins have been added to Pioneer Park, Woodside Park, Freeman Park, Crawford Park, Ferns Park, Camarena Field, Pedroia Field and the Community & Senior Center parksin the city of Woodland. These new bins, together with the 13 bins our partnership with the City of Woodland, Keep California Beautiful, PG&E and the Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation installed last fall, brings us more than halfway to our goal of installing 40 permanent bins across the city.
The effort of our partnership to increase access to recycling in city parks in Woodland is open to other businesses that are interested in the opportunity to participate by sponsoring bins to place in additional parks. If your business is interested, let us know in the comments below and we’ll contact you.
So next time you step out for a stroll or take your kids to the local park in Woodland, look for the new recycle bins and remember to be an example for the next generation by recycling.
I recently began allowing my 14-month old son to feed himself with his own spoon. The mess he makes goes completely against my normal type-A personality, but I know that he needs to learn how to do this and it’s going to take time. So I’ve stocked up on plenty of rags to clean up after him. As I watched him eat last night, I realized the “practice makes perfect” mantra for allowing my little guy to learn to feed himself can also be applied to consumers learning to change their behavior and bring their plastic bags back to participating stores for recycling. They need to learn how to do it, and it’s going to take time. And that’s okay.
Right now in California, the infrastructure exists that allows consumers to bring back grocery bags and plastic wraps to large grocery and retail outlets (to find your nearest participating store, go here ). And consumers are beginning to get the hang of it. It’s not a perfect system yet, but plastic bag and film recycling is INCREASING. In fact, according to EPA’s data, the rate of plastic bag and film recycling has fully DOUBLED since 2005. We’re all learning.
In addition to recycling plastic bags, many consumers are changing their behavior to bring reusable bags to the store, whether they’re plastic, canvas or some other material that provides re-use opportunity. This honors both the “reduce” and the “reuse” elements of the three R’s: Reduce. Reuse. Recycle. It is important, though, that we also honor the third R: “recycle” by bringing any leftover bags and wraps (such as dry-cleaning bags, newspaper bags and plastic wraps from bread, paper towels, cases of soda and more) back as well.
Any mom can tell you that changing behavior takes time—more than we would like sometimes, but the payoff is worth it. Right now, my floor, walls, table, and highchair are proof that the learning experience doesn’t start off pristine, but I know that by keeping the faith and practicing until the skill becomes second nature, we’ll all be in a better place.
Guest post by Barbara Long, Vice President Government Relations and Special Projects, Aquarium of the Pacific
At Aquarium of the Pacific, we have one major goal: to empower our visitors with the knowledge to make a difference on the most pressing issues affecting our ocean planet. As Southern California’s largest aquarium and the fourth largest aquarium in the nation, we take our goal very seriously.
In fact, our mission is to instill a sense of wonder, respect and stewardship for the Pacific Ocean, its inhabitants and ecosystems. We can’t do it alone, especially in this economy, when resources are limited.
Another key part of our mission is to create the first aquarium—and perhaps the first institution in the world—dedicated to conserving and building natural capital (nature and nature’s services) by building social capital (the interactions between and among peoples), which is why it’s so important for us to build and maintain partnerships.
For example, we recently expanded our partnership with the American Chemistry Council (ACC) to provide recycling bins for our visitors. This is an extension of an alliance that began in November, 2008, with the opening of Our Watersheds: Pathway to the Pacific. ACC is a sponsor of this exhibit, which gives aquarium-goers the opportunity to learn more about our local watersheds and what we each can do to protect them.
Recycling is an integral part of protecting these “pathways” because too often readily recyclable materials end up as litter, and these items – plastic, cans, glass, etc.—belong in a recycling bin. The eight new containers are brightly decorated and feature messages and reminders to our visitors about the value of recycling and its effect on conservation.
With 1.5 million annual visitors, including 170,000 school children, we are confident that these receptacles will have a positive and long-lasting effect on our patrons, to not only recycle at the aquarium, but to recycle at home, at school and on the go.
