Category Archives: Help for Recyclers

Recycle Garment Hangers at Target Stores

Posted on by Lenore Collins

Garment hangers are not the recycling no-no that I thought they are. Your local Target store will take them and reuse them. And when the hangers break, Target will recycle the plastic and metal parts to make plastic flowerpots and other gardening supplies. (Read Target’s full statement here.)

TargetRecyclingStation

Look for the recycling station at your local Target store.

So when you clean out your closet, whether to donate, recycle, or (I hope not) discard the clothing you no longer want or need, don’t throw away the hangers. If they’re plain wire hangers, take them to a dry cleaner who will recycle (or reuse) them. If they’re hangers you got from Target, take them back to Target.

Even better, when you purchase clothes from Target, leave the hangers at the register. Target wants to keep them.

Congratulations, Target, on keeping garment hangers out of the landfill. That’s not only a sustainable business practice — it’s also a nice way to get customers into your stores.

Want to stay in touch with the latest zero waste and recycling news in the Cleveland area? Just click on the Follow button at the bottom of my blog Home page.

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Habitat for Humanity Opens New Lake County ReStore in Eastlake

Posted on by Lenore Collins

On August 6, 2016, Lake-Geauga Habitat for Humanity brought ReStore shopping back to Lake County with their new store at 34225 Vine Street in Eastlake.

The store is open for business Fridays and Saturdays between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. and accepts donations Wednesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. (For more information about the new ReStore, as well as the organization’s other current projects in Lake County, see Kristi Garabrandt’s article in the Thursday, August 4, 2016 issue of the News-Herald.)

Besides Habitat for Humanity’s work in providing affordable new and rehabbed housing for local families, their ReStores serve the Recycling/Zero Waste community by providing:

  • A destination for donating such items as furniture, tools, electronics, housewares, and appliances.
  • An affordable resource for purchase of such items.

Click here for more information about Lake-Geauga Habitat for Humanity.

For a look at my own experience as a ReStore shopper, see my blog post Shopping Recycled: How I Replaced My Jenn-Air Range at the Habitat for Humanity ReStore and Saved Over $2,000.

Want to stay in touch with the latest recycling news in the Cleveland area? Just click on the Follow button at the bottom of my blog Home page.

Shop Recycled: Habitat for Humanity to Open New ReStore in Eastlake

Posted on by Lenore Collins

Great news for the local Recycling/Zero Waste community: according to a report earlier this month in the News-Herald, Lake-Geauga Habitat for Humanity will open a 17,000-square-foot retail store in the old Sears outlet facility at 34255 Vine Street in Eastlake. (Click here to read the News-Herald article.)

Habitat ReStores are retail stores open to the public. By accepting donations of new and gently used furniture, housewares, building materials, tools, plumbing, electrical supplies, etc., ReStores are able to resell these items at 50%–75% off retail prices. Low prices save money for savvy shoppers, and the proceeds help Habitat for Humanity to build affordable housing for low-income families.

A little over two years ago, I reported the closing of the Lake County Habitat for Humanity Painesville ReStore. (Read the full article here.) About a year ago, Geauga County Habitat for Humanity, now Lake-Geauga Habitat for Humanity, became Habitat International’s affiliate organization for Lake County. (Read the News-Herald report here.)

The new store, expected to open in July 2016, will be in addition to the Geauga County ReStore in Newbury and, at least initially, will maintain the same hours as the Newbury store, Fridays and Saturdays, 9 am–5 pm.

Habitat for Humanity provides affordable housing for families in need by building new homes and rehabbing abandoned properties which would otherwise be demolished. Renovation instead of demolition reuses much of the existing structure, thus keeping building materials out of the landfill. Reuse of materials donated to Habitat’s ReStores helps contain building costs and makes use of what otherwise is likely to be discarded. (How much can you save by shopping at a Habitat for Humanity ReStore? I saved over $2,000 when I purchased my Jenn-Air range at a local ReStore. Read the full story here.)

