February's Steps to "Go Green"

It is February and even if it may still be cold, the buds on the bushes are waiting eagerly to turn green. Adopt a bit of this natural energy and take a few steps into your green life.

REDUCE:
__ Set up a process to pay your creditors electronically. (You save postage, envelopes and carbon footprint from mail carriers; you get an instant receipt and may even save late fees if you set the system to autopay.)
__ Have companies email your statements and bills. Even if you have to print out a copy (on recycled paper), you can copy back-to-back (saves paper and space) and save carbon footprint from mail carriers, extra envelopes and avoid the extra promotional glittered papers the company include to make you buy more. If it is a good company these offers will be online as well!

REUSE:
__ Reuse shipping materials from your received goods (or recycle it.) Nice cardboard boxes can be unfolded and stored for later use, or passed on to others who use them. Shipping peanuts can be dropped off to UPS Stores in clear plastic bags for reuse. Consider reusing shipping materials to wrap items sold in your gift store.

RECYCLE:
__ Get a copy of your township’s current recycling program and - together with your staff – make sure you recycle ALL that can be recycled: Clean paper (learn what kind of papers - office papers, magazines, newspapers, junk mail, wrapping paper, bathroom tissue rolls, cereal, tissue, cardboard and shipping boxes?), plastic bottles (which numbers? See more below) cans, tins, aluminum, batteries, metal, appliances, air-conditioners, carpets, etc.

REBUY:
__ Buy bathroom tissues and paper towels in non-bleached/chlorine-free (= toxic free), 100% post-consumer recycled material (means that it has been used some way by consumers already and recycled). Paper towels with half-size perforation to save if it is only a ‘small’ job. For products endorsed by the Green Restaurant Association see here: http://www.dinegreen.com/solutions.asp?


PLASTIC BOTTLES
It may be difficult to know which plastics to recycle and which to trash. Here is an overview that explains what the triangle codes (usually on the bottom) mean. Check with your local township which can be recycled and how.



01 - Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET, PETE)
Soft drink, water and salad dressing bottles; peanut butter and jam jars

02 - High Density Polyethylene (HDPE)
Milk, juice and water bottles; trash and retail bags.

03 - Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC)
Juice bottles; cling films; PVC piping

04 - Low Density Polyethylene (LDPE)
Frozen food bags; squeezable bottles, e.g. honey, mustard; cling films; flexible container lids.

05 - Polypropylene (PP)
Reusable microwaveable ware; kitchenware; yogurt containers; margarine tubs; microwaveable disposable take-away containers; disposable cups and plates.

06 - Polystyrene (PS)
Egg cartons; packing peanuts; disposable cups, plates, trays and cutlery; disposable take-away containers;

07 - Other (polycarbonate, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene/ABS, polyamide, acrylic, nylon, polyurethane (PU), phenolics, cellophane, latex, biopolymers)
Beverage bottles; baby milk bottles; electronic casing.

PS (06) is one of the 'bad' plastics. It is made from non-sustainable and heavily polluting petroleum, causes air pollution and health hazards for workers during production, non-biodegradable, in landfils it is damaging to wildlife, may leach toxicity into food - especially when microwaved, harms ozone layer, is not accepted at most recycling places, and is poorly recycled. PS is also known as 'Styrofoam."

Sources: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plastic_recycling, Dining Green - A Guide to Creating Environmentally Sustainable Restaurants & Kitchens by Benjamin Nielsen