Our partners and sponsors come from all walks of life because, ultimately, we’re all committed to the same thing: protecting the Pacific Ocean and its marine life through a variety of means, including recycling.
The Aquarium and our various partners understand that we must all work together to protect the earth and our oceans, when funds, friends and assistance are tough to come by. We encourage all Californians to do the same. Make sure you’re part of the solution, and help us meet our goal of protecting our oceans and waterways.
On March 16 and 17, I (along with my collegue and fellow-blogger Sherri McCarthy) represented ACC at the Green California Summit and Exhibition at the Sacramento Convention Center. Dozens of exhibitors shared with attendees and government officials their environmental stories.
Lots of people stopped by our booth to learn about plastics recycling and pick up a plastic bag storage sleeve. Many were amazed to find they could use these at home to store plastic grocery bags and wraps (like for bread, newspapers, dry cleaning, etc.) and then deposit them all at once into the recycling bins of any large pharmacy or grocery store. People were more excited when they learned these were made from 100% recycled plastic bottles!
We also handed out other materials (including refrigerator magnets!) conveying the importance of plastic bag and wrap recycling and the efforts of the “Too Valuable to Waste” campaign.
We also had the privilege of meeting people who shared our passion for recycling. Spencer Brown, founder of Rent-a-Green-Box, stopped by to commend our efforts to increase recycling in California. Spencer’s company creates reusable, collapsible moving boxes – and they’re made out of recycled plastics! You can learn more at the Rent-a-Green-Box Web site: http://earthfriendlymoving.com/greenbox/
Bradford Peery works out of Carmel, CA creating rainwater control systems. As you may have guessed, the system is made of 100% recycled HDPE. Needless to say, this company truly embodies the “Too Valuable to Waste” spirit. You can learn more at: http://www.raintechnologies.com/
I was most excited with the number of teachers and students in attendance. So many schools are starting robust recycling programs, and it’s just fantastic to see that level of enthusiasm shared in academia.
There’s a lot of misinformation out there when it comes to plastic, especially plastic bags. On this April Fool’s Day, let’s examine myths that can fool you.
Myth: Plastic bags can’t be recycled.
Fact: Nothing could be further from the truth. More than 832 million pounds of plastic bags and product wraps were recycled in 2008, a 28 percent increase in just three years. In fact, the rate of recycling plastic bags and wraps has doubled since 2005 to reach 13% nationally, and it continues to climb. Recycled plastic bags and wraps are used to make durable backyard decking materials, other home building products, shopping carts and new bags.
Myth: Paper bags are better for the environment.
Fact: Many people don’t realize that plastic bags require 70 percent less energy to manufacture, produce 50 percent less greenhouse gas emissions and create five times less waste than paper bags.
Fact: Depends on where you live. More and more California communities are recycling these types of containers. Currently 62% of California’s communities recycle plastic containers in addition to bottles. Check to see if your community recycles them.
Instead of getting caught up in these common myths, Californians across the state are taking a basic approach: reduce, reuse, recycle.
How? Nearly every major retailer sells inexpensive reusable bags, so consumers can easily pick up a reusable bag on any shopping trip, and then they can bring their own. 90% of consumers already reuse plastic grocery bags at home to pack their kids’ lunches, to line their trash cans and to clean up after their dogs. And with innovative new recycling programs spanning the state, consumers can return any leftover plastic bags to larger grocery stores for recycling.
Visit http://www.plasticbagfacts.org/default.aspx to learn more.
Bruce Saito, Executive Director of the Los Angeles Conservation Corps, and Xzibit celebrate with the LA Conservation Corps Scholars at the recent event in Los Angeles.
The following is a guest post by Bruce Saito, Executive Director of the Los Angeles Conservation Corps.
As the director of the Los Angeles Conservation Corps, I am constantly amazed by the work our members do and the organizations that come forward to support them. Recently, I had the honor of celebrating both of these groups: our Corps graduates and our partners.
It was truly an occasion to celebrate – we were awarding 150 scholarships to our most deserving participants in the presence of community leaders and our partners including the American Chemistry Council. In January, we received a $100,000 grant from ACC to help us fund our important program, the LA River Keepers.
