The Community Recycling Center will reopen today at its new home at Goodwill Industries, 617 N. Mechanic St.Hopefully this will help clean up some of the problems the Louis Glick Hwy. drop-off site saw over its years of operation.
The center, which is operated by Northwest Refuse and Modern Waste Systems, has been in a parking lot at 209 W. Louis Glick Highway since it opened in 2005. It ceased operations there Monday.
Goodwill Operations Manager Matthew Brown said the store already recycles clothes and computers at its retail location, so the center is a natural extension.
"We're hoping it will boost our donations," Brown said.
The Louis Glick Highway location was chosen because it was convenient for residents on their way to and from downtown. Jackson City Councilman Andrew Frounfelker, whose ward is downtown, said some residents used the site to dump nonrecyclable items despite the presence of signs forbidding the act.
"Having Goodwill manage the city's recycling efforts will remove that expense for city taxpayers," Frounfelker wrote in an e-mail. "Overall the move to Goodwill, I believe, will be a positive endeavor for Goodwill, the city and, most important, the citizens of the community who participate in recycling."
The center will continue to accept common household recyclables. While it has been open 24 hours and unstaffed, it will henceforth be open and staffed from 8:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday and from noon to 5 p.m. Sunday.
Goodwill will celebrate the move at noon Wednesday with a ribbon-cutting ceremony, lunch, refreshments and tours of its facilities.
For more information about the center, call Brown at 787-0570, ext. 20.
Friday, December 4, 2009
Downtown Jackson recycling site moves to Goodwill
News from the Jackson Citizen Patriot:
Monday, November 30, 2009
Winter news from Recycling Jackson
Two things we want to pass along.
One, On November 1, 2009, Recycling Jackson began collecting $1 per pound to offset our cost to recycle your alkaline batteries. One pound of batteries is approximately a quart bag full of batteries. To our knowledge, we are the only company in town that actually recycles the batteries. If you are going elsewhere please ask if they are actually recycling the alkaline batteries that you drop off.
For environmental and economic reasons we strongly encourage you to consider using rechargeable or lithium batteries as an alternative to the alkaline batteries that you use.
We continue to recycle rechargeable batteries (NiCd, NiMh) and Lithium batteries at no cost.
Second, Starting in January of 2010 we will only be open on the first Saturday of each month through June of 2010. This is not by choice but due to financial reasons.
About 18 months ago Recycling Jackson was told that we would no longer receive payment for the paper, plastic, glass, metal and cardboard that we collected at our Monroe St. drop-off site. With that decision, the primary source of income needed to run our recycling operation dried up. We had hoped that the funding would come back over time, but the economic situation in our state and community has made that scenario seem unlikely.
While Recycling Jackson will limit our drop-off site operations, we will be expanding our advocacy and education efforts in the community. Those efforts are grant- and local-donor-funded and they continue to receive strong support. Next year, our community education efforts will be a team effort through the Dahlem Conservancy. That partnership will help us expand our education efforts to include the Green Schools program.
Again, I do apologize to our many loyal members for having to make these changes, but Recycling Jackson cannot operate without income. Please watch for more information on an adopt-a-recycling site program that we hope to start in 2010. That program is aimed at keeping the recycling drop-off sites around town clean, and to provide assistance to those that need it for unloading materials.
Watch here, or our web site for details.
One, On November 1, 2009, Recycling Jackson began collecting $1 per pound to offset our cost to recycle your alkaline batteries. One pound of batteries is approximately a quart bag full of batteries. To our knowledge, we are the only company in town that actually recycles the batteries. If you are going elsewhere please ask if they are actually recycling the alkaline batteries that you drop off.
For environmental and economic reasons we strongly encourage you to consider using rechargeable or lithium batteries as an alternative to the alkaline batteries that you use.
We continue to recycle rechargeable batteries (NiCd, NiMh) and Lithium batteries at no cost.
Second, Starting in January of 2010 we will only be open on the first Saturday of each month through June of 2010. This is not by choice but due to financial reasons.
