CustomEarthPromos - Eco Blog US

Ravalli County in Montana has received support from the Boy Scouts of America for its recycling measures. The NGO's volunteer workforce for community service is supported by the boy scouts of Hamilton's Troop 62 as well. American Legion Post No. 47 of Hamilton is sponsoring the entire troop. Voluntary Services of the Boy Scouts in Ravalli County Greg Raymond, the troop's scoutmaster said that one adult and two boys were sent on a weekly basis to support the county's recycling activities. At present, 11 scouts are part of the project. To go higher up the scouting ranks, the scouts must actively participate in community activities such as recycling programs. The idea of providing voluntary services at the recycling center was initially presented by Raymond. It was received enthusiastically from all the scouts and gratefully acknowledged by the recycling group. Uniformed scouts present themselves at the center and help in sorting recyclables and placing them into proper containers. Raymond said that it was an opportunity for the scouts to show themselves as responsible citizens. Ravalli County Converting Recyclables into Eco-Friendly Promotional Items Doug Soehren from the recycling group said that the group was always happy to have extra hands as they required all the support they could get for their recycling measures. Due to this project, people have become more aware of recycling measures. It has prompted even the families of the scouts to bring in recyclables to the center. The scouts are trained on the recycling processes; for a more in-depth understanding, a trip to the Pacific Recycling center in Missoula has been planned for the scouts. Recyclables are accepted by the Ravalli County Recycling at the site on Old Corvallis Road at specific time slots on Saturdays and Mondays. The site is closed for Christmas from December 24 to 31. Some of the items that are accepted as recyclables are catalogs, newspapers, scrap paper, magazines, steel and aluminum cans and grade 1 or 2 plastic. Most of these recyclables are effectively transformed into eco friendly promotional items. E-waste such as cell phones, toner cartridges, and used batteries are also accepted. However, hazardous materials and glass and petroleum products are not accepted. Soehren, who has volunteered with the recycling group for quite some time, has created a device to generate power from the photovoltaic panels collected at the site. Although recycling cardboard is a challenge because its market price often fluctuates, yet they try doing it. Source

Alternative Hydrogen Solutions, the main dealer of intelligent hydrogen systems manufactured by Highline Technical Innovations, declared that USA Metal Recycling has ordered hydrogen systems for use in the scrap metal collection tractors. The hydrogen systems are designed for less emission and fuel conservation. Field Tested Hy-Road™ Metal Recycling AHS partnered with USA Metal Recycling in March 2012; as a result of the partnership, Hy-Road™ systems were field tested before they could be allocated for trucking applications. The recycling company was responsible in supplying relevant information for improvising the product. Due to the collaboration, the product acquired a better design. The field tests brought about almost 12% savings on fuel and a 50% reduction in the usage of Diesel Exhaust Fluid. Hy-Road was proved to be a viable and consistent solution. Commenting on the successful design of the product, an USA Metal Recycling shop foreman said that it was the field test that convinced him of the product quality. Drivers of the trucks have reported a drastic improvement in the performance of the engine. The trucks ride smoother and climb hills with greater ease. Chad Coats, the CEO of AHS, stated that USA Metal Recycling has helped AHS to bring out a better product design and achieve the ROI connected with the advantages of the Hy-Road Series. He also said that he was confident that AHS would offer products of credible value to transportation companies. The firm was thrilled with the attention it received due to successful field testing results. Hy-Impact Products: Reducing Fuel Emissions While Metal Recycling The Hy-Impact products use the catalyst, hydrogen for fuel combustion. After water and hydrogen are separated by electrolysis, a specific amount of hydrogen is passed into the combustion chamber of the engine. Hy-Impact operates using the patented CPU technology which ensures that only the right quantity of hydrogen is released for combustion. The process conserves fuel and reduces emission levels. USA Metal Recycling is a company that procures different graded nonferrous and ferrous scrap metals from various sources such as manufacturers, individuals, and demolition contractors. After many years of testing, improvisation, and research, Hy-Impact has emerged as a unique product that is the ideal solution to support environmental concerns by reducing fuel emissions. The Hy-Impact products can also be used in recycling facilities to conserve fuel while converting waste into eco friendly promotional items. Highline Technical Innovations is based in Arkansas and is a company dedicated to produce high quality, innovative, and economically viable products that reduce the negative impact on the environment. Source