Habitat for Humanity ReStores: Keeping Building Materials Out of the Landfill.

Want to stay in touch with the latest zero waste and recycling news in the Cleveland area? Just click on the Follow button at the bottom of my blog Home page.

The Facts About Goodwill Industries

Posted on by Lenore Collins

For several years, some of my friends and family have been telling me that they won’t donate to or shop at Goodwill Industries because their chief executive is overpaid and their workers get paid very little.

I finally checked this out. According to Snopes.com (accurate information for Goodwill is about 4/5 of the way down the page), it was never true, and it certainly isn’t true now.

Here’s how some legitimate sources evaluate Goodwill Industries:

Let’s put this outrageous calumny where it belongs: in the landfill!

Want to stay in touch with the latest zero waste and recycling news in the Cleveland area? Just click on the Follow button at the bottom of my blog Home page.

Too much stuff? “Pass It On!”

Posted on by Lenore Collins

Need to make some room before the gift-giving starts? Donate unwanted clothes, toys, and other items to a local non-profit organization that accepts donations.

Pass It On: A Resource-Full Guide to Donating Usable Stuff

Image courtesy of the Cuyahoga County Solid Waste Management District.

The Cuyahoga County Solid Waste Management District publishes a book called “Pass It On: A Resource-Full Guide to Donating Usable Stuff” that lists over 125 local organizations, most of them in Cuyahoga County, that accept donations year-round. (Some of these organizations will pick up donated goods, but may not offer pickups outside the county.)

If your mailing address is in Cuyahoga County, you can order a copy of the book by calling (216) 698-2265 or online from the Solid Waste District’s website.

If you’re outside Cuyahoga County, or if you prefer the less wasteful online version, you can view it online as a PDF on the District’s website or use their searchable database, which may have more current information than the book, which was published in July 2014. (Scroll down to “Items to Donate.”)

Make this holiday season a little greener: use “Pass It On” to find destinations for your unwanted belongings.

(My thanks to the Cuyahoga County Solid Waste Management District for permission to quote part of this material from their online newsletter, Talking Trash.)

Want to stay in touch with the latest recycling news in the Cleveland area? Just click on the Follow button at the bottom of my blog Home page.

Business Recycling Roundtable at Solid Waste District, Thursday, Nov. 5

Posted on by Lenore Collins

Businesses that have attended the “Waste and Recycling $ense for Your Business” seminar at the Cuyahoga County Solid Waste District are invited to return to the District to participate in the first peer-to-peer business recycling discussion group. (Click here for a flyer describing the event.)

Meet with commercial, industrial, institutional, and other businesses who have attended the seminar. Talk about the seminar and your experiences with workplace programs for waste reduction and recycling.

  • Talk about what worked — and what didn’t
  • Learn how others overcame challenges.
  • Did you take photos — before/after, candid shots of people recycling, grip-and-grin awards ceremonies, kickoff events, celebration events? Bring them along!

Doreen Schreiber, the District’s Business Recycling Specialist, will facilitate the roundtable.

The roundtable will be held at the Cuyahoga County Solid Waste District (click here for address and map), Thursday, Nov. 5, 2–4 p.m. The event is free, but registration is required (click here to register). For more information, contact Doreen Schreiber at 216-443-3732, or dschreiber@cuyahogacounty.us.

Want to stay in touch with the latest recycling news in the Cleveland area? Just click on the Follow button at the bottom of my blog Home page.

Last 2015 Workplace Recycling/Waste Contracting Workshop Sep. 24

Posted on by Lenore Collins

The Cuyahoga County Solid Waste District will present its popular workshop, “Waste and Recycling $ense for Your Business,” on Thursday, September 24, for the final time in 2015.