In times like these, when headlines remind us daily about bad news for city budgets and public programs, we look to our partners for help. With ACC’s donation and this newly established partnership, we will be able to extend our impact through the LA River Keepers program. Through this program, we work to keep the LA River beautiful by removing litter and debris and promoting environmental education, as well as providing job skills training for area youth. During the past 24 years, the Corps has planted more than 100,000 trees, removed 13 million square feet of graffiti, restored 2,300 acres of natural habitat and recycled 10,000 tons of bottles and cans.
While the River Keepers program does a great job keeping the physical area clean and free of litter, we also work to make a difference beyond the river’s edge. Through our job skills training, we work to instill confidence in our Corps members and inspire them to promote positive change in their lives. We heard from some of our Corps graduates at the event and I was so proud of them and their dedication. I am also very proud of this program for impacting their lives in such a meaningful way. I know that our program, through partnerships with organizations like ACC, will continue to make an impact on our city and our city’s youth for years to come.
For more information about LA Conservation Corps programs, visit www.lacorps.org.
As millions of soccer fans gather this summer to watch the World Cup, recycling is not likely to be a top of mind priority. Yet many of the players will be living examples of how plastics recycling has evolved. Players from Brazil, Portugal and the Netherlands will be sporting high-tech, “wicking” jerseys made with the use of recycled plastic fibers. Just think that the bottled water or sports drink you enjoyed today could very well end up in South Africa as part of the world’s most prestigious soccer tournament.
When consumers take part in recycling programs for plastics bottles, tubs, trays, and bags, it helps the whole recycling system work better by providing the material to make second-generation products like soccer jerseys, carpeting and composite lumber for outdoor decking. ACC is working to expand the plastic collection infrastructure so consumers can even more easily recycle their plastic bottles. So whether you are a world-class soccer professional, an amateur athlete or just a sports fan, you can do your part by remembering to recycle at home or on the playing field!
With all of the interesting conversations taking place out there about recycling and greener living, we wanted to take a few minutes to share some of our favorites from the past month. Enjoy this new monthly feature and let us know what you think in the comments section – and feel free to share some of your favorite links, too.
In January, Steve Russell wrote about the Hilex Poly plant expansion in Indiana. It got me thinking – the recycling process remains a mystery for many people, but it’s actually quite simple.
Check out the five-step plastic bag recycling process from the Hilex Poly web site.
Notice step one: it all starts by bringing your plastic bags back to a designated drop-off location – oftentimes your local grocery store – so they can be entered into the recycling stream. Without that crucial access point, we cannot give plastic bags the second life they deserve.
Once the bags enter the recycling stream they are bailed and shipped to recyclers such as Hilex Poly. There they are cleaned, processed and turned back into a pellet form. Using these pellets, new bags are manufactured and distributed.
So remember, it’s up to all of us to recycle our plastic bags to make sure they take this journey to end up where they belong – as something new and useful and not in the trash.
There are many ways to reinvent things we regularly use by reusing plastic bags. Here are some fun ways to fill the gap between reducing and recycling, by reusing plastic bags in creative ways:
Make a bigger and more durable tote bag: Using different colored plastic bags, crochet them into a more durable and stylish bag using these easy directions.
Braid a jump-rope. All you need is nine plastic bags, scissors, a ruler and tape to make a jump-rope that can entertain kids for hours. Get started by following these easy directions and they’ll be braiding and jumping in no time.
Jazz up your closet by re-vamping your hangers with colorful plastic bags. Follow these directions to learn how to keep your clothes from slipping and sliding off hangers. Your organized closet will thank you.
Create décor for your house. Looking for a rainy day activity? Crochet plastic bags. Check out the simple step-by-step directions here.
Construct a storage basket. A lot of storage containers we already use are made out of plastic – why not reuse your plastic bags to make a new container? Find simple instructions here and turn those bags into a pretty and functional receptacle for recycling.
These are just a few creative ways to get crafty while reusing your plastic bags. Remember, all of the leftover plastic from these crafts can be recycled–just keep them all in one plastic bag, tie it up when you’re done and return it to a participating grocery store’s plastic bag recycling bin.
