It takes only one stop to (r)e-cycle your e-waste!
While I’m on the topic of electronics, I must mention my trip to Best Buy this weekend and a fantastic service that I discovered.
I need to preface this with pointing out that electronics, unfortunately, create an amazing amount of e-waste when they have run their course of usefulness or get replaced. Our TV has seen better days, and that was the reason for the trip. Our “outgoing” TV is 17 years old and has reached the point where words on the TV were difficult to read and scrolling type is nearly impossible.
That TV will still be donated to a local charity that assists recovering addicts in setting up a home and, although it’s feasible for us t o replace it, I know someone in need of assistance will appreciate our donation when they have “nothing”. On top of that, our donation keeps it from needlessly being tossed away… it DOES work, afterall.
Okay, back to my original story… Best Buy. My discovery? They have these new FANTASTIC kiosks just inside the entry to their stores that allow us to drop-off all of our e-waste for recycling, repair or repurposing. I’m talking everything… cellphones & chargers, CDs & DVDs, game controllers and components, remotes, printer cartridges, power cords, and even ‘empty’ gift cards! I… LOVE… IT!!!
These kiosks are available in EVERY store around the country, and there happen to be about 1100 of them! Find your store here.
While I believe that an electronic or ‘gadget’ still in working condition should be donated, this is the best source I’ve seen so far for a central drop-off location when they’ve run their course. Check out their site for more details and to learn about their program for the “big” electronics too.
In the meanwhile, sort through your house, fill a box of e-waste and know that you’ve FINALLY found a place for them!
Waste: when “carry-out” food gets “carried away”!
Ahh… Fridays. The infamous Friday night “Carry-Out Food and Movie Nite” in the Mom Goes Green household. The night when I don’t have to think about “what’s for dinner” and instead can rely on the simple question of where to get the food.
While this has become a tradition for us, it also brings the concern of all the waste that can be created when I don’t do the cookin’! Who hasn’t experienced this with their order?: large, rustling bag; unneeded plastic utensils; mountains of paper napkins; a sea of condiment packets; towers of containers; single-use cups… the list could go on and on (and that list has a harsh consequence for landfill waste).
Coffee – Americans use approximately 15 BILLION paper coffee cups per year. If your order includes coffee, bring your own cup… they’ll fill it for you.
Condiments – really, if you’re taking it home, you probably have the same condiments waiting for you in your refrigerator. Instead of thinking “Well, I PAID for them”, think “No thanks. I have them already” and they aren’t in a dozen tiny packets, cups and containers.
Napkins – skip ‘em. Tell them you don’t need any since you probably already use cloth napkins at home…. righ t? 🙂 Right.
Utensils – goes without saying… we all DEFINITELY have those at home, so tell them you don’t need them either.
Containers – many restaurants provide you with some decent containers but, while it’s nearly impossible to refuse them, you can reuse them. Clean them, reuse them and consider them the next time you reach for a Ziploc or other disposable storage container.
Cups – I certainly voiced my dislike of all the kids disposable cups during a dine-in meal, but many of those are also reusable, for beverages, storing craft supplies and lots of other projects.
If you follow all of these suggestions, imagine this… you would have zero-waste…. AND you would have a nice relaxing evening, with a clear conscience and absolutely zero cooking too!