Wednesday, May 19, 2010

Easy Recycling For The Whole Family!

In our fast paced world, it is easy to ignore that every day we are adding to our mounting waste. For many, the fact that the landfill is nowhere near us, it’s easy not to think about how full it is getting. Teaching your family to recycle helps to combat this problem, even if you don’t realize how bad it might be. Just because you don’t see the problem on a daily basis doesn’t mean it does not exist.

Many of the products we use are not environmentally friendly at all. A soda can left on the street or in a gutter will stay there indefinitely. It is not biodegradable so once it is created, it will forever be. Companies have long ago found ways to reuse these products so that they are not polluting our beautiful Earth. The problem happens when people don’t take the items to be recycled and instead just toss them about or throw them in the garbage to sit in the landfill forever and ever.

Recycling is a major contributor to the solution of global garbage. It works, but only if you participate. You can lead a horse to water and so forth. The responsibility belongs to all of us, as citizens of the world, but it begins with you and your family.

The number of items in the store made from recycled materials is growing. Our shelves could be filled with more of these things if everyone does their part to help. Most towns and cities provide recycling containers for residents to use. It could be a small bin or a large trash can.

If you don’t have such as service in your area, buy your own trash can or other supplies to gather your recyclables together. You can schedule a pickup or take them to the appropriate recycling plant for processing once a week or month; whatever time frame fits your schedule. The point is to do it! You can even make a little money collecting aluminum cans or returning glass soda bottles for deposits.

Begin with city sanitation. Whoever picks up your recycled products should have literature on how to package your recyclables. Cardboard is typically broken down and tied together. Old newspapers are tied together in bundles much like they are delivered to newsstands. Bottles are grouped together based on the number on the bottom or the label.

Have separate bins for your recyclables in the house.

Mark them clearly so no one gets confused.

If kids want to make money, let them collect cans from neighbors.

Get in the habit of breaking down boxes after you use them. This includes cereal boxes, tooth paste boxes, gift boxes, and the like, not just heavy duty cardboard. All of these paper products can be used for recycling.

Envelopes and old bills can be recycled, too. To protect your information, shred them first and then bag the shreds for recycling pickup. Most of us just toss out these envelopes in the regular trash but they can be put to better use.

Recycling saves on pollution and landfill space. If we can continue to reuse some items, why not do it? I personally can’t think of a reason not to. Can you?


(Reposted from http://www.pureinfusion.com/)

Monday, May 3, 2010

May is Help The Honey Bees Month!

10% Of All “Bee Kind Tee” sales in the month of May will be donated to the Foundation for the Preservation of Honey Bees.

Bee Kind Organic Cotton Tee

Bee Kind - Organic Cotton Tee - $28

The Honey Bee Crisis:
Over the last three years more than one in three honey bee colonies has died nationwide, posing a serious risk to our natural food supply. One cause of these losses is an alarming phenomenon called Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD). Forces like habitat destruction, improper use of pesticides, invasive species and global warming are placing our pollinator world at risk.

Why Are Honey Bees Important?

One out of every three bites of food an average American eats is directly attributed to honey bee pollination. Honey bees are responsible for the pollination of more than 100 crops (fruits, vegetable, nuts and seeds) and $15 billion in US agricultural crops each year.

What Can You Do To Help?
Create a pollinator friendly habitat in your yard- www.pollinator.org


Consider beekeeping as a worthwhile hobby- www.gobeekeeping.com or www.beeculture.com


Educate yourself on the dangers and risks of using homeowner pesticides and chemicals- www.nationalhoneybeeday.com


Join the American Beekeeping Federation at www.abfnet.org


Purchase locally produced honey and other beehive products- www.honeylocator.com


Join an online honeybee community with beekeeping forums and resources- www.beesource.com


Be Active all year AND on National Honey Bee Awareness Day: August 21st - www.nationalhoneybeeday.com


Subscribe to the American Bee Journal (magazine version and digital version) www.amercianbeejournal.com