I have had writers block. So now I am curious, and must have my questions answered to undo the block.
I want to know: What do you (my readers) have questions about?
Anything involving the environment. From how to be more eco-friendly, or eco-living things, or anything else you can think of!
Post a comment to this blog or e-mail me at envirostudent@rocketmail.com with the title Environmental Question.
Thanks everyone!
Saturday, February 14, 2009
Sunday, December 7, 2008
Holiday Season Recycling
The Holidays are upon us! Many of us will be wrapping gifts and decorating our homes and workplaces very soon, if you haven't already.
Did you ever actually think about how much garbage you create during the holidays though?
Actually, a lot. Here is a SHORT list:
Wrapping paper, ribbons, bows, bags, boxes, packing peanuts, bubble wrap, cellophane...
The list goes on and on, but you get the picture.
If your anything like my whole family, who creates two or three garbage bags worth of 'trash' in one sitting during the holidays, this might be a good question.
So what are we going to do with all this JUNK?
I've come up with some creative solutions (with a little help) to keep garbage to a minimum this holiday season:
Wrapping Paper: Almost EVERYONE uses wrapping paper at some point.
•If you are patient enough to get out the scissors and carefully unwrap the paper, you can fold it
up and save it for another holiday package (re-wrap it).
•For the less patient: Use it for packing! Crinkle the paper up and put it between your breakable
holiday decorations so they don't hit against each other and break. Wrap things up in it to put
away for next year. After all, it's just as abundant as any other protection for packing.
Ribbons: Ribbons are a little harder to salvage, and not as widely used.
•If you can untie the ribbon, save it and put it on another present!
•If you can't, but it's long enough, tie up the garland, lights, strings of beads and popcorn strings
together with it for saving for next season. It'll keep them from becoming a tangled mess.
Bows: The sticky bows are easy!
•I don't know anyone that hasn't done this: Take them off the box/bag, tear off the wrapping
paper, and then use it next time you need a bow by putting some tape on the bottom of it!
Easy.
Bags: I mean the kind you use instead of wrapping paper.
•Also simple. If it's the small/regular variety of gift bags, fold them up and use them again next
year. I recommend using gift bags instead of wrapping paper any day.
•There is also the LARGE variety of gift bags (Think as tall as a small child). These can also be
used to wrap things up the next year in. Also good for carrying things (like your newly-found
gifts) around in.
Tissue Paper: This also goes along with gift bags.
•Tissue isn't good for a lot, but it can be used the same way as wrapping paper. Use it to protect
your breakables when you pack things up after the holidays. You'll have plenty of protection
this way.
Boxes: You can think of a million more uses than I can, but I'll start you off.
•Storage: Do I need to say more? Big boxes from the post offices or shipping companies can be
used to store ANYTHING.
•Packing Gifts: Shirt Boxes, shoe boxes, check boxes (yes... I will explain) are all good sizes for
gifts. If you recipient won't be a snob about what box their gift is wrapped in (because I hope
you put wrapping paper over it if it's a shoe or check box) they are all perfect for this.
◘ I said I would explain check boxes. Checks as in the kind you use to draw money from
your checking account. They are the perfect size for small socks (baby booties),
gloves, ties or small toiletries. You can tease them and tell them you got them
checks too if you want.
Packing Peanuts: The Styrofoam pieces the postal service uses to keep things from getting broken.
•If you want to make it an arts and crafts project, there are a MILLION uses for packing
peanuts. Let your kids (or you) be creative with it. They're easy to paint also.
•The most obvious one is to use it for storage, shipping, etc. If you don't have enough wrapping
paper and tissue paper left over by this point, packing peanuts can help with that.
Bubble Wrap: Ahhh, the entertainment!
•If you like, bubble wrap is very entertaining on a rainy day (or a very, very snowy one). Just
keep popping!
•So your not into just playing with it? Use it for packing, shipping, etc. I know this is a lot of my
suggestions, but you just received gifts and you have to put away the holiday decor
SOMETIME.
