CustomEarthPromos - Eco Blog US

Burlington County is taking the initiative to try and expand its paper recycling unit. The officials in the county have placed additional recycling carts around its premises. The county initiated this paper recycling program in the year 2008, and since its inception it has saved the taxpayer's dollars. Currently, the county is expanding the program to ensure that more and more families have access to recycling carts. Burlington County Aiming to Achieve a Single-Stream Recycling System The primary reason as to why the officials are supplying cities with additional carts is to try and achieve a single-stream recycling system within the county. So, these carts will not only help increase the paper recycling rates within the county but will also help in upgrading the recycling system that exists in the county now. To facilitate this program, the Burlington County Board of Chosen Freeholders has invested a sum of $11.4m in it. These funds cover 50 percent of the recycling cart costs, while the rest of the carts will be bought using the recycling grants from the government. All cities within the county will receive the recycling carts by the end of this year, as the officials plan on launching the single-stream recycling system by early 2013. Recycling Waste and Making Eco-Friendly Promotional Items According to Charlene Webster, the spokeswoman for the county, this program aims at setting up carts in 32 towns within the county. These include Maple Shade, Willingboro, Mount Laurel, New Hanover, and Beverly. According to Joseph Donnelly, a Freeholder, these carts will make the paper and cardboard recycling process easier, and through this system, the recycling rates will shoot up to 100 pounds for every household. In addition, the recycled paper that will be manufactured through this process will be used to make eco friendly promotional items. The Impact of the Program in Burlington County Many residents of Burlington County have appreciated the installation of these carts in their locality. In their opinion, these carts make the recycling process easier and more comfortable. The officials state that since the installation of these carts in the cities, the recycling rates have shot up by 20 percent. They also state that households which have access to these recycling carts recycle more than other households. Additionally, these carts are also helping the municipal communities by reducing the garbage that they need to dispose of in the landfills. Source

The local authorities of Minneapolis state have been placing blue bins around the streets. The City Department of Public Works is making tremendous efforts to try and double their recycling rates, so they are placing these additional blue bins around the city. The department has currently distributed around 30,000 blue bins or carts, each of which has the capacity to hold 95 gallons of waste. Through these increased carts, the department aims at achieving a one-sort recycling system. The One-Sort Recycling System – Recycling Double the Amount in Minneapolis The coordinator of this project, Michelle Chavez, states that this system will make it easier for the state to recycle waste. He adds that this is just the first phase of the initiative, and by 2013 spring the department is planning on distributing 110,000 more carts around various areas of the city. Through this initiative, he hopes that people will dispose off more recyclable material than they have in the past, as they have to dispose all the waste in one single bin, without segregating it. Residents' Opinions on the System and Usage of Eco-Friendly Promotional Items A biomedical engineering student, Chelsey Shoup feels that this system will prove to be more beneficial than the previous one. In her view, the blue bins will constantly remind the residents about the need to recycle and promote eco-friendly items like eco friendly shopping bags on the whole and will also propagate the usage of eco friendly promotional items. According to Devan Grimsrud, a journalism student at the University of Minnesota, this system is extremely efficient as it has fixed collection days. He also adds that sometimes students find it hard to distinguish between recyclable and non-recyclable wastes, and this system will help them out as all the waste needs to be disposed in one common bin. The Minneapolis Disposal System The City Department of Public Works decided to introduce this policy by comparing Minneapolis to other cities in the country through a research. During the research, officials found that many other cities have benefited from a one-sort recycling system. For instance, the city of Ann Arbor saw a 15 percent increase in its recyclables after switching to this system. At present, Minneapolis has a recycling rate of 18.1 percent. So after the complete switch to a one-sort system, the department is hoping that it will increase its recyclables to a substantial 32 percent in the near future. Source

