We're in the dog days of summer so while you're listless, lying prostrate in the haze that is the end of summer, lift your head and squint at your computer screen for a minute and check out a great new website called GreenPaws.
Grab a pocket guide and help protect familes, pets, and the planet from toxic chemicals with some simple steps! Many flea and tick products sold on grocery store shelves contain poisons that are not safe for pets or people. Fortunately, there are some safer conventional options for occasional, short-term use and a list of other ways to win the war against flea and ticks the natural way! Learn more at GreenPaws.org
Keep Poisons off of Pets and People! As a well-intended pet owner, you might apply off-the-shelf products to your four-legged friend to help kill fleas and ticks. But did you know that these collars, sprays, and dusts-may actually harm your pet, or even your child? You can take simple steps to protect your families and pets from the most toxic chemicals. Check out this fact sheet and visit www.greenpaws.org for information about safer options and other ways to win the war against fleas and ticks safely!
I need a free easy way to get rid of e-waste, something involving
pick-ups, in Las Vegas, NV. Ideas?
Gregory Z
Gregory,
E-Waste is a growing problem in the United States. The NRDC wrote a comprehensive report on E-waste and steps we can take to reduce large quantities of it.
Here are some of the highlights of the report.
-Two million tons of tech trash ended up in landfills in 2005, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and only about 380,000 tons were recycled. Americans threw away more than 100 million cell phones in 2006. Recycling them could have saved enough energy to power approximately 194,000 U.S. households for one year.
-Throwing away metal components, like the copper, gold, silver and palladium in cell phones and other electronics, leads to needless mining for new metals.
Recycling
-Depending on where you live and the products you want to recycle, you can
-Find an e-waste collection event in your town
-Send your used tech stuff back to the manufacturer
-Head to a nearby retailer that accepts old electronics
The following are different organizations as well as electronic manufacturers and retailers offering E-recycling.
Wireless...The New Recyclable (for used cell phones), Basel Action Network , National Recycling Coalition, E-Cycling Central,
Staples, Office Depot, Best Buy, Apple, Dell, Sony, Nokia and many more.
But remember to know where your recyclables are going.
-Watch out for any recycler who ships discarded electronics to developing countries for processing. Avoiding sending our garbage overseas saves on greenhouse gas emissions and helps protect workers in developing countries.
To read the entire article go to http://www.nrdc.org/cities/recycling/gelectronicsrecycling.asp
Dear IYN,
I read that you recommend using fluorescent light bulbs. I have also read
that fluorescent light bulbs contain mercury. How do you recycle them?
Darell Potter
My Dearest Mr. Potter,
Yes, fluorescent bulbs last 10 times as long as incandescent bulbs and save up to $30 per year in your electricity costs. ALMR www.almr.org provides a “comprehensive service network throughout North America to assist with collection, processing, recycling and recovery of spent mercury lamps…” Here are several websites you can visit to find a recycling facility in your community. You can also get information on how to handle broken fluorescent bulbs, just in case.
http://www.epa.gov/bulbrecycling/
http://www.earth911.org/
Hey IYN! You've got questions? We've got answers! Due to an overwhelming set of questions from our peeps, we invited Jae to come and shed some light on all things sustainable.
We're also looking for your answers-- send us advice or insight on things you've tried or recommend. Find a new solar installation that was cheap and effective? Let us know? Ever try that eco-paint the Egyptians used? Tell us your favorite color!
Ask Jae!!
iyninfo@nrdc.org
