Trash Talk - It's Easy To Be Green, Book OneTrash Talk when located on the prevailing wind side of the buildings. Plant deciduous trees on the south side to provide shade in the summer,

Green your life; Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, Recycle ...and save money. Trash Talk - It's Easy To Be Green, Book One Buy The Complete Version of This Book at Booklocker.com: http://www.booklocker.com/p/books/4968.html?s=pdf

Trash Talk

TRASH TALK - Book OneIt's Easy To Be Green

By Dave and Lillian Brummetwww.brummet.ca

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Copyright Information

© Copyright 2010 Dave and Lillian Brummet All Rights Reserved.

The material in this electronic publication is protected under International and Federal Copyright Laws and Treaties, and as such, any unauthorized reprint or use of this material is strictly prohibited.

The material in this electronic publication can be stored only on one computer at one time. You may not copy, forward, or transfer this publication or any part of it, whether in electronic or printed form, to another person or entity (except brief extracts for the purpose of review).

Reproduction or translation of any part of this work without the permission of the copyright holder is against the law.

First Edition (Paperback): June 2004 Publish America (www.publishamerica.com)

Second Edition: (revised edition, e-book series): 2010 Booklocker.com Inc (www.booklocker.com)

The authors, Dave and Lillian Brummet, have consistently donated a percentage of the royalties received from all book sales during their career to wonderful charities such as: Seeds of Diversity (http://www.seeds.ca/), Canadian Wildlife Federation (http://www.cwf-fcf.org/), and the Society for Prevention Against Cruelty to Animals (www.spca.bc.ca).

Cover, design and layout, diagrams and photography by Dave Brummet.TABLE OF CONTENTS

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Table of Contents

TRASH TALK - BOOK ONE........................................................................................................................1

COPYRIGHT INFORMATION................................................................................................................... 2

TABLE OF CONTENTS................................................................................................................................3

DEDICATION.................................................................................................................................................7

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS........................................................................................................................... 8

PREFACE........................................................................................................................................................9

INTRODUCTION.........................................................................................................................................11

DEFINING ZERO WASTE.................................................................................................................................. 11COMMON TERMS IN WASTE MANAGEMENT........................................................................................................11GOING GREEN IS “IN”.................................................................................................................................... 13OVERCOMING FEAR AND APATHY..................................................................................................................... 13THE FOUR R’S OF WASTE MANAGEMENT ........................................................................................................ 14REFUSE.........................................................................................................................................................15REDUCE........................................................................................................................................................ 16REUSE.......................................................................................................................................................... 17RECYCLE.......................................................................................................................................................19IN CONCLUSION............................................................................................................................................. 19

PART 1 – REUSE..........................................................................................................................................21

BAGS............................................................................................................................................................. 21

GROCERY BAGS............................................................................................................................................. 21CLEAR BAGS................................................................................................................................................. 23SANDWICH BAGS............................................................................................................................................24WHY BOTHER ABOUT PLASTIC BAGS?............................................................................................................. 25

BRUSHES & BROOMS...............................................................................................................................28

CARPETS......................................................................................................................................................30

CEREAL........................................................................................................................................................32

CLOTH..........................................................................................................................................................34

CONTAINERS .............................................................................................................................................38

THE DO’S AND DON’TS OF RECYCLING PLASTIC................................................................................................ 38REUSING PLASTICS ........................................................................................................................................ 39

DRYER SHEETS..........................................................................................................................................47

EGG CARTONS........................................................................................................................................... 49

E-WASTE (ELECTRONICS & THEIR PERIPHERALS)......................................................................52

E-WASTE RECYCLING PROGRAMS IN PLACE...................................................................................................... 53

EYE GLASSES............................................................................................................................................. 56

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FOR THE BIRDS......................................................................................................................................... 57

FURNITURE.................................................................................................................................................59

GLASS........................................................................................................................................................... 62

HANGERS.....................................................................................................................................................64

METALS........................................................................................................................................................65

SCRAP STEEL.................................................................................................................................................65CANS AND LIDS............................................................................................................................................. 66ALUMINUM FOIL ............................................................................................................................................68

NYLONS........................................................................................................................................................70

OVEN RACKS..............................................................................................................................................73

PACKAGING................................................................................................................................................74

PLASTICS.....................................................................................................................................................76

INNOVATIONS IN THE INDUSTRY.........................................................................................................................78

RODS & HANDLES.....................................................................................................................................80

SOAP..............................................................................................................................................................82

STYROFOAM – (A.K.A. POLYSTYRENE)............................................................................................. 83

SURFBOARDS............................................................................................................................................. 86

TIRES............................................................................................................................................................ 87

TRASHY BITS..............................................................................................................................................91

