Blue Bin News - October 2009

St. Louis City Residential Recycling Newsletter Issue #23 ************************************************************************************************************************************* IN THIS ISSUE: RRR BATTERIES JOHN MUIR QUOTE OCTOBER 2009 UPCOMING EVENTS WE CHALLENGE YOU TO OBSERVE EARTH SCIENCE WEEK WHAT IS PAPER? (PUZZLE AVAILABLE IN PDF ONLY) BUY REUSED & RECYCLED BUILDING & CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS ARCHIVED ISSUES, READER SUBMISSIONS WELCOME, TO SUBSCRIBE ************************************************************************************************************************************* RRR BATTERIES They power our flashlights, cellular phones, media players, watches, smoke alarms, and remote controls. Without batteries, our lives would be much different. Although we use them daily, we tend to forget their presence, until they expire. You’ve probably heard that batteries shouldn’t be thrown in the trash, but may not know what your other options are. The first thing you can do is to REDUCE the number of batteries you use in the first place. Reducing your dependence on batteries doesn’t mean getting rid of all of your favorite devices or gadgets. It means finding alternatives to power your electronics. Use solar products, choose hand-operated items, and plug into AC/DC when available. You can also reduce waste by squeezing every drop of energy out of your batteries. Try the following tips: - Follow the “first time” charging guidelines provided by the manufacturer. - Never return a fully-charged battery to the charger for an extra boost. - Let a discharged battery cool to room temperature before recharging. - Recharge batteries only when they are near to fully discharged. For items that use AAA, AA, C, or D size batteries, REUSE batteries by purchasing rechargeables and a charger. One rechargeable battery can replace the equivalent of over 100 non-rechargeable batteries, reducing your battery waste and saving you money in the long run. Even after reducing and reusing, sooner or later you will end up with dead batteries. So, what can you do with them? You can RECYCLE them! For a list of battery collection sites in St. Louis, visit http://stlouis.missouri.org/citygov/recycle/batteries.html. ************************************************************************************************************************************* JOHN MUIR QUOTE When we try to pick out anything by itself, we find it hitched to everything else in the Universe. - John Muir, My First Summer in the Sierra ************************************************************************************************************************************* October 2009 UPCOMING EVENTS Details available at http://stlouis.missouri.org/citygov/recycle/calendar.html * Thursday, October 8 (1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.) - Native Perennials and Grasses for Landscaping Part 3, www.shawnature.org/nativeland/NativePlantSchool.aspx * Tuesday, October 20 (6:30 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.) - Green Drinks: Agents of Green Change www.stlgreendrinks.org * Saturday, October 24 (10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.) - Recycl-a-Fibers www.laumeiersculpturepark.org/ckfinder/userfiles/files/2009Fall-Winter_EducationBrochure.pdf * Tuesday, October 27 (6:00 p.m. - 6:50 p.m.) - Home Composting Class Bevo-Long Community Education Center, 5028 Morganford Road, 63116 Contact recycle@stlouis.missouri.org for more information. * Tuesday, October 27 (7:00 p.m. - 7:50 p.m.) - Native Plants Class Bevo-Long Community Education Center, 5028 Morganford Road, 63116 Contact recycle@stlouis.missouri.org for more information. * Thursday, October 29 (7:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.) - Indoor Composting: Worm Bins www.stlcc.edu/Continuing_Education/Register_for_Class_Offerings.html Ecology course ref. #10764. ************************************************************************************************************************************* WE CHALLENGE YOU TO OBSERVE EARTH SCIENCE WEEK As you read this newsletter, sit back and observe everything around you. Notice the computer in front of you, the chair you’re sitting in, the building that shelters you, the clothes you’re wearing, and all of the other things that surround you. Now, choose just one item and try to figure out what it’s made from. Does it contain plastic, paper, glass, metals, textiles, rubber, glue, ink, paint, etc.? Where did all of those materials come from? Each and every object we produce is composed of materials that were extracted from the Earth. Your closet may not look full of rocks or plants, but that’s where everything in it originated. One of the objectives of Earth Science Week 2009 (October 11-17) is to remind us that the Earth is all around us. More than half of the world’s population now lives in urban areas. Being removed from the natural environment makes it more difficult to understand the effects that our decisions have on the Earth. For example, if you never spend time in a forest, you may not fully appreciate the consequences of cutting it down. But if you live near a forest, you see and hear the wildlife, smell the plants and soil, taste the water, and feel the climate, giving you first hand knowledge of what else would be destroyed if the forest were cut down. In light of Earth Science Week, we challenge you to choose a product that you use on a regular basis. Think about what it’s made of and where those materials come from. Then, brainstorm what you could do differently to reduce the impact that product has on the planet. Can you find a similar product made from recycled materials? Can you reuse the product to get several uses out of it? Are there similar products made from materials that can be recycled rather than landfilled? What can you do to prolong its life? Can you find it used? These are just a few things you can start thinking about to help conserve our natural resources. Learn more about Earth Science Week 2009 at www.earthsciweek.org. ************************************************************************************************************************************* PUZZLE (AVAILABLE IN PDF ONLY) What is Paper? Each column of letters must be rearranged and placed in the column of empty spaces directly above them. Completing the puzzle will reveal the answer to the initial question, “What is Paper?” ************************************************************************************************************************************* BUY REUSED & RECYCLED BUILDING & CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS Habitat for Humanity St. Louis’ ReStore www.habitatstl.org 3763 Forest Park Avenue St. Louis, Missouri 63108 They sell used building and construction materials at substantial savings. You’ll find windows, doors, plumbing and electrical supplies, light fixtures, and trim. They have everything, including the kitchen sink. Inventory changes daily depending on what has been donated. ************************************************************************************************************************************* CITY OF ST. LOUIS REFUSE DIVISION'S RECYCLING PROGRAM Archived Issues Available at http://stlouis.missouri.org/citygov/recycle/residentialnewsletter.html. Reader Submissions Welcome. Email submissions to recycle@stlouis.missouri.org. Would you or anyone you know like to receive Blue Bin News? Contact us at recycle@stlouis.missouri.org to be added to our e-mailing list.