Recycling Chewing Gum

That’s right.  Companies now have solutions to recycle chewing gum.  Although not completely new, these have not caught on a lot, but are very helpful in recycling materials, as well as keeping sidewalks in areas clean. 

First, there is the Envyrobubble.  This campaign sets up bright pink bins along busy sidewalks.  They can hold up to 1000 pieces of gum.  Envyrobubble then recycles the gum they’ve collected into fertilizer.

Next, there is the Gummy Bin.  This comes in two models: One that holds 250 pieces, the other holds 500 pieces.  These come in a variety of colors, and the 250 piece model can be customized with ads and an LCD screen.  Gummy Bins collects this gum and recycles it into rubber-like material, which can then be used to make things such as running tracks.

Finally, there is the Gumdrop campaign.  This campaign collects chewed gum and recycles it into a polymer that can be used for such things as toys and tires. 

All three of these campaigns have been very successful, and have saved a lot of time and money from cleaning sidewalks.  They are great ways to reuse materials, and hopefully they will be able to expand further in the near future.

Source: Clean Technica: http://cleantechnica.com/2010/08/22/new-plan-for-recycling-gum-into-toys-and-tires/

Springwise.com: http://www.springwise.com/eco_sustainability/gum_recycling_bins/

Unsustainable Items to Give Up

Today, I looked at my newsletter from “The Daily Green.”  In it, there was an article about giving up items for Lent that will help the environment.  Although they are suggested to be given up for lint, you could easily give up some of them year-round.  Here are their suggestions:

1.     

           Give up plastic bags (and paper bags, too).  This costs only about $1 per bag, and can help to reduce use of these bags, which are unsustainable.  If you forget them, choose a bag provided at the grocery store that you will recycle.

2.       Quit using bottled water.  Bottles can be very toxic for the environment, and require more water to make than is filled up with them.  Instead, use a reusable, aluminum bottle.

3.       Stop Receiving Unwanted Catalogs.  I generally don’t receive random catalogs in the mail, although it does happen.  CatalogChoice.org is the website listed in the newsletter, I have not gotten a chance to see how it works.

4.       Give up conventional detergents.  Look for a natural detergent, and make sure to wash in cold water.  Using cold water also saves energy.

5.       Stop using your clothes dryer.  Instead, use a clothesline outside.  This is a good choice that would save a lot of energy, however, I’m unsure how effective it would be in windy areas like the Tri-Cities, or in rainy areas such as Seattle or Portland.

6.       Choose recycled toilet paper over conventional toilet paper.  Recycled toilet paper costs about the same as conventional toilet paper, would eliminate approximately 60,000 pounds of chlorine pollution, save 356  million gallons of freshwater, and save 1 million trees.

7.       Stop using paper towels.  Use small, microfiber towels instead.

8.       Set your thermostat 2 degrees lower in the winter and 2 degrees warmer in the summer.

9.       Stop going to the dry cleaners.  Some still use lots of toxic chemicals when cleaning their supplies, which can evaporate into the air in your home.  Instead, avoid clothes that require dry cleaning when possible.  If you must dry clean clothes, let it air out outside before bringing it in your house.

Source: The Daily Green: http://www.thedailygreen.com/environmental-news/latest/give-up-for-lent-022509

Town Attempts to Ban Sales of Plastic Watter Bottles - Twice

Concord, Massachusetts, was very close to becoming the first town in America to ban the sale of plastic water bottles.  However, that ban has, unfortunately, been stalled by the Massachusetts State Attorney General, who did not allow the ban to pass.  Not much data is available for explanation, but it is certain that this is currently out of the hands of the town to ban.  Other cities have stopped spending money on these bottled products, such as San Francisco, and other cities, such as Boston, have promised to stop spending money on these in the future. 

This year, two bills are being tried again: One is to inform the public on the harmful effects of plastic bottles, the other completely bans the sale of plastic water bottles in the city of Concord.  It’s important to know that the citizens of the city voted to ban the sale of the water bottles in the city; it was not just a decision of the city council.  These bills are promising, and hopefully won’t be stalled again.  The Attorney General did say that the town could try again if it wished to ban the bottles again.

The ban is only on plastic water bottles.  Pop, milk, flavored water, and more, could still be sold in plastic packages.

Plastic water bottles are very unhealthy for the environment.  They can take thousands of years to biodegrade, and when they do, they release toxins into the environment.  Statistics I’ve seen have said that anywhere between seventy-three and eighty-eight percent of plastic water bottles are thrown away instead of recycled.  This move is an excellent example for other cities, and hopefully others will follow suit.

Source:  Care 2 Make a Difference: http://www.care2.com/causes/environment/blog/massachusetts-town-votes-to-ban-the-sale-of-bottled-water/

Concord Patch: http://concord.patch.com/articles/bottle-ban-proponent-softens-language-approach

The Consumerist: http://consumerist.com/2010/07/massachusetts-ag-shoots-down-towns-bottled-water-ban.html

Plastic Wrap

Plastic wrap is one of the most commonly used types of materials to transport food and other items around with.  Personally, I don’t like to use it, as there isn’t much to do with it besides throwing it out with the landfill garbage.   

So I wondered, what are alternatives to throwing plastic wrap away?

Apparently, not much.  I checked Earth911.com, and it offered no places to drop off the wrap in the Tri-City area.  No mail-in services were offered either.  So, what then is the alternative to throwing away plastic wrap?

The best thing to do is reuse it as much as you can.  Not only will you save money, but you will be benefiting the environment, and you’ll be living more sustainably.  Overall, this is the best thing you can do with your plastic wrap.

The other option is to buy aluminum foil instead.  You can recycle it, it is easier to wash and work with, and releases less toxins into the environment if put into a landfill.

Complete Test: Reusable Hot Coffee Cup

My fifth post announced the beginning of testing and looking into the reusable coffee cup.  While weather hasn’t warmed up quite enough for me to try out the cold coffee cup, I have completed looking at the hot coffee cup.  And, needless to say, I was generally impressed with this coffee cup.

People use millions of disposable coffee cups per year, and while these are compostable, the Styrofoam lid is not, and overall they are not sustainable to use.  The material needed to make the paper cups is not recyclable, because of materials used to make it durable and insulated.  It is much better to use a reusable coffee cup.

The Test

I was generally pleased with the cup.  I could use it over and over again, and it held up well.  When filled with warm coffee, it kept the heat inside well, and I didn’t have to worry about getting burned.  Although the flavor of the coffee tasted sort of like plastic when first using the cup, I noticed that that flavor disappeared after a few uses.  Also, the lid has a built in stopper in it, to prevent spills.  This is an added bonus and eliminates the need for a plastic disposable one provided at coffee shops.  I was fortunate to get a holiday cup, so that I can have color year round. 

The only real low point about the cup is having to wash it out between uses.  It is easy to put off, and generally I didn’t get to it right away.  This limits its practicality.  Still, in my opinion, this is better than having to get a different cup every time and throw it away when finished using it.  Also, the cup is made of plastic, not generally a very sustainable option.  If it breaks, it’s number five plastic, meaning that I won’t be able to recycle it.  Also, you have to hold onto the lid while they’re making your coffee – not the most difficult thing, but it could be easy to leave it on the counter and lose it.

The Verdict

Overall, this cup is better than a reusable cup, and although not quite as practical as it could be, is still an excellent alternative to using a new, disposable cup every time. 

The Scores

Sustainability: 9

Practicality: 7

Overall: 8