The recycling trend has swept across almost all American states. It is found that a high percentage of Americans adopt individual recycling practices and make a conscious effort to choose recycled products. Recycled Plastics That Have Hit The Market Clothes: Advanced recycling technologies are used to incorporate recycled plastic into accessories and fabrics. Fashion designers are extensively using plastic threads extracted from beverage bottles for weaving into clothes. The process of extraction involves cleaning, melting, and stretching plastic into fine threads that can be interwoven into t-shirts, jackets, and dresses. The chic garments are available in most well-known retail outlets. Furniture: Attractive furniture can be crafted out of recycled high density polyethylene plastic. The plastic is extracted mainly from milk cans and is used to make durable chairs, tables, and benches. The furniture made out of this recycled plastic is strong, weather-resistant, and requires less maintenance. Almost 8 milk cans are required to build one pound of plastic furniture; in this way, several milk cans that would otherwise have been dumped in landfills, are put to better use. Kitchenware: Companies are dishing out stylish kitchenware from recycled materials. The polypropylene plastic of bottle caps and food packaging can be molded into a range of kitchenware such as cutting boards, mixing bowls, utensils and storage containers. The recycled products last long and are shatter resistant. Construction materials: The versatility and durability of recycled plastics make them a popular choice for use in construction material. Outdoor decks can be made out of a combination of reclaimed wood and recycled plastic bags. Fences can also be made out of recycled material; the fencing made out of such elements is sturdy and don't need to be painted. Toys: Online stores showcase many toys made of recycled materials. Tea sets, building blocks, and toy trucks are made out of recycled plastic. Even sophisticated toys with stuffed fabric can be made using recycled plastic. Recycled plastic toys offer a means to educate children on the importance of caring for the environment. Benefits of Turning Recycled Plastics into Eco-Friendly Promotional Items By recycling plastic into high quality eco friendly promotional items like our recycled bags, consumers can help conserve the environment. A lot of waste that would've been discarded in landfills is diverted for use in recycling facilities. Environmental pollutants are reduced and people are given an opportunity to explore their creative potential. Source

The pioneer in electronic recycling, CRS (Creative Recycling Systems) has been awarded the e-Stewards® Electronic Recycling Certification for its recycling facility in North Carolina. The award recognizes the company's commitment to conserve the environment by adopting best practices in recycling strategies. Ban's E-Stewards Certification for Creative Recycling e-Stewards certification is a globally acknowledged certification program crafted by the BAN (Basel Action Network). The program receives support from industry leaders and several environmental groups. e-Stewards certification is the only recycling standard for e-waste, which guarantees that toxic waste will be responsibly disposed. The certification ensures that e-waste is not discarded in landfills or transported to developing nations. The certification program includes measures to prevent data leakage from electronic gadgets. The e-Stewards certification is only awarded to electronic recyclers who follow socially and environmental responsible approaches in hazardous waste recovery processes. The program has been backed by major corporations and environmental organizations. The certification program is third party audited, USEPA supported and approved by the Greenpeace USA. The Electronics Take Back Coalition, NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council), Sierra Club, and several other environmental organizations actively support the program. e-Stewards Enterprises such as Samsung, Capital One Financial Corp., Alcoa, Wells Fargo, and Bank of America also extend their support to this program. CRS: Responsibly Recycling E-Waste Into Eco-Friendly Promotional Items CRS provides extensive e-waste management services for financial institutions, government agencies, educational entities, and U.S companies. The certification adheres to the high environment protection standards by adopting socially responsible policies. CRS possesses some of the world's best material recovery facilities. Due to the company's in-depth understanding of regulatory environment policies, customers are presented with high quality solutions. Risk involved in the asset management and recycling processes are almost completely eliminated. Senior Vice President of CRS, Joe Yob, states that sustainable policies can be supported only with superior solutions. Bearing this in mind, the company decided to become e-Stewards certified to achieve the gold-standard reputation. Twelve other facilities are in the process of being certified. CRS also holds ISO 9001, R2/RIOS, OHSAS18001, and ISO 14001 certifications. BAN's Executive Director, Jim Puckett, states that e-Stewards Certificates are awarded with great discretion. CRS is one among the few chosen electronics recyclers who meticulously process their e-waste, dispose them responsibly, and convert suitable material into eco friendly promotional items. CRS has been noted for providing state-of-the-art solutions for obsolete and surplus electronic gadgets. It has been ...

