Recycle

Sick and tired of companies polluting your mailbox with direct mail? Since it's convenient to order anything from clothing to a new iPod with the click of a mouse, get off direct mail lists for good. Websites such as Catalog Choice.com make it easy for you. Get junk mail at work? Contact businesses or associations VIA websites or call them to request to be taken off lists. While it make take a few minutes to complete your request, you'll save time sorting through mail before placing in the 'recycle bin.'

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?

You know the obvious recyclable materials - plastic water bottles, cardboard, tin cans etc. - but don't forget about the not-as-obvious items you're through with that can be re-used.

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:

Thinking about Halloween costumes for this year? Rather than going to a Halloween speciality store and spending $40 on a costume worn once, try renting from a theatrical or costume shop. Feeling extra creative?

A common argument is that the recycling process causes more harm than good. While recycling vehicles & factories do give off carbon emissions, they're intercepting trash from landfills and oceans - which is much more harmful in the long-run. How can you limit the 'harm' of recycling in Philadelphia or your local area? Reduce the amount of materials you use in everyday life. Here are 6 ways to limit your waste:

CDs and DVDs are typically made from a combination of mixed metals - aluminum, gold, silver and nickel with petroleum-derived plastics and a combination of dyes. What does this mean to you? The blend of these materials make them almost impossible to recycle.

Glancing down a grocery aisle, bottled water looks so tempting. The beautiful graphics of green trees, exotic water from Fiji or France... it looks so healthy. It's easy to be duped by this misleading advertising. Growing up the Philly suburbs, I never bought water. Luckily, our tap was clean and my Dad didn't get the point in buying a typically free product. (Who knew Dad's crazy protest was actually helping the environment? ) The bottled water industry is an environmental termite. When you're drinking a bottle of water, you're consuming approximately 1/2 of that bottle in oil - talk about hurting your Carbon Footprint! Why is bottled water so bad?

As I'm taking 10 glorious days to rejuvenate from my normally hectic schedule, I can't escape my green observations & habits. Being green is a part of my lifestyle, and I have "green guilt" if I knowingly do something un-green... Whether I'm on the beach, in our beachhouse, or going for a run. In the past few days, I've learned some lessons from my new-found friends in Avalon, NJ, I'd like to share: