This movement has just begun, and it needs your help.

Here’s the plan: we’re asking you, and people in every country on earth, to organize an action in your community on October 24.

There are no limits here–imagine bike rides, rallies, concerts, hikes, festivals, tree-plantings, protests, and more. Imagine your action linking up with thousands of others around the globe. Imagine the world waking up.

If we can pull it off, we’ll send a powerful message on October 24: the world needs the climate solutions that science and justice demand.

It’s often said that the only thing preventing us from tackling the climate crisis quickly and equitably is a lack of political will. Well, the only thing that can create that political will is a unified global movement–and no one is going to build that movement for us. It’s up to regular people all over the world. That’s you.

So register an event in your community for October 24, and then enlist the help of your friends. Get together with your co-workers or your local environmental group or human rights campaign, your church or synagogue or mosque or temple; enlist bike riders and local farmers and young people. All over the planet we’ll start to organize ourselves.

With your help, there will be an event at every iconic place on the planet on October 24-from America’s Great Lakes to Australia’s Great Barrier Reef–and also in all the places that matter to you in your daily lives: a beach or park or village green or town hall.

If there was ever a time for you to get involved, it’s right now.

There are two reasons this year is so crucial.

The first reason is that the science of climate change is getting darker by the day. The Arctic is melting away with astonishing speed, decades ahead of schedule. Everything on the planet seems to be melting or burning, rising or parched.

And we now now have a number to express our peril: 350.

NASA’s James Hansen and a team of other scientists recently published a series of papers showing that we need to cut the amount of carbon in the atmosphere from its current 387 parts per million to below 350 if we wish to “maintain a planet similar to that on which civilization developed.”

No one knew that number a year ago-but now it’s clear that 350 might well be the most important number for the future of the planet, a north star to guide our efforts as we remake the world. If we can swiftly get the planet on track to get back below 350, we can still avert the worst effects of climate change.

The second reason 2009 is so important is that the political opportunity to influence our governments has never been greater. The world’s leaders will meet in Copenhagen this December to craft a new global treaty on cutting carbon emissions.

If that meeting were held now, it would produce a treaty would be woefully inadequate. In fact, it would lock us into a future where we’d never get back to 350 parts per million-where the rise of the sea would accelerate, where rainfall patterns would start to shift and deserts to grow. A future where first the poorest people, and then all of us, and then all the people that come after us, would find the only planet we have damaged and degraded.

October 24 comes six weeks before those crucial UN meetings in Copenhagen. If we all do our job, every nation will know the question they’ll be asked when they put forth a plan: will this get the planet back on the path below 350?

This will only work with the help of a global movement-and it’s starting to bubble up everywhere. Farmers in Cameroon, students in China, even World Cup skiers have already helped spread the word about 350. Churches have rung their bells 350 times; Buddhist monks have formed a huge 350 with their bodies against the backdrop of Himalayas. 350 translates across every boundary of language and culture. It’s clear and direct, cutting through the static and it lays down a firm scientific line.

On October 24, we’ll all stand behind 350–a universal symbol of climate safety and of the world we need to create. And at the end of the day, we’ll all upload photos from our events to the 350.org website and send these pictures around the world. This cascade of images will drive climate change into the public debate–and hold our leaders accountable to a unified global citizenry.

We need your help-the world is a big place and our team is small. Our crew at 350.org will do everything we can to support you, providing templates for banners and press releases, resources to spread the word, and tools to help you build a strong local climate action group. And our core team is always just a phone call or e-mail away if you need some support.

This is like a final exam for human beings. Can we muster the courage, the commitment, and the creativity to set this earth on a steady course before it’s too late? October 24 will be the joyful, powerful day when we prove it’s possible.

Please join us and register your local event today.

Onwards,

Bill McKibben – Author and Activist- USA
Vandana Shiva – Physicist, Activist, Author – India
David Suzuki – Scientist, Author, Activist – Canada
Bianca Jagger – Chair of the World Future Council – UK
Tim Flannery – Scientist, Author, Explorer -Australia
Bittu Sahgal – Co-convener, Climate Challenge India – India
Andrew Simmons – Environmental Advocate, St. Vincent & The Grenadines
Christine Loh – Environmental Advocate and Legislator – Hong Kong

Consumer electronics—including TVs, computers, peripherals, audio equipment, and phones—make up almost 2 percent of the municipal solid waste stream, according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). This percentage may seem small and inconsequential, but the quantity of electronic waste is steadily rising.

