Day 2 of the Spring Cleaning topic, Organizing.
This will be a short & simple post, since it is a short and simple topic.
So, how does organizing fit in with sustainability? Its easy- if you know where things are and what you have, you won't spend time searching for it or have to go out and buy a new item. How annoying is it to search and search for the tape, finally get a new roll, and THEN find the roll that you were originally looking for? Or to find out that your produce has gone bad in the back of the refrigerator because you forgot that it was there?
So, I don't have any real tips on organizing, other than to say a) pare down what you own (see yesterday's post), and b) then arrange it in a way that makes sense & works for you! For example, I have my books at home grouped by subject - it would be too exhausting to try and file them alphabetically by author, but at least if I'm looking for a book about rock climbing, I have a good idea where I would find it. I also like making use of existing objects around my house to organize things with - such as tomato sauce jars for screws and nails, spice jars for Q-tips (I have some cool little spice jars that work perfectly), etc. The more that you can re-use, the better.
And just think how happy you'll be when you don't have to waste time searching for something that you *think* should be *here*.
Tomorrow - the "big" topic regarding Spring Cleaning - better (for you & the environment) cleaning supplies!
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
Spring Cleaning
After a week of writer's block, I'm back!
Its a bit early, but with the few days of warm weather we've been having here (mixed with days of snow - truly March), I'm thinking about spring cleaning - get rid of the clutter, simplify, get things clean and shiny for the spring and summer.
So, the different aspects of spring cleaning:
- Getting rid of things
- Organizing
- Cleaning
I'll cover one of these topics each day, and there'll be a quiz on Friday with answers on Monday.
So, for today - let's get rid of things & simplify!!
First of all, why? We're in a society where more is often equated with better. However, several studies and a book (The Paradox of Choice: Why More is Less by Barry Schwartz) determined that too many choices make us unhappier - "Is there a better choice that we could have/use?", "I bet that there's something better on TV" - instead of just enjoying what we do have.
In addition, in The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin, she finds that for many people, outer order contributes to inner calm. Many of us are trying to be calmer, more rational and relaxed human beings, and being confronted by clutter upsets these senses.
Sometimes we buy things to satisfy a "fantasy" about ourselves - for example, tablecloths ("I'd love to use a tablecloth, if I get one, it will make me use it"). And then, it sits in the linen closet, reminding us that we not organized enough to use it and making us feel guilty. These items that don't make you happy should GO.
“If you want a golden rule that will fit everybody, this is it: Have nothing in your houses that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful.”
-- William Morris
Ok, so we know WHY to simplify, but now HOW & what to do with the things we want to get rid of.
If you have things that no longer make you happy, but still have useful life left in them, see about donating them! Many charitable organizations will take gently used items. In the Sandy area, the Sandy Community Action Center accepts clothing (clean & in good condition), baby items, canned or dried food, and small household items. Goodwill also accepts items in good conditions, including computer parts which they refurbish, reuse, or recycle responsibly. Computer parts can also be taken to FreeGeek, where they will be refurbished, reused, or recycled. Refurbished computers are then "earned" by volunteers, donated to non-profits, or sold in the thrift store. The Sandy Lions Club accepts eyeglasses and hearing aids for recycling. I'll add other links and information as I find them.
Another resource is the local Freecycle network, where items can be offered for free. There are the following networks in our areas: Mt Hood, Gresham, Clackamas. You'd be amazed at what people will take - even if its not working. Then again, you'll be amazed at what people won't taken - even if it does work!
So, if the items that you no longer want to keep are broken, dirty, or no longer in good condition - the best option is to see if they can be recycled. At Earth911.com you can type in what you're trying to get rid of, and the website will let you know where you can take it. Many more things are recyclable than what goes in the curbside pickup.
Once you've exhausted all of those options, then its time to consider throwing the item in the trash. Sometimes this is the only way, but make sure that you've taken anything hazardous (i.e. batteries) out before you put it in the trash.
Its a bit early, but with the few days of warm weather we've been having here (mixed with days of snow - truly March), I'm thinking about spring cleaning - get rid of the clutter, simplify, get things clean and shiny for the spring and summer.
So, the different aspects of spring cleaning:
- Getting rid of things
- Organizing
- Cleaning
I'll cover one of these topics each day, and there'll be a quiz on Friday with answers on Monday.
So, for today - let's get rid of things & simplify!!
First of all, why? We're in a society where more is often equated with better. However, several studies and a book (The Paradox of Choice: Why More is Less by Barry Schwartz) determined that too many choices make us unhappier - "Is there a better choice that we could have/use?", "I bet that there's something better on TV" - instead of just enjoying what we do have.
In addition, in The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin, she finds that for many people, outer order contributes to inner calm. Many of us are trying to be calmer, more rational and relaxed human beings, and being confronted by clutter upsets these senses.
Sometimes we buy things to satisfy a "fantasy" about ourselves - for example, tablecloths ("I'd love to use a tablecloth, if I get one, it will make me use it"). And then, it sits in the linen closet, reminding us that we not organized enough to use it and making us feel guilty. These items that don't make you happy should GO.
“If you want a golden rule that will fit everybody, this is it: Have nothing in your houses that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful.”
-- William Morris
Ok, so we know WHY to simplify, but now HOW & what to do with the things we want to get rid of.
If you have things that no longer make you happy, but still have useful life left in them, see about donating them! Many charitable organizations will take gently used items. In the Sandy area, the Sandy Community Action Center accepts clothing (clean & in good condition), baby items, canned or dried food, and small household items. Goodwill also accepts items in good conditions, including computer parts which they refurbish, reuse, or recycle responsibly. Computer parts can also be taken to FreeGeek, where they will be refurbished, reused, or recycled. Refurbished computers are then "earned" by volunteers, donated to non-profits, or sold in the thrift store. The Sandy Lions Club accepts eyeglasses and hearing aids for recycling. I'll add other links and information as I find them.
Another resource is the local Freecycle network, where items can be offered for free. There are the following networks in our areas: Mt Hood, Gresham, Clackamas. You'd be amazed at what people will take - even if its not working. Then again, you'll be amazed at what people won't taken - even if it does work!
So, if the items that you no longer want to keep are broken, dirty, or no longer in good condition - the best option is to see if they can be recycled. At Earth911.com you can type in what you're trying to get rid of, and the website will let you know where you can take it. Many more things are recyclable than what goes in the curbside pickup.
Once you've exhausted all of those options, then its time to consider throwing the item in the trash. Sometimes this is the only way, but make sure that you've taken anything hazardous (i.e. batteries) out before you put it in the trash.
Monday, February 27, 2012
Paper Quiz - Answers!
Pop quiz to see if you read my posts over the past 2 weeks about paper. I'll post the answers on Monday. Feel free to respond in the comments, or ask questions!
1) I have a large report that is stapled together. Do I really have to take the staple out before putting it in the recycling bin?
Nope! The recycling process can handle miscellaneous staples, paper clips, etc.
Nope! The recycling process can handle miscellaneous staples, paper clips, etc.
2) Did you notice that paper towels and toilet paper come on cardboard rolls? Can these be recycled?
(some brands are doing away with the cardboard rolls to save resources!)
YES! They can. Paper towels can also be composted in our compost bucket at City Hall. And the cardboard boxes that tissues come in can be recycled, too.
YES! They can. Paper towels can also be composted in our compost bucket at City Hall. And the cardboard boxes that tissues come in can be recycled, too.
3) I just printed out 10 pages of labels and stuck them to the envelopes. What should I do with the backing paper?
They have to be thrown away :( The plastic coating that allows the labels to come off doesn't allow the paper to be recycled. Alternatives include printing the addresses directly on the envelopes (and then you save the time of sticking the labels onto the envelopes)
They have to be thrown away :( The plastic coating that allows the labels to come off doesn't allow the paper to be recycled. Alternatives include printing the addresses directly on the envelopes (and then you save the time of sticking the labels onto the envelopes)
4) All of our mail seems to come in those envelopes with windows. Do I need to throw these away?
NO! The recycling process can handle small amounts of plastic contaminants like these.
NO! The recycling process can handle small amounts of plastic contaminants like these.
