Post Holidays: Stay Green!

by Alex on December 28, 2011

in Recycle, Reduce, reuse, Sustainable

The presents have been unwrapped. Stockings unstuffed. The holiday feasts have been digested. This year’s holiday season is coming to a bittersweet end, as we move onto the next stage of life and a new year of growth. But what are we going to do with all the junk leftover? There’s the endless amount of bows and ribbons, the towering pile of wrapping and paper, and, of course, the beautiful Christmas tree. (We’re going to assume you all followed our advice and got a real one!)

Most people turn to just dumping out all the leftover wrapping supplies and simply throwing out the tree. To them, what can you honestly do with some ripped up paper and an old, dead tree? Well, more than you think. :)

First off, if you don’t have the time or energy to actually reuse the wrapping paper, RECYCLE IT! Any cardboard gift box can be easily broken down and recycled as well. Unfortunately, only the plainer of wrapping papers can actually be recycled with your mixed paper. Paper that is dyed, laminated, or contains glitter cannot be recycled. Don’t let their pretty exterior fool you.

So if you fell for the wrapping paper covered in purple glitter (I don’t blame you), there are still tons of ways you can re use it and stay green.

Here is a small amount of the many uses of left over wrapping paper:

  • Line your drawers with the paper. (Saves your clothes and cash!)
  • Use the paper to wrap around fragile ornaments when going back to storage.
  • Make cute holiday coasters with some stiff cardboard, glue, and the paper of your choice.
  • Use the paper to decorate your own handmade holiday cards instead of wasting your money. – Shred the paper and use it instead of packing peanuts for packages
  • Wrap the paper around tin cans and use to store pens, pencils, & scissors.
  • Make a bookmark
  • Protect your books.

Honestly, the list could go on and on with wrapping paper. For more ideas, click here or here.

When it comes to the leftover tree, you can easily recycle it as well! In Fairfax County, all Christmas trees less than 8 feet tall can be recycled at the curb in Fairfax County during the first two weeks in January at no additional cost. If your tree is larger, you must contact your trash collector for more details.

However if you want to use the tree for your own personal benefits, cut it up and chip into mulch for your garden, or use it as firewood to keep you warm all year round.
A more creative route would be to set it up in the yard and hang it with bird feeders to use both decoratively and environmentally.

The holidays can be stressful, but don’t let the ‘leftovers’ overwhelm you. Stay green even after the holidays and for the rest of the year because, who knows, it might keep you off the naughty list. ;)

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Make Your Last Minute Gifts Green!

by Alex on December 19, 2011

in Uncategorized

6 more days until Christmas?! Wow, how the days have flown! By now, we all have made sure to get the  gifts for our close relatives and friends. Yet somehow, every year, there always seems to be that one person who slips by in your mind.  Instead of rushing to Walmart, this year, give that forgettable person an easy to make, special, and eco friendly present!

 

Treehugger offers seven fabulous and green gift ideas for those last minute rushes! Did I mention they can all be made in under an hour? From a rose petal frame to seed bombs, you’re gift is sure to make not only the receiver smile, but the Earth smile. :)

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Give a Green Gift Card This Holiday Season- The Apple Way!

by Alex on December 8, 2011

in Recycle, Reduce, Reduse, Sustainable

It is generally agreed that giving gift cards to close relatives or spouses on Christmas can be somewhat, well, tacky. It isn’t really meaningful, plus it shows how well you don’t know the person by saying, ‘Hey, I’m too lazy to actually take the time to buy you a gift, so you go do it.’ Bottom line is gift cards have a bad rep in the giving season.

Apple has  changed that thought process. The Apple Company is now offering the deal of bringing in used Apple products (iPhones, iPads, Macs and PCs) in exchange for gift cards. Got an old iPod lying around that you never use? Bring it in  and then proudly give the gift card out, knowing you are not only bringing joy to someone’s life, but you are bringing help to the planet.

“Turn that iPhone, iPad, or computer — Mac or PC — you’re not using anymore into something brand new. Send it to us and we’ll determine if it qualifies for reuse. If it does, that means your device has monetary value that we’ll apply to an Apple Gift Card, which you can use for purchases at any Apple Retail Store or the Apple Online Store. If your iPhone, iPad, Mac, or PC doesn’t qualify for reuse, we’ll recycle it responsibly at no cost to you.” – Mattermore

Even if you aren’t in need of an Apple gift card, turn in your old gadgets anyway for the free recycling! (They used to charge a small fee for the job.)

Reduce your e-waste and give an Apple gift card; not onlywill the lucky receiver be pleased, but so will the Earth.

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The Return of the Illegal Sign Issue

by Clean Fairfax on December 5, 2011

in environmental laws, graffiti, litter, traffic, transportation

Election day has come and gone and yet are you still seeing signs out there? I know I am.

And it looks like Supervisor Herrity is too. Here’s a nice editorial from the Fairfax Times where he says it is time that Fairfax County gets in its laws in line with other counties and municipalities to get rid of signs in the public right of way, once and for all.

Placing signs in Virginia Department of Transportation rights-of-way is an illegal activity. Just four weeks ago, I was contacted by a constituent who told me that by placing my signs in the medians I was breaking the law. Quite frankly, she was right, and I had no good answer for her — saying “everybody does it” is just not good enough. It is time to enforce the law.

Fairfax County is the only county in the state that has not addressed this problem. I do not see the same problem as I travel throughout Virginia.

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Artificial Christmas Trees VS. Real Trees: Which is truly the greener choice?

by Alex on November 30, 2011

in compost, nature, organic, pollution, Recycle, Reduce, reuse, Sustainable

 

The Christmas tree is a necessity in any Christmas celebrating home, a symbol of hope and life, and a beautiful sight that, once lit, has the power to stop passersby in their tracks.  It is also the spark for one of the longest-running debates among enviro-groups around the world. While choosing to purchase an artificial tree is clearly the better choice financially, the real question is which is the better choice environmentally? Real or fake?

At first thought, people might automatically assume that buying a fake tree is the greener choice. Choosing a real tree means chopping down that living tree, a vital organism on our planet, which is obviously unfavorable. A fake tree is used year after year, falling under one of the 3 R’s (reuse!). Therefore, an artificial must be the more eco-friendly choice, right? Wrong.

The majority of environmental groups agree that choosing a real tree is the greener way. Everyone agrees the best thing about having a real tree is the lovely, pine scent it adds to your home. Well enjoy, because that’s the smell of your air being naturally cleaned! Real trees help filter the dust and smog out of the air, making your home easy to breathe in.

A real Christmas tree has also proved to be the more sustainable choice, for once the holiday season is over, it can be mulched and used in your garden, or even be firewood to warm you and your family for the rest of the winter. Honor the tree by using all parts of it.

Purchasing a real tree supports the tree farming business, which is something we desperately must keep on our planet. While the trees are growing, they act as natural filters for our air and provide us with oxygen. Just one acre of Christmas trees produces enough oxygen to support eighteen people! These wonderful farms also provide homes to wildlife (if pesticides aren’t being used, that is.) The trees increase soil stability, because they are often planted where other plants grow. While some argue that cutting down a tree can’t possibly be ‘good’ for the Earth, tree farms follow the simple policy- for every tree cut down, two or three new seedlings are planted.

The only thing that artificial trees can compare to with real ones is their identical appearances. Other than that, artificial trees are quite the opposite of real trees. Fake trees are made with polyvinyl chloride (or PVC, otherwise known as vinyl), which is basically the environment’s sworn enemy.  Besides PVC, fake trees contain lead and other additives to make the PVC appear more realistic. Many of these additives have been linked to kidney, liver, and much other systematic damage in lab studies on animals. By order of California’s Prop 65, fake Christmas trees come with a warning label! Yeah, they sound safe.

In fact, 85% of all artificial Christmas trees come from China. While it is  hard to avoid buying products made in China, why actively choose to do so?

It’s hard to see why the argument between real and artificial is still even an argument. The choice is clear, and this Christmas, don’t buy fake; buy natural. :)

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The Cost of Bottled Water

by Clean Fairfax on November 28, 2011

in Uncategorized

This is an interesting graphic about the costs associated with bottled water. In a county where the tap water is top rated, why do we keep buying it in bottles?  If the costs around buying bottled water aren’t enough, how about all the trash the plastic, one use bottles generate? And how about the fact that most bottled water isn’t tested nearly as stringently as municipal water is.

For more information and a bigger version of this graphic, visit online education

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Show your thanks to our planet this Thanksgiving

by Clean Fairfax on November 20, 2011

in nature, organic, Sustainable

Thanksgiving is one of America’s beloved holidays, filled with tradition, family, and of course, great food. But this Thanksgiving, consider turning over a new leaf and starting your own tradition- a green Thanksgiving! The following are tips that not only preserve the wonderful spirit of the holiday, but also give extra meaning by reducing the impact we have on the planet and brightening our world.

The Decorations – Instead of spending loads of cash on cheap, foreign-made decorations,choose to make your own! Colored construction paper can be used to create pilgrims,turkeys, etc. and then the paper can be recycled later. Baker’s clay, which is made from nontoxic kitchen ingredients, can be used to make turkey statues, and then painted with nontoxic paint or food coloring. Homemade decorations are much more meaningful and personal than store bought, and supply you with a life time of memories.

The Food – Buy and eat locally grown food!! We can’t stress this one enough. It tastes
better, it supports the local farmers, and it’s beneficial for the planet. Need we say more? Also, try to pick organic food for your Thanksgiving meal. Organic fruits, vegetables and grains are grown without chemical pesticides and fertilizers; organic meat is produced without antibiotics and artificial hormones. (About.Com) Organic food is simply better for your health and for your planet. Buying organically grown food supports a farming method that increases soil fertility and is more cost-effective for the farmers.

Stay Home – Hate the Thanksgiving traffic? So does the Earth. Reduce your contribution
to global warming and celebrate Thanksgiving at home. If you must travel, make sure your car is in good condition to lower your carbon emissions. If possible, carpool with other family members or friends to lower the greenhouse gases emissions that contribute to air pollution and global warming.

Follow the 3 R’s! – Make sure to live by the 3 R’s (Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle) when
preparing for your Thanksgiving meal. Reduce the amount of wasted food you will produce by only buying as much as you actually need. Check to make sure anything you do purchase comes in recyclable packaging. Carry reusable bags when doing your shopping, instead of plastic. Recycle all paper, plastic, glass and aluminum containers. Throw any bio waste into the compost, and if you don’t have one, then this holiday is the time to start one!

Plant a Tree – Choose this holiday to start a new family tradition- planting a tree! By
planting one tree, in one year, that tree will absorb roughly 26 pounds of carbon dioxide and return enough oxygen to supply a family of four. Educate the importance of trees to your children and family members by making the effort to add another one of these life supporters to our planet.

Thanksgiving is truly a day to look onto all the blessings we have on our lives; family, friends, good food, a warm place to sleep, and most importantly, a beautiful planet on which we can call home. Show your thanks to our Earth and be green this Thanksgiving- we’re sure she’ll appreciate it.

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America Recyles Day

by Clean Fairfax on November 15, 2011

in environmental laws, environmental legislation, hybrid, litter, nature, plastic ban, pollution, Recycle, Reduce, reuse, Sustainable, Uncategorized

TODAY!!  is America Recycles Day

Since 1997, communities across the country have come together on November 15 to celebrate America Recycles Day. More than a celebration, America Recycles Day is the only nationally recognized day dedicated to the promotion of recycling in the United States. One day to educate and motivate. One day to get our neighbors, friends and community leaders excited about what can be accomplished when we all work together. One day to make recycling bigger and better 365 days a year. Get involved!

Sponsored by Keep America Beautiful- click for more information

Here are three easy ways you can celebrate America Recycles Day every day of the year. Since it takes just as much effort to throw something recyclable into the trash as it does to throw it in the recycle bin why would you throw it out?

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Ok! Elections are Over

by Clean Fairfax on November 9, 2011

in graffiti, litter

Now, go pick up your signs please, before the end up in the woods, on the street, or blocking a storm drain.

Thank you!

Edit: Clean Fairfax isn’t the only one wondering why it is VDOT’s (and taxpayers’) responsibility to clean up illegally placed signage….

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Sources of Air Pollution and they are coming from INSIDE YOUR HOME!

by Clean Fairfax on November 4, 2011

in pollution

We talk a lot about things that are dirty outside, on the street, in the park, and in our streams, but there are sources of pollution that are right inside your own home. This kind of pollution can wear down your immune system, make you susceptible to illness or even make you out and out sick.

Yahoo gives us a list of easily identified pollution sources  such as broken light bulbs, fire places, treated carpeting and more, and a more in depth report can be found at The Environmental Protection Agency.

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