November 2009
IN THIS ISSUE
- Trash Talk
- Book Nook
- Get Connected: Blog / Facebook
- Promotion: Reusies
- Upcoming events
- Quick facts
- Word of the month
- Missed an Issue?
- Visit us online at www.olivineproducts.com
FEATURE ARTICLE
Trash Talk
Let’s face it: for most of us, garbage is a smelly and unsightly afterthought. As modern day Americans we just know that when it’s time to get rid of common household items—from food scraps to packaging to furniture, we count on weekly curbside garbage pick up to haul our stuff away.
However, if we stop to think about it, we probably realize there is no “away.” Everything that goes in the trash has to go somewhere. Every wonder where our trash ends up? How long it takes to decompose? What environmental impacts there are to burying or burning our garbage?
The amount of trash we Americans send to the landfill rises every year. The most recent data available shows that in 2007 we sent a record 254 million tons of municipal solid waste to the dump. All this garbage has significant environmental, economic, and public health consequences. With more trash we need to be concerned with a growing financial burden, increased greenhouse gas emissions, possible water contamination, as well as depletion of natural resources and less available landfill space.
The good news is that as Americans we have learned to recycle just over 30% of our municipal solid waste. Recycling reduces the demand for virgin resources, conserves energy, and even creates jobs.
Fortunately, there is even more we can do.
- Be mindful of packaging. Some packaging is purposely elaborate to make the contents more attractive—personal care products are notorious for this. Become a conscious consumer by purchasing products with minimal packaging and/or with packaging made of recycled or recyclable materials.
- Try selling or donating your unwanted stuff. We all know, one person’s trash is another’s treasure. Used clothing drives, garage sales, swap meets, and web sites like craigslist and freecyle are all opportunities to reduce waste going to the landfill.
- Opt for reusable versions of disposable products. Choosing reusable shopping bags, food containers and drink bottles, rechargeable batteries, washable cloths, refillable containers all help to ease the burden on landfills.
- Don’t throw it out. Instead, focus on properly maintaining and repairing household items. Although you may have to pay more for high quality durable goods initially, the extended lifespan will either offset your cost or perhaps even save you money in the long term. Consider extended warranties and look for products with high consumer satisfaction and low breakdown rates.
Sources: EPA, Keep America Beautiful
BOOK NOOK
Don’t Throw it Out: Recycle, Renew and Reuse To Make Things Last
By Lori Baird and the Editors of Yankee Magazine, 2007, Yankee Publishing Inc.
According to author Lori Baird, “Today, most of us don’t think twice about throwing away an item because it seems to be easier to replace it than repair it. But that kind of thinking is no good for the environment or you wallet.”
This book is a clever and practical guide written in an easy-going style. Its aim is to help consumers reduce waste and clutter by showing readers how to make the most out of products they already own or plan to purchase. Don’t Throw it Out has
- Make It Last tips to maximize an item’s life span,
- Fix It Fast tips for repairing in a hurry and
- Pass It Along tips to get rid of stuff you don’t want but can’t bear to throw away.
Click here to see other titles recommended by Olivine™.
QUICK FACTS
- The U.S. has 5% of the world’s population but consumes 30% of the world’s resources and creates 30% of the world’s waste.
- The average American now consumes twice as much as they did 50 years ago.
- Each person in the United States makes 4.5 lbs. of garbage a day. That is twice what we each made thirty years ago.
- For every one garbage can of waste you put out on the curb, 70 garbage cans of waste were made upstream to make the junk in that one garbage can you put out on the curb.
Source: The Story of Stuff
GET CONNECTED
We have an active blog and we invite you to visit and comment on it. Discover people’s personal stories and perspectives on a variety of everyday green living topics.
PROMOTION
Reusies
Snack size, $6.50
Sandwich size, $8.50
UPCOMING EVENTS
Come visit Olivine™ at these upcoming events
November 3, visit the Olivine™ booth at the Princeton Jewish Center Annual Gift Boutique, 9 A.M.-7 P.M.
November 7, 4th Annual GreenFaith Awards Celebration, 6-9 P.M., Reformed Church of Highland Park NJ. Bid on Olivine™ products at the Silent Auction.
November 19, A.M. and P.M. Green Gatherings™ in Princeton. Email for more details.
December 10, 7:30 P.M., Princeton Public Library, Kicking the Carbon Habit presentation
January 6, 7 P.M., Princeton Public Library, Olivine™ sponsored panel discussion on green building, renovating, and design.
WORD OF THE MONTH
Municipal Solid Waste (MSW): Municipal solid waste or MSW is a sophisticated word for garbage. It includes the items we commonly throw away, such as packaging, organics like food, grass and leaves, furniture, computers, and tires. MSW does not include industrial, hazardous, or construction waste. In 2007, Americans generated about 254 million tons of MSW.
Source: EPA
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