About 18 months ago Recycling Jackson was told that we would no longer receive payment for the paper, plastic, glass, metal and cardboard that we collected at our Monroe St. drop-off site. With that decision, the primary source of income needed to run our recycling operation dried up. We had hoped that the funding would come back over time, but the economic situation in our state and community has made that scenario seem unlikely.
While Recycling Jackson will limit our drop-off site operations, we will be expanding our advocacy and education efforts in the community. Those efforts are grant- and local-donor-funded and they continue to receive strong support. Next year, our community education efforts will be a team effort through the Dahlem Conservancy. That partnership will help us expand our education efforts to include the Green Schools program.
Again, I do apologize to our many loyal members for having to make these changes, but Recycling Jackson cannot operate without income. Please watch for more information on an adopt-a-recycling site program that we hope to start in 2010. That program is aimed at keeping the recycling drop-off sites around town clean, and to provide assistance to those that need it for unloading materials.
Watch here, or our web site for details.
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
How your materials are recycled
Cool look at a paper baler in California, courtesy of Trash Trip's YouTube channel.
Karen Hawes, the self-described "Queen of Trash," runs the Trash Trip blog. There, Hawes chronicles the travels of trash all across the North and South American continents.
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Green your feet
Tread softly by recycling the old and stepping into a new pair of eco-friendly shoes.
When it’s time for a new pair of shoes, breathe new life into your footwear selection with a pair of first-rate ecologically-conscious “green” shoes made using second-time-around recycled materials and natural materials of all kinds, in many different styles and sizes.
When you find a suitable way to reuse or recycle your old pair and find a charming new pair of eco-friendly kickers, you reduce new landfill deposits and help reduce the size of the “carbon footprint” you leave. These are just a few small steps you can take to make a positive impact on the planet.
With an array of brands and choices, the selection of “green” footwear has grown by leaps and bounds. You’ll take the switch to green in a confident stride with a variety of shoes that will complement any style. Whether you’re looking for some all-weather rugged hiking boots for hitting the trail, some sandals for those beach days or even more formal styles like a pair of men’s dress shoes or perhaps a pair of ladies’ stylish pumps, there’s a “green” shoe to fit you!
Shoes are often produced using “first materials,” which puts a drain on resources. From factory production to transportation, they leave a big “carbon footprint” trail behind them on their way to your feet. Certain types of shoes that are made from a variety of materials can be difficult to recycle, resulting in them landing in the garbage bin, further increasing their burden on the environment. Eco-conscious shoes fit the “green” bill because they are composed of recycled materials like recycled rubber and fabrics or other natural materials that need less intense processing and are therefore more earth-friendly.
Once you decide your old comfy worn-out sneakers are ready to be retired, think green by locating a running shoe recycling program in your area. Many areas have shoe-recycling drop-off centers while the “reuse-a-shoe” program offers a mail-in option, as well as information about organizing and starting up a shoe-recycling program in your community if you don’t already have one. Some programs turn running shoes into their favorite counterpart – an athletic-grade surface! Other programs reuse the shoes through charity organizations worldwide. Two good places to begin looking are Recycled Runners and National Recycling Coalition's Rescue-a-Shoe.
After you’ve found an eco-friendly way to dismiss your old shoes from service, the fun begins.
Recycled shoes often take other difficult-to-dispose-of items and turn them into useful ingredients to make a long-lasting, earth-friendly, foot-hugging shoe. For example, old automobile tires enjoy a comeback as part of the latest from Flat Tire Footwear. These green shoes will put the bounce in your step with their unique “crumb rubber” soles made from recycled tires. They’re cushy and comfortable and offer plenty of traction. The line includes men’s and women’s shoes in several styles including sandals, clogs and casual shoes. Many feature suede-leather uppers.
If you need durable, earth-friendly shoes for enjoying nature, the Patagonia Company offers a large variety of hiking shoes and boots for men and women that feature a significant percentage of recycled plastics and cork. They also offer trainers, flip-flops and two-in-one slip-ons, all of which come in very stylish earth tone colors.
If you like tennis shoes or bicycle shoes, Worn Again is an environmentally conscious British company that creates spiffy shoes with great attention to detail. Worn Again boasts products that are made from inner tubes, airline seats and other surprising materials.
