Filed under: Home

Do you know how to recycle batteries? Photo: moria, Flickr

With the weather warming up, many people are already beginning their annual spring cleaning. Spring cleaning often involves throwing away used and unwanted items, and eco-conscious individuals will try to recycle as many things as possible. To be really “green” with your spring cleaning though, you need to make sure you dispose of toxic items properly.

Many common household items like cleaners, batteries, electronics, and paint are actually hazardous waste and can damage the environment if they are just thrown away in the household trash. However, with a little bit of searching, you can find resources in your area to help you properly recycle or dispose of hazardous household waste.

Electronic items are among the most common pieces of toxic household waste that shouldn’t be thrown away. Electronic items like computers, televisions, and cell phones can contain mercury and other heavy metals that can contaminate groundwater reservoirs. Luckily, most electronic items are easily recycled. Many computer manufacturers will accept your old PC or laptop for recycling whenever you buy a new one, and retail stores like Best Buy also accept computers and televisions for recycling. Envelopes that will allow you to mail in cell phones and printer cartridges for recycling can be found at most post offices and PetSmart stores as well (many charities also accept these items for recycling as a way of raising much needed funds).

Household cleaning chemicals are also considered toxic and must be disposed of properly. First, see if you can donate unwanted household cleaners to a local charity organization. Many times schools, churches, firehouses, and daycare facilities go through a lot of cleaning supplies and will happily accept the donation. If you can’t donate it to a charity or to someone you know, contact your local city hall or waste management department to find out where you can dispose of household chemicals in your area.

Many times, waste management facilities that accept household cleaners for disposal will have a “swap room” that allows residents to leave unwanted cleaners and take other ones they might want for their own personal use. Many times, facilities that accept cleaners for disposal will also accept paint for disposal, but check with your local facility for their policies. In the future, consider switching over to all-natural, homemade cleaning products.

Finally, a great resource to check out is the recycling/disposal directory at Earth911.com. You can type your zip code into the search box, indicate what type of item you are trying to dispose of, and the Earth911 website will give you a list of facilities in your area that accept that type of item for recycling or disposal. Everyone needs to do some “spring cleaning” and get rid of old items sometimes, but by always trying to see if they can be reused, and making sure toxic items are disposed of safely and in accordance with local laws, we can protect the environment for ourselves and for future generations.

Green Spring Cleaning: Disposing of Toxic Household Items Safely originally appeared on Green Daily on Fri, 26 Feb 2010 12:20:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Home

Do you know how to recycle batteries? Photo: moria, Flickr

With the weather warming up, many people are already beginning their annual spring cleaning. Spring cleaning often involves throwing away used and unwanted items, and eco-conscious individuals will try to recycle as many things as possible. To be really “green” with your spring cleaning though, you need to make sure you dispose of toxic items properly.

Many common household items like cleaners, batteries, electronics, and paint are actually hazardous waste and can damage the environment if they are just thrown away in the household trash. However, with a little bit of searching, you can find resources in your area to help you properly recycle or dispose of hazardous household waste.

Electronic items are among the most common pieces of toxic household waste that shouldn’t be thrown away. Electronic items like computers, televisions, and cell phones can contain mercury and other heavy metals that can contaminate groundwater reservoirs. Luckily, most electronic items are easily recycled. Many computer manufacturers will accept your old PC or laptop for recycling whenever you buy a new one, and retail stores like Best Buy also accept computers and televisions for recycling. Envelopes that will allow you to mail in cell phones and printer cartridges for recycling can be found at most post offices and PetSmart stores as well (many charities also accept these items for recycling as a way of raising much needed funds).

Household cleaning chemicals are also considered toxic and must be disposed of properly. First, see if you can donate unwanted household cleaners to a local charity organization. Many times schools, churches, firehouses, and daycare facilities go through a lot of cleaning supplies and will happily accept the donation. If you can’t donate it to a charity or to someone you know, contact your local city hall or waste management department to find out where you can dispose of household chemicals in your area.

Many times, waste management facilities that accept household cleaners for disposal will have a “swap room” that allows residents to leave unwanted cleaners and take other ones they might want for their own personal use. Many times, facilities that accept cleaners for disposal will also accept paint for disposal, but check with your local facility for their policies. In the future, consider switching over to all-natural, homemade cleaning products.

Finally, a great resource to check out is the recycling/disposal directory at Earth911.com. You can type your zip code into the search box, indicate what type of item you are trying to dispose of, and the Earth911 website will give you a list of facilities in your area that accept that type of item for recycling or disposal. Everyone needs to do some “spring cleaning” and get rid of old items sometimes, but by always trying to see if they can be reused, and making sure toxic items are disposed of safely and in accordance with local laws, we can protect the environment for ourselves and for future generations.

Green Spring Cleaning: Disposing of Toxic Household Items Safely originally appeared on Green Daily on Fri, 26 Feb 2010 12:20:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Live blogging from the Greener Gadgets Conference 2010 (#GG10 on Twitter)

Ever wondered where your iPod actually comes from? Actually, the flash memory comes from South Korea, the HDD input comes from Japan, chips come from Taiwan, assembly was most likely done in China, and design happened in California.

