Recycling Basics

When the average person is asked how they are eco-friendly in their own life, in most cases there first answer would be that they recycle. In most cities recycling is mandatory and residents that do not recycle can be fined. Just because residents are forced to recycle or recycle by their own choice does not mean they are recycling properly. Like many others I follow the recycling basics all paper and plastic goes in the recycling bin, but like many other households on trash day there is no telling what’s in the recycling bin. Pizza boxes, egg cartons, tissues, and even the occasional bag of food make their way into my households recycling bin. Just because a household recycles does not mean they recycle properly, if recycling is not done properly then recycling can do more harm than good. If one piece of paper that has food oils on it gets into a batch of paper that is being processed and turned into recycled paper products it could ruin the whole batch and send it to the dump.  Sometimes it can be hard to remember what can and can’t be recycled but here is the basic 411 about recycling.

Recycling Yes and No’s:

Yes:  Soda cans, paint cans, glass jars and glass, battles can all be recycled. What many do not know is that aerosol cans also be recycled.  

No: Aluminum foil, paperclips, light bulbs, window glass.

Yes: All basic paper like newspaper, printing paper, magazines, and cardboard.

No: any type of paper product that you use to wipe your hands or face with, anything that has a wax coating and anything that has food liquids or oils on it.

Plastics can be a little more complex. Depending on your city some plastics can or can’t be recycled, so make shore to check you city guide line. Per Philadelphia guidelines.

Yes: All plastic #1-#7, #6 as long as it is not Styrofoam.  

No: Styrofoam, plastic bags, PVC pipe, and packing peanuts.

Always remember:

1. No container plastic, paper, or cardboard can be recycled if it as food liquids or oils on it.

2. The one major exception to all of these rules is Pizza boxes. The bottom of a pizza box cannot be recycled but if the top does not have oils from the pizza then is can be ripped off and recycled.

3. Check you city’s recycling guidelines there are always new products that are being added to the recycling list. 

Helping the environment not only helps the animals that live in it but it helps the humans that live in it too. Remember to always be eco-friendly in everything that you do and for more information visit our social media sites. 

Gabby

Presentation Update!

Today Ajah and Yesenia have presented their power-point about climate change for the first time! We have presented to Young Scholars Charter School to a group of very eager middle school students. We have talked about how climate change affects polar bears, butterflies, and even us. Towards the end of the presentation, we had a short fun trivia game. The students have answered all the questions with confidence. With every answer they gave, we have rewarded them with kit-kat (a sustainable palm oil candy).  This showed us that we have gotten our message across successfully, to further inform people about how their everyday actions affect polar bears and butterflies and how easy it is to establish ways to help. 

Within the next week, we will be doing our second presentation at Memphis Street Academy. Wish us luck in this process of promoting ways to help polar bears and butterflies and ways to help stop climate change.

Yesenia 

Eco Fashion

For any fashion lovers out there we all have been waiting for this week to come. Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in NYC kicked off yesterday making this week an exciting week full of events. From Diane von Furstenberg to DKNY fashion is a large part of everyone’s life. Whether you’re a shopaholic or a thrift shopper what you wear can impact the environment. From transportation to the chemicals that go into making clothes all of the steps impact the environment.

Buying local is always better even when it comes to fashion. Think about it in a step to step process the workers have to drive to the factory. They have to drive home; the clothes are shipped in a truck from the factory, are put on an air plane, and shipped. Once the air plane lands they are driven to a warehouse then from a warehouse to the store. Every step of the way gasses are being released into the air aiding climate change. Although not everyone can get clothing that was made in their own state buying US made clothing is a start. Buying clothing made in America not only saves the environment but helps support American jobs.

Next time you’re buying an outfit takes a look at materials it was created with. Today clothes are made with mass produced man made fibers. Chemicals are used for everything for dyeing clothing to flame retardant.  Factory’s leak these chemicals into the environment polluting streams and runoffs harming the animals that live there. Even the dyes that go into clothing can harm the environment, dyes that in many cases have environmentally friendly natural options. There are organic products and fibers that can be used to make clothing. There are even recycled products that companies are using to make clothing. If you’re filling thrifty, thrift stores are a great option. Not only are thrift stores local but instead of just throwing clothing out they can be recycled. To find more information about environmentally friendly fashion visits the websites below.