Cellophane: The plastic people wrap baskets up in; clear or shiny usually; between wrapping paper and tissue paper.
•Usually this comes off of gifts fairly intact. The recycled works well for wrapping.
•You CAN use it for packing, but this one I have not tried out myself. I can't give you a revue of
it.
There are a LOT of other things you get that you throw away during the holiday seasons. If you come up with any and don't know what to do with them (or just want to see if you can stump me), send them to me (envirostudent@rocketmail.com) or comment and I'll get back to you with my holiday recycling ideas!
Happy Holidays!
Did you ever actually think about how much garbage you create during the holidays though?
Actually, a lot. Here is a SHORT list:
Wrapping paper, ribbons, bows, bags, boxes, packing peanuts, bubble wrap, cellophane...
The list goes on and on, but you get the picture.
If your anything like my whole family, who creates two or three garbage bags worth of 'trash' in one sitting during the holidays, this might be a good question.
So what are we going to do with all this JUNK?
I've come up with some creative solutions (with a little help) to keep garbage to a minimum this holiday season:
Wrapping Paper: Almost EVERYONE uses wrapping paper at some point.
•If you are patient enough to get out the scissors and carefully unwrap the paper, you can fold it
up and save it for another holiday package (re-wrap it).
•For the less patient: Use it for packing! Crinkle the paper up and put it between your breakable
holiday decorations so they don't hit against each other and break. Wrap things up in it to put
away for next year. After all, it's just as abundant as any other protection for packing.
Ribbons: Ribbons are a little harder to salvage, and not as widely used.
•If you can untie the ribbon, save it and put it on another present!
•If you can't, but it's long enough, tie up the garland, lights, strings of beads and popcorn strings
together with it for saving for next season. It'll keep them from becoming a tangled mess.
Bows: The sticky bows are easy!
•I don't know anyone that hasn't done this: Take them off the box/bag, tear off the wrapping
paper, and then use it next time you need a bow by putting some tape on the bottom of it!
Easy.
Bags: I mean the kind you use instead of wrapping paper.
•Also simple. If it's the small/regular variety of gift bags, fold them up and use them again next
year. I recommend using gift bags instead of wrapping paper any day.
•There is also the LARGE variety of gift bags (Think as tall as a small child). These can also be
used to wrap things up the next year in. Also good for carrying things (like your newly-found
gifts) around in.
Tissue Paper: This also goes along with gift bags.
•Tissue isn't good for a lot, but it can be used the same way as wrapping paper. Use it to protect
your breakables when you pack things up after the holidays. You'll have plenty of protection
this way.
Boxes: You can think of a million more uses than I can, but I'll start you off.
•Storage: Do I need to say more? Big boxes from the post offices or shipping companies can be
used to store ANYTHING.
•Packing Gifts: Shirt Boxes, shoe boxes, check boxes (yes... I will explain) are all good sizes for
gifts. If you recipient won't be a snob about what box their gift is wrapped in (because I hope
you put wrapping paper over it if it's a shoe or check box) they are all perfect for this.
◘ I said I would explain check boxes. Checks as in the kind you use to draw money from
your checking account. They are the perfect size for small socks (baby booties),
gloves, ties or small toiletries. You can tease them and tell them you got them
checks too if you want.
Packing Peanuts: The Styrofoam pieces the postal service uses to keep things from getting broken.
•If you want to make it an arts and crafts project, there are a MILLION uses for packing
peanuts. Let your kids (or you) be creative with it. They're easy to paint also.
•The most obvious one is to use it for storage, shipping, etc. If you don't have enough wrapping
paper and tissue paper left over by this point, packing peanuts can help with that.
Bubble Wrap: Ahhh, the entertainment!
•If you like, bubble wrap is very entertaining on a rainy day (or a very, very snowy one). Just
keep popping!
•So your not into just playing with it? Use it for packing, shipping, etc. I know this is a lot of my
suggestions, but you just received gifts and you have to put away the holiday decor
SOMETIME.
Cellophane: The plastic people wrap baskets up in; clear or shiny usually; between wrapping paper and tissue paper.