Consumers who think it is hard to find gifts that are organic can now be relieved, as GreenDeals.org is planning on organizing a whole day eco friendly promotional items sale, called “Green Tuesday.” This sale will be organized in the last week of November and will showcase organic products that are meant to be used as holiday gifts. Holiday Shopping with a Twist on Green Tuesday The co-founder of GreenDeals.org, Jonah Mytro, feels that unlike Black Friday and Cyber Monday, Green Tuesday will spread the holiday season's joy and will promote organic lifestyle to preserve the environment as well. She plans on organizing this event every year on the first Tuesday after Thanksgiving. According to her, this event will definitely appeal to shoppers with an eco friendly mindset, but it may intrigue other people as well. She feels that people spend a lot of money on purchasing holiday gifts, so this event will help them rationalize their purchases and will be an excellent medium to try and propagate organic lifestyles as well. GreenDeals.org: Boosting Eco-Friendly Promotional Items As an organization, GreenDeals.org facilitates green businesses by offering them a discount. So through their website, consumers can purchase reasonable eco friendly products during the whole year. The website also has a tips feature which helps consumers plan their purchases in a sustainable manner, so they can cut down on their expenses as well. Using eco friendly bags is one way to do that. Companies Participating in the Green Tuesday Event Many green companies have joined GreenDeals.org in their initiative and will be displaying their products at Green Tuesday. Sameer Joshi, co-founder of Funkoos Inc, one of the green companies participating in the event, stated that their company loves the idea of the event and is participating in it to try and increase awareness about organic lifestyles. Funkoos is an organic clothing brand that manufactures its products in India and is one of the 30 green companies that are participating in the event. Another company that will be seen at the event is The Green Bride Guide, a wedding dress store based in New Haven. This brand handcrafts organic wedding gowns and will showcase them at the event. Apart from propagating organic lifestyles, this event is a great way to advertise and expand the consumer market for such products. The founder and chief executive officer of The Green Bride Guide, Kate L. Harrison states that Green Tuesday is a great way to highlight green businesses. She feels that such a forum will popularize organic products in the consumer industry and will help making the business more competitive. Source

Eco Building Products, Inc. recently launched a very innovative protective solution to protect consumers from accidental fires during the holidays. Considering the fact that the holiday season is around the corner, the company has decided to launch its Eco Christmas Tree Protection product. This product is made using organic materials and is extremely safe to use as well. Eco Christmas Tree Protection: a unique product Eco Building Products, Inc is known for producing organic products, but this product, the Eco Christmas Tree Protection, has some innovative features to it. It is compiled using materials that are organic as well as non-toxic in nature. This product has been made using the FRC™ Technology and has a liquid based solution in it. So, the product won't disrupt the soothing look of the Christmas tree, and will protect consumers from accidental fires during the holiday season as well. The company promotes its eco friendly promotional items To promote this and other eco friendly products among potential consumers, the company has launched an online forum to sell it. Through this online forum, people can purchase the product immediately and can be prepared for the coming holiday season. The product is sold in spray bottles and each customer will receive 32 of these solution bottles. It costs around $20 and is presently available EcoFireBreak website. Eco Christmas Tree Protection Once the consumers receive 32 bottles of the solution, they need to apply it over their Christmas tree. To get optimum results, the entire surface area of the tree needs to be coated with the solution. This would include the branches and the pine needles as well. To make sure the solution reaches all the parts of the tree, the consumers can spray the solution in a distorted fashion. Once the solution is applied, it will dry up in about 8 to 11 hours and the excess will directly flow into the roots of the tree. According to the president and CEO of Eco Building Products, Inc, Steve Conboy, this product will prove to be extremely beneficial during the holiday season. This spray is made using natural substances, so it will not only protect the trees from fires, but will also fertilize them. Steve adds that people usually buy fertilizers for their Christmas trees, so now they can protect and nourish their trees using a single product. Since the company originally manufactures eco friendly promotional items made out of wood that are treated with solutions to avoid fire accidents, the consumers can depend on the quality of this product as well. Source