5) After I microwave my frozen Lean Cuisine lunch, what should I do with the box that it came in?
It has to be thrown away :( The boxes that frozen food comes in contain "wet strength" - a chemical that keeps it from breaking down in water. Since the recycling process relies on water to break down the paper, this is a problem.
It has to be thrown away :( The boxes that frozen food comes in contain "wet strength" - a chemical that keeps it from breaking down in water. Since the recycling process relies on water to break down the paper, this is a problem.
6) We used paper plates for a sandwich-type lunch. No food got on the plates. Can we recycle them? NO! The plates often have either a plastic or wax coating, or wet strength added, so they don't break down in the recycling process
7) What about the paper cups that we used that had water in them?
No. Same reason as above.
No. Same reason as above.
8) I shred all my sensitive documents. Can I recycle them? What should I put them in? (hah - 2 questions here!)
YES! Shredded paper can be recycled. Most waste management companies ask that you put it in paper bags, but we can also work with Hoodview Disposal to have a special pick-up of large amounts of shredded paper in plastic bags.
YES! Shredded paper can be recycled. Most waste management companies ask that you put it in paper bags, but we can also work with Hoodview Disposal to have a special pick-up of large amounts of shredded paper in plastic bags.
9) Name 1 benefit of recycling paper and/or using recycled paper with high post-consumer waste content.
saved 3.6 million trees
- reduce air emissions
- save water
- prevented the release of waste into the wastewater system
- requires 40% less energy than making paper from virgin wood products
- releases 38% fewer green-house gases
10) At least on the Planning & Building side of City Hall, we use carbonless paper for hand-written receipts, building inspections, etc. What should we do with the scraps and other pieces that we don't need?
This was a trick question, since I just updated the answer in the blog about paper recycling. YES, it is!
Bonus Question: What is the one exception to question 5 above?
Amy's Organics. These have been confirmed to NOT use wet strength chemicals.
Amy's Organics. These have been confirmed to NOT use wet strength chemicals.
Thursday, February 23, 2012
Paper Quiz
Pop quiz to see if you read my posts over the past 2 weeks about paper. I'll post the answers on Monday. Feel free to respond in the comments, or ask questions!
1) I have a large report that is stapled together. Do I really have to take the staple out before putting it in the recycling bin?
2) Did you notice that paper towels and toilet paper come on cardboard rolls? Can these be recycled?
(some brands are doing away with the cardboard rolls to save resources!)
3) I just printed out 10 pages of labels and stuck them to the envelopes. What should I do with the backing paper?
4) All of our mail seems to come in those envelopes with windows. Do I need to throw these away?
5) After I microwave my frozen Lean Cuisine lunch, what should I do with the box that it came in?
6) We used paper plates for a sandwich-type lunch. No food got on the plates. Can we recycle them?
7) What about the paper cups that we used that had water in them?
8) I shred all my sensitive documents. Can I recycle them? What should I put them in? (hah - 2 questions here!)
9) Name 1 benefit of recycling paper and/or using recycled paper with high post-consumer waste content.
10) At least on the Planning & Building side of City Hall, we use carbonless paper for hand-written receipts, building inspections, etc. What should we do with the scraps and other pieces that we don't need?
Bonus Question: What is the one exception to question 5 above?
1) I have a large report that is stapled together. Do I really have to take the staple out before putting it in the recycling bin?
2) Did you notice that paper towels and toilet paper come on cardboard rolls? Can these be recycled?
(some brands are doing away with the cardboard rolls to save resources!)
3) I just printed out 10 pages of labels and stuck them to the envelopes. What should I do with the backing paper?
4) All of our mail seems to come in those envelopes with windows. Do I need to throw these away?
5) After I microwave my frozen Lean Cuisine lunch, what should I do with the box that it came in?
6) We used paper plates for a sandwich-type lunch. No food got on the plates. Can we recycle them?
7) What about the paper cups that we used that had water in them?
8) I shred all my sensitive documents. Can I recycle them? What should I put them in? (hah - 2 questions here!)
9) Name 1 benefit of recycling paper and/or using recycled paper with high post-consumer waste content.