In fact, the EPA estimates that the number of obsolete consumer electronics sold between 1980 and 2007 is 235 million; a total weight of 2.25 million tons. Where are these 235 million units now? Eighteen percent of these products were collected for recycling; the rest are, unfortunately, sitting in landfills. Toxins (lead, mercury, flame retardants, and the like) from these electronics can seep into the soil and ground water, posing serious health and environmental risks.

So what can we as consumers do to properly dispose of electronic waste? First, take inventory of the electronics in your household. (The Consumer Electronics Association estimates that Americans own 24 electronic products per household.) Find out what’s not being used or what’s stashed away in your closets collecting dust. Maybe you can give your used PC to a family member or donate it to your local school. Or better yet, DealNews.com Feature Editor Louis Ramirez (also of Gizmodo fame) offered some other ideas toPCMag: extend the life of your old PC by using it as a media server to store all of your music, videos, and photos, or use it as a test PC for trying out Linux.

If you can’t repair, refurbish, or reuse your electronics—or you must own the latest version—then the next best thing is to recycle them. There are a plethora of options to choose from, too. You can recycle through a product’s manufacturer, your local electronics store, or an online trade-in program that offers a cash reward or gift card. Ramirez’s top choices for manufacturer trade-in programs are the ones offered by HP and Gateway, since they tend to give you the most money back.

But with so many choices, how do you know the best way to approach recycling your outdated tech? That’s easy. We researched all of the major electronics manufacturers from A to Z to find out what kinds of recycling programs they offer, if they charge a recycling fee, whether or not you get cash in return, and which geographical regions they service.

Next, we compiled a list of six retailers, including Best Buy and Staples, to reveal their recycling efforts. Lastly, you’ll know exactly where to get cash back or gift cards for your recycled electronics by visiting the seven cash-back Web sites we recommend.

Keep in mind that all regions have different recycling practices, so please adhere to your local laws.

Company: Acer
What can be recycled: Computer systems, monitors (LCD or CRT), and laptops that are manufactured by Acer. 
Recycling program(s) offered: Use Acer’s automated online recycling service to check if a recycling program is available in your state. If so, select the type, size, and quantity of the product you wish to recycle. Type in your address and select your payment method (if any).

Fee(s): Acer may charge shipping and handling fees, which can range from $15 to $40 per item, depending upon the type and quantity of the hardware to be returned. In other cases, depending on where you reside, the shipping and handling may be waived.
Cash back/rewards: None
Participating region(s): U.S.

Company: Apple
What can be recycled: Macs, iPods, iPhones, as well as other cell phones, computers, and monitors—regardless of manufacturer.
Recycling program(s) offered: Through the Apple Recycling Program, you can purchase any qualifying Apple computer or monitor from the Apple retail store or Apple.com, and receive free recycling of your old computer and monitor. Apple also offers iPod and cell phone recycling; simply fill in the form with your name and address to receive a prepaid mailing label, and send them your worn-out iPod or cell phone.
Fee(s): None
Cash back/rewards: For every iPod recycled, you’ll receive 10 percent off the purchase of a new iPod.
Participating region(s): U.S., Canada, Europe, Australia, Asia Pacific, Japan

Company: ASUS
What can be recycled: Any old ASUS-branded products, including laptops, displays, and PDAs, as well as other-branded tech products.
Recycling program(s) offered: ASUS works with recycling vendor GRX (Guaranteed Recycling Xperts) to offer the ASUS Takeback program. Fill out your information on the online form, and a shipping label will be mailed to you within 5 business days. Attach the shipping label to the box your ASUS product is in, and drop it off at your nearest FedEx/Kinko’s location.
Fee(s): Free for ASUS products; other branded products require a fee.
Cash back/rewards: None
Participating region(s): North America, Europe, Taiwan

Company: Canon

What can be recycled: Canon-branded binoculars, camcorders, cameras (digital/film), projectors, fax machines, printers, scanners, ink, toner, paper
Recycling program(s) offered: With Canon’s Customer Products Recycling Program, select the type of Canon product you want to recycle, select the model number, and enter the serial number. Under Canon’s Toner Cartridge Return Program, consumers can print out free shipping labels for returning printer cartridges.
Fee(s):

 The Customer Products Recycling Program does charge a fee, depending on the type of product, ranging from $6 to $12 for each item; the Toner Cartridge Program is free.
Cash back/rewards: None
Participating region(s): U.S., Canada, Puerto Rico, Europe, Africa, Asia, Australia

Company: Creative Labs
Recycling program(s) offered: All Creative Labs-branded products.
How to get started: Creative offers a Rechargeable Battery Recycling Program. Send any Creative product or Creative rechargeable battery to the address provided on its Web site.
Fee(s): Standard postal service mailing/packaging rates apply.
Cash back/rewards: None
Participating region(s): U.S.