Looking a bit like Jimmie Kimmel in a black blazer over a black cotton shirt, Leonardo Bonanni showed the Greener Gadgets audience a map that showed the above supply chain, as well as the carbon footprint of an iPod (9.84kg). Bonanni is a PhD candidate at the MIT Media Lab, where he researchers and teaches sustainable design. Through the lab he is the founder of Sourcemap.org, an open source site where anyone can share the supply chain of products or activities.

Bonanni talked briefly about the big impact of mining around the world, especially how it is driven by our insatiable appetite for electronics. “Each computer is a treasure of materials, it’s a really awesome thing and we should recognize and respect that,” said Bonanni. “Every product we only own for a brief time in its lifecycle. It was touched by many people before us, and it’s probably going to end up with lots of other people, in lots of other places, when we are done with it. These materials in a sense don’t belong to us.”

Bonanni said he originally conceived of Sourcemap to help designers understand where materials and products come from, but he says it is finding the biggest use among big global companies, which have struggled to keep on top of increasingly complex supply chains, and which are increasingly being scrutinized for environmental and human rights issues at every step. Tesla Motors has posted an entry of their electric cars, and another company uses the software to track meetings and staff movements, and the associated carbon footprints.

When Bonanni looked to get business cards for his site, and the largely volunteer staff that helps him out, he checked out Moo cards online. He discovered that the printer offered two kinds of cards, and he wondered which had a lower carbon footprint, half-size cards or regular-size cards made from recycled paper. It turns out the half-size cards were a bit better. “This shows that we know little about the carbon footprints of things,” he said. “We don’t want there to be any excuse for people not to know where things come from.”

Another example of a use for Sourcemap is shown by the caterer who serves local food, and who prints maps of the farms that source his ingredients on his menus. He uses Sourcemap’s easy interface to locate the farms and keep track of the impact. The end result, is that customers are really ordering from the place, and they can go to that place if they like the food.

Sourcemap is a great web 2.0 application to help us learn more about our increasingly global footprint, and to become smarter, greener consumers and businesses.

Filed under: Fashion, Home

Hand Maiden silk yarn made from seaweed. Photo: Hand Maiden Yarn

I’ve written about plarn — that’s plastic yarn — and recycled yarn, which can be used to make all kinds of cool things. You can even upcycle yarn from newspaper!

As I keep learning, the magic of yarn appears to be that you can make it from just about anything! The latest Smart 2 Be Green newsletter introduced me to three new kinds of yarn!

Soy, corn, even seaweed is being spun into yarn and used to create fabrics that are natural, sustainable and you might even be tempted to think edible. No, you can’t eat them, but you will want to wear them.

SOYSILK is the brand name of the silk-like fiber made by South West Trading Company, They say that SOYSILK, which is made from soy fibers, offers the softness of silk, combined with the warmth of cashmere. It comes in a wide range of colors and works for pretty much any kind of project you want, including spinning, knitting, crochet, and weaving. Oh, and it’s vegan!

Cornucopia is a brand of yarn made of 100% corn fiber. Basically someone chemically skilled boils down the corn, until it is fermented and separated out into polymers. This makes a paste, which is spread out and made into strands, that are then spun into yarn. Seems like a lot of work, but the result is pretty amazing! The yarn itself is flat, like linguine, and gives your project a distinctive look.

Sea Silk, made by Hand Maiden Fine Yarns, combines silk with a cellulose fiber made from seaweed. They also have a version that mixes in a bit of wool for added heft. This yarn in particular comes in amazing colors, with just a bit of mermaid sheen.

Crafters and other folks who use yarn are a creative bunch, so I’m sure we’ll see even more ingenious materials reworked to make something wonderful, handmade, and sustainable.

More Green Yarn Choices originally appeared on Green Daily on Wed, 24 Feb 2010 12:01:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Fashion, Home

Hand Maiden silk yarn made from seaweed. Photo: Hand Maiden Yarn

I’ve written about plarn — that’s plastic yarn — and recycled yarn, which can be used to make all kinds of cool things. You can even upcycle yarn from newspaper!

As I keep learning, the magic of yarn appears to be that you can make it from just about anything! The latest Smart 2 Be Green newsletter introduced me to three new kinds of yarn!

Soy, corn, even seaweed is being spun into yarn and used to create fabrics that are natural, sustainable and you might even be tempted to think edible. No, you can’t eat them, but you will want to wear them.

SOYSILK is the brand name of the silk-like fiber made by South West Trading Company, They say that SOYSILK, which is made from soy fibers, offers the softness of silk, combined with the warmth of cashmere. It comes in a wide range of colors and works for pretty much any kind of project you want, including spinning, knitting, crochet, and weaving. Oh, and it’s vegan!

Cornucopia is a brand of yarn made of 100% corn fiber. Basically someone chemically skilled boils down the corn, until it is fermented and separated out into polymers. This makes a paste, which is spread out and made into strands, that are then spun into yarn. Seems like a lot of work, but the result is pretty amazing! The yarn itself is flat, like linguine, and gives your project a distinctive look.

