Green Recycling Products Blog

Camping is the number one outdoor vacation activity in America, according to the Travel Industry Association trade group. They also report that one-third of adults in the U.S. have gone on camping trips in the past five years. Camping continues to be a strong and viable vacation option even in this uncertain economy. Many retirees opt for camping in their golden years, rather than staying in their homes. Families are also going tent and RV camping more frequently these days.

Most of us take the time to recycle at home. But when you are visiting different campgrounds, it is not as easy to recycle when the option is not made available to you. Surprisingly, many campgrounds do not recycle.

If a campground doesn't provide recycling receptacles for their visitors, the limited space in an RV can fill quickly while the visitor stores recyclables to be offloaded once they've left the park. Campgrounds need to make recycling containers available to the growing number of campers.

Recycling opportunities for campers and picnickers exist at all five full-facility Broward County, Florida campgrounds.  Broward County has been utilizing the Profile 6 Recycling containers to make it more convenient for campers to maintain their recycling programs when out in the wilderness, thus reducing their carbon footprint while visiting the beauty of nature.

The Profile line of containers, manufactured by the Fibrex Group, are very attractive in appearance and easy to use. Made from quality fiberglass with a high gloss gelcoat finish, these containers need little maintenance and will perform beautifully year after year.

It seems logical that campgrounds would be one of the most obvious places to be green and close the loop.  If you would like more information on how you can implement a recycling program at your state park, campground or picnic area contact the Fibrex Group.

Resort communities are part of one of our nation’s most important and fastest growing industries. Travel and tourism accounts for a large percent of all international trade. Since 1950, total annual expenditure on tourism has risen from $2 billion to annual worldwide revenues of $476 billion. This amount exceeds the combined Gross National Product of the world’s 55 poorest countries.
Every community needs a recycling program in place. However, for those communities that rely on tourism as a mainstay for their local economy, it is even more important.

It is human nature to care for our own space and communities more than we care for other's. Therefore, it is very important for areas that rely on scenic views and beautiful vistas to provide easy recycling and waste disposal for their guests.

As visitors to new locations, we do not necessarily notice when a resort location is spotless and clean, but we do notice when it is dirty and littered with trash. When a community counts on tourism, especially if it is seasonal, it is imperative that that community is clean.

However, aside from the economic benefits to recycling: tourism revenue, job opportunities and utilization of resources; there are obviously other benefits as well. Mountains and oceans comprise the majority of vacation destinations and represent more than half of the the earth's fragile life sustaining ecosystems.  Ocean and mountain environments are sensitive and are essential for normalizing climate. Increased access to these areas means that tourism has become a source of environmental stress and often significant environmental degradation. The tourism industry is obligated to minimize environmental degradation. 

Cities such as North Myrtle Beach rise to the challenge.  Fibrex Group supplied the Profile 6 recycling container to North Myrtle Beach to minimize the negative environmental effect of their tourism industry. With this area of South Carolina being a resort and recreation area, and reliant on the economics of tourism, Myrtle Beach felt obligated to keep the area clean by having access to recycling containers for visitors.

By taking the time to recycle, you reduce the need for landfills and incineration while simultaneously helping to conserve national resources such as timber, water, and minerals, sustaining the environment for future generations.

The Chicago Park District approved an initiative to promote 2,500 recycling bins throughout the Chicago Park District, including 16 miles of downtown lakefront, effectively increasing public access to recycling products (similar to Fibrex recycling bins) by 125 percent.  Chicago will also place dual purpose bins  (like Fibrex Recycle/Trash Bins) that provide residents and visitors with a convenient and rewarding way to recycle their plastic bottles and aluminum cans while on-the-go. 

According to Keep America Beautiful, only 12 percent of public spaces are equipped with recycling receptacles—indicating a clear need for greater public access to recycling bins. Chicago sets the example for improving on the paltry 12 percent national average for public access to recycling options.  

"The Chicago Park District is committed to keeping more than 570 parks and 26 miles of lakefront green and healthy for all to enjoy throughout the year," said Mike Kelly, Chicago Park District Interim Superintendent and Chief Executive Officer. As cities across the nation become increasingly environmentally conscious, The Fibrex Group will continue to lead the way in delivering safe and affordable recycling solutions.

Three out of five people prefer to eat at restaurants that have recycling practices in place, according to a study conducted by the National Restaurant Association.

The study found that roughly two-thirds of the nation's restaurants practice some level of recycling, but they would be more profitable if they implemented comprehensive programs. 

Other highlights include:      

• 85% of consumers say they sort recyclables in fast food restaurants if recycling containers are provided.
• 74% of restaurateurs who recycle do so in the kitchen and office areas, while 43% have a program in the dining room and other customer-facing areas.
• 72% of restaurant operators use products made from recycled materials, most commonly bags, paper products and food containers.
• 51% of consumers say they're willing to pay a little more at a restaurant that recycles.
• 13% of restaurants participate in composting programs

"Sustainability is more than a fad, it's the new way of doing business in the restaurant industry," says Hudson Riehle, Research and Knowledge Group for the National Restaurant Association. "Our research found that a majority of consumers prefer to patronize restaurants with recycling programs and recycling containers, and restaurants are following suit to ensure they meet their customers' expectations."

The National Restaurant Association surveyed 500 restaurant owners and operators nationwide during March and April, 2011.

The National Restaurant Association has signed on as a co-founding sponsor of the first sustainability conference exclusively focused on the restaurant and food service industry which was held this past weekend in Chicago.

Sustainability is a key industry imperative in the multi-year strategic plan, and the National Restaurant Association is committed to educating its members on how to increase recycling and environmental efforts.

The National Restaurant Association is providing tips, tools and resources for restaurant operators to continue to develop their environmental sustainability programs, including waste reduction and recycling.

Original article on sustainable business.com

The City of Raleigh makes it easy for residents living in apartments, condominiums and townhouses to participate in the Raleigh Recycling program. The program provides collection centers in convenient locations in multi-family communities.  The Fibrex Profile 6 Compartment Recycling Container has been an integral part of increasing the recycling rate in Raleigh.

The Profile line of recycle containers  are very attractive in appearance and easy to use. Made from quality fiberglass with a high gloss gelcoat finish, these containers need little maintenance and will perform beautifully year after year.

High participation in the Raleigh Recycling Program shows that residents care about their environment and are willing to do their part to help reduce the amount of solid waste put in the landfill.  The management at each complex distributes city provided educational materials to their residents and are responsible for keeping the recycling containers and the collection area neat and clean between weekly collection visits.  

Raleigh Recycling collects thirteen different materials for recycling which include:
•   glass food and beverage containers
•   food and beverage cans
•   aluminum foil and trays
•   plastic bottles
•   plastic beverage rings
•   milk, juice and laundry softener gable top cartons
•   aseptic drink boxes
•   newspaper and all inserts
•   magazines and catalogs
•   white paper, including junk mail
•   paperboard, chipboard and paper tubes

“I think we truly have a success story with our program,” says Linda Leighton, the Waste Reduction Specialist for The City of Raleigh.  “It’s been a long, long, long road with lots of bumps due to budget restraints.  We are getting closer and closer to having recycling containers at all of our multi-family communities, despite the small funding and creative ideas we’ve had to deal with in the past.  With the economy the way it is and the whole growth of ‘green’ everywhere you look, the property managers are beginning to get pressure from their residents to recycle in their communities.  We have 480 multi-family communities participating to date (67%), and the participating units include 50,606 which is a 79% inclusion!”  

If you are a property owner interested in recycle containers, Fibrex Group can help you determine the best, most efficient and most economical recycle bins for your multi-family property. For more information contact us today.

Funding for recycling containers was recently awarded for the “Play Green” project.

The grant funding allows the city to furnish additional permanent recycling containers for the parks, as well as purchase more portable recycling containers for the city’s special events as well as educational and promotional materials.

“The containers are primarily for water bottles, cans and that sort of thing,” said Cristal Rollins, community programs coordinator for Coppell. “Those are the things found most often out on the parks and trails. Park goers can now recycle more while they are using the parks, fields, facilities and trails with the new recycling containers in place.

The containers were provided by a Solid Waste Implementation Project grant from the North Central Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG) and Texas Commission on Environmental Equality (TCEQ).

Rollins wrote the grant for just under $15,000 and that money provided 17 new recycling containers in the parks and on the trails located in Coppell.

The recycling containers have been placed at Andy Brown East and West parks, the Kid Country playground and the trail system. Each recycling container is marked with “Coppell Recycles Bottles and Cans” signage and has a special opening at the top to minimize contamination. The recycling receptacles are placed next to trash cans in all locations, Rollins said.

“The recycling containers are in the parks and we are using some of the portable containers we purchased at some of the recent city events,” she said. “We also purchased some promotional items to give out to encourage people to recycle.”

Recycling in the parks was first initiated in 2006. The first recycling containers were placed at the soccer and baseball fields at Wagon Wheel and MacArthur parks through “Run, Refresh, Recycle.”

The “Run, Refresh, Recycle” project was also funded through a Solid Waste Implementation Project grant.

The “Play Green” project funds have given the city the opportunity to enhance the park recycling program, increase the diversion rate and create less waste that ends up in a landfill, and gives park users more chances to play green, Rollins said.

Original article written by Jim Kilpatrick – Coppell Gazette