I’d love to hear your ideas for reusing plastic bags around the house. Please post them in the comments section.
We’ve all heard the advice for helping businesses reduce waste: Print double sided! Recycle scrap paper! Provide coffee mugs instead of paper cups! So, in the interest of reducing, reusing and recycling at work, I thought I’d share my favorite recommendations on the Top Five Ways to Reduce Waste from the Comfort of your Own Cubicle.
1. Think Before You Print: It sounds obvious but sometimes we forget to ask ourselves if we really need a hard copy of a document or if we can edit it on the screen first and then print a final. The fewer sheets of paper that come off the printer and end up stashed in a folder, never to be seen again, the better!
2. Reusable Water Bottles – Not Just for The Gym Anymore: Keep a reusable water bottle on your desk and not only will you find yourself closer to drinking eight glasses of water every day, you’ll also get the added benefit of several trips back to the water cooler to visit colleagues along the way.
3. Turn it All Off: At the end of the day, shut down. Completely. Your computer worked hard for you so let it take a break too and shut everything off at night so it doesn’t suck energy until the next morning.
4. Coffee Mugs Make Great Conversation Starters: Ever wondered what you were going to do with that kitschy tourist mug that your great aunt brought back from Florida? Now you know – bring it to the office and reuse it for coffee, tea, hot chocolate, etc. and trade stories with your colleagues about where they got their favorite mugs.
5. Be a Squeaky Wheel: If your company doesn’t buy recycled office supplies, ask why not. If the faucet in the restroom is leaky, see if building maintenance can fix it. If there is leftover lunch from a meeting, send out an email to co-workers to help themselves to leftovers so it doesn’t go to waste. Sometimes, it just takes one person to notice that there’s a better way and everyone can reap the benefits.
If we all make the effort to individually reduce, reuse and recycle at the office every day, we’ll make great strides toward reducing our businesses’ carbon footprints. And – even better – we’ll save money and add to the bottom line.
Have more ideas that you want to share about how you reduce, reuse and recycle at work? Post comments here and share your thoughts!
Sherri McCarthy (Manager, Western Region, American Chemistry Council) and Bruce Saito (Executive Director, LA Conservation Corps) look on as Councilman Ed P. Reyes speaks at the 1/28 River Keepers event in LA
It was an honor to stand with Los Angeles City Councilmember Ed Reyes, LA Conservation Corps executive director, Bruce Saito, and the Corps’ River Keepers Program members to announce a grant from the plastics manufacturers represented by ACC.
The contribution by the plastics industries of ACC will help to ensure that the vital LA River Keepers program will be able to continue their work of promoting recycling and keeping the LA River clean, while providing job skills, training, and work experience to an incredible group of young people you would be impressed to meet.
The LA River is challenged, as all urban waterways are, but it is an important and potentially beautiful resource for the city and its residents. I was pleased to be part of an event and a group of individuals dedicated to increasing recycling and keeping this important waterway clean.
LA River Keeper Volunteers hold the check at the 1/28 press event
I came across this interesting article in the OC Register recently. It highlights the importance of how each of us can individually reduce the amount of waste we produce just by recycling. More and more communities, especially in California, are making great strides to help their residents recycle. But ultimately, it’s up to each one of us to decide to make the conscious effort to sort our household recyclables, take back plastic bags to grocery stores for recycling, or even hold on to things like plastic bottles until we come across a recycling bin. Small, easy behavioral changes can have a huge impact. So join me in committing to recycle more and waste less this year.
We all know that it’s especially hard to recycle and reduce waste during the holidays. Between gift wrap, toy packaging and decorations, the trashcans in my neighborhood are usually filled to the max this time of year. This year, our friends over at the Plastics Make it PossibleSM campaign this refresher about recycling that will be especially helpful during the holidays. I hope these will help you and your family stay focused on recycling throughout the season!