San Juan Island's Vendor Selection Committee might propose a contract with Lautenbach Industries of Mt. Vernon and Kentec Energy USA of Lynnwood, on a recycling facility. The Gasification Plant Rich Peterson, the County Councilman and committee member said that Kentec has presented an innovative way to deal with the solid waste issues of the county. Kentec USA, affiliated with Kentec Korea, constructs and operates gasification facilities in Europe and South Korea. Likewise, Kentec USA proposes to construct and operate on San Juan Island, a gasification plant of capacity 20 tonnes a day. Lautenbach would renovate the current facility and continue to operate it. Kentec asserts that the new zero emission plant would incinerate trash and produce gases from which electricity could be generated. The generated bio fuel could be used for various purposes and the residual carbon could be used for road constructions. The main obstacles in setting up the plant by Kentec USA were the capital costs and the regulatory policies. But the project poses no risk to the county's finances. Recycling Solid Waste into Eco-Friendly Promotional Items The Orcas Recycling Services in Orcas Island has requested complete control over the operation of the reuse facility of The Exchange. It also asks for authority to operate the tipping floor currently utilized by the San Juan sanitation, an organization in charge of collecting trash and recyclables across the county. Mulcahy, the Public Works Director of the County has outlined three options. The first alternative is to split the tasks between the Orcas Recycling services and Cimarron. This is difficult as Orcas Recycling requires the income generated by the tipping floor to recycle material into useful eco friendly promotional items. The two other alternatives are engaging the services of only Cimarron or Orcas Recycling. The Executive Director of Orcas Recycling, Mark De Tray said he was optimistic that the county council would accept the company's request to take charge of the facility independently. In response, Cimarron's President Blair Estenson said that though negotiations on the contract favored ORZ (Orcas Recycling), a solution that included Cimarron was still feasible. Both ORZ and Cimmaron were eager to take advantage of the contract to put their best efforts to the environment sensitive initiative. The measure would drastically curb the accumulation of solid waste in landfills. A decision by the end of December 2012 is expected because the current contract for garbage disposal terminates soon. Source

TLP solutions recently launched its online store for eco friendly promotional items. This store will supply consumers with 20 different categories of reusable, recycled, organic, and alternative energy products. These products are designed to meet domestic needs of the consumers and will be available at the eco-living-store website. The Different Categories of Products at TLP Solutions This online store is designed to meet domestic needs of the consumers, so it has a wide range of products, such as bath products, baby products, home interior decoration products, personal hygiene and care products, as well as basic office supplies or stationery. The founder of the store feels that the market for organic products is growing steadily and will soon be as large as the market for traditional products. So, the company plans on broadening its range of products in the coming years.  We offer a range of custom eco friendly shopping bags at our store to compliment such items. The Need to Invest in Eco-Friendly Promotional Items According to the founder of this unique store, there is a pressing need to try and reduce the environmental degradation that is taking place currently. He feels that with a little effort, each individual can contribute toward protecting the environment. To begin with, people need to use their purchasing powers sensibly and invest money in products that are organic. This store has a variety of organic products that will help people switch to an organic lifestyle. Most people have a pre-conceived notion that organic products are restricted to food and clothing, but the range of products at this store will be an eye opener for them. Additionally, to make consumers aware of organic lifestyles, the website will launch a blog on greener lifestyles. If people purchase products from this store, they won't have trouble disposing them, and they will be taking an initiative to help the environment, without making drastic efforts from their side as well. The User-Friendly Online Store at TLP Solutions The website of this store is designed in such a way that people with basic knowledge of computers can access it easily. The products are listed under different categories on the website. For instance, if you are looking for candles to decorate your home, you need to click on the home decor category and browse all the products available there. Or, you can directly search for the product through the search bar on the homepage. Once you have chosen your products, you can pay for it using any major credit card, and the products will be shipped to your residence. Source: http://www.sacbee.com/2012/11/19/4997208/eco-living-storecom-opens-with.html