Company: Dell
What can be recycled: Dell-branded products, including notebooks, desktops, and monitors, as well as printers, ink, and toner from other manufacturers.
Recycling program(s) offered: Dell offers several options for recycling. First, you can recycle any of your unused Dell products at any time; just visit the Dell Product Recycling page. Second, if you buy a new Dell desktop or notebook and select the free recycling option at the time of purchase, the company will recycle your old PC and monitor (including other manufacturers). Staples formed an in-store recycling program for Dell’s customers: bring in your old Dell-branded computer, printer, or other item, and Staples will recycle it for you. In addition, Dell’s Reconnect recycling program in conjunction with Goodwill Industries is offered in a total of 18 states, letting you drop off any brand of used equipment at participating Goodwill stores.
Fee(s): None
Cash back/rewards: Get a free Dell gift card through Dell Exchange. Simply select an item category, enter the required information, accept the trade-in value of your used electronic (from Dell or other manufacturers), print a prepaid shipping label, and ship your item to Dell’s trade-in warehouse. Once received and accepted, you will get a Dell gift card by mail in about 2 to 3 weeks.
Participating region(s): U.S.

Company: Epson
What can be recycled: Epson printers, scanners, projectors, accessories, ink cartridges, toner
Recycling program(s) offered: Through the Epson Recycle Program, ten used Epson products can be returned at a time. Once you’ve provided all the necessary information and your order is completed, you will receive a prepaid FedEx shipping label through the mail in order to send your products. Once sent, used products are shredded at a licensed facility and separated into ferrous and non-ferrous components.
Fee(s): $10 per item for shipping and recycling costs.
Cash back/rewards: Receive a $5 coupon per item recycled for use at the Epson Online Store.
Participating region(s): U.S.

Company: Fujitsu
What can be recycled: Fujitsu laptops and tablets only.
Recycling program(s) offered: Fujitsu’s Recycling Program includes two services: individual recycling and bulk recycling. Select the product name, model number, part number, and quantity of items; provide your contact information; print your shipping label; and take your package to the UPS store closest to you to have it shipped. Once received, Fujitsu sends your old laptop or tablet to a recycling facility, where it’s recycled and refurbished, then sold for reuse.
Fee(s): None
Cash back/rewards: None
Participating region(s): U.S.

Company: Gateway
What can be recycled: Any pre-owned products from various manufacturers listed in Gateway’s drop-down menu, including monitors, servers, and gaming systems.
Recycling program(s) offered:

 Gateway offers two programs: the Gateway Trade-In Program and theGateway Recycle Program. The former lets you trade in pre-owned products—regardless of manufacturer. Use the Trade-In Estimator to see what it’s valued at; then register for an account, and pack and ship your items to Gateway’s warehouse. The latter lets you recycle your used item; enter the product category and shipping weight.
Fee(s): Charged a recycling fee (based on item) for each item; trade-ins are free.
Cash back/rewards: Earn money for each trade-in. We’ve seen as much as $140.
Participating region(s): U.S.

Company: Hewlett-Packard
What can be recycled: Both HP and non-HP products, including monitors, digital cameras, and printers.
Recycling program(s) offered: HP offers four great programs. The first is the Trade-In Program for both HP and non-HP products. Second, HP Financial Services will pay your company for unwanted computer equipment through the Return for Cash program. Recycle HP inkjet and laserjet cartridges and any brand of computer hardware and rechargeable batteries through the Recycle program. Or if you’re in a giving mood, donate your products to the National Cristina Foundation.
Fee(s): None
Cash back/rewards: Cash back from both the Trade-In and Return for Cash Programs.
Participating region(s): Global

Company: Lenovo
What can be recycled: Lenovo products as well as other-branded products listed on the site.
Recycling program(s) offered: Trade in your used electronics through Lenovo’s ECO Take Back program. Simply select your state, choose your device (desktop, phone, laptop, monitor, music player), and fill in the necessary information to get the estimated value of your trade-in. Lenovo has a zero landfill policy; the company claims your device will either be reused in whole or properly recycled in the U.S.
Fee(s): Free shipping for all Lenovo and select IBM products; fee for non-Lenovo products.
Cash back/rewards: Receive an ECO International Visa Prepaid Card with the trade-in value of your product.
Participating region(s): U.S.