1. Get smart. Find out which plastics are accepted for recycling in your community. Today, more than 80 percent of U.S. households have access to a recycling program, and the vast majority of the collect plastic bottles. A bottle is any container with a neck or opening that’s smaller than its base. Include the following wherever plastic bottles are recycled:
Milk jugs
Beverage bottles (e.g., water, soft drinks, juice and beer)
Bottles from shampoo, toiletries, laundry detergent and other
household cleaners
Salad dressing, cooking oil and condiment bottles
Food jars, such as peanut butter and mayonnaise
2. Remove and rinse. Before tossing bottles in the recycle bin, remove the caps. Be sure to rinse bottles that previously contained food. (Empty beverage bottles can go straight into the bin.) Unless your community specifically asks for them, bottle caps should be placed in the garbage, not the recycle bin. Similarly, bags should be clean and empty. Do not include plastic food wrap or bags that have food residue.
3. Reuse, reuse, reuse! From wrapping to ribbons, boxes to packing peanuts, gather and save gift wrap and packing materials for next year! And don’t forget bags — there are many helpful ways to reuse plastic bags,
Wet umbrella cover – keep other items in your bag dry when your umbrella is wet
Suitcase savers – wrap shoes before packing them with clean clothes
Hand protectors – place them over your hands to handle messes indoors and out
Kitchen clean-up – place them under the cutting board for quick scrap removal
Trash can liners – use them in bathrooms and other household waste baskets
Doggie duty – bring them on dog walks to collect and dispose of pet waste
4. Bring bags back. Most large grocery stores and some retailers (e.g., Wal-Mart) offer plastic bag drop-off programs that allow consumers to return their used bags and product wraps to be recycled. These bins are usually located at the front entrance or near checkout areas. Almost all kinds of clean plastic bags are accepted for recycling in these programs, including:
Grocery bags
Retail bags (remove hard plastic or string handles)
Plastic newspaper bags
Dry cleaning bags (remove paper and hangers)
Bread bags (with crumbs shaken out)
You can also include plastic wraps from products such as paper towels, bathroom tissue, napkins, diapers and cases of soda wherever plastic bags are collected for recycling.
5. Pitch in beyond the kitchen. While many recyclable bottles come from the kitchen, don’t forget to check the bathrooms and laundry room for shampoo and detergent bottles.
6. Practice patience. On the road this holiday season and can’t find a recycle bin? Don’t throw your empty bottles in the trash–temporarily store them in a purse or briefcase, or simply leave them in the car until arriving home to place in a recycle bin. And don’t forget to temporarily put the cap back on your bottle to prevent leakage until you can properly recycle it.
7. Don’t throw out the leftovers. Saving your lidded plastic food containers and plastic to-go containers from take-out could provide a free and easy way for holiday party guests to carry home leftovers. Plus, they can keep these items and reuse them again.
8. Check for containers. In addition to bottles, roughly one-third of communities are collecting and recycling plastic containers, such as yogurt cups, tubs, trays and lids. If you’re only recycling bottles, check to see if your community is one of the many areas that has recently added food containers to its list of collectibles.
9. When in doubt, leave it out. Keep in mind that mixing the wrong types of materials (even other plastics) can lower the quality of the recycled material. So unless your community specifically asks for plastics other than bottles, please put only bottles into the recycling bin. Keep these items out of the recycle bin unless you community specifically accepts them:
No plastic bags or wraps (take them to your grocery store, if
accepted)
No automotive, pesticide or solvent bottles
No lids or spray pumps
No toys
No trays, tubs or containers (unless your community accepts them;
more and more communities are recycling these types of containers
in addition to bottles, so it’s worth checking.)
10. Adopt a second life mindset. Do you ever wonder where your recyclables go? Keep in mind that today’s water bottle could be tomorrow’s little black dress or carpeting or backyard deck.
For more information, check out http://www.plasticsmakeitpossible.com/
Far left, American Chemistry Council’s Sherri McCarthy, Manager, Western Region State Affairs, and Long Beach City Councilwoman Gerrie Schipske look on as State Senator Alan Lowenthal delivers remarks during a press event announcing the expanded partnership between Aquarium of the Pacific and the American Chemistry Council.
