Recycle

I had a recent bout of ‘green guilt' that got me thinking … I just got back from a trip to beautiful Los Cabos (don’t hate me!) - The trip, scenery, company and Mexican hospitality were off-the-charts awesome. The downer…the hotel was not eco-friendly. As in, NO recycling. (I am a strong advocate of checking into hotel policy prior to vacationing. But this time was out of my control. ) Why do I bring this up? The more conversations I have with sustainable minded people, the more I realize most of us experience a little ‘green guilt’ from time to time. It’s tough to act 100% eco-minded. Unfortunately, we’re bound to be in situations now and then where we feel uncomfortable. I felt really guilty knowing my bottles of dos equis weren’t headed for the recycling bin... The truth is harping on this mindset and feeling unworthy because I couldn’t exercise control is counter productive. What’s the best way to overcome these feelings?

Additional dates and neighborhoods have been added to help Philly area folks recycle their trees! Don’t let your Christmas tree contribute to needless waste. Philadelphia is not collecting Christmas tree at the curb. If you dump your tree at the curb - it’s headed for a landfill! Treecycling drop off dates this weekend (updated):

Nowadays, when you purchase a new cell phone, most companies provide a means to recycle or refurbish your old phone. In case you need further incentive –  The Dave Mathews Band (whose latest CD, Big Whisky and the Groo Grux...

Philly is clearly psyched for the NFC championship game this Sunday. Personally, I’ll be watching, wearing my lucky jersey, drinking out of my lucky glass and cheering HARD! Another thing fans should be pleased about is the team’s green efforts. The eagles were the first professional sports organization to launch an environmental initiative. In 2003, the Eagles started the Go Green campaign. Some of the programs highlights to-date include:

A positive change is in effect for Philadelphia’s recycling program - Philadelphia residents can now recycle every week on the same day as their neighborhood trash collection day. This change is much more convenient for Philly dwellers. Gone are the days of trying to remember what two weeks of the month recycling pick-up falls on. Mayor Nutter’s administration's new policy is an indication that they've held true to their vow to improve Philadelphia’s recycling. Since the introduction of city-wide single-stream recycling last summer, Philly’s recycling rate has gone from about 6 to 10 %. Though we have a long way before being on par with other big city’s recycling programs, progress is being made. Not sure what day is your trash/recycling pick-up is?

As we're quickly approaching that infamous Times Square ball falling, it's time to think ahead and make New Years resolutions. Debating what you should do to be greener in the New Year? Here's 10 ideas to party like it's 2009:

This Saturday, November 15th marks America Recycles Day. You’ve heard the recycling message many times before and you’re probably doing your part to decrease waste. You can feel like a big nag when you see someone improperly toss a recyclable item, but spreading the word on all the pros of recycling can only help the cause. It’s a simple ‘recycle bin versus trash’ mindset change in many cases - not requiring additional effort, just added consciousness. So, what a more appropriate time to review some of the major benefits of all your efforts than America Recycles Day? Some of the top reasons to recycle:

Many of us are gearing up for the long holiday weekend away. So it seems like a good time to review how we can put our best green effort forward when away from home, where it's often more challenging to do so. Whether you're hitting the beach, camping or visiting old friends, it's easy to let go of your good green habits when you have a change of scenery. Just like our eating & drinking habits change on vacation, so can our eco-friendly intentions. Here's some things to keep in mind to lessen your carbon footprint this weekend or whenever you're away from home:

According to the EPA, 75% of American's trash can be recycled - and only 25% actually is. In Philadelphia, you're able to recycle most household materials curbside, without having to sort into separate containers. Here's the breakdown: