DIY Holiday Gifts

CleanScapes — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 07:00:28 +0000

No matter your skill level, making gifts is a great way to reduce packaging waste and repurpose things you already have around the house. Thanks to the internet, the sky is the limit for online ideas and do-it-yourself tutorials: if you can buy it, someone has figured out how to make it.

From the kitchen. Fresh baked goodies, chutneys, jams and canned fruit or veggies are easy to make in big batches for a single-afternoon approach to homemade gift-giving.

Spice mixes and rubs are easy to put together and can be a perfect gift for the BBQ chef on your list. Or share foodie favorites by creating a recipe book or recipe box. (Scrapbookers out there – all of those paper pads, stickers and cutting tools come in handy for homemade cookbooks.)

For her. It’s hard not to make an impression with homemade bath salts, paper flowers, mosaic stepping stones or chocolate covered strawberries.

For him. With a new Bond movie always around the corner, what could be better than a personalized fake book secret hideout?

Teen-tastic. Purses and wallets made from found objects are always a hit. Whether made from old maps, books, candy wrappers or duct tape, your teen will be the envy of their friends.

Kids of all ages. Project ideas for kids are available on a wide variety of websites including Make Stuff, FamilyFunGo, KinderArt, CraftBits, Craft Jr., and SkipToMyLou.

Kids can get in on the action too! Handmade gifts created by kids are a special treat for family members and family friends.

The Big Picture

Most products come to us in some form of packaging. This packaging was created to protect the product during transport and to help market it on the store shelf.
Little by little these paper, plastic and glass packaging-related bits and pieces add up to create tons of waste: nearly one-third, or 31% of the waste generated in the US annually⁽¹⁾.

Packaging materials account for approximately 39 million tons of paper and paperboard, 13.7 million tons of plastic, and 10.9 million tons of glass annually.
The production of packaging materials uses about 3% of the total of US energy consumption.

Help conserve natural resources and make the things you give to friends and family this holiday season.

Sources: (1) Earth911 Facts About Plastic Packaging | Story of Stuff Resource Page

Reduce first. Reuse what you can, and then Recycle.

It’s a Wrap!

CleanScapes — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 07:00:54 +0000

Looking for an alternative to wrapping paper for gifts?

John and Anita in Shoreline recently shared a great waste reduction idea: homemade fabric gift sacks. This creative idea has helped their family save money and reduce their holiday paper waste year after year!

Start with festive fabric and follow a simple pillowcase pattern to sew fabric gift bags in a variety of sizes.

Place gifts inside and tie the top with a colorful bow or ribbon. When the holiday is over, fold the gift bags and store to use again next year.

You can also top off your gifts with homemade bows made from old paper and newspaper. Click here for step-by-step instructions.

If sewing is outside of your comfort zone, consider wrapping gifts in reusable shopping bags, old oatmeal or coffee canisters or reusing newspaper, the Sunday comics or brown grocery bags.

Resources: Reuseit.com | DIY Wrapping Paper – EarthEasy | Homemade Bow Instructions | Canister Wrapping | RecycleScene Gift Wrap Ideas

The Big Picture

Wrapping paper and shopping bags alone account for approximately 4,000,000 tons of trash annually in the US.

Think outside the gift box this holiday season and wrap gifts with recycled paper, reusable bags or repurpose any other used packaging you can find around the house.

Source: Earth911 Gift Wrap

Reduce first. Reuse what you can, and then Recycle.

Zero Waste Holidays

CleanScapes — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 07:00:24 +0000

It’s easy to save money and reduce your holiday ‘waste-line’ this year by going green!

Give Experiences. In every community there are a wide variety of experiences you can give for every age group and interest. Look no further than local restaurants, museums, sporting events, concert halls, theater shows and classes for everything from yoga to guitar lessons.

You can also give the gift of you! Give a shared experience by making a date to do something special together.

Shop Sustainably. With local and regional holiday craft fairs, it’s easy to support local artists, farmers and merchants.

Other ways to shop green include purchasing items made from recycled content or items made from renewable resources, such as bamboo. Shops like Nube Green, Goods for the Planet, Planet Happy Toys, Green Lake Jewelry Works, Full Circle Yarn, Fireworks Gallery and EcoKind Design offer earth-friendly choices.

Give Recycled. Shop at ‘new to you’ retailers! If you are on the hunt for bicycles, computers, clocks, messenger bags or purses, look no further than InterConnection, Alchemy Goods, Lampcycle and Bike Works.

Green Tuesday. This Tuesday, November 29th, is the official eco-focused shopping day of the season. Earth-friendly products can be found online at stores like GreenHeartShop, Reusit, Ecoist and TerraCycle.

