Another school year has come to an end, and now you need to move out of the dorm and back in with the parents. What are you going to do with that chair you inherited from your friend? Do you really need two microwaves or two sets of dishes at home? What about the homemade pirate costume you wore during the first week of classes but you’ll never wear again? College students accumulate a lot of stuff over the year, and residences often find themselves overwhelmed with waste on move-out day. This is not only inconvenient, but unsustainable as well. Resist the urge to abandon it in your room or throw it all in the dumpster! Here are three ways to get rid of your extra ‘stuff’ once classes are over:

1. Host a sale

Make a few extra bucks by selling your stuff! Host a yard/garage sale if you can get access to community space. Make an event out of it: recruit a few friends to sell their stuff too, and set up music and refreshments. Consider donating the proceeds to charity if you want to feel especially good when you move out.

2. Organize a central drop-off point and collaborate on bulk removal and recycling

Work with dorm staff to coordinate a central drop-off point for everyone’s ‘to go’ stuff—it’ll help keep the dumpsters clean and will discourage dumping in other areas, like rooms and hallways. Find a communal room where residents can drop off their unwanted items. Try to section off areas and label ‘electronics’, ‘furniture’, ‘kitchenware’ to encourage organization and recycling!!

3. Donate to a charity or thrift store

Find out which charities/thrift stores accept donations, and check out their ‘wish lists’ to see what they’re looking for. Make sure the items are in good enough condition to donate (ask the charity just to be sure).

The Fibrex Group always has low-cost solutions for your dorm and campus once you get back to school in August. Check out our Recycle Boxes and Dorm/School recycling bins to keep your university campus looking good!

Parts originally posted in Home Space

Applications are now being accepted for the Building Better Communities grant program, a partnership between the American Water Charitable Foundation (AWCF) and The National Recreation and Parks Association (NRPA).

Building Better Communities is a five-year initiative designed to enhance public parks by creating and improving nature-based playgrounds and natural play areas for children, while also providing educational messaging and demonstration areas about water resources stewardship and conservation.  Building Better Communities projects are supported with funding from AWCF and implemented through annual grants administered by NRPA.

AWCF provided NRPA with $2.5 million to administer the Building Better Communities program over the next five years, according to program materials. The two organizations will work with local communities to enhance and protect open spaces, connect children to nature and provide education to help communities appreciate and protect natural resources.

According to The Wall Street Journal, the program will concentrate on helping local governments build nature-based playgrounds for children and provide environmental education programs related to water for adults. Grant applications are due May 30, 2014.

Building Better Communities grants of $50,000-to-$150,000 will fund projects in public parks that:

1. Build and enhance nature-based playgrounds and natural play spaces for children
2. Educate people on environmental stewardship practices related to water

“As people spend less time outdoors they have less of a connection to and appreciation of natural resources,” CEO and President of NRPA, Barbara Tulipane, said in a statement. “That’s why we are thrilled to be working with the American Water Charitable Foundation as it will help people, especially those in urban communities, deepen their connection with nature and foster a greater appreciation and responsibility around the conservation of water, a vital natural resource we must all use wisely.”

Grants from $50,000 to $150,000 will be awarded to fund projects in public parks that build and enhance nature-based play spaces for children or educate people on environmental stewardship practices related to water.

Fibrex Group, Inc. is the mid-Atlantic distributor for Play Mart playgrounds in the states of VA, MD, DC, DE & NJ. We offer & install recycled plastic lumber playground equipment which connects children to nature and their natural environment, without harming natural resources in the production process. Check out our spring sale at for some great deals on equipment for your park. But hurry, the offer ends June 30, 2014!

American City & County – 5/12/14

Part of what makes outdoor furniture sustainable is its sturdiness—its ability to last for years without requiring replacement. Another green factor are the materials from which the furniture is made. Fortunately for hoteliers, there is a wide variety of sustainable outdoor furniture available that uses strong green materials. A large percentage of that furniture is made from recycled plastic—primarily high density polyethylene (HDPE) from recycled milk jugs and other containers. Suppliers have their own names for the plastic material that can be used in the construction of furniture items ranging from chairs to tables to towel valets or caddies. Furniture made with a high percentage of HDPE will not chip, corrode or discolor and is impervious to insects, mold and moisture. It is also not affected by salt or chlorine. Outdoor Furniture made from recycled plastic can be recycled again at the end of its life.

Here is a rundown of one of the most prominent suppliers that sells outdoor furniture that includes recycled plastic content, or something similar:

Fibrex Group—Known for its selection of recycling centers, waste receptacles and other items such as playground equipment, Fibrex Group also offers site furnishings such as picnic tables and benches. Also around since 1990, Fibrex Group’s products are made from recycled plastic lumber that includes 95 percent post-consumer recycled HDPE. According to Fibrex Group, almost all of its manufacturing waste and more than 75 percent of its operation’s waste is recycled.

Excerpts - greenlodgingnews.com