Tag Archives: recycling

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.

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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.

After a challenging year, Keep It Out of the Landfill is back at work.

Posted on by Lenore Collins

I last posted to Keep It Out of the Landfill on October 28 of last year. At that time, I was nearing the end of an eighteen-week cycle of chemotherapy, subsequent to cancer surgery in April and May of 2014.

Pink Ribbon

photo credit: Messer Woland

Not to worry: the surgeries had gone well, chemo was, except for a serious lack of energy, relatively trouble-free, and follow-up scans were clear. By early December, I was looking forward to radiation therapy (“looking forward” in the sense of “let’s get past this”) and the return of my hair, and hoping to resume a normal writing schedule within a few more weeks.

But life had other plans for me. On December 16, I broke my left hip. (Again, not to panic: a hemi hip replacement the following day, therapy beginning the day after, and discharge to a rehab facility on December 21 quickly dispelled my initial fear that I would spend the rest of my life in a wheelchair.) After about three weeks in rehab, I came home, ambulatory and able (thanks to some outstanding physical and occupational therapists) to live my life — if, for now, a little more slowly than before.

While all this has taken time, I am now getting back to one of the driving passions of my life: Keep It Out of the Landfill. And I’ve realized that I need to narrow my focus: the universe of solid waste management is too large for me to address with the resources at my disposal.

So while my blog will continue to discuss various aspects of solid waste management, future posts will largely concentrate on the issues about which I have the strongest feelings: food waste and extended producer responsibility.

Over the next couple of weeks, I’ll explain how those two issues fit into the solid waste management universe and why I chose to focus on them. Meanwhile, treasure every moment of your life. And every day, aim for zero solid waste: Keep It Out of the Landfill.

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.

Frustrated about recycling? Let’s talk!

Posted on by Lenore Collins

“Can I recycle gift wrap?”
“Why do I have to bag my shredded paper?”
“I don’t have curbside pickup — how can I recycle?”

If you’re like most of us, recycling leaves you with more questions than answers. Let’s start sorting out the problems and finding some solutions.

 

Please join me on Earth Day
Tuesday, April 22
at 7 p.m.
at The News-Herald
7085 Mentor Avenue in Willoughby
as we talk about
“Clean, green spring: Reducing, recycling and repurposing.”

Bring your questions and your opinions. Tell us what you have problems with. Share your favorite solutions. (Don’t get lost: follow the map to the News-Herald.)

You’ll go home with lots of useful information, ways to get answers to future questions, and some new insights into the 4Rs of waste management: reduce, reuse, repurpose, recycle.

Reserve your seat now: call 440-207-0727.

If you care to submit a question or comment ahead of time, we’ll make it easy: just use this form (scroll down to see the entire form and click on “submit” to send in your questions):

 

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 Workshops Begin March 13

Posted on by Lenore Collins

The Cuyahoga County Solid Waste District will again present its popular workshops, “Waste and Recycling $ense for Your Business,” in 2014:

Recycle Logo

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

  • Thursday, March 13
  • Thursday, April 3
  • Wednesday, June 25
  • Tuesday, September 23

What the workshops cover

In these half-day workshops, 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 workshops cover:

  • 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?”).

Where and when the workshops are held

All workshops except for the April 3 event are held at the Solid Waste District offices at 4750 East 131 Street in Garfield Heights (map). Driving directions are available here.

The April 3 workshop will be held at the Bedford Heights Community Center, Room 2, 5615 Perkins Road in Bedford Heights (map).

The workshops consist 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 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.

Recycling in the Kitchen: Another Reason You Should Compost

Posted on by Lenore Collins
Photo of two wedding rings

Photo credit: Mauro Cateb

A Swedish woman’s wedding band disappeared in 1995 after she had taken it off while doing her Christmas baking. Sixteen years later, gathering vegetables from her garden, she found the ring encircling a carrot.

The family surmises that the ring had been discarded with vegetable peelings that were either turned into compost or fed to their sheep.

 (from a report in the January 20, 2012 issue of THE WEEK magazine)

Keep It Out of the Landfill, indeed!

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.

Survey: Most Americans are proud to recycle.

Posted on by Lenore Collins

Filling recycling bins fills makes most Americans feel proud, and we feel guilty when we toss something recyclable into the trash.

That’s what the Environmental Industry Associations (EIA) found when they looked at the results of the online survey that Harris Interactive conducted for them last month.

  • More than 80% feel proud when they recycle.
  • More than 60% feel guilty when they throw a recyclable into the trash instead of recycling it.
  • More than half are often successful recycling at work, but fewer than 25% are able to recycle when traveling or dining out.

A major take-away from the survey is that, for Americans to recycle away from home or work, recycling bins need to be available. According to Anne Germain, EIA’s waste and recycling technology director, “wherever there is a public trash can, there also should be a recycling bin within sight. People think about recycling and inherently want to, but they need readily available recycling options for the habit to be a no-brainer.”

Public Recycle Bin

Wherever you see a trash bin, you should see one of these. (photo: © Justin Smith / Wikimedia Commons, CC-By-SA-3. 0)

Detailed survey results are available on the Environmental Industry Associations website, and complete survey methodology is available here.

The Environmental Industry Associations (EIA) is the trade association that represents the private sector solid waste and recycling services industry through its two sub-associations, the National Solid Wastes Management Association (NSWMA) and the Waste Equipment Technology Association (WASTEC).

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 Cuyahoga County Workplace Recycling/Waste Contracting Workshops

Posted on by Lenore Collins

The Cuyahoga County Solid Waste District will again present its popular workshops, “Waste and Recycling $ense for Your Business,” in 2013:

Recycle Logo

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

  • Thursday, June 27
  • Friday, September 27
  • Friday, November 1

What the workshops cover

In these half-day workshops, 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 workshops cover:

  • 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. Last year’s attendees — large employers, small businesses, startups — 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 last year’s participants (click here and scroll down to “What are attendees saying about the program?”).

Where and when the workshops are held

The workshops are held at the Solid Waste District offices at 4750 East 131 Street in Garfield Heights (map).

The workshops consist 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 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 workshops.

More information is available from 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 subscriibe to my Examiner.com page.

Painesville Township’s Nye Road Recyclables Drop-Off Site Closed

Posted on by Lenore Collins

Sad but true: On Monday, December 31 at 11:00 a.m., Painesville Township closed the Nye Road recyclables drop-off site.

I drove over there this afternoon. This is what I found:

Painesville Township has closed its Nye Road recyclables drop-off site.

Painesville Township has closed its Nye Road recyclables drop-off site. (Photo credit: Lenore Collins)

The Fire Department’s collection bin for aluminum cans appears to still be available:

The Painesville Township Nye Road Fire Station's collection bin for aluminum cans remains in place.

The Painesville Township Nye Road Fire Station’s collection bin for aluminum cans remains in place. (photo credit: Lenore Collins