Company: LG Electronics
What can be recycled: LG, Zenith, and GoldStar brands of televisions, monitors, audio equipment, video cassette players and recorders, DVD players and recorders, combination TV/VCR and TV/DVD units, set-top boxes; non-LG products are also accepted.
Recycling program(s) offered: Through a partnership with Waste Management Inc., the LG Electronics Recycling Program provides recycling of used, unwanted, obsolete, or damaged LG products. You can drop off your products at one of the 160 designated Waste Management sites across the U.S. Consumers may drop off up to five LG-branded items at a time. Cell phones, smartphones, and GPSs are covered by a separate LG recycling program dubbed the LG Eco-Mobilization Program; you can print a postage-free mailing label to send to LG’s recycling partner or drop it off at a center nearest you.
Fee(s): None, but a fee may be charged by Waste Management for non-LG brands.
Cash back/rewards: None
Participating region(s): U.S.

Company: Motorola
What can be recycled: Motorola-branded phones, modems, routers
Recycling program(s) offered: If participating in Motorola’s Mobile Phone Recycling program, here’s how to get started: ensure that your phone’s battery is discharged first. Then place your phone in a packaging box and print the prepaid postage label and affix to the package. Drop the package into the mail. That’s it! The same can be done when recycling any Motorola modem or router.
Fee(s): None
Cash back/rewards: None
Participating region(s): Global

Company: Nokia
What can be recycled: Nokia phones 
Recycling program(s) offered: To recycle your unwanted Nokia phone, fill in the online form, and Nokia will populate a postage-paid return label for you. Or drop off your old Nokia phone at its flagship stores in Chicago or New York.
Fee(s): None
Cash back/rewards: None
Participating region(s): U.S.

Company: Olympus
What can be recycled: Olympus’s rechargeable camera batteries 
Recycling program(s) offered: Olympus is working with Call2Recycle to offer rechargeable battery recycling. Drop off any Olympus rechargeable batteries (including Nickel Metal Hydride and Lithium Ion) at participating retail stores or collection sites, including The Home Depot, Sears, and Target. Or use Call2Recyle’s site locator to find the retail collection site nearest you.
Fee(s): None
Cash back/rewards: None
Participating region(s): U.S.

Company: Samsung
What can be recycled: Both Samsung-branded and non-Samsung products, including TVs, phones, and toner.
Recycling program(s) offered: Samsung works directly with e-waste recyclers like Eco International and CRT Processing to offer its various recycling programs. Available in all 50 states, Samsung’s Recycling Direct program lets you recycle your Samsung-branded electronics by bringing them to any of the designated drop-off centers. Just enter your zip code to find a Samsung Recycling Direct location near you. With Samsung’s Takeback And Recycling Program, all returned cartridges are said to be recycled back into useful materials to become new products again; simply register, request a packing label, and leave at a FedEx location. For mobile phone users, you can recycle your old phone through the Samsung Mobile Take-Back Program by printing out a shipping label and mailing your package through the post office.
Fee(s): There is no recycling fee for Samsung-branded products; but there is a fee for other-branded products.
Cash back/rewards: None
Participating region(s): U.S.

Company: Sharp
What can be recycled: TVs, DVD players, copiers, appliances, and more—regardless of manufacturer.
Recycling program(s) offered: In 2007, Sharp teamed up with both Panasonic and Toshiba to form the Electronics Manufacturers Recycling Management Company (MRM) in the U.S., which sets up recycling locations and tracks where recycled materials travel. Consumers can find an MRM drop-off center in their home state. Most MRM drop-off sites accept all types and brands of consumer electronics for recycling. TheSharp Toner Recycling Program is for recycling Sharp copier toner products only; complete the online form and bring your package to any UPS store.
Fee(s): MRM centers accept Panasonic-, Sharp-, and Toshiba-branded TVs and other consumer electronics at no charge. However, there may be a charge for recycling other brands or products.
Cash back/rewards: None
Participating region(s): U.S.