BALING TWINE.............................................................................................................................................. 91BARBECUES .................................................................................................................................................. 91BATTERIES ....................................................................................................................................................91BELTS & WATCH BANDS................................................................................................................................ 92CAPS & CORKS............................................................................................................................................. 92CD’S & DVD’S...........................................................................................................................................92CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS............................................................................................................................. 93COOLERS.......................................................................................................................................................93CRAYONS & CANDLES ................................................................................................................................... 94CUPS............................................................................................................................................................ 94CURTAINS......................................................................................................................................................95FISH NETTING................................................................................................................................................95GARBAGE CANS .............................................................................................................................................96GARDEN HOSES............................................................................................................................................. 96GARDEN POTS............................................................................................................................................... 97SOIL BLOCKERS............................................................................................................................................. 98HAIR............................................................................................................................................................ 99HUBCAPS & LICENSE PLATES.......................................................................................................................... 99IRONING BOARDS........................................................................................................................................... 99LIGHT BULBS................................................................................................................................................ 99MATTRESSES..................................................................................................................................................99PAINTS, PESTICIDES, SOLVENTS AND FUELS......................................................................................................100

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PENS AND PENCILS....................................................................................................................................... 100PHARMACEUTICALS....................................................................................................................................... 100PLANT TAGS & LABELS................................................................................................................................100PROPANE TANKS.......................................................................................................................................... 101POTS & PANS..............................................................................................................................................101RECORD ALBUM COVERS.............................................................................................................................. 101SHAKERS.....................................................................................................................................................101SHOULDER PADS.......................................................................................................................................... 102SWING-SET GREENHOUSE..............................................................................................................................102TEAPOTS..................................................................................................................................................... 102TELEPHONE WIRE........................................................................................................................................ 102THERMOMETERS........................................................................................................................................... 102THREE RING BINDERS.................................................................................................................................... 103TOYS..........................................................................................................................................................103UMBRELLA.................................................................................................................................................. 103VIDEO & OFFICE LABELS............................................................................................................................. 103WINE-BOX CANTEEN..................................................................................................................................... 104

PART 2 – TREES PLEASE....................................................................................................................... 106

TREES.........................................................................................................................................................106REDUCE PAPER CONSUMPTION......................................................................................................................... 108REUSING LUMBER......................................................................................................................................... 109THE JOURNEY OF RECYCLED PAPER PRODUCTS................................................................................................ 110

ENVELOPES.............................................................................................................................................. 112

IN THE OFFICE.........................................................................................................................................114

JUNK MAIL................................................................................................................................................118

MAGAZINES & BOOKS.......................................................................................................................... 121

NEWSPAPER............................................................................................................................................. 126

PAPER BAGS............................................................................................................................................. 129

PAPER TUBES........................................................................................................................................... 131

PAPERBOARD...........................................................................................................................................134

PAPER TOWELS & TOILET PAPER.....................................................................................................137

CONCLUSION........................................................................................................................................... 138

ABOUT THE AUTHORS:.........................................................................................................................140

PART 3 - RESOURCES ............................................................................................................................ 142

DATABASES & GENERAL RESOURCES:.............................................................................................................142GREEN PUBLICATIONS:.................................................................................................................................. 143GREEN KIDS:.............................................................................................................................................. 144GREEN SHOPPING:........................................................................................................................................144ENVIRONMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS:..................................................................................................................145REGIONAL RECYCLING INFO:......................................................................................................................... 145 RADIO INTERVIEWS......................................................................................................................................146COMPOSTING/VERMICULTURE.........................................................................................................................146

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ALTERNATIVE POWER & GREEN BUILDING ..................................................................................................... 146GREEN CONSUMERISM & SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES...................................................................................... 147WASTE MANAGEMENT..................................................................................................................................149 INTERVIEWS WITH WATER EXPERTS:................................................................................................................150TEACHING CHILDREN GREEN LIVING.............................................................................................................. 150VOLUNTEERISM............................................................................................................................................ 151CONSCIOUS GARDENING................................................................................................................................ 151

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PART 2 – TREES PLEASE

Trees

Every acre of virgin or managed forests that we preserve can make a measurable difference for the entire planet. 1 acre of trees provides the daily oxygen needs for 18 people and for every hectare of Christmas trees

28,000 lbs. of carbon dioxide is absorbed.

When asked by a reporter what the most effective thing an individual could do for the planet if they had only one day, Martin Luther King's response was plant a tree. There is ample truth to back up this statement. Presently, plant life absorbs roughly one half of our fossil fuel emissions. Air pollution is a common complaint in urban areas and because trees are effective at carbon sequestering, especially hardwoods, it makes sense for us to plant many more.

Often referred to as the lungs of the Earth, trees also convert carbon dioxide into oxygen making their presence utterly vital to our existence. Recent studies show that evergreen trees, especially fir and cedar, give off therapeutic fragrances. A nine-year study conducted by the University of Delaware discovered that hospital patients who could see trees from their window actually went home earlier.

