6/5/13

Do you like to enjoy your Starbucks latte, iced coffee or breakfast sandwich in the store? If so, the next time you order, be sure to add "this order is for here." That way, the barista will serve your order in a reusable mug or on a plate, which you can return to the store so it can be used over and over. It also lets you enjoy your hot beverages in BPA-free ceramic cups and cuts down on the waste of disposable products.

6/4/13

While gift cards are convenient to give when you're not sure what to buy someone, they can be tough to recycle. More than 75 million pounds of PVC plastic from gift cards are thrown away every year. Your used gift cards are now recyclable thanks to EarthWorks, a company that recycles them to make plastic sheeting, which can be used to make new gift cards, ID cards, signs, hotel key cards, bookmarks, rulers and more. To learn more, visit earthworkssytem.com.

6/3/13

While many of us know a plastic container marked with Nos. 1 or 2 on the bottom means it is easily recyclable, we need to be sure it did not hold any poisonous or toxic substances. Containers that held pesticides, cleaning products or bleach must be rinsed out thoroughly before recycling. If in doubt, it is better to throw the container away than to place the contaminated recyclable plastic into the recycling bin.