Re-Gift! Make it a white elephant holiday! The easiest ‘shopping’ can be done at home. “Re-gift” things that have gone unused or unopened and find these items a new home!

Re-Charge. If you purchase gifts that require batteries, consider purchasing rechargeable batteries and a charger. Each rechargeable battery replaces up to 1,500 single-use batteries.

Give Homemade. Get crafty! Save money this holiday season by making your own gifts and cards. No matter your skill level, the sky is the limit for do-it-yourself projects and gifts.

Donate. Instead of a gift, donate to a charity in a friend or family member’s name. Holiday donations are a great way to support local non-profit organizations.

Trees for Salmon. Buy a living tree at Swansons Nursery and return it after the holiday! Your tree will be planted in a local park as part of a Green Seattle Partnership restoration project.

Bring Your Own. It’s easy to reduce waste throughout the season when you bring your own travel mug to the coffee shop, take your refillable water bottle with you for on-the-go hydration, and stash your reusable shopping and grocery bags in the car to carry your holiday purchases.

Reusable bags also make wonderful gift bags, and provide an eco-extra for your special someone.

Reduce Packaging. While shopping for holiday meals, consider buying in bulk, or purchase items with less packaging.

Around the Table. Save money by using reusable and washable plates, cups, silverware, napkins, table clothes and serving dishes. For larger parties and a festive table, combine resources by borrowing tableware from friends, or purchase gently-used durable serviceware at local second-hand retailers.

Holiday Recycling! Encourage your guests to pitch in. If you have food scraps collection service, help guests keep food waste out of the garbage by placing a collection container for food scraps next to the recycling and garbage containers.

Reduce first. Reuse what you can, and then Recycle.

Green Friday

CleanScapes — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 07:00:13 +0000

This Friday, consider sleeping in and making a different list to check twice: one that is filled with experiences instead of more stuff. Does anyone really need another scarf or steak knife set?

Giving experiences is a wonderful way to support the local economy, reduce waste and share something unique with the people you care about.

Gift certificates can be purchased for just about anything you can imagine:

Favorite restaurants
Hot air balloon rides
Trapeze lessons
Indoor skydiving
Indoor rock climbing
Cooking classes
Jewelry-making lessons
Kid’s camps
Zoo and museum memberships
Sporting event, musical performance or local theater tickets

Giving does not need to create waste. This holiday season give the landfill a break and save time, money and natural resources by giving experiences.

The Big Picture

The US Environmental Protection Agency estimates that Americans throw away 25% more trash between Thanksgiving and New Year’s than any other time of the year, which translates into an extra million tons of waste generated nationwide each week.

Holiday waste is generated not just from the stuff we purchase, but from all of the packaging that comes with it (and around it), the fuel used to transport it, and all of the single-use wrapping paper and ribbons used to wrap everything up.

Source: EPA Region 9

Reduce first. Reuse what you can, and then Recycle.

Sharing as Reuse

CleanScapes — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 07:00:31 +0000

End-of-year donations can take many forms, including giving away things you no longer use or need. Winter is a great time to take one last look in your garage, closets and cupboards for unwanted gently-used items and non-perishable foods.

Many non-profit organizations and businesses are collecting items for those less fortunate, from coats to cribs, bikes to toys, books to business suits, as well as electronics and food.

This year the Shoreline PTA Council is collecting all kinds of items for teens and families in need.

If you have something to donate, DonateSeattle can help connect Seattle-area donors with non-profit wish lists.

By sharing what you no longer want with those less fortunate, you are reducing, reusing and recycling while benefiting your community at the same time!

The Big Picture

According to the US Environmental Protection Agency Americans generated approximately 243 million tons of waste in 2009. While 34% of this was recycled and composted, the rest – 161 million tons – was buried in landfills nationwide.

How much of what we throw away is actually garbage? Before throwing anything away, pause and think if your trash could be someone else’s treasure.

Sources: US EPA 2009 MSW Report, pp8 | US EPA EcoCool Program

Reduce first. Reuse what you can, and then Recycle.

Dumpster Diving at Home: A Primer

CleanScapes — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 07:00:39 +0000

Reduce waste, you say… but how? Like any journey, unless you know where you are going you may not reach your destination.

Use this Home Waste Audit Checklist to better understand how you can reduce waste at home.

Ready, set, sort! All you need to conduct a do-it-yourself archeological waste sort is a pen and paper, tarp, gloves and a dry place in your yard or garage. Camera is optional.

Create a Waste Inventory. Right before your next collection day, spread out your tarp and empty a week’s worth of household garbage and recycling. With gloves on make piles of common items.

