A lot of governments throughout Europe are now charging companies more for the amount of rubbish they send to landfill, yet they offer tax relief for those companies that recycle the majority of their packaging. With global pressure on countries to show green initiatives the same tax relief might soon be available in the US.

Simply put it not only helps the environment to recycle your packaging but can also save you money.

Packaging is one of the biggest environmental issues facing us today, with the majority of plastic packaging taking up to 3,000 years to break down. And whilst many new avenues are being explored with regards to biodegradable packaging we are still a long way off from being able to combat the problem.
So, we need to have a good look at what we use as packaging;

Above anything else cardboard packaging stands out head and shoulders above the rest as the form of packaging that is the easiest to recycle.

Cardboard Boxes are Easy to Recycle

Image by zakwitnij

If you own a company that is shipping a lot of parcels each week then there are some easy steps you can take to help reduce your carbon footprint.

1. Avoid Foam Packaging

The first tip is to avoid using foam packaging, be it in the form of inserts or foam chips, either of which can take thousands of years to break down in a landfill site.

2. Use Alternate Packaging Fillers – Like Shredded Paper

Instead of foam packing material why not consider using shredded paper. Even if your customer does not recycle it, at least it will break down fast in a landfill site or even in a compost bin.

3. Re-Use Packages and Fillers That You Receive

If you are a manufacturing company then the chances are that you will be receiving in a lot of parcels with packaging that you normally throw away. However why not consider re-using the cardboard boxes or foam chips that they come packed with?

After all nearly every person selling goods on eBay recycles all of their old packaging. If we buy something at an online auction do we worry about how it comes packaged as long as it arrives in one piece? No we do not. Yet if we buy something new we expect it to come in nice new packaging, yet what is the real difference? It is all about perception.

4. Link In With a Local Packaging Recycler

Search for companies that will recycle your used business packaging, many will also be able to sell you reconditioned packaging. Check out our article about an amazing company, UsedCardBoardBoxes.com

http://www.oureverydayearth.com/they-make-recycled-boxes-their-business/

With a little thought we can change our perception of what packaging should be by re-using and recycling the majority of our packaging.

Listed below are just a few ways you can start saving money through recycling.

1/ Get money back:

First of all, if you live in certain states in the U.S. you can get your money back just by taking back bottles.  We pay this fee ahead of time, and in order for us to get our money back, we must recycle.  So, don’t take the easy way out and just throw away your bottles.  Instead, take them with you the next time you go grocery shopping.

This is known as container deposit legislation and you can read an excellent summary of how different countries handle it here;

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Container_deposit_legislation

In the United States we call the laws “Bottle Bills” and only certain states offer them.

The Bottle Bill States

2/ Make your own new clothes:

We all have clothes that no longer fit us that just sit in our closet.  If you really don’t want to get rid of them, then remake clothes out of them.  If there is a certain fabric you like, or a pattern that interests you, remake an item of clothing.  This can be a hobby as well as a good way of recycling.
We found an excellent video tutorial by the folks at Refashinoso;
You can view the video below or by clicking this link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OFLW8ZZzbEo

3/ Wrapping gifts:

You should never have to buy wrapping paper at the store to wrap gifts.  Instead, you can use newspapers, or you can save the wrapping paper that people give you to wrap your gifts.  This is especially true for bows.  Around Christmas time, keep any nice ribbons, bows, or wrapping paper that doesn’t have any damage.  This will save you a lot of money over the years.

Green Gift Wrapping

4/ Reupholster:

You can reupholster pretty much anything.  Whether you want to reupholster your old furniture with fabric you aren’t using, or you want to recover a book, you can do that by simply recycling old fabrics.
Our favorite resource for DIY re-upholstering is on the DIY Network site;
http://www.diynetwork.com/topics/upholstering/index.html

5/ Containers / boxes:

You can always use old containers or boxes as a way of organizing certain things in your home.  Whether you dress up an old box to keep your photos in, or you keep an old plastic container to store your makeup in, there is always a way you can put it to use.
We loved the ideas from VegetableGardener.com about using old containers to start new life by planting your vegetable seedlings in them.

Plant Vegetable Seedlings in Old Containers

As you can see, there are several ways to recycle items around your home.  Recycling is something you can feel good about, and also a great way to save money.  Start being creative today, and find a way to save.

This is a guest post written by Mindy Clairbel.  Mindy runs MyCCFinder, a website that offers several Printable Coupons promo codes, and hot deals on just about everything.