Many cities in the US are bearing the brunt of increased recycling costs. Sacramento County is also experiencing similar problems, and so the city council has decided to change its recycling cycle from every week to alternate weeks. At present, the city officials collect waste material from the residents every week, but from July 2013 the officials will start collecting the waste on alternate weeks. The Solid Waste Cost Issues with Recycling Cycle At present, the county spends a considerable amount of money on recyclables. According to the general manager of the integrated waste system at the city, Steve Harriman, this change will help the county save up around a million dollars on recycling activities. Even though the actual waste recycling costs will not decrease with this change, the waste collection rates will depreciate drastically. Statistically, the extra new bins are estimated to cost around $2 a month compared to the estimated $6 a month at present. Encouraging Eco-Friendly Promotional Items and Recycling According to experts, a large portion of the county's population already recycles majority of their waste. So this change in the recycling system won't impact their participation in anyway and will help them improve their storage skills. Additionally, with reduction in costs, the city council will have the liberty to allocate funds to other green initiatives as well. So the residents will have more options in terms of eco friendly promotional items like custom recycled bags. Speculations on the Recycling Cycle Change Even though the entire team of city officials approved this change unanimously, many people were uncertain about it. Angelique Ashby, a councilwoman, stated that she was apprehensive about putting this proposal into action. She feels that a biweekly collection system will discourage the residents as they won't be able to store all their waste materials over a span of two weeks. Ashby presented her problem in front of the council, with specific reference to waste generated from gardens that would be hard to store for a span of 2 weeks. To clarify this issue, the officials stated that the recycling carts will collect wastes twice a month, but the claw will collect green waste from residents in spring and winter regularly. A claw is a machine that is used by waste collectors to clear up leaves from the roads. However, Harriman discouraged residents to use the claw and stated that if they use the new waste bins, they would save up on their waste disposal costs.  Source:http://www.sacbee.com/2012/12/04/5031400/council-oks-changes-recycling.html

The Stanford University Medical Center, in association with the Cleveland Clinic, has been trying to encourage recycling of plastic in medical institutions and hospitals across the US. According to studies conducted by Stanford University, medical institutions and hospitals generate around 6,600 tons of solid waste everyday, out of which around 25 percent of the waste generated is plastic. So, experts are trying to find out plastic materials that can be recycled to reduce this waste percentage. Medical Waste Projects at Stanford and Cleveland Clinic A sustainability specialist and an engineer at Healthcare Plastics and Recycling Council, Peylina Chu, stated that Stanford University has started a program to try and understand various ways to recycle plastic waste in a medical set-up. According to her, the plastic waste that is generated at medical institutions or hospitals is usually non-hazardous in nature and can be recycled easily. Additionally, by recycling these waste materials, the organizations will save up on considerable amount of money. At present, many hospitals already recycle sterilization wraps, plastic water bottles, and plastic food containers. Stanford University has initiated a similar plastic recycling campaign that has helped them save up on a lot of money. In this initiative, the university recycles all the plastic products that do not come in contact with the patients or the products that are not contaminated. The waste that is collected by Stanford University is sent to a recycling plant named Greenwaste. This plant is located in San Jose. Out of all the material that is sent to the center, the center's workers are able to recover around 88 percent of the total waste. Since the facility is a single-stream recycling unit, it manages to recover a good percentage of the recyclable waste during the recycling process. The Study on Eco-Friendly Medical Waste and Recycling The Stanford University is using this recycling initiative to study methods through which plastic waste can be recycled in a medical waste waste set-up. This study is based on the waste that is generated in medical laboratories, during surgeries, or in pharmacies. On the basis of this study, Chu stated that the materials that can be recycled in a medical set-up include packaging material, polystyrene fibers, plastic bottles, and polystyrene trays. She adds that the primary purpose of this study is to educate people on the possible ways of recycling plastic and to promote the usage of eco friendly promotional items. Additionally, through this study, hospitals can understand which plastic materials can be recycled easily and which can't; so they can save up on their expenditure on new plastic products by reusing their old plastic products. Source:http://www.plasticstoday.com/articles/medical-plastic-recycling-rpojects-expand1129201201