If you need some suave dress shoes, Ecolution has designed some great “green” ones for men including hemp oxfords. They are naturally organic and come in black, brown and light tan.
If you feel like splurging, treat your feet to a pair of Beyond Skin pumps or heels. They are available in a wide variety of ultra stylish designs and are all made from earth- and animal-friendly materials.
The Zoe & Zac line by Payless Shoe Source features a naturally different assortment of women and girls’ summer shoes produced by using organic materials and recycled rubber.
The next time you shoe shop, go green with your footwear. The ground you walk on and future generations will thank you.
When it’s time for a new pair of shoes, breathe new life into your footwear selection with a pair of first-rate ecologically-conscious “green” shoes made using second-time-around recycled materials and natural materials of all kinds, in many different styles and sizes.
When you find a suitable way to reuse or recycle your old pair and find a charming new pair of eco-friendly kickers, you reduce new landfill deposits and help reduce the size of the “carbon footprint” you leave. These are just a few small steps you can take to make a positive impact on the planet.
With an array of brands and choices, the selection of “green” footwear has grown by leaps and bounds. You’ll take the switch to green in a confident stride with a variety of shoes that will complement any style. Whether you’re looking for some all-weather rugged hiking boots for hitting the trail, some sandals for those beach days or even more formal styles like a pair of men’s dress shoes or perhaps a pair of ladies’ stylish pumps, there’s a “green” shoe to fit you!
Shoes are often produced using “first materials,” which puts a drain on resources. From factory production to transportation, they leave a big “carbon footprint” trail behind them on their way to your feet. Certain types of shoes that are made from a variety of materials can be difficult to recycle, resulting in them landing in the garbage bin, further increasing their burden on the environment. Eco-conscious shoes fit the “green” bill because they are composed of recycled materials like recycled rubber and fabrics or other natural materials that need less intense processing and are therefore more earth-friendly.
Once you decide your old comfy worn-out sneakers are ready to be retired, think green by locating a running shoe recycling program in your area. Many areas have shoe-recycling drop-off centers while the “reuse-a-shoe” program offers a mail-in option, as well as information about organizing and starting up a shoe-recycling program in your community if you don’t already have one. Some programs turn running shoes into their favorite counterpart – an athletic-grade surface! Other programs reuse the shoes through charity organizations worldwide. Two good places to begin looking are Recycled Runners and National Recycling Coalition's Rescue-a-Shoe.
After you’ve found an eco-friendly way to dismiss your old shoes from service, the fun begins.
Recycled shoes often take other difficult-to-dispose-of items and turn them into useful ingredients to make a long-lasting, earth-friendly, foot-hugging shoe. For example, old automobile tires enjoy a comeback as part of the latest from Flat Tire Footwear. These green shoes will put the bounce in your step with their unique “crumb rubber” soles made from recycled tires. They’re cushy and comfortable and offer plenty of traction. The line includes men’s and women’s shoes in several styles including sandals, clogs and casual shoes. Many feature suede-leather uppers.
If you need durable, earth-friendly shoes for enjoying nature, the Patagonia Company offers a large variety of hiking shoes and boots for men and women that feature a significant percentage of recycled plastics and cork. They also offer trainers, flip-flops and two-in-one slip-ons, all of which come in very stylish earth tone colors.
If you like tennis shoes or bicycle shoes, Worn Again is an environmentally conscious British company that creates spiffy shoes with great attention to detail. Worn Again boasts products that are made from inner tubes, airline seats and other surprising materials.
If you need some suave dress shoes, Ecolution has designed some great “green” ones for men including hemp oxfords. They are naturally organic and come in black, brown and light tan.
If you feel like splurging, treat your feet to a pair of Beyond Skin pumps or heels. They are available in a wide variety of ultra stylish designs and are all made from earth- and animal-friendly materials.
The Zoe & Zac line by Payless Shoe Source features a naturally different assortment of women and girls’ summer shoes produced by using organic materials and recycled rubber.
The next time you shoe shop, go green with your footwear. The ground you walk on and future generations will thank you.
Friday, September 4, 2009
Banner paper boxes reused for fluorescent tubes
Here's a handy little something I do at work.