Company: Sony
What can be recycled: Sony-branded gaming consoles, MP3 players, TVs, and more.
Recycling program(s) offered: Sony partnered with Waste Management to provide the Sony National Take Back Recycling Program for the safe disposal of your Sony electronics. Bring your unwanted electronics to any participating Waste Management eCycling drop-off location. Waste Management will then collect, store, track inventory, and dismantle the products in raw materials. If you need to dispose of an old Sony rechargeable battery, drop it off at a Sony Style store near you.
Fee(s): None
Cash back/rewards: None
Participating region(s): U.S.

Company: Toshiba
What can be recycled: Laptops, monitors, home audio receivers, GPS navigation systems, and other consumer electronics—regardless of manufacturer.
Recycling program(s) offered: Recycle any brand of electronics through Toshiba’s Trade-In Program. Use the online trade-in estimator to see how much you’d get for your item; items with no trade-in value will have an option to recycle for free. Print a prepaid shipping label and ship your item to the trade-in warehouse. 
Fee(s): None
Cash back/rewards: You’ll receive a check in the mail (based on the trade-in value of your returned product).
Participating region(s): U.S.

Company: Xerox
What can be recycled: Cartridges from Xerox-branded office printers (Phaser, DocuPrint N Series, and WorkCentre C2424), multifunction, copiers, production printers, and fax machines.
Recycling program(s) offered: Through the Xerox Green World Alliance Recycling Program, you can recycle your ink cartridges by printing a prepaid UPS return label, packaging your cartridges, and shipping them through UPS.
Fee(s): None
Cash back/rewards: None
Participating region(s):

 Global

RETAILERS

Company: Best Buy
What can be recycled: Most consumer electronics purchased from Best Buy and other stores. However, the following items are currently not accepted in Best Buy stores: TVs and monitors larger than 32 inches; electronics containing Freon (air conditioners, dehumidifiers and mini-fridges); and appliances. Best Buy will remove an old or obsolete television and appliance at no charge from a consumers’ home when a new product from Best Buy is purchased and is being delivered.
How to get started: Best Buy works with many e-waste recyclers, including Regency Technologies, Recellular, and Electronics Recyclers International (ERI), to offer in-store recycling. Go to any Best Buy store location to drop off your used electronics. The store accepts up to two items per household per day. 
Fee(s): There’s no fee for recycling most consumer electronics, but there is a recycling fee of $10 for TVs, CRTs, monitors, and laptops, which is offset with a $10 Best Buy gift card.

Company: Office Depot
What can be recycled: Monitors, fax machines, desktops, laptops, printers, peripherals, digital cameras, video cameras, DVD players, MP3 players, small televisions, and cords & cables; cracked monitors, appliances, and items containing Freon or radioactive materials will not be accepted.
How to get started: Office Depot offers a convenient Tech Recycling Service. Head to your local Office Depot store and ask an associate for a tech recycling box (three sizes available). Then stuff the box with as many acceptable items as you can. Bring the box to an associate to be shipped. All recycling will occur in the U.S.
Fee(s): You will be charged $5, $10, or $15 for this service to cover the costs of the box, shipment, and recycling.

Company: RadioShack
What can be recycled: Most consumer electronics purchased from RadioShack and other stores.
How to get started: Through RadioShack’s Trade-In Program, you can trade in your item and get a RadioShack gift card in return for its value. Go to RadioShack.com to have your item appraised. Then print out a prepaid shipping label and mail your package. If your item is proven to be in the condition you indicated, you will be sent a RadioShack gift card within 14 days.
Fee(s): None

Company: Staples
What can be recycled: Used computers, monitors, laptops, desktop printers, faxes, and all-in-ones; ink and toner cartridges
How to get started: Bring in your electronics to any U.S. Staples store. Your stuff will be bagged and sealed, then picked up and delivered to Staples’s recycling provider, Eco International. When returning HP, Lexmark, or Dell ink and toner cartridges, Staples will give you $3 in Staples Rewards toward a future purchase of ink or toner.
Fee(s): No recycling charge for smaller computer peripherals such as keyboards, mice, and speakers; a recycling fee of $10 will be charged for larger equipment to cover handling, transport, product disassembly, and recycling.