Trees beautify the land, provide privacy, shade and wind protection. Providing a habitat for wildlife, they also screen out noise and maintain moisture in the soil. Trees break up air patterns, causing soft breezes. This coupled with the moisture released from the leaves and shade, combat the Bake Effect found in urban areas. The bake effect is the result of heat absorption (concrete and asphalt) and is compounded when combined with Urban Glare – artificial and natural light on reflective surfaces (glass and steel).

Establishments and homeowners save a lot of money in energy costs, simply by planting trees. A properly placed tree can reduce the temperature of your yard and home by 3-7˚F due to the shade and evaporative cooling qualities. For protection from wind and snow, coniferous species work best

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when located on the prevailing wind side of the buildings. Plant deciduous trees on the south side to provide shade in the summer, but not in the winter when the leaves are off the tree. For additional incentive to the homeowner, landscaping can increase real estate values by more than 10%.

Tree plots can be surprisingly small and yield between 30 and 50 seedlings a year. Some, like the University of Guelph’s Arboretum in Ontario, are growing indigenous trees from seed collected from within 6 miles. Victoria School in Saskatoon started several in-house programs for the children to participate in. They offered tree seedlings for the kids to plant at home or near unstable areas such as riverbanks. They have also hosted clean up campaigns for local green areas. Others have begun urban tree-starting garden projects.

We were intrigued by a notice in the Weekender Newspaper for Forests for Tomorrow 2009 Program (www.forestsfortomorrow.ca), which rehabilitates damaged and threatened forest regions has at least nine projects this year from clearing invasive brush to evaluation programs to tree-planting. We are thrilled to see their ambitious plan of planting more than 700,000 tree seedlings throughout the Kootenay, Boundary and Okanagan regions of BC (Canada).

These efforts benefit everyone by bringing nature into our communities. Feel the refreshing coolness of a well-vegetated area on a hot, muggy day and you will see what we mean. Studies show that a single 50-year-old tree can produce $164,250 of environmental value between oxygen production, air pollution control, water protection and prevention of erosion.

Tourism is one of any community’s greatest assets and we need people to keep returning to our beautiful country. Greenery and lush surroundings are major reasons for tourists to return to an area. North American communities are working together to create patches of greenery to beautify and cool their towns, preserve wildlife and provide other environmental benefits. Because both looking at and working in gardens are known therapeutic activities, gardens are used by hospitals and old-age homes. Cities make full use of their gardening dollar by also using the areas as educational tools for schools and citizens alike. Gardens are used as cropland for the poor or for those who do not have access to land, and as tourist

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attraction areas. Cities and towns can be famous simply for their piece of greenery. Consider Vancouver’s Stanley Park, Vernon’s Polson Park and Victoria’s Beauchart Gardens. Let us not forget that tourist friendly areas create jobs and residual revenue for the community.

As they are one of the most called upon resources in our day, the preservation of trees and forests should be top priority in the plight to preserve the environment. Although recycling reduces the need to cut down live trees, and also minimizes the contribution of paper products to the landfill and thereby reduces methane gas production - it is equally as important to reduce our consumption of this resource as much as possible before recycling.

Reduce paper consumption

Save trees by choosing to use computer disks and emails for data storage and communications instead of printed versions. Paying bills online and utilizing automatic renewal options available for magazine subscriptions reduces both paper use and postage costs. Consumers can affect the ways we use our forests by purchasing eco-certified paper products and paper containing recycled fibers or alternative papers. Cascades is one such company that offers up to 85% recycled content, purchases only from eco-certified paper-fiber sources, and uses methane gas collected from a landfill for 90% of its energy requirements.

Here is some information about the history of paper for you. The first peoples to make paper used bark, skin, reeds or straw. Europeans used to make paper out of rags, until there was a shortage of rags. With this in mind, it is ironic that modern people think of tree-free paper as new age. Increasingly, we are seeing paper produced with recycled (a.k.a. post consumer) and a variety of alternative fiber content stocked on retailers shelves including kenaf, sugar beet, corn, algae, sugar cane, grass and bamboo or hemp.

Farms of fast growing fiber crops such as willow trees may help alleviate the pressure caused by our dependency on nonrenewable fossil fuels and the declination of natural forests. Willow trees are a good source of biomass fuel and of cellulose - used for making paper. Sweden is testing over 11,000

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hectares of this crop, which is used to fuel regional hospitals and schools. Willow plantations require less maintenance, are ready to cut within 2 to 3 years and will regenerate from the root after each harvest. In the 21-year life span of a willow, it will produce 10 times that of a poplar or aspen and 100 times that of a coniferous tree.