Two years ago, ACC partnered with the Aquarium of the Pacific (AOP) in creating a Watershed Exhibit to show aquarium-goers how seemingly harmless litter makes its way from the land to the sea and the damage it can do. Sadly, much of that litter is recyclable and should be in a recycling bin, not on the ground or in our oceans.
This fall, we’re expanding the partnership by providing AOP with recycling bins to be placed at key areas around the facility, providing folks more places to recycle their plastic bottles. We’re proud of our work with the AOP, and we look forward to additional opportunities to work with them in the future.
Do you have a story about recycling in your community and what you did to improve upon what was in place before? We’re always looking for new ideas to make plastics recycling more convenient and effective.
Visitors to AOP will now get to use these bins to recycle their waste.
As my little boy grows up, I will teach him all sorts of healthy habits: from eating healthy foods and drinking plenty of water to taking responsibility for his own actions and handling plastics appropriately. One of the ways I plan to do so is by teaching him about recycling.
He’s too young now to grasp the concept and prefers to play with plastic bottles rather than put them in a bin for recycling, but we’re working on it (we’re also working on learning to call me “mama” instead of “Bob” but that’s a story for a different kind of blog). There are several ways to help engage your own children in recycling. Here are a few ideas:
Together, look up your city or county’s public works department Website and determine what items you can place in your recycling bin for collection.
Take turns making one child the recycling coordinator for a week and allow them to determine what items can be placed in the recycling bin.
Have a contest to determine which child collects more recyclables during his/her week.
Put your child in charge of locating the plastic bag recycling bin at the grocery store (CA law mandates all large grocery outlets have recycling bins) and then bring back your plastic bags for recycling. You can even recycle the plastic wraps that cover bathroom tissue, paper towel rolls, etc.
While on the road, play a “spotting” game by having your kids look for recycling bins in public locations.
Small, easy to implement activities can help create healthy recycling habits that benefit all of us in the end. And who knows, you may even find yourself more apt to recycle when you know there are little eyes scrutinizing your bins.
As the mom of a 10 month old little boy, I strive to model behavior I want him to emulate, including trying to drink enough water throughout the day. That’s why I’m pleased with the beginning of an exciting new partnership between ACC and LA’s BEST. Celebrating with about 5,000 children and families at the LA’s BEST Annual Family Health Fair in Carson, CA, we recently launched the Go H20! Challenge. The program will challenge students to make a habit of using reusable plastic bottles and drinking more water instead of sugary drinks. Kids at 91 LA’s BEST sites will receive a reusable water bottle that they can use throughout the day. Each day, the LA’s BEST coaches will talk to them about the health benefits of choosing water or the environmental benefits of reducing, reusing and recycling more plastics.
LA’s BEST is an impressive nonprofit organization that has been providing after school enrichment programs to thousands of students in the city of Los Angeles since 1988. We decided to partner with LA’s BEST so we could work together to positively impact the health of kids by teaching them about smart habits and the importance of recycling. Learning to reduce, reuse and recycle is a way that all of us, regardless of age, can make a difference for the environment.
The following is a guest post from Catherine Stringer, Vice President, Development & Public Affairs for LA’s BEST.
Two LA's BEST Participants show off their new water bottles.
Every afternoon at LA’s BEST, we give thousands of kids a safe and supervised place to learn and play. Like all educators, we hope that during their time with us we’ll be able to teach them lessons that will stay with them for life. That’s why we are so excited about our new partnership with ACC and the Go H20! Challenge, which asks our kids to choose water (out of a reusable, recyclable bottle) over sugary drinks like soda. A large part of our efforts revolve around teaching kids how to be healthy in all aspects of their lives. Working with ACC gives us an opportunity to emphasize the importance of healthy habits for people and the earth, like drinking more water and recycling more plastics. We want them to know that the choices they make—both big and small— can all add up to a healthier self and community.
The “Three Rs” (Reduce, Reuse and Recycle) are an important and effective concept for kids to learn. The Go H20! challenge not only helps teach our kids about recycling, reducing, and reusing but also gives them a chance to take ownership of their recycling habits and promote the importance of the environment among family and friends.