The Cuyahoga County Solid Waste District conducts Waste and Recycling $ense for Your Business workshops

The Cuyahoga County Solid Waste District conducts Waste and Recycling $ense for Your Business workshops

What the workshop covers

In this half-day workshop, businesses and non-profits can learn how to start or improve a workplace recycling program and how to contract for waste hauling or recycling. The Solid Waste District’s Recycling Specialist walks participants through the steps to launch or expand a successful workplace waste reduction and recycling program. The workshop covers:

  • Starting a recycling program or improving an existing program
  • Recognizing different recyclable commodities
  • Commercial composting
  • Waste sorting (aka “dumpster diving”) and analysis
  • Choosing proper indoor recycling containers and selecting appropriate signage
  • Making the recycling program sustainable
  • Educating employees, students and visitors on the program
  • Choosing a waste hauling and recycling company
  • Terms and conditions of waste and recycling service contracts
  • Types of contracts, fees, and how to structure an agreement to best suit a business

Who should attend

Any business with an interest in effective management of waste and recycling can benefit from these workshops. Previous attendees — large employers, small businesses, startups — have included:

  • Public venues
  • Hotel chains
  • Manufacturing facilities
  • Universities and schools
  • National parks
  • Places of worship
  • Non-profits
  • Local government
  • Property management and real estate development firms
  • Hospitals

Curious about how the workshops might help your organization? Check out the feedback from previous participants (click here and scroll down to “What are attendees saying about the program?”). One recent attendee saved over $26,000 from the information she learned at one of the seminars.

Where and when the workshop is held

The workshop, which will be held at the Solid Waste District offices at 4750 East 131 Street in Garfield Heights (map) (for driving directions, click here), consists of two sessions:

  • Session 1, Successful Recycling in Your Workplace: 3:30 p.m.–5 p.m.
  • Session 2, Contracting for Waste and Recycling Services: 5 p.m.–6:30 p.m.

Participants may attend either or both sessions.

The workshops are free, but registration is required. Online registration (click here and scroll down to “Upcoming Seminars”) is available through the Solid Waste District’s website, as is the Solid Waste District’s flyer for the seminars.

More information is available from Business Recycling Specialist Doreen Schreiber at (216) 443-3732 or dschreiber@cuyahogacounty.us.

Want to stay in touch with the latest recycling news in the Cleveland area? Just click on the Follow button at the bottom of my blog Home page, or subscribe to my Examiner.com page.

Free Half-Day Workplace Recycling/Waste Contracting Workshop: Last Chance for 2014

Posted on by Lenore Collins

The Cuyahoga County Solid Waste District will present its popular workshop “Waste and Recycling $ense for Your Business,” for the final time in 2014, on Tuesday, September 23.

Recycle Logo

Learn how to use recycling to improve the environment and help your bottom line: it makes $ense.

What the workshop covers

In this half-day workshop, businesses and non-profits can learn how to start or improve a workplace recycling program and how to contract for waste hauling or recycling. The staff of the Solid Waste District walks participants through the steps to launch or expand a successful workplace waste reduction and recycling program. The workshop covers:

  • Starting a recycling program or improving an existing program
  • Recognizing different recyclable commodities
  • Commercial composting
  • Waste sorting (aka “dumpster diving”) and analysis
  • Choosing proper indoor recycling containers and selecting appropriate signage
  • Making the recycling program sustainable
  • Educating employees, students and visitors on the program
  • Choosing a waste hauling and recycling company
  • Terms and conditions of waste and recycling service contracts
  • Types of contracts, fees, and how to structure an agreement to best suit a business

Who should attend

Any business with an interest in effective management of waste and recycling can benefit from this workshop. Previous attendees — large employers, small businesses, startups — have included:

  • Public venues
  • Hotel chains
  • Manufacturing facilities
  • Universities and schools
  • National parks
  • Places of worship
  • Non-profits
  • Local government
  • Property management and real estate development firms
  • Hospitals

Curious about how the workshop might help your organization? Check out the feedback from previous participants (click here and scroll down to “What are attendees saying about the program?”).

