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America Recycles Day, November 15

November 15, 2010 is “America Recycles Day”, a day to remind us of the importance of recycling and to encourage folks to "join the movement toward creating a better natural environment by recycling and buying recycled products” and “promotes the social, environmental and economic benefits of recycling.”

Will you participate, support the day and spread the word?  Share with GH on what you will do...

 And, as we celebrate the day, let’s remember WHY we recycle:
•    to reduce pollution  •    tosave energy  •    to help the environment
•    to save natural resources  •    to keep trash out of landfills

 

Mitsubishi Joins National Recycling Program

Mitsubishi has announced they are now participating in MRM’s national recycling effort!  This will allow consumers to drop off all Mitsubishi TVs at any recycling center throughout the USA ( see location list @ mrmrecycling.com).  In a statement,  Mitsubishi said they're watching out for the environment during the entire life cycle of the product: from production, to product usage and all the way to its end with this recycling program. 

Mitsubishi looks to continue being at the fore-front of green electronics with its energy-efficient televisions and now is making it easier than ever to reduce waste with this recycling initiative.  With more and more attention on energy consumption, Mitsubishi continues to improve their LaserVue televisions- the most energy efficient large-format and high-definition television available on the market today. 

Recycle Your Old Electronics Items

Sam's Club has started an electronics recycling program that allows members to earn gift cards for trading in old electronics gear to be recycled or reused.   The program is similar to the ones already being offered retailers, Costco and Office Depot (though neither of these require a membership). The Sam's Club program accepts:

• Desktop and notebook computers
• LCD monitors
• Printers
• Digital cameras and camcorders
• MP3 players
• Video game consoles

After you enter information about your product, a trade-in value will be assigned. Free shipping is offered, and once the item is received, Sam’s Club will mail back a gift card. Even if the item has no trade-in value, it will be accepted for recycling. A great program, check it out !

Find out more about electronics recycling at the National Center for Electronics Recycling . 

Green Fun for Kids

The Scrap Kins are a group of creatures that live in a recycling center and build their world out of the things people throw away. The Scrap Kins mission is to foster eco-awareness, promote recycling and encourage kids to use their imagination. The Scrap Kin's Do-It-Yourself resourcefulness empowers children to create and make a difference in their environment.
Scrap Kins has a fun interactive page on their blog. Visit it here and find out what your kids can do to be creatively resourceful caretakers of the earth.

Recycled Box

Do you like it? I hope you do. I made it from a raisin container, decorative papers, a paper towel roll, paint and glitter. Oh, and a rather large old Austrian crystal. The tube flower was inspired by the book Fanciful Paper Flowers by Sandra Euertson. What a clever artist that Sandra is! As for my box, I may add more embellishment to it as the years go by -- that happens sometimes with certain crafts. Then, after a few years I’ll call it a sculpture! For now though, I’m keeping it on my porch –as is – to hold the pinked vintage fabric scraps I use as coasters.

Chalkboard

I’ve always wanted a chalkboard in my kitchen. Recently, as I was driving my daughter to her friend’s house, I passed an old mirror frame. It was leaning up against a tree helping to advertise a house sale. Since I wasn’t in a hurry to get home to clean, I stopped and gathered it up (along with an amazing array of other coolness – more on that in another post) and brought it home to repurpose. I used a piece of quarter inch plywood cut to fit the frame, black chalkboard paint, and a little elbow grease. JK, my husband used his elbow grease but I did the painting! Once dry, I wrote the following rules for my beloved family:

1) Be Kind
2) See rule #1
3) Love your Family
4) Clean up after yourself!

I am sooo happy! Really, it’s the simple things, isn’t it?