As a nonprofit organization in today’s economy, we have to be vigilant with our resources. At times, this can make providing engaging programs a challenge, which is why we’re grateful to bring the Go H20! Challenge into our classrooms. We’re excited to teach our kids how to have fun, stay healthy and recycle!
The following is a post from Laura Ohman, California State Parks educator.
Laura Ohman, California State Parks educator, prepares for the Coastal Clean Up Event in San Diego.
I’m a college student studying for my BA in Outdoor Recreation, a children’s outdoor educator for California State Parks, and a former nature interpreter for the federal government, and yet none of those experiences warmed my heart in comparison to what I witnessed at Carlsbad State Beach last weekend. Nearly 200 Sempra Energy employees, from the mailroom clerk to the VPs of the company, combed the shores of South Carlsbad State Beach in search of litter. This beach cleanup effort occurred during San Diego County’s “Coastal Clean Up Day.”
During our clean up on San Diego area State Beaches, more than 1,000 lbs of trash was removed. A large percentage of the rubbish collected was recyclable material that included plastic bags, bottles and containers. All of the recyclable plastics and other recyclable materials retrieved that day have been removed from the litter stream and are now on their way to becoming useful new products.
Coastal Clean Up Day – like many other similar types of beach clean-ups, educational programs, and festivals – is part of our California State Parks Anti-Litter Youth Education Program. This program is funded by Keep California Beautiful (KCB) and the American Chemistry Council, which has kindly provided hundreds of recycling bins and educational signage on State Park beaches all over Central and Southern California. This program, funded and supported by the plastics industry, teaches kids in San Diego-area schools about the value of recycling and protecting the environment. This important educational curriculum reached more than 6,000 children and adults in 2009 and begins its 2nd year with hopes of bigger numbers in 2010.
In addition to educational programs that will hopefully prevent litter, placing recycling bins on our beaches and organizing cleanups, we are always open to new ideas of how to keep our coastline clean. We encourage you to follow in our footsteps and attempt to make a difference. What measures are you taking in your local area to promote recycling, cleaner communities, and a brighter future for the next generation?
After a week-long effort partnering with local organizations to encourage families to recycle (and receive tickets to the Los Angeles Angels game!), everything come to fruition this weekend. Our partners were fantastic! They included: Fiesta Angels, League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), Anaheim YMCA, Orange County Children’s Therapeutic ARTS Center, and Latino Health Access. We all agreed that recycling and keeping our neighborhoods clean is a community effort.
Today was spent passing out educational materials, talking recycling, and anticipating a great game. It was simple and rewarding. The smiles on the children’s faces were priceless.
Anaheim YMCA raffled off a bike and we all had a great time encouraging people to recycle. Today was more than just a day at the ballpark; it was the beginning of a standing commitment in Anaheim to recycle and keep California clean and beautiful.
ACC is always looking for ideas to increase awareness and to make it easier for communities to recycle. What do you think would work best in your community?
Dianna Poggetto, American River Parkway Foundation; Salim Bana, Hilex Poly; Margo Reid Brown, CIWMB, Christine Flowers-Ewing, Keep California Beautiful; Council Member Steve Cohn, City of Sacramento; Darrell Costello, Roplast; Alta Tura, Sacramento Area Creeks Foundation; Tim Shestek, American Chemistry Council
Yesterday at a Savemart Supermarket in Sacramento, ACC kicked off the second of four launch events as a partner in the “Got Your Bags?” campaign. As a part of our second launch event, partners gathered to celebrate the Sacramento leg of the event with Sacramento City Councilmember Steve Cohn.
At this event we distributed nearly 200 plastic bag holders to supermarket shoppers, making it easier for consumers to store all of their plastic bags in one place for reuse or until they can bring them back to the store for recycling.
In addition to our other campaign partners, we were also joined by Salim Bana of HilexPoly, one of the largest closed-loop plastic bag recycling companies in the United States. Located in North Vernon, Indiana, HilexPoly takes plastic bags, melts them down and turns them into new recycled bags!