Where and when the workshop is held

The workshop is held at the Solid Waste District offices at 4750 East 131 Street in Garfield Heights (map). Driving directions are available here.

The workshop consists of two sessions:

  • Session 1, Successful Recycling in Your Workplace: 9 a.m.–10:45 a.m.
  • Session 2, Contracting for Waste and Recycling Services: 11 a.m.–noon.

Participants may attend either or both sessions.

The workshop is free, but registration is required. Online registration (click here and scroll down to “Upcoming Seminars”) is available through the Solid Waste District’s website, as is the Solid Waste District’s flyer for the seminar.

More information is available from Business Recycling Specialist Doreen Schreiber at (216) 443-3732 or dschreiber@cuyahogacounty.us.

Want to stay in touch with the latest recycling news in the Cleveland area? Just click on the Follow button at the bottom of my blog Home page, or subscribe to my Examiner.com page.

How to restore an iron frying pan

Posted on by Lenore Collins

If you shop recycled and you’ve been lucky enough to pick up a couple pieces of iron cookware at a garage sale or thrift shop, you’ll probably need to remove some rust before you can use your new treasures.

iron skillets, restored and original condition

Properly restored, a rusty iron skillet can take its place among your favorite cookware. (photo credit: FiveRings)

The restoration process is not complicated, but it takes a little time. A recent posting by Jason Carpenter on Mentor Patch turns it into a weekend project and provides extensive detail.

If your iron skillet is looking a little red around the edges, or you’ve inherited your grandmother’s Dutch oven and you want to prepare her recipe for chicken with dumplings, try Jason’s method. When you finish, you’ll have classic cookware that’s versatile and nearly indestructible.

Want to stay in touch with the latest recycling news in the Cleveland area? Just click on the Follow button at the bottom of my blog Home page, or subscribe to my Examiner.com page.

The Safe Way to Dispose of Old Medications

Posted on by Lenore Collins

Old medications — expired, unused, unwanted, discarded pills, tablets, creams, lotions — continue to be an ongoing, everyday problem in Northeast Ohio.

  • If the drugs are in your home, they pose a hazard to children and pets.
  • If you flush them, they contaminate the local water supply and give your neighbors unsuspected doses of narcotics, hormones, antibiotics, steroids, and other potentially dangerous substances.
  • If you toss them into the trash, they may end up in the hands of scavengers who will resell them.
  • If they make it to the landfill, they become toxic waste that contaminates groundwater.

Until recently, safe disposal of old medications has meant waiting for the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration’s National Drug Take-Back Initiative. Now, however, rather than waiting for the next National Take-Back Day, Cuyahoga and Lake County residents have much better options.

Cuyahoga County

Under the new Sheriff’s RX Drug Drop Box Program, Cuyahoga County residents can deposit unused, unwanted, or expired prescription drugs at drop boxes located at participating local law enforcement agencies across Cuyahoga County.

The Sheriff’s RX Drug Drop Box Program accepts prescription drugs except needles and liquids.

Click here to find Cuyahoga County drop boxes for your location, and click here more information about the program. Click here for information about disposing of other unwanted medications, including needles, liquids, and over-the-counter preparations.

Lake County

Lake County residents can take their unused, unwanted, or expired prescription and over-the-counter drugs to one of the seven Lake County Opiate Task Force drug disposal drop-off bins.

For more information about the Lake County program, including drop box locations, operating hours, and accepted materials, see my May 27, 2012 blog post. Lake County residents can obtain refrigerator magnets listing drop box locations and accepted materials from the News-Herald reception desk (map) and the Mentor Discount Drug Mart pharmacy department (map).

Lake County Opiate Task Force Refrigerator Magnet

Lake County Opiate Task Force Refrigerator Magnet

Unused drugs are hazardous waste: keep them out of the wrong hands … keep them out of our water … keep them out of the landfill.

Want to stay in touch with the latest recycling news in the Cleveland area? Just click on the Follow button at the bottom of my blog Home page, or subscribe to my Examiner.com page

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