For my UK readers this is a 100% vegan and sustainable shoe company: http://www.beyondskin.co.uk/

Lists of eco-friendly Companies:

http://www.learnvest.com/2012/10/surprise-eco-friendly-clothing-is-actually-cheaper/

http://www.cherylana.com/

http://www.ecofashion-week.com/

Gabby

Green Wall Update 1

Hello, 

A part of our combined projects is a Green Wall.

So far, I've considered 2 types of Living/Green Wall Planters, and they are listed belowl. i've sent the information to our Coordinator, Allison Winas-Carpenter, so hopefully she'll decide which one to buy and which plants to get for our experiement. Our goal is to inform and demonstrate to people how easy and beneficial keeping a green wall is, so this is our first setup and update. I\

http://www.kinsmangarden.com/product/Living-Wall?SKU=ZWALL

This is a green wall, when everything is growing in it. I want to do this green wall as a sort of experiement, where if the second green wall (Link beneath) doesn't look too inspring, then maybe this one will. It's an in home green wall and it can  be set up everywhere. green walls are based on the idea that instead of expanding horizontally, you can grow plants just as well, except vertically.  

Having a green wall promotes a whole list of benefits, such as aesthetics, attracts pollinator insects, indoor air quality, property value (if large enough and maintained), saves energy by keeping heat, dampens noise pollution, plants have been known to reduce stress, it can receive LEED credits, if it's a whole wall, and it's sustainable.  

More info in this link

 http://greenovergrey.com/green-wall-benefits/overview.php

http://www.amazon.com/The-Urban-Garden-vertical-planter-hanging/dp/B004FOXK90/ref=sr_1_3?s=lawn-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1359907130&sr=1-3&keywords=wooly+pocket

This greenwall is more urban, instead of having specified holes and boxes for plants to be planted in, it actually has pockets, so yo can place in already potted plants or actually put soil in the pockets and plant seeds in it.  It's made of 100% recycled plastic bottles and doesn't require much weeding or bending. It's sort of an easy inside garden that's on the wall. I want to do this one in juxtaposition to the other green wall to show that having a green wall doesn't always have to be such a fancy looking thing, that it can basically be pockets of soil on your wall to be grown in.

The point of greenwalls is the idea of sustainability, where instead of expanding out and creating urbanization, you expand up. Think skyscraper, except with plants, which bring added benefits to any place. It relates to the animals of our Zoo CREW by helping butterflies and other insects, as well as spread the word of Polar Bears and frogs because having one indirectly benefits them by using less energy, conserves water,  and having even one aspect of sustainability helps to open up more windows of sustainability within a household. 

Plants that attract butterflies that can be easily planted in the greenwalls. 

Queen's anne lace (Daucos Carota)

Butterfly bush

Mint

Dill

fennel

Parsley

Black Eyed Susans

Aster

Coneflowers

Violet

spider flower

Snapdragon

Duong

Updates from the Groups!

UPDATES~~!

Our Skit Group ( Tatyanna Russell, Jennifer Spaller, Elyssa Trautz) just finished their script and are currently working on a place to present.  No more rough drafts! For a little preview, there will be butterfly wings and polar bear hats for family entertainment and education.

What would be a good place for them to present at?

Our Film Group ( Cory Edwards, Autumn Melvage, Muriyd Fuller, Derek Stein, Jasil Ivory, and Omar Hendricks) are currently trying to finish their 3 section script. The first section identifies the problem, the second section are interviews, and the third section are ways to establish help for endangered species.

What would you like to learn from the Conservation video?

As the Social Media Group (Duong Lau, Gabby Drummond, Yesenia Valle, and Ajah Robinson), we have sceduled who will post at what times, so look forward to them! Some topics include International Polar Bear Day, holidays, and what we, as individuals are doing on our own.

What would you recommend for us to post that relates to Conservation?

by Duong Lau and Yesenia Valle