We are looking forward to kicking off the campaign in Los Angeles and San Diego with our Southern California partner, Albertsons grocery stores, in late 2009.
The partnership has placed 13 permanent recycle bins in parks like the Community & Senior Center Park and Ferns Park. Eleven more will be added to city parks in the coming months. To reach the goal of 40 permanent bins across the city, the partnership is offering Woodland businesses the opportunity to participate by purchasing and sponsoring bins in other parks such as Crawford Park, Freeman Park and Woodside Park.
Our efforts in Woodland highlight a particularly effective public-private partnership involving my organization, American Chemistry Council (ACC). Together with Keep California Beautiful and California State Parks, we recognized a need for more opportunities to recycle at locations away from home. Through this initiative ACC has placed more than 500 recycling bins on California’s beaches and parks and we’ve conducted educational advertising to increase recycling awareness among consumers.
Our partnership promotes the recycling of plastics and helps educate Californians about the importance of recycling through the “Plastics. Too Valuable To Waste. RecycleSM” campaign.
In this tough economic climate, where our state’s social and environmental priorities have to compete with economic challenges, this partnership model works. We need to continue to figure out how to do more with less and how to use creative solutions to provide our citizens the services they need and expect. We encourage more government, business and non-profit entities to try the public-private partnership approach.
Despite having one of the most progressive laws in the country, many Californians are unaware that they can recycle their plastic shopping bags (along with all sorts of product wraps) at large grocery stores throughout the State.
That’s right. The plastic grocery bags that you may have used today, or if you’re like me, have pilled up in your cupboard, can easily be recycled at most major grocery stores. California was the first state in the nation to require plastic bag collection bins in major grocery stores, and other states are now following our lead. Recyclers use these bags to make products like durable wood-plastic composite lumber, playground equipment and new plastic bags.
You might be interested to know that in addition to your plastic bags, you can also recycle what’s called “plastic film and wraps,” a category that includes your produce bags, dry cleaning bags, newspaper bags, bread bags, and a host of other plastic bag-like material. You can check out the following consumers recycling guide here.
So the next time you head out to the local grocery store, just remember to take your bags with you and drop them in the bin! It’s an easy way to help the environment.
“Got Your Bags?” partners include: Chris Peck, CIWMB; Council Member Ash Kalra, City of San Jose; Christine Flowers-Ewing, Keep California Beautiful; Kansen Chu, City of San Jose; Alicia Rockwell, Savemart Supermarkets; Tim Shestek, American Chemistry Council.
California state law (AB 2449) requires grocery stores and pharmacies with more than 10,000 square feet of retail space to provide bins for the collection and recycling of plastic shopping bags. Yet research shows that consumer awareness remains low, and shoppers often forget to bring their bags back to the store. The same holds true for reusable bags. Creating and implementing public education campaigns like this will help reduce waste, litter and marine debris.
Next time you visit the grocery store, don’t forget to bring back your plastic bags for recycling. In the meantime, you can reuse them around the house as to carry lunches or store small items . Remember, plastics are too valuable to waste!
Today, we’re launching a blog that will bring you news and insights from representatives of the plastics industry and others who care about how we use, recycle and otherwise handle plastics we use every day. Why now? Our goal is to encourage a constructive conversation about plastics, California, and recycling – about how, working together, we can keep recyclable plastics out of landfills, and from littering our oceans, waterways, and landscape.
California is one of the most beautiful and ecologically diverse states. It’s also one of the largest, with a GDP larger than most of the world’s countries. So keeping California clean and beautiful is a big job that requires everyone to do their part. That’s why ACC and our partners are working together to increase opportunities for “away from home” recycling – on beaches, in parks and campgrounds, and at rest areas across the state.
We’re very proud of the public-private partnerships we’ve launched to date and of the growing volume of recyclable plastics that are being directed into the recycling stream, and away from our highways and waterways. We’re committed to achieving even more, and we believe the best way to make that happen is to engage the state’s best minds. This is where you come in…we look forward to your ideas.
Loading ...