•Usually this comes off of gifts fairly intact. The recycled works well for wrapping.
•You CAN use it for packing, but this one I have not tried out myself. I can't give you a revue of
it.
There are a LOT of other things you get that you throw away during the holiday seasons. If you come up with any and don't know what to do with them (or just want to see if you can stump me), send them to me (envirostudent@rocketmail.com) or comment and I'll get back to you with my holiday recycling ideas!
Happy Holidays!
I was informed about a GREAT site!
I appologise for the month's worth of inactiveness! (That's what happens when your a student around finals time!) I will be back much more often now that we're on break.
I was informed about a website, and it seems AMAZING! I will be trying to create a permanent link on the site, but until then I thought I'd blog it:
SnaffleUp: The recycling web site designed to keep useful items out of landfill.
Go ahead, click it, you know how much you want to! I visited it not long after the person who owns it contacted me, and it's incredible. The site is trying to recycle things that can be re-used. You don't need it anymore, give it to them! You need something? They probably have it!
The best part: It's free. We all LOVE free stuff right? Well, since everything is donated, they 'resale' (for free) the recycled things back to you for free! The only cost is shipping.
If you are from the U.S. you are out of luck for the moment, this is a U.K. site, but the owners have publicly announced that they are working on a .com version of the site, so it will be more widely available in the States!
Anyone that tests this site out, I'd LOVE to hear back from you about your experience. Comment me back or email me about it, we'll do a follow up if I get a view reader-reviews!
I was informed about a website, and it seems AMAZING! I will be trying to create a permanent link on the site, but until then I thought I'd blog it:
SnaffleUp: The recycling web site designed to keep useful items out of landfill.
Go ahead, click it, you know how much you want to! I visited it not long after the person who owns it contacted me, and it's incredible. The site is trying to recycle things that can be re-used. You don't need it anymore, give it to them! You need something? They probably have it!
The best part: It's free. We all LOVE free stuff right? Well, since everything is donated, they 'resale' (for free) the recycled things back to you for free! The only cost is shipping.
If you are from the U.S. you are out of luck for the moment, this is a U.K. site, but the owners have publicly announced that they are working on a .com version of the site, so it will be more widely available in the States!
Anyone that tests this site out, I'd LOVE to hear back from you about your experience. Comment me back or email me about it, we'll do a follow up if I get a view reader-reviews!
Sunday, November 9, 2008
Follow Up: School
Last time I posted, I promised to give you tips on how to get your school to be more environmentall friendly. This topic is how to get it started:
Below are ways to get your school's attention about the changes you want to make. They are in order of where you should probably start.
Below are ways to get your school's attention about the changes you want to make. They are in order of where you should probably start.
- Student Government will help you a lot. If you are on your student government or a class officer, your chances of helping out are higher. This is not required though. You can approach your government with the idea. (I will post later this week with helpful tips on presenting the idea)
- Science/Rivers/Enviro-teams are the most popular clubs/groups I could find that should be interested in dealing with the environment. Student Government and these groups are the first places you should start asking.
- PTA (Parent Teacher Association) will also help you. If you cannot get help from your student government and clubs, the PTA or school board might be interested in helping you out. You may want to get a small group of people (no more than 5) together to help you present your ideas.
You now have places to go to ask for funding and help, but they will not take you seriously if you are not organized. Getting a few people together with you who share your concerns helps too. Then, they see that more than one person is concerned.
Next I will give you tips and outlines for what you may want to say to different groups to get support.
Saturday, October 25, 2008
Eco-Schools
In the next week or two I will be working on a post about getting your school to be more Eco-friendly. If anyone has suggestions or things they would like to hear about, post a comment to this post and I'll try to incorporate it. :)
Monday, October 20, 2008
We recycle bottles, so why not the caps?
This is a question that has puzzled me for awhile. The answer has been found.
You can!
Even though you can, it's more difficult than rinsing out your bottles and taking them down to the local recycling center.
Plastic bottles have the numbers 1 and 2 on them. They are the most commonly found in the forms of plastic in bottles and plastic grocery/garbage bags. Since these are the most common types of plastic, it's easier to find recycling centers that will take them.
Plastic bottle caps on the otherhand, are polypropaline (PP) or #5 on the scale of different types of plastic. The melting point of PP is much higher than than the point of PEP or HDPE. (almost 100 degrees difference!) This factor alone makes caps more difficult to recycle. Centers may not have the funds to build a different structure that can work with such high ammounts of heat along with what they already have. Plus, as said in the video cited in my references, one-thousand bottle caps take up a lot less space than one thousand bottles.
If you're anything like me, you still feel bad about throwing all those caps into the garbage can when you take out your recycling. So do we have options? (of course we do!)
How to recycle caps:
•Some of your local recycling centers may take bottle caps. You just have to ask them! Some centers identify what you can recycle so look for 5's or a center that takes 1-7's.
•AVEDA (the hair/cosmetic company) is working to help recycle bottle caps. They will use the caps to make new caps and bottles for their line of products.
○ To do this: Take your caps into a local AVEDA store (Some spas and salons are AVEDA stores within themselves, just ask) and let them know you would like your caps to be recycled!
○ If you don't have an AVEDA store nearby: go to the AVEDA website. You can find a location near you, or mail your caps to a location.
References:
•http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=92510162
•http://earth911.org/recycling/plastic-bottle-recycling/the-seven-types-of-plastic/
•http://aveda.aveda.com/aboutaveda/caps.asp
You can!
Even though you can, it's more difficult than rinsing out your bottles and taking them down to the local recycling center.
Plastic bottles have the numbers 1 and 2 on them. They are the most commonly found in the forms of plastic in bottles and plastic grocery/garbage bags. Since these are the most common types of plastic, it's easier to find recycling centers that will take them.
Number 1's are called Polyethylene terephthalate(PEP)
Number 2's are called High-density polyethylene(HDPE)
Plastic bottle caps on the otherhand, are polypropaline (PP) or #5 on the scale of different types of plastic. The melting point of PP is much higher than than the point of PEP or HDPE. (almost 100 degrees difference!) This factor alone makes caps more difficult to recycle. Centers may not have the funds to build a different structure that can work with such high ammounts of heat along with what they already have. Plus, as said in the video cited in my references, one-thousand bottle caps take up a lot less space than one thousand bottles.
If you're anything like me, you still feel bad about throwing all those caps into the garbage can when you take out your recycling. So do we have options? (of course we do!)
How to recycle caps:
•Some of your local recycling centers may take bottle caps. You just have to ask them! Some centers identify what you can recycle so look for 5's or a center that takes 1-7's.
•AVEDA (the hair/cosmetic company) is working to help recycle bottle caps. They will use the caps to make new caps and bottles for their line of products.
○ To do this: Take your caps into a local AVEDA store (Some spas and salons are AVEDA stores within themselves, just ask) and let them know you would like your caps to be recycled!
○ If you don't have an AVEDA store nearby: go to the AVEDA website. You can find a location near you, or mail your caps to a location.
References:
•http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=92510162
•http://earth911.org/recycling/plastic-bottle-recycling/the-seven-types-of-plastic/
•http://aveda.aveda.com/aboutaveda/caps.asp
Saturday, October 18, 2008
Brand New!
So I decided to get another blog (my last personal one burned out when I left the 7th grade). Why not? Especially after one of my teachers recommended it so I could get more writing time in.
This whole blog is going to be about changing things, whether it be in school, at home, in your community, whatever! My main focus tends to be on environmental changes (ex: recycling, using less energy, saving gas=$$! etc) but if I think of anything else to suggest changes, it'll probably end up in here too.
Hope everyone enjoys!
This whole blog is going to be about changing things, whether it be in school, at home, in your community, whatever! My main focus tends to be on environmental changes (ex: recycling, using less energy, saving gas=$$! etc) but if I think of anything else to suggest changes, it'll probably end up in here too.
Hope everyone enjoys!
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