Hemp plantations, used for making rope, boards, cloth, nutritional and beauty products and paper, produce twice the amount of fiber than cotton. Hemp fiberboard is stronger than similar wood products. The crop grows well in global warming conditions and counteracts it by its massive carbon sequestering ability. It is theorized that hemp crops actually extract unwanted toxins out of the soil. The potential for hemp is huge and many countries, including Canada and parts of the United States, are growing commercial crops.

Reusing lumber

If you have building skills and are equipped with tools, consider reusing lumber for projects around your home. Children's playgrounds, bat houses, bird houses, compost and worm bins, garden beds, cold frames and stairs for entrance doors have all been successfully made by reusing lumber that was considered waste. Over the years, Dave has constructed greenhouses and workshops entirely from old pallets, saving thousands of dollars in material costs. Railway ties and other treated wood, while not appropriate for edible crop areas, are ideal for landscape terracing, steps and pathways.

Many companies are jumping to meet the demands of earth-conscious consumers. T-rex Demolition in Vermont was developed to fill the need for recycled building materials and has reached an incredible recycling rate of 80%. They send tons of steel and iron to scrap yards and glass to pavement producers. Any wood materials are reused as lumber, burned for fuel, or converted into paper. Renovator’s Resource in Halifax similarly scours renovation and demolition sites for useful or interesting materials to be sold to builders and contractors. They produce their own line of furniture made from recycled materials and are specialists in the relocation of old buildings.

A new innovation for wood alternatives, not for burning but for construction, involves waste wood and recycled plastic fibers along with a few other

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patented additives, can create a product that has the appearance and workability of wood but is stronger, water proof, warp-free, and also mold, pest and rot free. Anything wood is used for, this product can be used for. From what we have been able to determine, this new composite material contains 98% recycled content – now that is ingenious!

The Journey of Recycled Paper Products

Collected paper is shipped to facilities where it is formed into a pulp and inks are removed with detergents. The pulp is then filtered and pressed. Recycled paper content can be found in a vast array of new paper products and is seen as a valuable material by industries producing insulation, animal bedding and cat litter products.

Few of us realize the value of recycling paper – According to Green Office Makeover recycling 1 ton of paper saves 682.5 gallons of oil (think about that next time you’re standing at the pump). Sadly 40% of the solid mass in landfills is paper and paperboard. These organics breakdown anaerobically (without oxygen) in the landfill creating all kinds of toxic waste issues to ground water and releasing one of the most toxic compounds to our world – Methane. This is a horrible crime indeed - It is hard to imagine that in these days, with all the education and enthusiasm in environmental activism there could be such thoughtless waste.

So if your office or place of employment does not have a recycling program in place - please present the managers with your concerns. This may not always wreak immediate change in the workplace, but by voicing your concern it certainly is a step in the right direction. Talk to your co-workers and see if others feel the same as you - for there is power in numbers. Alternatively start your own recycling program. A woman we knew who worked at a local insurance company a few years ago had to do this as well when she discovered that the workplace would not start an in-house recycling program outside of cardboard and paper - so she started one on her own and would take a box of plastic bags and other recyclables home to contribute to the blue bag.

It really is good for business to show concern for the environment beyond the savings in waste collection services. If you own a business or work where

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they have made steps to help green the planet, be sure to post the information in local papers or at the very least have a poster in your window, or a notice in your newsletter. This is actually a very frugal, yet effective social and green advertising technique that anyone can employ. An additional bonus is that by making your efforts you are also subtly challenging other businesses to follow suit.

North Americans could certainly learn a lot from our European neighbors. Recycled paper products satisfy more than 75% of Dutch papers needs. There is no doubt that recycling paper products can go a long way in saving the environment and aiding the health of Earth's inhabitants. The paper recycling industry has proved to produces 75% less air pollution, 35% less water pollution and uses 60% less water than producing paper from virgin materials.

Did you know that nearly half the trees in North America are used in the manufacturing of the four main categories of the paper industry? Of all the paper products produced within North America, corrugated and paperboard accounts for a little more than 50%, high-grade printing and writing paper reaches 30%, newsprint accounts for 8%, and tube products (i.e. from paper towels, rolls of carpet, toilet paper, shelf paper, etc) approach 7%.

According to the Recycling Product News Magazine issue May/June 2008: Paper recycling in the US has reached an all-time high of 56% which is reportedly 5 years ahead of schedule and has enabled the US to set their goals a little higher – now they aim to reach 60% paper recycling rate by 2012.

Interestingly, a study done in the early 1970's by the Environmental Protection Agency found that 1-ton of recycled paper saves 4,100 KWH energy – enough to power a home for six months!

As you can see, there are plenty of positive reasons to continue recycling paper.

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Green your life; Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, Recycle ...and save money. Trash Talk - It's Easy To Be Green, Book One Buy The Complete Version of This Book at Booklocker.com: http://www.booklocker.com/p/books/4968.html?s=pdf