The University of Texas (UT) receives a lot of packaging material every year because of the various shipments that are sent to its laboratories. Since the university has enough space to accommodate this packaging material, it has decided to save it and send it to a nearby recycling unit. The recycling unit will convert this packaging material into eco friendly promotional items like recycled shopping bags. The Green Fee Program at University of Texas The university decided to take up this initiative because of its Green Fee program. To help eco-friendly initiatives, the university reduces $5 dollars from every student's fee and transfers it to the Green Fee program. The university collects $5 dollars during the fall and spring breaks and around $2.5 in the summer session from the students. Through this program, the university has been able to sponsor approximately $7,200 to the packaging waste recycling initiative. According to the biochemistry and associate chemistry teacher, Karen Browning, the Green Fee is designed to sponsor projects that will become self-sustaining over a period of time. Karen is the coordinator of this program at the university level, and she feels that this initiative has helped the students at UT to develop a more eco-friendly attitude. University of Texas Encouraging Eco-Friendly Promotional Items Through the System According to Karen Browning, the sponsorship money from the Green Fee is used to transport the packaging material within and outside the campus. A lot of the labs within the UT campus have plastic foam material waste. With the help of trucks, this waste is collected in one common place in the university, the Welch Hall. Once the packaging material is collected within the campus, it is transported to a dumpster named Pickle Research Center through trucks. A recycling company named HdI Plastics, Inc. collects waste materials from this dumpster and then recycles it. According to officials, the recycling company melts the packaging material and then reshapes it to sell it back to the manufacturers. According to the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, UT has been able to successfully recycle 120 pounds of waste packaging material so far. According to Kicholas Kuzola, a student volunteer for the initiative, the recycling of the packaging material depends on the total amount of waste available at the dumpster. HdI Plastics spends a lot of money recycling these waste materials, so if there is very little packaging material available at the dumpster, the company waits for future stocks to recycle. Source:http://www.dailytexanonline.com/news/2012/12/03/ut-labs-recycle-foam-packaging-using-green-fee-funding

The City Council of Pekin has considered changing contractors for its local recycling program. The city manager, Joe Wuellner said that the market for paper has fallen and the contract with Midland Davis, a recycling provider, has expired. Partnering with the Right Recycling Provider in Pekin City The city was receiving payments from Midland Davis since last year in return for the paper collections. The recyclables collected across the city amounted to about $10,000 a month. But ever since the price of paper fell, the city has instead been paying Midland Davis to take the paper recyclables. New contractors, such as Midwest Fiber, have been sought so that the city will receive income from paper as well as recyclables of aluminum, tin, and other materials. Though the proposal with Midland Davis didn't include non-paper products, the recycling provider is pleading its case in the council. Rikki Wallace, the Office Manager at Midland Davis stated that the city mostly brought paper recyclables and the organization reimbursed accordingly. If Midwest Fiber wins the contract, it would pay the best price for recyclables of all materials. The contract spans for three years and can be extended for two more years. Pekin City to Produce More Eco-Friendly Promotional Items Trucks with separate recycling bins are no longer used in Pekin city. Recyclables are dumped into a regular truck and compacted just like trash. This reduces visits to the recycling center, thereby minimizing gas usage, maintenance, and manpower expenses. At present, the city has small red bins for recyclables which are not largely used because they scatter debris when blown over by the wind. The city council plans to replace these bins with those that have a larger capacity and are more stable. Painted in a different color and designed to be auto-picked by trash trucks, the new bins would drastically ease the collection process. By resorting to recycling, a large amount of money spent on transporting material to the landfills was saved. It also meant that there would be more space left in the landfills and more production of eco friendly promotional items liked recycled totes will be possible. The income received by the state from recycling companies was channelized to educate children on green movements. It was an established fact that training a child on eco sensitive issues was the best means of spreading environmental awareness. The children equipped with environmental knowledge, actively participate in campaigns and programs. In this way, parents are indirectly involved and prompted to support environmental initiatives. Source