Company: TigerDirect.com
What can be recycled: You can trade in used, working technology products in exchange for a TigerDirect.com gift card.
How to get started: To participate in TigerDirect.com’s Trade-In Program, follow these four steps: register for a trade-in account; select a category to use the trade-in estimator and receive an instant estimate; print a prepaid shipping label; and ship your item to the trade-in warehouse. You’ll receive a TigerDirect.com Gift Card in the mail, based on the trade-in value of your item.
Fee(s): None

Company: Wal-Mart
What can be recycled: Cell phones
How to get started: Recycle your old cell phones through Walmart.com. Print the free shipping label and affix to package. Drop it in the mail. Proceeds from recycled phones will help support United Way, a national network of more than 1,300 locally governed organizations that help communities.
Fee(s): None

CASH-BACK WEB SITES
BuyMyTronics.com
www.buymytronics.com
This site currently purchases iPods and iPhones, cell phones/PDAs, Microsoft Zunes, and game consoles. You don’t have to worry about the condition of your gadget, either; BuyMyTronics.com will still buy it from you. Once you provide info about your gadget, you will receive an instant price quote. Then ship them your gadget and provide your e-mail address or physical address where you would like your payment sent via Paypal or check.

Cell For Cash
www.cellforcash.com
Get cash back for sending in your old cell phone to be recycled. Accepts phones from HP, Motorola, Nokia, and more. If your cell phone is not on the site’s buy back list, you can choose to donate it toCellPhoneBank.org to provide communication for someone in need.

CollectiveGood
http://collectivegood.tradeups.com
Receive cash for your preowned tech products (monitors, laptops, desktops, game consoles, digital cameras, printers, MP3 players, phones), or donate your cash to charity. To begin, get a trade-in quote for your product. Describe its condition, package it, and choose your preferred payment method. All payments will be issued approximately 45 days after your product is inspected, whether it’s in the form of a check to you or a check to charity.

Flipswap
www.flipswap.com
Get cash for your cell phone or iPod, or donate it to charity on Flipswap.com. Find your cell phone or iPod on the list and state its condition to receive a trade-in value. Pack your cell phone or iPod in a padded envelope or small box, and ship it to Flipswap for free. If your gadget is in working condition or can be repaired, the company sends it to a place where it can be reused. But it’s broken beyond repair, it will be recycled. Best of all, Flipswap’s reLeaf project plants a tree for every phone recycled. You or your chosen charity will get a check in the mail.

Gazelle
www.gazelle.com
Gazelle accepts phones, digital cameras, MP3 players, computers, external hard drives, and more. On average, Gazelle pays its customers $115 for its recycled gadgets. Enter the make and model of your gadget, and its condition, to receive a monetary offer. Gazelle pays for the shipping of your item and will even send you a box.

MyBoneYard
http://myboneyard.com
Recycle your desktop, phone, laptop/tablet, monitor, or digital music player here, and MyBoneYard will pay you for it. Input all of the necessary information to get your estimated reward. You’ll receive payment in the form of a Visa Prepaid Card.

TechForward
www.techforward.com
TechForward believes it’s best to plan beforehand what you will do with your electronics once they’re old or unwanted. The site lets you purchase a Guaranteed Buyback plan for your current device to ensure that when you’re ready to upgrade, your item will still have a cash value. All you have to do is keep your item in good condition. When TechForward receives your used device, the company will resell it to someone who needs it, or if it can’t be resold, it will recycle your item. You will receive a check or gift card within 60 days of postmarking your device. Plan prices range from $19.99 to $249.99, depending on your item.

via PCMag.com

, aka The Car Coach, for contributing to this peice.  Lauren is an automotive expert with more than 20 years in the industry, a parent of two teenagers, the spokesperson for the Car Care Council, a race car driver, an ASE certified engineer, the author of three automotive books, and a frequent contributor to major news outlets and magazines.  Thanks Lauren!

]]> http://www.thegreenparent.com/2009/03/13/time-for-a-tune-up/feed/ 3 http://www.thegreenparent.com/2009/03/11/waste-free-wiggly-worm-wednesday/ http://www.thegreenparent.com/2009/03/11/waste-free-wiggly-worm-wednesday/#comments Wed, 11 Mar 2009 12:09:04 +0000 Jenn Savedge http://www.thegreenparent.com/?p=2161

Waste-Free Wednesday

For this week’s edition of Waste-Free Wednesday,  I’m getting wiggly…as in wiggly worm composting.  Don’t be afraid!  Worm composting is an excellent way to reduce your food waste, create your own all natural fertilizer, and get your kids interested in gardening.