Next make a list of all of the single-use items you find, such as:

    • Paper napkins
    • Paper towels
    • Paper plates
    • Plastic silverware
    • Water and beverage bottles
    • Pop cans
    • Paper or plastic to-go containers
    • Plastic food containers
    • Shipping packaging
    • Plastic bags, zip-top bags
    • Paper bags
    • Juice boxes
    • Junk mail and catalogs

Take note of which materials take up the most space in the garbage and recycling bin, and anything that could be replaced by reusable items.

Replace. Once you have completed your waste inventory, look for anything that could be replaced with a reusable item and anything that could be purchased in bulk.

If your recycle bin contains plastic water bottles, think about getting everyone their own reusable water bottle. Lots of paper towels? Move the paper towel roll out of sight and replace with kitchen towels and cloth napkins. Lots of plastic or paper bags? Stock up and bring your own bags everywhere you shop.

There are reusable alternatives for just about everything, including snack and sandwich bags.

Bulk Up, Go Local. Many of our food and household products come in some kind of packaging.

    Reducing packing is easy:
        • Purchase local products
        • Purchase items in bulk
        • Shop at farmers markets >>
        • Use cloth grocery and produce bags

Rag Time. Eliminate the need for paper napkins and towels by stocking up on cloth napkins, kitchen towels and cloth rags. Rinse, wash, and repeat.

Paper Weight. Help your recycling shed some pounds by opting-out of phone books and taking your name off catalog, junk mail and credit card distribution lists.

Dine in Style. Whether you are serving snacks, party fare or dinner for two, setting the table with washable, reusable plates will help reduce the need for single-use paper plates. Mix and match your casual dining options with plates purchased at second-hand retailers.

Zero Waste Road Map. After a few weeks of trying out your new zero waste habits, conduct a second sort. You might be surprised by how much you have trimmed your household’s waste-line!

The Big Picture

There is us – me and you, and there is the US. Cup by cup, bag by bag and bottle by bottle, our individual actions add up to create approximately 243,000,000 tons of waste every year.

In the US we use:

        • 60,000 plastic shopping bags every 5 seconds
        • 2 million plastic beverage bottles used every 5 minutes
        • 410,000 paper coffee cups every fifteen minutes
        • 3.4 million tons of paper towels every year
        • 100 million trees for junk mail every year
        • 3 billion single-use batteries every year
        • 10 billion paper grocery bags every year

Small changes in everyday habits can make a big impact on the waste we create.

Reduce first. Reuse what you can, and then Recycle.

Waste Zero this Thanksgiving

CleanScapes — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 07:00:47 +0000

As you plan your annual Thanksgiving gathering there are many steps you can take to reduce waste, save money and give thanks to the planet at the same time.

The Invitation. Go paperless! Consider sending an email invitation using “Evite” or “Pingg” to personalize the party details for your Thanksgiving guests.

Natural Decorations. Bring fall inside and decorate with fallen leaves from local parks or evergreen boughs from your yard. Squash and other produce from farmers markets make for great place card holders and centerpieces.

If you are looking for a little light, local beeswax candles or reusable, battery-powered tea-light candles can brighten up the holiday table. You can also make your own luminaries using tin cans from your recycling bin.

Harvest Washington. Winter squash, apples, pears, Brussels sprouts, beets, beans, carrots, celery, greens and sustainably raised turkeys are making their debut right now at local farmers markets. By supporting local farms, you can help reduce packaging and fuel used to transport food from across the US and around the world.

Setting the Table. Before stocking up on single-use plates and cups, save money by using reusable and washable plates, cups, silverware, napkins, table clothes and serving dishes. If you are looking to save even more money, gently-used durable serviceware abounds at local second-hand retailers.

Reduce Packaging. For anything left on the shopping list, consider buying in bulk, or purchase items with the least amount of packaging. And when you shop, don’t forget to bring your own reusable shopping bags.

Ready, Set, Sort! Encourage your guests to pitch in. Set out and clearly mark your recycling bins. If you have food scraps and yard debris collection service, help guests keep uneaten food out of the garbage by setting up a collection container for post-feast scraps.

Recycle Cooking Oil. Whether you bake or fry, the cooking oil left after the holiday meal can be donated locally and turned into biofuel. Click here for drop-off locations.

Reduce first. Reuse what you can, and then Recycle.

Hazardous Waste 101

CleanScapes — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 07:00:23 +0000

Do you know which products in your home are considered hazardous waste?

Click here to view King County’s household hazardous products list. These products are not allowed in the garbage in King County.