The Environmental Awareness Association of Cleveland High School has initiated a recycling program to tackle waste management issues. Faculty members who are part of the initiative advise students of the environmental club to make service as their motto. The program demands all-time dedication and prompts service from both students and teachers. The Cleveland High School Initiative: “Good Sports Always Recycle” The environmental initiative is called “Good Sports Always Recycle” and is sponsored by several organizations such as Eastman Chemical Company, Waste Connections, University of Tennessee, Knoxville Coca Cola Bottling Company and Food City. The members of the program were recently recognized and felicitated at the football game held at University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Team members were awarded a cash prize of $1000 for their efforts. 35 students are part of the environmental team and they are advised by four faculty members: Andi Wendorf, Laura Gheesling, Cuervo and Holly Gobble. The Environmental Awareness Association was formed 13 years ago; ever since, the committee members meet on a weekly basis to discuss environmental programs. It owes much of its success to a steady partnership with Coca-Cola. As part of the recycling program, the cans, bottles, cardboard, and paper scattered in classrooms, offices, halls, and the cafeteria were collected. The collected materials were sorted in two bins: one placed for bottles and cans and another for paper. The collections were made every Friday and donated to different organizations. Cleveland High School to Convert Waste into Eco-Friendly Promotional Items Every Friday, selected classes surveyed a portion of the school and collected recyclables. The students disperse into two groups to collect paper and plastic. The collected materials are disposed in the storage area. The school focuses not only on recycling; it sets-up environmental campaigns and activities. Sorted materials, placed in large containers outside the science's section are sent across to Coco-Cola and other organizations. Many of these organizations convert the recyclables into useful eco friendly promotional items like green bags. Cuervo states that the students of the environmental club do their work happily without the need for external pressure. She says that they are more enthusiastic than she is, and she often has trouble keeping up with them. The teachers involved in the initiative are just as dedicated; they call students if they have missed collecting the recyclables. Notices to carry extra bins are also issued out in case there are more recyclables. Teachers sort out material collected in recycle bins and segregate them into separate units. Irrespective of the weather and the circumstances, all the members involved work industriously to make the world a cleaner and greener place to live. Source: http://www.clevelandbanner.com/view/full_story/20931457/article-CHS%E2%80%88students-committed-to-eliminating-waste-by-recycling?instance=latest_articles

Despite the economic troubles that have been prevailing in the country, the organic milk industry has been booming, especially in the recent years. In comparison to 2009, when organic milk companies were selling an average of 130m pounds of milk every month, at present these companies are selling an impressive 190m pounds of milk each month. These sales have risen by an overwhelming 50 percent rate in a span of only 2 years, and the organic milk industry feels that in the near future, more and more people will opt for their products. The Economic Benefits of Organic Farming and Organic Milk To promote organic lifestyles, the UCS or The Union of Concerned Scientists highlighted the positive effects of organic milk industry on the US economy. The UCS submitted a report that states the statistical growth of this sector and the need to promote it as well. The organization feels that the organic milk industry can be used as an ancillary industry to promote many other organic food products. At present, this industry has an annual revenue of $750m, and with a little help from the government, it can raise its revenue even higher. The Need to Promote Organic Farming and Organic Milk The present FMMO or Federal Milk Marketing Order's policies in the US don't help organic farmers to a large extent. These FMMO policies benefit farmers who convert their milk into dairy products, more than organic farmers, who sell most of their milk in its natural form. So organic farmers incur higher costs, as they spend a considerable amount of money on pasture and organic cattle feed for their cows. So, the government needs to amend its policies to try and propagate organic farming among farmers, by reducing their economic burden. When it comes to amendments in governmental policies, the officials always keep eco friendly promotional items and organic products on the back seat. This is because the organic industry is not as well established as the other ones. So reforming policies to support this industry would mean that the government needs to invest money on it and wait for it to establish itself in the economy. Agencies like UCS recognize that the government takes very few steps to promote the organic sector. Since this sector can help and stabilize the rural economy in many states within the US, the UCS encourages organic producers to try and sustain their industry, so eventually they can seek for governmental support. Source