10) At least on the Planning & Building side of City Hall, we use carbonless paper for hand-written receipts, building inspections, etc. What should we do with the scraps and other pieces that we don't need?
Bonus Question: What is the one exception to question 5 above?
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
Paper Substitutes
There are numerous substitutes for paper products - many of which we used to use before disposables and their convenience and cleanliness. For times when we must use disposable items, find ones with the highest percentage possible of post-consumer recycled content. If every household in the United States replaced just one roll of virgin fiber paper towels with paper towels made of 100 percent recycled paper, we could save 544,000 trees, according to the Natural Resources Defense Council.
Office paper: While this cannot truly be replaced, its use can be reduced by the following actions:
- Print double-sided
- Use paper that has already been used on one side for drafts and non-important printing
- Keep documents electronically instead of printing them out
Paper cups and plates:
- Use durable plates, glasses and mugs, and wash them in the dishwasher
Paper Towels
- Use rags or sponges for spills
- Use hand towels and wash weekly/as needed
Napkins
- Use cloth napkins whenever possible. A large collection from scrap material is an easy way to make sure that you always have enough clean ones.
Remember that the 3 R's of the environmental movement start with REDUCE, and then REUSE, with RECYCLE as a last resort.
Office paper: While this cannot truly be replaced, its use can be reduced by the following actions:
- Print double-sided
- Use paper that has already been used on one side for drafts and non-important printing
- Keep documents electronically instead of printing them out
Paper cups and plates:
- Use durable plates, glasses and mugs, and wash them in the dishwasher
Paper Towels
- Use rags or sponges for spills
- Use hand towels and wash weekly/as needed
Napkins
- Use cloth napkins whenever possible. A large collection from scrap material is an easy way to make sure that you always have enough clean ones.
Remember that the 3 R's of the environmental movement start with REDUCE, and then REUSE, with RECYCLE as a last resort.
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Benefits of Paper Recycling
There are numerous reasons to recycling paper, and a typical piece of office paper can be recycled five to seven times before the fibers become too short to be used again!
Recycling paper helps preserve natural resources:
In 2007, the Metro regional area recycled 457,000 tons of paper, which:
- saved 3.6 million trees
- reduced air emissions by 566,884 tons (equivalent of 68,000 cars for one year)
- saved 1 billion gallons of water
- prevented the release of 2,100 tons of waste into the wastewater system
- requires 40% less energy than making paper from virgin wood products
- releases 38% fewer green-house gases
Paper recycling saves space in landfills (although that is not currently an issue in the PNW), protects forests, saves energy, and is cost effective. In addition, reducing paper usage to begin with, and buying paper with high post-consumer recycled content further helps preserve our natural resources.
Tomorrow I'll discuss alternatives to the paper that we use on a daily basis.
Recycling paper helps preserve natural resources:
In 2007, the Metro regional area recycled 457,000 tons of paper, which:
- saved 3.6 million trees
- reduced air emissions by 566,884 tons (equivalent of 68,000 cars for one year)
- saved 1 billion gallons of water
- prevented the release of 2,100 tons of waste into the wastewater system
- requires 40% less energy than making paper from virgin wood products
- releases 38% fewer green-house gases
Paper recycling saves space in landfills (although that is not currently an issue in the PNW), protects forests, saves energy, and is cost effective. In addition, reducing paper usage to begin with, and buying paper with high post-consumer recycled content further helps preserve our natural resources.
Tomorrow I'll discuss alternatives to the paper that we use on a daily basis.
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Paper Recycling
As an office, the material we seem to use the most is paper. And beyond just copying & printing, there are also paper towels, paper napkins, those boxes that microwave lunches come in, etc. Sometimes its hard to know what is and is not recyclable (and why), and what the benefits are.
We'll start with what IS recyclable here in Sandy, follow-up tomorrow with the benefits of paper recycling, and finally discuss on Thursday options to replace the non-recyclable paper materials we use:
Please put the following IN the recycling bins!
