E-Recycling (cell phones)

"Old Red" has finally retired.  See her there lost in the bottom of that box of recycling?

Much to my chagrin, I finally had to admit that my cell phone needed to go.  It didn't hold a charge.  The button to lock it would only work some of the time.  The buttons to adjust the ringer volume had given up on me.  (This might not sound like much but those are pretty important for a yoga teacher.  Imagine if your teacher's phone rang during savasana?!?)  Oh, but sometimes the ringer didn't work at all.  The real kicker happened when Mr. Green Stuff called but I couldn't answer it when it rang.  Seriously.  The "connect" button could not connect.  Some how I was able to call him back and here's what happened.
Me:  Hi.  I'm sorry.  My phone wouldn't answer.
MGS: Stacey, (pregnant pause) it's time.
Me:  (sounding defeated) I know.

The next day, I was handed a new smartphone at lunch.  

And now my (not so) faithful old phone is sitting at the bottom of that recycling bin.  Not surprisingly, it's pretty easy to find a place to recycle electronics like cell phones, MP3 players, and old laptops.  The hardest place for me was remembering to drop mine off somewhere.  This one is used to raise money for a local school but there are some many different causes like preventing domestic violence in cities big and small,  animal conservation and protection around the world, to purchase calling cards for U.S. military personnel, and even as a fundraiser for disease prevention organizations.  Plus, most wireless providers make it convenient to recycle (and maybe even refurbish) your old phone right when you buy your new one. 

Wonder how it happens?

So, I'm disappointed that I needed a new phone but at least I know I wore out my old one first.  Where did you take your last cell phone to be recycled?
Peace,
Stacey

Recycle Those Batteries... when you can

I have a friend who dreads this time of the year.  It's not the shopping.  It's not all the yummy desserts.  It's not even the caroling.  It's the batteries that make her fret!  Last year she told me that she was actually losing sleep because she couldn't stop thinking about all the batteries (from ALL those plastic toys) that would eventually get chucked into a landfill or, worse yet, incinerated! 

I had kind of forgotten about her worrying until I witnessed a coworker toss dozens of batteries into the trash!  She just couldn't figure out why everyone else would "save" all the old ones.  When I told her we had a collection site for recycling in town, she said she had no idea that batteries should be recycled.  She sincerely looked concerned and asked what we could do with them.  Now that's a great question!

Apparently, it's getting harder and harder to recycle alkaline batteries because mercury has been regulated out of use in single-use alkaline batteries in the U.S. (thankfully!) and because there is no cost effective method to remove and therefore reuse the heavy metals contained within them.  With that being said, there are still places that will take them.  Look for a Big Green Box at places like Whole Foods, take them to a big box store, or check with your local municipality.

I recycled these used batteries from work at my local library

Rechargeable and button types do not fall under this15 year old regulation and should definitely still be recycled!

I guess my friend and I can both rest a little better... but only a little.  There are still all those other metals in them that one day (when they start to become scarcer) are going to be valued and they'll be tons of them sitting in landfill's all around the world.  In the U.S. alone 2.9 billion batteries are thown away each year.  And what about that acid that leaks out over time?  That can't be good...

Reducing our consumption of batteries is probably the biggest thing we could do.  Think before you buy.  (I know you're tired of listening to that toy drone on and on anyway!)

So there you go.  A truely little thing.  Recycle alkaline batteries when you can but try not to lose sleep over it when you can't.  

Where can you use fewer batteries in your life?

Peace,

Stacey

31 Days of Green Little Things: Phantom Loads Are No Treat

It's Day 31 of my 31 Days of Green Little Things!  Day 31!  DAY THIRTY-ONE!  The last day of this series!  Can you believe it?!  Day 31!

Did you know that most of us are living with about 20 phantoms every day?  Not just on Halloween either.

No, I don't mean poltergeists.  I mean electronic devices that use energy even when they're not turned on.  The energy that is consumed when devices are not being used is called a "phantom load." 

For me the easiest way to think about it is anything in "standby mode" or with a little light that remains on draws this (wasted) energy.  The devices are also referred to as "energy vampires" because they continue to suck/draw energy (like blood) even when they are turned off.  

Some of the typical vampires/phantoms are TVs, stereos, DVRs, game systems, chargers (cell phones, laptops, electric razors, etc.), garage door openers, desktop computers, cordless phones, coffee makers, appliances with clocks (stoves, microwaves, etc.), electric toothbrushes, and, well, you get the point.

One of the easiest things we do to reduce our phantom load is unplugging things we aren't using.  The coffee pot is an easy example.  I don't drink coffee and Mr. Green Stuff only makes coffee at home on the weekends so it's unplugged almost all the time.  Another easy thing we do is use power strips.  Our TV and DVD player are plugged into a power strip.  We rarely watch TV and we don't have a DVR so this simple for is.  There's no rebouting to wait for so it's no hassle at all.  When we had a desktop computer it was plugged into a surge-protected power strip along with the printer.  We rarely print anything anymore so we simply unplug our printer now.  

Whether they're called phantom loads, energy vampires, or standby loads, they are scary.  Just like Halloween.  Except they're real!  And a real big waste!

My friend's kid wore this as his Halloween costume last year.

I know! What a great costume!  It has all my favorite qualities: simple, reusable, and clever.  Plus, those cube-shaped plugs are some of the most inefficient ones out there.  She probably already knew that!  I didn't.  Did you?
Come back tomorrow (or maybe the next day if I'm feeling lazy) for a recap of this series. :)

Peace,

Stacey

To follow other "31 Days" journeys, check out The Nester.  She's hosting this party. 