We print banners and posters on three-foot-wide HP paper. Each roll of paper comes in these long, narrow cardboard boxes.
One day, I got the bright idea to start keeping our fluorescent tubes in the boxes until they could be recycled. And it works great: there's a little plastic or paper tube in the box that kept the paper rolled up, and the lights slide right in.
Every once in a while, I take a stack of them to our drop-off site. "Reuse" comes before "recycle," and this is a handy way to reuse something so unique.
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
RJ holds chamber luncheon
Our old pal and former president Travis Fojtasek, along with the newly-reformed Recycling Task Force, gave a lunch talk about the benefits of recycling to Greater Jackson Chamber of Commerce members.
Fojtasek told the group about the history of recycling in Jackson County, something he has worked hard to maintain:
Fojtasek told the group about the history of recycling in Jackson County, something he has worked hard to maintain:
Within Jackson County it has been demonstrated that private enterprise and local authorities can work together on recycling. The county government has not shown support due to the existence of the county incinerator. However, Recycling Jackson went to the Villages and Townships of our county and now Emmons, Modern Waste Disposal and Northwest Refuse pick up from 21 recycling centers free-of-charge.He also gave tips on how to start a recycling program at local businesses, followed by a question-and-answer session for everyone who attended.
Friday, June 26, 2009
Wear sustainable shoes with Eco Sneaks
Looking to make a difference with your feet?
A company called Simple Shoes has developed the Eco Sneak, a sustainable pair of sneakers that "uses materials like recycled car tires, certified organic cotton, PET (think recycled plastic bottles), recycled bike tires, and hemp."
Simple Shoes uses the shoe box to make a statement, as well:
The box is made from 100% post consumer recycled paper and printed with soy-based inks. The shoes have foot forms made from 100% post consumer paper pulp inside them when they arrive in the box. This is the only other packaging that comes with the shoes. No plastic, no excess paper stuffed inside the shoes, nothing.A new pair of Eco Sneaks will set you back $55-70.
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Hope for e-waste in Nigeria
That's the great thing about recycling electronics: what most Americans consider obsolete is pretty advanced for developing nations.
Sunday, May 3, 2009
Time-lapsed e-waste collection
Here's how they do it in Vermont.
Small Dog Electronics, an Apple reseller and electronics store, hosted a five-hour e-waste event where they collected 150 tons of electronic waste (e-waste).
This video was made using time-lapsed images over an hour. Look at all those recyclers!
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Recycling Jackson at Earth Day 2009
Recycling Jackson participated in the Jackson Outdoor Coalition's third Earth Day activities at Cascades this past weekend.
Despite the rain, we answered many questions and passed out lots of coloring books and bags for the kids.
Don't forget to plant the saplings we handed out - today's Earth Day!
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Bad news: only pastics #1-2 accepted
Recycling Jackson received unfortunate news from Northwest Refuse: they're no longer accepting colored glass or plastics numbered #3-7.
"Due to circumstances beyond our control we are unable to locate a market and are therefore no longer able to accept the above items as recyclable materials," Northwest told us in a letter.
Now they're only accepting clear glass and plastics #1 and #2.
The recycled material market hasn't been kind to recyclers lately.
Northwest tells us that they're working on updating the drop-off site signage to reflect the changes. It was nice when we could say any type of plastic is acceptable for recycling; let's hope we get back to that soon.
"Due to circumstances beyond our control we are unable to locate a market and are therefore no longer able to accept the above items as recyclable materials," Northwest told us in a letter.
Now they're only accepting clear glass and plastics #1 and #2.
The recycled material market hasn't been kind to recyclers lately.
Northwest tells us that they're working on updating the drop-off site signage to reflect the changes. It was nice when we could say any type of plastic is acceptable for recycling; let's hope we get back to that soon.
Thursday, April 2, 2009
Wired: 'Where Gadgets Go To Die'
Wired.com has a great photo essay about an electronics recycler in California - including piles of material (above) that gets reused.
The staggering thing is seeing those piles of electronics and realizing it's only the tip of the iceberg.
Wired also posted a manufacturer-specific "how to recycle e-waste" article on their How-To Wiki.