Number 1: Recycled Mother Board Ornaments

These ornaments are made from recycled computer circuit boards and they’re some of our favorites, a top pick for any green geeks!
Avialable from MotherBoardGifts.net

Recycled Christmas Tree Ornaments from Used Motherboards!

Number 2: Fabulous Recycled Beer Bottle Holly Leaves

These beautiful holly ornaments are made from recycled beer bottles, there has been a lot of skill and time put into each one of these ornaments;
Recycled Beer Bottle Ornaments

Recycled Beer Bottle Ornament

Number 3: Recycled Old Lightbulbs Made into Ornaments

These cute ornaments are made by the “bulb-painter” and are a cool re-use of old lights bulbs as ornaments;
Available from the Bulb Painters Etsy Store

Recycled Light Bulb Ornament

Number 4: Eco-Fi Polyester Felt and Recycled Plastic

Made from eco fabrics and recycled plastic these fabulous ornament stockings are a green choice.
Buy these Eco-Fi Ornaments at Etsy

Eco-Fi Polyester Felt Ornaments

Number 5: Recycled Bike Chain Decorations

These gorgeous ornaments are made from recycled bicycle chains!
Available online from the Animal Rescue Site – Recycled Bike Chain Ornaments

Recycled Bicycle Chain Ornaments

Number 6: Those Old Tree Lights Can Hang Around a Little Longer

The ultimate in full circle recycling! Recycled tree lights made into a tree ornament;
Buy these recycled tree light ornaments here

Recycled Tree Light Ornaments

Number 7: Recycled Glass Infused Ornaments, Expensive Looks but Eco-Friendly

Made with recycled glass these classy ornaments look great whilst being eco friendly;
Buy Online at PalomaPottery.com

Recycled Glass Infused Christmas Tree Ornaments

Number 8: Last Years Tree Can Now Hang on This Years Tree!

Most Christmas trees get hauled off to a landfill but these wonderful ornaments are made from last years tree!
Buy These from Vintage Indie – Last Years Tree Ornaments

Made From Last Years Christmas Tree!

Number 9: Recycled in the UK – Used CD Ornaments

All the way from the UK, these recycled CDs will truly sparkle;
Buy them at Nigels Eco-Store – Recycled CD Ornaments

A Shiny Recycled Compact Disk Ornament

Number 10: Brightly Painted Recycled Incandescent Bulbs

Another painted recycled incandescent bulb but very brightly painted, lots to choose from;
Available on Etsy – Recycled Incandescent Bulbs Brightly Painted

Recycled Incandescent Light Bulb Ornament

Do you have your own recycled Christmas tree ornament ideas to share? Let us know by leaving a comment…

Instead of planting yourself in front of the TV for the day, well maybe just for the Football game, consider getting out some and getting fresh air or play a board game. Take advantage of the time together with family while decreasing your energy usage.

If you are going to someone else’s home for dinner, consider turning down the thermostat and turning off the lights to save energy at home while you are gone.

Don’t forget to recycle. Encourage everyone to pitch in and put the recyclables in bins. Recycling all the packaging from the fixings for the meal, as well as any beverage containers, will significantly reduce the number of times you have to take the trash out, as well as the amount of garbage you send to the landfills.

Using all of those LEFTOVERS is super green

When you decorate that table, use produce, leaves, acorns and branches, bring the outdoors in and use your good dishes instead of paper plates, that of course goes without saying!

We have so much to be thankful for here in Texas. Sharing time with family and being in the company of the ones we love. Hope your Holiday is a wonderful one.

The AbitibiBowater "Arlington Recycling Operation" Building

I arrived at around 12PM on a sunny Friday afternoon to the AbitibiBowater “Arlington Recycling Operation” building and was immediately impressed with the high level of activity surrounding the recycling center. Trucks were constantly loading and unloading at the centers numerous loading bays.

I had always wanted to see how both domestic and commercial recyclables are processed and my tour of the Arlington facility gave me a fascinating insight into how the recycling process works;

1/ COLLECTING THE RECYCLABLES:

The first stage for any recycled materials is collection. Their are several types of vehicles which perform the recycling collections;

Various Recycling Collection Vehicles

There are three main types of collection vehicles, the Front End Loading (FEL), the Rear End Loading (REL) and the Roll Off type vehicle (RO). You might recognize one or all three types of collection vehicle, try to spot them the next time you take a road trip!

The EcoRewards section of the business supplies local companies with various sizes of curbside containers including compactors, open top containers and hard top containers.

EcoRewards Supply Local Businesses with Recycling Containers

The curbside containers shown above can hold about 8 cubic yards of material and are collected by the Front End Loading vehicles. An example of a larger curbside container is shown below, these are great for municipal drop off sites where it rains and a company needs to keep the recyclables dry until collection day;

A Larger Hard Top Curbside Container

2/ UNLOADING THE RECYCLABLES:

The various recycling collection vehicles make their collection calls and head back to the Arlington recycling center to unload the recyclables. A collection vehicle will make their drop off straight into the tip area. The tip area is the staging area for all incoming recyclable materials.

Recyclables Being Unloaded in the Tip Area

3/ MOVING RECYCLABLES TO THE SORTING AREA:

Once the recyclables have been unloaded a large wheeled bucket loader pushes them from the tipping floor into the in-feed conveyor, where it is processed into the drum feeder.

Moving the Recyclables to the Sorting Area

4/ SORTING THE RECYCLABLES:

Once the recyclable material has been pushed towards the in-feed conveyor they are loaded onto an inclined conveyor. The incline conveyor takes the recyclable materials up to the raised pre-sort station’s sorting conveyor from the drum feeder.

Recyclables Loaded Onto an Inclined Conveyor

At the top of the inclined conveyor is a “pre-sorting” area which starts to group the materials by type of recyclable. The extended pre-sort area allows more sorters to work the material, improving the run-ability of the equipment downstream as well as productivity.

The Materials are Pre Sorted into Recyclable Groups

As the recyclables move onto their next stage they pass over filter screens. Passing over these fine screens removes broken glass and small material. The recyclables then drop into one of three ONP (Old Newspaper) screens to separate the newspaper from the recyclable containers. The Arlington, TX facility is the only system in the world to run three ONP screens on a single line!

Filter Screens Remove Small Particles and Glass Fragments

5/ RECYCLING THE PAPER PRODUCTS:

The first stage after the pre sorting line is to separate any recyclable paper products. All materials sorted out by the three Old Newspaper screens go to the two paper sort lines, where the sorting teams remove plastic bags and any other non-recyclables as well as any cardboard missed at the pre-sort line.

The Recyclable Paper Sort Line

6/ RECYCLING PLASTIC PRODUCTS:

After the paper products have been removed from the recyclables the second stage is to sort out the plastic recyclables. A sophisticated PolyEthylene (PET) optical sorter separates the PET bottles (clear drink bottles such as water and soda bottles) into a PET bunker.

An Optical PET Sorter Finds Clear Plastic Containers

The optical sorter does an amazing job of separating the PET bottles which can be seen below in the PET bunker;

The PET Plastics Bunker Full of Clear Plastic!

The rest of the recyclable containers flow down the container line, and the colored plastic High Density Poly Ethylene (HDPE) bottles, such as laundry detergent and soap bottles, and the natural plastic HDPE bottles get sorted out by hand into the appropriate bunkers.

The HDPE Plastics Bunker

7/ RECYCLING THE STEEL AND ALUMINUM:

Once all the paper and plastic has been removed from the sorting line all that is remaining is steel and aluminum cans and a small amount of non-recyclables. The steel cans are removed by a magnetic belt, and aluminum is removed by an eddy current. Any remaining material is sent to the trash conveyor and trash compactors.

The Steel and Aluminum Recyclables

8/ BALING THE RECYCLABLES FOR SHIPPING:

Once all the recyclables have been sorted into the paper, cardboard, plastics and metals categories they are ready to be taken from their bunkers and compacted into large cubes of recyclable material. An automatic tie-off baler fastens the bales with aluminum ties, preparing the bales for shipment.

Baling the Recyclables for Shipping

9/ THE RECYCLABLES ARE READY TO BE SHIPPED:

After all the sorting by man and machine, and once the categorized recyclables have been baled into large cubes the finished product is ready for shipping. The finished product might be shipped off to an AbitibiBowater mill or another end user and become your next recycled material purchase! The Arlington Recycling Facility can pack up the baled recyclables and transport them in large containers by road or by rail. In fact, the train tracks run right up to a loading bay at the back of the facility!

The Finished Recyclables are Transported by Road or Rail

Q. So how much recyclable material does the Abitibi Bowater / EcoRewards facility in Arlington, Texas process?

A. They process a staggering 350 – 400 tons of recyclables a day!

That is equivalent to over 300 tons of CO2 greenhouse gases prevented everyday, or permanently removing around 50 cars from the roads per day!