I started a Facebook page for my blog.  "Like" it if you're so inclined.

31 Days of Green Little Things: Small Change Adds Up!

Welcome back to my 31 Days of Green Little Things!  This is where I discuss the little things I do to help the environment.

Here’s a little thing that I just started.  I’m saving all the change I find... on the sidewalk, in the couch, on the table, in my husband's coin basket. (Just kidding on that last one!)  At the end of the year, I’m going to donate it to a charity that helps the environment. I haven’t picked which one yet (although I tend to lean towards Oceana, World Wildlife Fund, and The Nature Conservancy) and it probably won’t be a very big donation (we don’t use a lot of cash) but I’m going to see what I can do.

When I was cleaning the house this weekend I somehow just kept finding more and more change until I had a little bowl full. Then I came up with the charity idea.

$13.26!!

I don’t know where it came from (but I can probably figure it out since it wasn’t mine!) and I don’t know where it’s going, but I feel like I’m headed in the right direction.

This is just another example about how small change (environmentally or financially) can really add up to something bigger over time.

Which charity do you think I should donate all my change to this year?  Would you like to join me?

Peace,

Stacey

To follow other "31 Days" journeys, check out The Nester.  She's hosting this party.
I started a Facebook page for my blog.  "Like" it if you're so inclined.

31 Days of Green Little Things: Give Up Bottled Water

Welcome back to my 31 Days of Green Little Things!  This is my place to talk about the little things that I do to help the environment.

We stopped drinking bottled water.  Here's why:

Just kidding.  We switched to reusable metal bottles long before I ever saw that video and, of course, I'll give you more than that.  She makes a bunch of great points and you should totally watch it... but I won't stop there... even on a Saturday!

We've learned a thing or two over the years.  

We used the aluminum reusable bottles for a year or so but when they voluntarily recalled them, we decided the plastic liner just wasn't worth the risk for us.  Now we use stainless steel ones because there is no plastic liner and they are 100% recyclable.  We bought a stainless steel cap earlier this year and now we all race to see who gets to use it as soon as it's clean.

We take these things just about everywhere.  

We use them on our bikes.

We take them to to restaurants.

What?  I need a treat sometimes!

They hook on my backpack when I'm traveling.

Yes, I did repurpose an old sock into a bottle koozie.

You can even use them on airplanes.  Seriously!  Take them through security empty and refill them at a fountain or filling station near your gate.  (I love the filling stations at Chicago-Midway because they each have a little counter that reports how many plastic bottles were avoided by refills made at that individual station.)

The paint chips off and they get dented but they still work.

We even gave one away a couple years ago in St. Kitts.  Our taxi driver was so complimentary of it that we told him he could have it when we left.  You should have seen his smile!  (I hope he's using it as you read this.)

It doesn't take long to make it a habit and then it's more convenient than stopping to buy one.

That's it.  A reusable water bottle + tap water = today's Green Little Thing.

Where's the strangest place you've taken (or plan to take) yours? 

Peace,

Stacey

To follow other "31 Days" journeys, check out The Nester.  She's hosting this party.  Thanks for the motivation to join this year.
I started a Facebook page for my blog.  "Like" it if you're so inclined.

31 Days of Green Little Things: Check Out The Library

Welcome back to my 31 Days of Green Little Things!  This is my place to talk about the little things that I do to help the environment.

Have you been to the library since you graduated?  If not, you’re missing out on a wealth of opportunities!

Most libraries these days have more than “just” books.  You’ll find eReaders, CDs, DVDs, and, of course, books.  Many offer classes, children’s programs, e-recycling, and internet access, too.  Oh, and most offer all these things for FREE!

I read a lot!  Like about 3 books every month, a lot.  Where do I get all these books?  My local library!  (Actually I’ve borrowed a couple from friends and my husband bought a few used ones from Amazon.)  This year, I read a powerful book that I thought would be worth putting on my shelf so I could refer back to it but I was lucky enough to find it at a local used book store so there are options for you if you just have to own every book you read.  (*cough*there's this little thing called minimalism*cough*cough*)

If you read dozens of books each year, an eReader might be a good choice for you but the library is still going to save your carbon footprint.  According to this article, it looks like we each need to purchase more than 40 books just to offset the fossil fuel, water, and mineral usage that goes into making an eReader.  That doesn’t account for the global warming or human health consequences, which are each about double that figure.

Next time you want something, see if your library has it.  

What’s your favorite thing about libraries?

Peace,

Stacey

To follow other "31 Days" journeys, check out The Nester.  She's hosting this party.  Thanks for the motivation to join this year.
I started a Facebook page for my blog.  "Like" it if you're so inclined.

31 Days of Green Little Things: Turn Off That Light

Welcome back to my 31 Days of Green Little Things!  This is my place to talk about the little things that I do to help the environment.    

O.K., this is one we’ve all heard before but it’s still worth mentioning. 

 Turn off the lights when you leave a room. 

It doesn’t take an advanced degree to figure out that a light bulb uses less energy when it’s off than when it’s on. (We knew that, right?)  

It did take a group of scientists to figure out that it takes less energy to turn off that same light bulb and turn it back on, even if it’s just for the tiniest amount of time, than to leave it on.  Check it out:

I don’t know about you, but I’m not going to argue with the Mythbusters.  They might blow something up!!

There you go.  Nice and easy.  Can you handle it?  I think so.  Now, go save some energy (and money) and turn out that light. ;)

Peace,

Stacey

To follow other "31 Days" journeys, check out The Nester.  She's hosting this party.  Thanks for the motivation to join this year.
I started a Facebook page for my blog.  "Like" it if you're so inclined.