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Join us at American 1's Project: Zero Waste
Recycling Jackson is participating in American 1 Federal Credit Union's new Project: Zero Waste day.
Project Zero Waste is a chance for Jackson County residents drop off materials like metal, plastic, paper, Styrofoam, tires, and e-waste to be disposed of in an environmentally-responsible manner. The day will take place Saturday, April 18 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Jackson County Fairgrounds.
Residents will have to pre-register to participate in the event. Most items will be taken free of charge, but some – like TVs, tires, and LP tanks – will carry a minimal charge. Recycling Jackson will take e-waste items. The good news is that we'll take the first TV or monitor you bring for free, and only ask for a donation after the first one. Recycling Jackson is also accepting the usual computers, laptops, batteries, printers, and anything else with a circuit board - except that we're accepting most of it for free.
We're joining Goodwill, Sam’s Club, Northwest Refuse, Emmons Services, OmniSource, Rapid Refill Ink, Dart Container, Pak Mail, and HUCO Kurpinski Recycling – along with the City of Jackson, the Jackson County Fairgrounds, and American 1 – to put this day on.
Plus, Project: Zero Waste kicks off a weekend of events in Jackson that will celebrate Earth Day and environmental stewardship. There’s also a big event at Cascades park on Sunday, April 19 sponsored by the Jackson Outdoor Coalition.
County residents who want to participate can download a registration form online at projectzerowaste.com, or pick one up at any American 1 branch. Registration forms are now due by April 10 (American 1 just extended the deadline). We're asking that people get registered just because of the traffic and timing issues.
A full list of accepted materials is also available at projectzerowaste.com.
Project Zero Waste is a chance for Jackson County residents drop off materials like metal, plastic, paper, Styrofoam, tires, and e-waste to be disposed of in an environmentally-responsible manner. The day will take place Saturday, April 18 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Jackson County Fairgrounds.
Residents will have to pre-register to participate in the event. Most items will be taken free of charge, but some – like TVs, tires, and LP tanks – will carry a minimal charge. Recycling Jackson will take e-waste items. The good news is that we'll take the first TV or monitor you bring for free, and only ask for a donation after the first one. Recycling Jackson is also accepting the usual computers, laptops, batteries, printers, and anything else with a circuit board - except that we're accepting most of it for free.
We're joining Goodwill, Sam’s Club, Northwest Refuse, Emmons Services, OmniSource, Rapid Refill Ink, Dart Container, Pak Mail, and HUCO Kurpinski Recycling – along with the City of Jackson, the Jackson County Fairgrounds, and American 1 – to put this day on.
Plus, Project: Zero Waste kicks off a weekend of events in Jackson that will celebrate Earth Day and environmental stewardship. There’s also a big event at Cascades park on Sunday, April 19 sponsored by the Jackson Outdoor Coalition.
County residents who want to participate can download a registration form online at projectzerowaste.com, or pick one up at any American 1 branch. Registration forms are now due by April 10 (American 1 just extended the deadline). We're asking that people get registered just because of the traffic and timing issues.
A full list of accepted materials is also available at projectzerowaste.com.
Monday, January 12, 2009
Kids get creative with RJ canvas bags
Look at home much fun these kids are having decorating our Recycling Jackson canvas bags.
Mary Tallman, our education/outreach coordinator, takes the bags when she visits local elementary students. As you can see, the bags are a hit.
The bags are reusable, so the students will get some mileage out of them - and help spread the good word.
Monday, January 5, 2009
Dreaming of a green Christmas
Turns out lots of Jackson residents went green with their post-holiday wrappings. From the CitPat:
The CitPat also noted that county recycling drop-off sites were "overflowing" after Christmas. "Scenes like these show the need for a better public recycling program." We couldn't agree more.
Bill Thomas, resource recovery coordinator for Northwest Refuse, said the company saw a significant increase in the volume of recyclables dropped off at recycling centers after Christmas — when people are getting rid of plenty of cardboard boxes and paper from gifts that had been under their trees.How about that?
The CitPat also noted that county recycling drop-off sites were "overflowing" after Christmas. "Scenes like these show the need for a better public recycling program." We couldn't agree more.
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