Sea Silk, made by Hand Maiden Fine Yarns, combines silk with a cellulose fiber made from seaweed. They also have a version that mixes in a bit of wool for added heft. This yarn in particular comes in amazing colors, with just a bit of mermaid sheen.

Crafters and other folks who use yarn are a creative bunch, so I’m sure we’ll see even more ingenious materials reworked to make something wonderful, handmade, and sustainable.

More Green Yarn Choices originally appeared on Green Daily on Wed, 24 Feb 2010 12:01:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

The Greener Gadgets 2010 conference is tomorrow, February 25, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. EST (at the McGraw-Hill Conference Center @ 1221 Avenue of the Americas in NYC. Incidentally, I have been working on a pair of green tech books for McGraw-Hill over the past few months). Registration is still open for Greener Gadgets, so come on by! It’s only $75 for students for the day, or $395 for attendees.

This year the conference is being managed by the very capable folks of the Consumer Electronics Association, having taken over the operations from founders Jill Fehrenbacher of Inhabitat (”green design will save the world!”) and green designer Marc Alt. Last year’s Greener Gadgets conference had some great moments, such as the suggestion that Coke and Pepsi start using their cans as energy collectors, a lesson on how Dell is ramping up recycling of used products, and how super-efficient BoGo lights are helping people in the developing world.

The year before, I learned how Nigerian five-year olds are gaining valuable skills by teaching themselves to repair their OLPCs, the cheap, efficient laptops that are being distributed to help reduce the digital divide.

You won’t want to miss the annual green design competition, which is a fountainhead of inspiration and fresh ideas from around the world. Register for Greener Gadgets — and use the discount code “BLOG10″ — hope to see you there!

The Greener Gadgets 2010 conference is tomorrow, February 25, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. EST (at the McGraw-Hill Conference Center @ 1221 Avenue of the Americas in NYC. Incidentally, I have been working on a pair of green tech books for McGraw-Hill over the past few months). Registration is still open for Greener Gadgets, so come on by! It’s only $75 for students for the day, or $395 for attendees.

This year the conference is being managed by the very capable folks of the Consumer Electronics Association, having taken over the operations from founders Jill Fehrenbacher of Inhabitat (”green design will save the world!”) and green designer Marc Alt. Last year’s Greener Gadgets conference had some great moments, such as the suggestion that Coke and Pepsi start using their cans as energy collectors, a lesson on how Dell is ramping up recycling of used products, and how super-efficient BoGo lights are helping people in the developing world.

The year before, I learned how Nigerian five-year olds are gaining valuable skills by teaching themselves to repair their OLPCs, the cheap, efficient laptops that are being distributed to help reduce the digital divide.

You won’t want to miss the annual green design competition, which is a fountainhead of inspiration and fresh ideas from around the world. Register for Greener Gadgets — and use the discount code “BLOG10″ — hope to see you there!

With even Porsche getting into the hybrid SUV crossover game, there are more and more options (many of them affordable) for buyers looking for fuel-efficiency in an SUV.

With even Porsche getting into the hybrid SUV crossover game, there are more and more options (many of them affordable) for buyers looking for fuel-efficiency in an SUV.

Happy America Saves Week! Whatever you do, don’t run out and buy me a present. That would defeat the whole purpose of the holiday.

America Saves Week 2010 (February 21-28) is a nationwide campaign involving more than 1,000 nonprofit, government and corporate groups that encourages individuals and families to save and build personal wealth. Their website is loaded with free resources and advice, including a nifty calculator that allows you to track your net worth. (WARNING: The calculator is easy to use, but the results might be hard to take.)

America Saves Week is a perfect time to start getting your financial house in order and maybe jump-start that flagging New Year’s resolution to spend less and save more. Here are my top five tips to help get you started:

1.) Go on a Fiscal Fast:

Swear-off all spending for a couple of days – or ideally an entire week – as a sort of “spending detox.” It’s time to use it up, make it last, or do without. A fiscal fast will save you some money (put it into savings or pay off some debt with what you save!), and teach you about how you spend — and probably waste — money in a typical week. It’ll also remind you of how many terrific things in life are free.

2.) Practice Spending Procrastination:

When it comes to discretionary spending, it usually pays to put off buying until tomorrow what you’re tempted to buy today. Studies have shown that we have regrets about nearly 80% of the discretionary purchases we make within the first year of making the purchase. Force yourself to wait at least a week between the time you see an item in a store and when you go back to purchase it. Chances are great that you’ll reconsider and never go back to buy it.

3.) Put Your Finances on Autopilot:

To paraphrase Jack Nicholson’s character in A Few Good Men, “The money? You can’t handle the money!” Have your paychecks and other income deposited directly into your bank account(s), including automatic allocations into designated savings and investment accounts. Then authorize your creditors (e.g. credit card companies, mortgage lender, insurance company, etc.) to automatically withdraw your payments every month from your account. By putting your finances on autopilot, savings becomes automatic and you’ll never have late fees or missed payments again.