Beginning in mid-July, it will be easier than ever for members of a university community to recycle.

Virginia Tech, in conjunction with Radford University and surrounding towns will be converting to single-stream recycling. This will make it much easier for students and staff to recycle on campus. It will no longer be necessary to sort recyclable materials — all paper, plastic bottles, metal cans, and glass items can be placed into a single recycling bin together.

The items that can be recycled will not change significantly. Virginia Tech will continue to accept all plastic containers; glass bottles and jars; all mixed paper, newspaper, and magazines; cardboard; aluminum, steel, and tin cans. It will just be easier on visitors, staff and students.

Over the next several weeks, the lids on the existing recycling containers will be replaced in the academic and administration buildings. In addition, recycling containers along sidewalks on campuses will be adapted to allow for both paper and container recycling. Additionally, new recycling containers will also be purchased to make recycling easier everywhere on these college campuses.

Every year, officials with Virginia Tech say the school collects more than 2,000 tons of recyclable material and 3,600 tons of trash. The university’s recycling rate has steadily grown since 2008 and was at 40.47% in 2014. Virginia Tech says they’re committed to reaching a 50% recycling rate by 2020.

For more information on recycling containers for college and university campuses, contact the Fibrex Group.

WSLS

While summer is in full swing, some schools may be taking the opportunity to do a little off-season cleaning.

With that in mind, Middlesex County’s Recycling Division  in New Jersey is announcing openings for its School Book Recycling Program.

The Middlesex County Improvement Authority (MCIA), which oversees the division, is recruiting participants to fill in the program’s remaining slates for 2015.

Interested schools must contact the MCIA’s recycling office, book a date, designate a space on their grounds for a single stream recycling container and begin disposing of old and unwanted hardcover and softcover books, files and mixed paper.

Fibrex Group suggests the Revolve recyclers which house a 95-gallon cart which can collect the recycled textbooks. This recycling container and is great for single stream recycling needs.

“After some stockpiling of these recyclables and a period of time, which can range from one to three months, we pick up the materials,” said MCIA Recycling Manager. “In turn, the school will receive compensation, depending on what they’ve accrued.”

Typically, these materials are recycled into anything from tissues to newer books.

The county first kicked off its Book Recycling Program in 2006. In that first year, this pilot program limited its sights solely to hard cover books.

By 2007, more than 16 tons of recyclable goods had poured in and the program expanded its scope of acceptable collection items.

As of 2014, the School Book Recycling Program is credited with more than 130 tons of recyclables.

Adding a new chapter to the process, the recycling collector no longer requires covers to be stripped from books.

For more information on the MCIA’s School Book Recycling Program, contact 1-800-488-6242. For more information on Revolve recyclers from the Fibrex Group, contact us.

mycentraljersey.com

Yes, it’s only July, but when it comes time to prepare your children for another year of schooling, you’ll probably find yourself on the hook for a multitude of expenditures, not all of them monetary. Certainly you’ll have to lay out some cash for new clothing and school supplies, but the cost to the planet is something to consider, as well. For every item of clothing you purchase, there are chemicals entering our water supply in order to grow fibers, which are then manufactured with – you guessed it – more chemicals (plus pollution and waste). Finally, these products are shipped all over the globe, creating massive amounts of greenhouse gas emissions in the process. And the same goes for school supplies, many of which also denude forests. Ouch. But there are ways to cut your carbon footprint even as you outfit your kids for another school year. Here are a few to try.

1. Organic clothing. There are now a surprising number of retailers selling clothing that is 100% chemical free. The fibers that will make the fabric are grown without the use of chemical fertilizer and pesticides. Textiles are produced free of chemical processing, and waste, pollution, and consumption are reduced in every aspect of the manufacturing process. This not only means that your children will get wardrobes full of natural-fiber clothing that won’t harm their sensitive skin or lead to allergies; they’ll also have a cleaner future to look forward to because of it.
2. Clothing trade. If you simply can’t afford to pay for new, organic clothing, at least do your part to reduce waste and minimize demand for manufacturing by hosting a clothing trade. Speak to other parents at your child’s school, or in your neighborhood, about organizing a trade event by which parents will bring like-new items that their kids have outgrown (or simply don’t like) to trade with other parents (for free!). This way, many children can benefit from new clothing while parents keep a little money for the college fund.
3. Green supplies. Notebooks, folders, binders, pens, pencils, art supplies, and virtually everything your kids need for a successful school year can be obtained in an eco-friendly manner. Recycled paper products are placed alongside the regular fare (that’s how popular they’ve become) while harder-to-find items can be purchased online.
4. Kindle books. Many classrooms provide the standard textbooks but call for parents to purchase supplementary reading for the course. By using a Kindle (or other eReader) instead of buying traditional books, you’ll help to cut back on paper consumption, and thus the deforestation that is consuming the plants of our planet.
5. Walk or bike. When it comes to getting from here to there, most people rely on the family car or the school bus. But think about what could be saved by taking the time to walk your kids to and from school (or alternately, ride bikes both ways). Not only will you cut back on gas expenses, but also on the harmful emissions spreading into our atmosphere. And it never hurts to spend a little more time with your kids, especially engaging in physical activity.
6. Reduce, Reuse & Recycle. Whether at school, home, work or play look for those recycling receptacles for plastic bottles, aluminum cans & paper. Fibrex Group always has the largest recycling container selection to ‘green’ your school or playground this year. Check us out on the web or give us a call at 1.800.346.4458.

*Originally posted by Clay Miller - ways2gogreenblog.com

Dunkin' Donuts is ending its use of Styrofoam cups in New York City. The decision is in line with a new law taking effect in the Big Apple, which bans the use of Styrofoam, including plates, cups and to-go boxes, as of July 1. The doughnut chain is replacing its Styrofoam cups with new #5 recyclable polypropylene cups, according to Christine Riley Miller, senior director of corporate social responsibility for Dunkin' Brands. Miller said: “This cup is accepted in New York City’s municipal recycling program which means, if disposed of properly, it can be diverted from local landfills. We will continue to evaluate and test all available cups until we believe we have found the best solution based on cost, performance, commercial viability and environmental impacts."

Dunkin' has said it plans to soon transition away from foam products in other markets, and establish a plan to move completely to recyclable cups by the end of this year. NYC policy makers in NYC considered the fact that Styrofoam cannot be recycled when it passed the ban on single-use polystyrene products #FoamBanNYC

Recycle properly with Fibrex Group’s line of specialized public area recycling receptacles. Check out our cart housing, smart sensor & solar technology products at www.FibrexGroup.com.

Originally posted by Jonathan Barnes | www.wastedive.com