Worm composting, or vermicomposting for you gardening geeks, helps kids learn about ecology while turning your food scraps into usable compost. Using worms (typically red wigglers), vermicomposting processes organic food into nutrient-rich soil. You can start with a small bin (such as a 12-gallon plastic tub) and a pound of worms, or go larger if you have a large family.  This also makes an excellent science project or classroom activity.

No need to feel squeamish…you don’t even have to touch the worms if you don’t want to.  Many containers are built so that you just throw in your food scraps and remove the clean compost from the bottom.  Here are a few Flickr pics of worm composters:

Feeling brave?  Ready to give worm composting a try?  Check out the following resources for more info:

Kids Recycle!

Treehugger: Vermicomposting amd Vermiculture

California Integrated Waste Management Board

National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences

Photos by mrmole, AdaSaab, and Annie&John

Oh prom season!  Time to reserve a corsage, buy a new dress, amp up your makeup, book a stretch limo… The Works!  With so many choices to make about the big night, caring about the environment might not automatically be a high priority.

Being green at prom is actually really easy, and the teams at Teens Turning Green and Whole Foods Market are working together to encourage teens around the country to see just how easy and stylish it is to make thoughtful, earth-friendly decisions and purchases around prom season.

The program, called Project Green Prom, kicks off this week with a fun online video contest for high school juniors and seniors where they are encouraged to post creative three-minute videos that answer the question “How would you ‘green’ your prom?”

Essentially, teens submit videos between now and March 30th via www.teensturninggreen.org that talk about things like how they use organic and eco-friendly makeup, what their dream sustainable prom dress would be by their favorite designer, how they would like to see a zero waste event at their high school, etc.

The videos will be judged by fashion, beauty and green experts including model/activist Summer Rayne Oakes, Teen Vogue beauty editor Eva Chen and John Masters of John Masters Organics among others, where they will decide who will win a variety of prizes including eco-prom dresses from top fashion designers, including Bahar Shahpar and Lara Miller, sustainable beauty products, and even a trip to NYC and a Full Green Prom Makeover for the grand prize winner, and more.

Check out this video for more details:

Waste-Free Wednesday

This week for Waste-Free Wednesday, I’m going “paper-free.”  Since most of my business is online, it’s pretty easy for me to avoid using paper at work.  In fact, my printer is used so infrequently that it has had the “low-ink” light on for three years and it’s still going strong!

But I have found that my kids and I use a lot of paper just in notes and doodles that we leave for one another.  For the most part, we all try to use both sides of a piece of paper in the recycling, but wouldn’t it be great if we didn’t have to use the paper at all?

Enter Science Aide reusable scratch paper and study sheets.  These ingenious sheets let you go paper-free while you doodle, sketch, make lists, take notes, or draw. Created by college students, these sheets were originally intended as a way to help students graph, sketch, chart, and take notes without using reams upon reams of paper.  And while many of the sheets are geared toward science students (such as the Organic Chemistry Reaction Table Sheet or the Cardiovascular Physiology Guide) the blank sheets are perfect for anyone and anywhere.  My kindergartner loves to use them to draw doodles and write notes, my three year old uses them to scribble, and I use them for writing notes and to-do lists.

Are you ready to go paper-free?  If so, you’re in luck!  This week, ScienceAide is giving away a sample pack of reusable sheets to one lucky reader.  Just leave a comment below to enter!  One winner will be chosen at random on Monday, March 9th.  Check out these reusable sheets in this video:

Fair Trade Chocolate Is Sweet!

The words chocolate

and party may very well be my two favorite words in the English language. I mean seriously…I would pretty much drop anything for either of those things at any given moment. Combine those two together and it is guaranteed that I will be there.

This month, Divine Chocolate is offering one lucky family the opportunity to win a Chocolate Party as a way of helping parents teach their kids about the “sweetness” of Fair Trade chocolate.

“Cocoa farming is hard work – involving a process of plucking pods, fermenting beans and drying beans. But for many cocoa farmers, the price they receive doesn’t cover the costs of food, clothing or school fees. Divine Chocolate is committed to making sure that cocoa farmers in Ghana, where all of Divine’s cocoa comes from, receive a fair price and a premium that farmers can use to build schools, provide clean water and invest in other community projects to create better futures for farming families,” says Erin Gorman, founder of Divine Chocolate.