One the Many AbitibiBowater Sorters Working Hard Everyday

Q. If I live in the Dallas / Ft Worth area, how can I help the AbitibiBowater recycling facility?

A. The people at AbitibiBowater and EcoRewards are working hard everyday to recycle as much of our residential and commercial waste as possible, here are a few things you can do to help;

The following items can and should be recycled:

Paper Items

• newspapers
• magazines
• phone books
• junk mail and envelopes
• office paper
• flattened cereal boxes
• flattened cardboard that will fit in bin
• paper bags

Glass

• clear, brown and green glass jars & bottles
• remove lids and discard
• lightly rinse
• labels can be left on

Plastic

• plastic jugs and bottles
• remove lids and discard
• lightly rinse
• labels can be left on

Steel, Tin & Aluminum Cans

• lightly rinse
• labels can be left on

DO NOT put the following items in your recycling bin:

• medical waste (needles, syringes, lancets)
• Styrofoam
• pizza boxes
• plastic grocery bags (you can return these to a local grocery store for recycling)
• aluminum foil
• plastic toys, dishes & bowls
• light bulbs, windows, mirrors
• pesticide / chemical containers
• motor oil / antifreeze containers

For more information about the EcoRewards program and how to get your business linked into an amazing recycling program you can contact;

EcoRewards Recycling program

AbitibiBowater

New IESI MRF Recycling Center in McKinney

The McKinney recycling center building is fully LEED certified which means the building itself was built to the strictest eco friendly standards;
The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design is the nationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction and operation of green commercial structures.
The new recycling center also houses a second-floor community room and observation deck overlooking the recycling operations area.

The New IESI MRF Recycling Center, McKinney TX

They will be recycling;

• Glass
• Plastic
• Paper
• Aluminum
• Tin
• Cardboard

The facility incorporates sustainable features such as certified wood, building materials containing recycled content, low-emitting materials, water-conserving fixtures and features to reduce the heat-island effect.

Inside the New Recycling Center, McKinney

The Recyclables Being Sorted Inside the MRF Building

My inspiration came when I was “Googling” for recycled bags and purses, buried on the second page of my Google search was a name that just jumped out at me… UrthBags with a cool sounding description:

“Eco-Chic Purses & Handbags Made From Recycled Materials. UrthBags are hip purses & handbags made with a purpose”

Needless to say I was intrigued and a click later I was surfing through a wonderful site filled with beautiful handbags and purses all made from recycled materials. My husband and I put as much of our waste plastic, newspapers, magazines etc, into the recycle bin but we never get to see where they go or what they become. UrthBags takes these everyday recyclables and creates truly inspirational accessories. The company was founded by Monica Ralli and they are based in Hungtington Beach, CA and I have already placed several of their creations on my Christmas list. (I hope my Hubby is taking notes!)


The list of materials used to make the handbags and purses is astonishing, UrthBags take everyday recyclables such as juice boxes, telephone
books and newspapers, seashells, fashion magazines and coconuts and turn them into wonderful fashion accessories that cater to a wide range of tastes. I was going to include individual pictures of each of the handbags and purses but felt it was easier to show them off by creating a video.

You can view some of my favorite UrthBags in the video below;

Is it:

Recycling plastic water bottles: Did you know that 40 billion plastic bottles are produced each year in the United States, mostly for beverages. Two-thirds of them end up in landfills. All things considered, this is not good for the environment. Avoid landfills by recycling them. Most often there is a special curbside collection for recycling, but otherwise take them to your local Bottle-Bank.

Or is it Solar power, Did you know that a solar energy system of any size increases your earth print, reduces your carbon footprint and protects your home from brownouts and blackouts. http://www.solarpowerathome.com

or Wind energy, Did you know that small wind turbines are electric generators that utilize wind energy to produce clean, emissions-free power for individual homes, farms, and small businesses. With this simple and increasingly popular technology, individuals can generate their own power and cut their energy bills while helping to protect the environment. The U.S. leads the world in the production of small wind turbines, which are defined as having rated capacities of 100 kilowatts and less, and the market is expected to continue strong growth through the next decade. http://www.awea.org

Take some time to explore your green potential, it is always possible, that green thing, a small step, exploring an idea. Turning a maybe into a yes!

Give the eco-calculator a spin and see how much you are saving today, and how much you could be saving tomorrow for a greener earth.