In Anchorage, Alaska, CRS (Central Recycling Services) has resumed the recycling of glass that was discontinued in 2009. A specialist in the building and demolition of debris collects the glass bottles. Small pieces of processed glass, called pea gravel is then created out of the collected glass. The gravel can be used in various construction projects, trench backfilling, and pipe bedding. Recycle Glass Program The Executive Director of Litter Recycling and Prevention, Alaska, Mary Fisher observed that the relaunching of the glass recycling program coincided with the America Recycles Day. Mary Fisher as well as Kauai Alpha, the Recycling Director of CRS, agrees that an extensive recycling program is necessary for the large city. Glass of approximately 15000 tons is estimated to be produced every year. The program aims to collect at least 30 % of the discarded glass waste. The previous attempts to recycle glass were not a big success, but Mr. Alpha observes a positive trend in the days to come. In the glass recycling operation launched in 2007 by the E.K Industries, glass was made into sandblasting material for shipyards. However, it did not generate sufficient finances and so the projects were dropped about two years later. CRS: Recycle Glass Into Useful Eco-Friendly Promotional Items In 2011, CRS managed to acquire complete control over the glass conveyors and associated grinder belts. In return, the company cleared out 800 tons of residual glass in those belts. After a great deal of deliberation, it was decided that the material could be developed into gravel for use in various domains. The company has been given a grant of US$85000 by the city council to conceive a suitable method for processing the glass. The specialized facility owned by CRS operates all through the year. A custom designed recycling plant is located at the centre of the CRS facility. The plant has eight stations to sort trash, exclusive sorting screens, and magnets. The plant's shredder processes the demolition and construction debris. CRS also owns an aggregate recycling plant which has a crusher to process asphalt and concrete into eco friendly promotional items.A wood grinder is also present to recycle wood into various wood products. The metal recycling facility of CRS has material handlers, magnets, shears, metal baler and, other equipment for easily processing and recycling different kinds of metal products. Source:https://recyclinginternational.com/recycling-news/6675/other-news/usa/glass-recycling-resuscitated-anchorage

To propagate an eco-friendly lifestyle, Walmart Pharmacy has launched a new packaging system. This new eco-friendly package, Ecoslide-RX, is a medicinal package that requires a prescription. It is primarily designed to facilitate compliance dosing in patients and is extremely safe to use as well. Ecoslide-RX: Compliance Dosing Made Easy in Walmart This package, manufactured by Keystone Folding Box Co., is currently available at the Walmart Pharmacy stores. This package has 2 major benefits that will help patients with their medication. Firstly, it assists patients with compliance dosing. Compliance dosing is a method where in the packaging of the medicine is designed in the form of a calender. So, before taking the medicine, the patient will check which day it is and then take the medicine allotted for it. In this manner, the patient can keep a track of the day he or she started taking the medicine and avoid confusion on matters of dosage quantity or how much dosage one needs to take per day. Unlike other compliance packages, Ecoslide-RX is made up of 100 percent recyclable substances. So it is plastic-free, making it safe for all the customers, specifically children. The eco-friendly attribute of the package had been tested by certified authorities, and in the year 2011, it was approved by all of them. During the testing, according to the manufacturers, the product was named as the most “child-resistant” package with a rating of (F=1) and was considered “senior-friendly” as well. Walmart's Interest In Eco-Friendly Promotional Items Sandy Kinsey, the Vice President for the Pharmacy Merchandising division at Walmart, stated that Walmart is extremely concerned about the quality of their products. According to her, the company is devoted to provide superior patient care and believes that compliance packaging has helped them achieve this motive.  This could lead the way for them to offer eco friendly bags as well to aid in their environmentally friendly culture. In 2011, a peer-reviewed study was conducted on around 300,000 patients who use Walmart Pharmacy services. This study was conducted during a time period of 2 years and it stated that compliance packaging is extremely beneficial and has a significant impact on adherence of medication. The same research also stated that when compared to traditional packages, this packaging displays an epochal ROI in terms of the incremental cost as well. At present, Ecoslide-RX is sold under Walmart's $4 prescription drug plan and has received a positive response from consumers as well as pharmacists. Presently, consumers prefer buying this compliance package over traditional products, such as amber rivals and blister solutions. So, looking at the success of this product, the company may continue producing other eco friendly promotional items as well. Source:http://www.greenerpackage.com/additives/walmart_debuts_eco-friendly_compliance_pack