The winner of Divine’s Chocolate Party contest will receive a case of Divine Milk Chocolate Crunchy bars (36) and a CD with farmers from Kuapa Kokoo Farmers’ Cooperative in Ghana, co-owners of Divine, explaining how they benefit from the Fair Trade premium they receive from the chocolate company they own. Just go to the website www.divinechocolateusa.com and enter.

Deadline is March 30th. Now stop drooling and go enter!!

During my stay at Disney, I was fortunate enough to spend some time with Dr. Jackie Ogden, the Vice President of Animal Programs and Environmental Initiatives for the Walt Disney World Resort. What that long title means is that Dr. Ogden is in charge of pretty much everything green that happens in and around Walt Disney World.

Dr. Ogden gave me a behind the scenes tour of the animal conservation programs and green initiatives that take place at Walt Disney World, and throughout the world. Here are just a few of her favorite programs:

Sea Turtles

In the United States, as much as 90% of sea turtle nesting occurs in Florida. Disney researchers help to protect and promote this sea turtle nesting through a number of programs. As part of the Sea Turtle Rehabilitation Workshop hosted by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, 7 green sea turtles were recently released into the wild after a 2 month rehab visit to Disney World. The endangered sea turtles washed up on shore in December during a red tide event on Florida’s east coast. The turtles were cared for by Disney’s Animal Programs Veterinary Team. Since the release, the turtles have been tracked with external flipper tags and internal tags as well, allowing scientists to identify the turtles at a later date.

Cotton-Top Tamarin

The cotton-top tamarin is one of the most endangered primates in the world. The South American primate is threatened by both habitat destruction and capture for the pet trade. Working with the local community and conservation groups, Disney research scientists help to investigate economic alternatives that can support local communities and decrease their dependency on forest products…in other words, instead of just telling impoverished folks in the local communities that they shouldn’t cut down their trees or capture and sell wildlife, this program aims to develop viable alternatives for local community members to support their families.

One of the most profitable products to come out of this program is the eco-mochila tote bag that is woven from recycled plastic bags. Not only does this initiative help to reduce the amount of waste that litters the forests of Colombia, it also gives the local community members a viable commodity to sell and a reason to protect their surrounding environment. Since the eco-mochila program started 4 years ago, the number of cotton-top tamarins caught for the illegal pet trade and the illegal harvest of trees in the forest has decreased significantly.  Eco-mochila bags are available for sale in certain stores at Disney’s Animal Kingdom.

Elephants

Did you know that elephants were afraid of bees? I didn’t. But Disney’s animal scientists do, and they’re studying the interaction between elephants and bees to determine whether bees can be used as an effective elephant deterrent for crops and trees. Additional research conducted in Animal Kingdom uncovered two new vocalizations among elephants unlocking a whole new realm of elephant behavior and socialization. Disney is also home to a very successful elephant breeding program, with 4 successful live births to date.

Sea Turtle photo by mappamundi

Cotton-Top Tamarin Photo by Proyecto Titi

Elephant photo by bocavermelha-l.b.’ s

Similar Posts:

• Eco-Fun In Disney World
• Greening Disney
• It’s Good To Share
• Eating Green in Disney World
• Are You On for MLK Day?

Do you know a teen who is ready to save the planet? In exactly 100 days, a new book, The Green Teen: The Eco-Friendly Teen’s Guide To Saving The Planet, will show them how. (Full disclosure…I’m the author, but what can I say, the book rocks!)

Unlike other books on eco-friendly living, The Green Teen is a compilation of information from green teens and experts in the field that are making a difference RIGHT NOW in their homes, their communities, and their planet. Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll find inside:

• Interviews with Green Teen’s from across the country who share the lessons they learned about standing up to powerful multi-national corporations, organizing change within their homes and communities, and getting adults to listen.
• The practical info teen’s need to protect the planet such as, How To Write A Press Release, How To Start A School Recycling Program, and What You Can Do About Global Warming.
  
• Text codes that help teens (and their parents) go green on the go!

The Green Teen gives kids the info they need to find their eco-voice and make it heard. Instead of simply suggesting that kids start a recycling program at their school, The Green Teen shows teens how to fund a recycling program with eco-savvy fundraisers, how to research what items are recyclable in their area, and how to write a recycling proposal to present at their next school board meeting. In other words, The Green Teen offers teens the information they need to save the planet and the practical tools they can use to make sure the rest of us are listening.

The book will officially be released on October 1, 2008 (100 days!) Preorder your copy today!