Copy paper (ideally used on both sides; staples, spiral bindings & paper clips are OK)
Glossy magazines
Newspaper
Envelopes with windows
Junk Mail
Catalogs & Phone books
Paper Bags
Cardboard Boxes
Egg cartons
Paper back books
Tetra packs, aseptic milk cartons, & juice boxes (rise out, do not flatten, remove all plastic lids, etc)
Sticky-notes (the adhesive is water-based & dissolves in the recycling process)
Amy's frozen food boxes (these are the only known frozen food box that do not contain the wet-strength chemical)
Beer & soda cartons
Shredded paper - in paper bags
The following items are NOT recyclable. (I've indicated the reasoning in parentheses)
- Paper towels, toilet paper, tissues
(These often contain wet-strength chemical additives, as well as usually being made with a fairly high percentage of recycled paper, so the fibers in paper towels are too short to be woven into new paper products. BUT they CAN be composted! For my sake, please don't put toilet paper or tissues in the office compost, though - paper towels are OK!)
- Label backing sheets (i.e. the non-stick "paper" that sheets of labels are stuck to)
(The plastic coating on these does not break down in the recycling process)
- Anything with food on it
(Grease from the pizza, food, etc. seeps into the paper or cardboard which makes it unrecyclable, stained fibers, gross-factor, etc)
- Cardboard-type food containers that are stored in the fridge or freezer EXCEPT Amy's organics boxes.
(These contain a chemical called wet-strength which prevents them from falling apart in cold, moist environments. This also keeps them from being recyclable. Check out the following link for more information!
http://www.enviromom.com/2009/02/portland-more-on-those-freezer-boxes.html).
- Plastic coated envelopes
(Plastic)
- Paper cups & plates
(Often these have a wax or plastic coating, are made with short fibers that can't be reused, or are contaminated with food - see the note above on food-contaminated paper)
I am going to follow-up to find out if carbonless paper (i.e. the paper we use for receipts, building inspections, etc) is recyclable. I'll update this when I know more! [EDIT: The answer is YES, this is recyclable!]
We'll start with what IS recyclable here in Sandy, follow-up tomorrow with the benefits of paper recycling, and finally discuss on Thursday options to replace the non-recyclable paper materials we use:
Please put the following IN the recycling bins!
Copy paper (ideally used on both sides; staples, spiral bindings & paper clips are OK)
Glossy magazines
Newspaper
Envelopes with windows
Junk Mail
Catalogs & Phone books
Paper Bags
Cardboard Boxes
Egg cartons
Paper back books
Tetra packs, aseptic milk cartons, & juice boxes (rise out, do not flatten, remove all plastic lids, etc)
Sticky-notes (the adhesive is water-based & dissolves in the recycling process)
Amy's frozen food boxes (these are the only known frozen food box that do not contain the wet-strength chemical)
Beer & soda cartons
Shredded paper - in paper bags
The following items are NOT recyclable. (I've indicated the reasoning in parentheses)
- Paper towels, toilet paper, tissues
(These often contain wet-strength chemical additives, as well as usually being made with a fairly high percentage of recycled paper, so the fibers in paper towels are too short to be woven into new paper products. BUT they CAN be composted! For my sake, please don't put toilet paper or tissues in the office compost, though - paper towels are OK!)
- Label backing sheets (i.e. the non-stick "paper" that sheets of labels are stuck to)
(The plastic coating on these does not break down in the recycling process)
- Anything with food on it
(Grease from the pizza, food, etc. seeps into the paper or cardboard which makes it unrecyclable, stained fibers, gross-factor, etc)
- Cardboard-type food containers that are stored in the fridge or freezer EXCEPT Amy's organics boxes.
(These contain a chemical called wet-strength which prevents them from falling apart in cold, moist environments. This also keeps them from being recyclable. Check out the following link for more information!
http://www.enviromom.com/2009/02/portland-more-on-those-freezer-boxes.html).
- Plastic coated envelopes
(Plastic)
- Paper cups & plates
(Often these have a wax or plastic coating, are made with short fibers that can't be reused, or are contaminated with food - see the note above on food-contaminated paper)
I am going to follow-up to find out if carbonless paper (i.e. the paper we use for receipts, building inspections, etc) is recyclable. I'll update this when I know more! [EDIT: The answer is YES, this is recyclable!]
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