As part of their educational endeavor, the students of Villa Cresta Elementary School at Parkville have volunteered to do their bit to save the environment. The 30-member organization comprises students from the third to the fifth grades. The students frantically look out for discarded aluminum cans, batteries, and plastic bags to add them to their collection of recyclables. The Green Team Initiative in Villa Cresta Stephanie Foy, a green team supervisor and a teacher at Villa Cresta said that the students work outdoors when the weather is good or indoors at the lobby when it isn't good. Though residents can drop the recyclables at the collection centers, yet they are encouraged to get assistance from a green team student. Any student, who collects recyclables from residents and drops them off on their behalf, receives prizes. It is a move to inculcate environmental responsibility among the students. The students often frequent houses in the neighborhood and inquire if they have recyclables to dispose off. The supervisor hoped that the recycling drive initiated by the students' green team has a beneficial impact on the community at large. Villa Cresta Collecting the Right Recyclables to Make Eco-Friendly Promotional Products Students are given an in-depth knowledge on recyclables to help them identify items that can be recycled. In this way, they can educate the community on the right materials to be discarded as recyclables. The enthusiastic members of the green team have already created a favorable impression among the people of the community. The students are inspired to continue their good work with sustained energy. Foy said that the initiative plans to make young children aware of the hazards of plastic in the environment and the benefits of recycling them into eco friendly promotional products. The recycled products range from simple household products to fashionable accessories which bear a strong appeal for all sections of the community. When students take up such a huge responsibility toward the environment, the adults are compelled to pitch in to do their part. Environmental awareness is also more effectively spread by children because people are inclined to listen to the thoughts of innocent, young minds. Every year, the green team receives many requests from young students willing to be a part of the environmental movement. The Villa Cresta Elementary School hopes to target even younger children so that they grow up with sensitivity toward the environment and progress as responsible citizens. Source

Toshiba has launched a break-through copy machine to help cut down paper wastage through printing. This copy machine will help erase text on printed sheets so that they can be reused for various purposes. According to the US Environmental Protection Agency, paper makes up approximately 29% of the solid waste that is disposed within the country. So, if paper is recycled and reused by the residents, the solid waste production of the country will reduce drastically. Eco-Friendly Copy Machine: The Future of Printing This machine is made using the Loop copier system and consists of two vital components, a special toner, and a heating component. The special toner utilizes erasable ink and the heating component uses high intensity heat to erase the ink without damaging the paper. This system is so powerful that it can erase up to 30 sheets of paper every minute. It is designed with sophisticated technology that will sort out sheets of paper once the erasing is complete. If any paper sheets are damaged during the process, the machine will dispose it itself. If used by most professional organizations, this special machine can help reduce paper wastage by an impressive 80 percent in comparison to traditional copy or printing machines. According to the manufacturers, every sheet of paper that is inserted in the machine can be reused at least five times. So, this system will help corporate organizations reduce their carbon footprint drastically. This system is ready for sale in Japan and will soon be available in other international markets as well. The company is planning on launching this product in the international markets by May 2013, for a price of over $17,000. The Loops System – an Initiative to Promote Eco-Friendly Copy Machine The Loops system is an initiative by Toshiba Tec to try and propagate the usage of eco friendly promotional items. This company has been making praise-worthy efforts to try and come up with products to help corporate organizations save the environment through reduced carbon emission. For instance, according to the company, this machine emits 60 percent lesser carbon-dioxide in comparison to traditional copy and printing machines. So, any corporate office that replaces their traditional printing system with this machine will be reducing their carbon footprint to a great degree. Source