Most, but not all, hazardous products use the words Poison, Danger, Warning or Caution on their labels.

You might be surprised to learn which products require special disposal:

Household cleaners
Batteries (automotive, alkaline, rechargeable, lithium)
Compact fluorescent light bulbs and tubes
Glues and adhesives
Oil-based paint
Pesticides and garden chemicals
Propane and butane tanks
Fire extinguishers
Hair color products and hair spray
Nail polish and remover
Toner cartridges

Set aside these items and bring them to a Household Hazardous Waste facility or to the King County Wastemobile.

If you are a business, click here for more information about how to manage hazardous materials. Learn about the Industrial Materials Exchange program and disposal locations.

By taking hazardous waste to a collection facility you are helping to prevent pollution and threats to human health.

The Big Picture

The average American household contains more than sixty hazardous products⁽¹⁾. In 2009 Washington state ranked 14th in the nation for generation of hazardous waste from homes and businesses, with 317,200 tons⁽²⁾. The total US generation in 2009 added up to over 35,000,000 tons of hazardous waste. This waste was either incinerated or buried in a special hazardous waste landfill.

As consumers, we have many choices when it comes to purchasing. Most cleaning and yard products now have a non-hazardous alternative. Using the Environmental Protection Agency’s DfE Certified product guidelines, you can help decrease demand for products made from hazardous materials and opt for healthier alternatives.

Sources: (1) King County MRC Training Program | (2) 2009 National Biennial RCRA Hazardous Waste Report | US EPA DfE Product List

Reduce first. Reuse what you can, and then Recycle.

Water Filter Recycling

CleanScapes — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 07:00:51 +0000

Do you use a water filtration system or have a filtered ice maker or water dispenser in your refrigerator?

When you are ready to replace your water filter, there are a few local and mail-in options for recycling used water filters.

In the Puget Sound area, residents and businesses can drop-off used water filters for recycling at Total Reclaim.

If you purchase a General Electric water filter online, GE provides a free recycle kit that includes a prepaid mailing envelope.

If you have used Brita water filters, recycle them in the designated collection bins at participating Whole Foods stores or mail in to:

    Preserve Gimme 5
    823 NYS Rte 13
    Cortland, NY 13045

For those of you who have TerraFlo water filters, mail to:

    TerraFlo
    1003 S. 10th St.
    Allentown, PA 18103

If you are wondering whether or not you really need to filter local tap water, check out the latest water quality report for Seattle, Shoreline and King County. The Puget Sound area has some of the best tap water in the nation, and no filters, plastic pitchers, recycling or disposal is required.

Reduce first. Reuse what you can, and then Recycle.

Eek-o-Friendly Halloween

CleanScapes — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 07:00:34 +0000

Going green on Halloween can be easy and fun! The weeks leading up to fright night are a perfect time to visit farms and farmers markets, swap or make costumes, prepare decorations and get those pumpkins carved.

Spooky crafts. Egg carton pumpkins, crepe banners, luminaries … all of these DIY crafts, décor and more can be made using things you already have around the house.

Playing dress up. Create your own costume by using old clothes and fabric scraps, buy used costumes from second-use retailers or organize a costume swap with friends.

Pumpkin fun. Take a trip to the pumpkin patch! Hay rides, corn mazes and fresh cider are offered at many local farms and a fun addition to the hunt for the perfect pumpkin. After the little vampires and fairies have hung up their costumes for the season, give your pumpkins and unwanted treats a new life as compost.

Re-Treat. Whether you are making caramel apples for a party or giving away treats at the door, local and organic options abound at the farmers market, neighborhood grocery store or online.

Night light. Light up the night using solar powered flashlights or power up using rechargeable batteries.

Bag it. Collect those tasty treats in home-decorated paper grocery bags, pillow cases or reusable shopping bags.

Party time! Set the stage for zero waste by using reusable and washable plates, platters, silverware, napkins and cups.

After party. Make unique crafts from used candy and snack wrappers… the holidays are just around the corner!

The Big Picture

According to the US Census, an estimated 41 million trick-or-treaters will descend upon neighborhoods and doorsteps across America this year⁽¹⁾.

In preparation for all of the spook-tacular activities, the National Retail Federation is estimating total Halloween spending in 2011 to reach $6.86 billion, the highest amount in nine years⁽²⁾.

Save money and reduce waste this Halloween by reusing what you already have, swapping décor and costumes with friends and purchasing everything else you need for a fun-filled holiday at second-hand retailers. The environment and your wallet with thank you!

Sources: (1) US Census “Facts for Features: Haloween 2011” | (2) National Retail Federation “Haloween Celebrations” 2011