Attention Readers

In light of the current health crises, special events planned for May and June are subject to change. The Green Team will honor all directives established by Governor DeWine and will reschedule special events if possible. Please stay updated on this subject by visiting our website at www.greenteam.cc or following us on Facebook at Recycling Green-Team.

Western Reserve Elementary Wins Green School Award

Western Reserve Elemen-tary School defines what it means to be “green” and the North Eastern Ohio Education Association (NEOEA) agrees. On March 10, art teacher and “green” events coordina-tor, Lucille Ambrosia, re-ceived notification that the NEOEA Environmental Concerns Committee selected Western Reserve Elem. as winner of the prestigious “Green School” award. Everyone in the Western Reserve School District is elated.

According to NEOEA officials, Western Reserve achieved winning status in three required categories. The first category referred to environmental curricu-
lum. The school met this requirement by providing numerous classroom presentations, hosting the Trash Bash Fashion Show, participating in the Green Team’s Earth Day Place-mat Contest and con-ducting the ABC (A Bench For Caps) Project. The second category referred to the school’s solid waste management procedures. Western Reserve met this requirement by illustrat-ing student and staff in-volvement in the school’s expansive recycling pro-gram and by promoting the 3 R’s in the order of importance: REDUCE, REUSE, & RECYCLE. The third category referred to the school being involved with local and community partners. Western Re-serve met this require-ment through its coopera-tive activities with the Green Team, Western Reserve Parent Teacher Organization, the Ronald McDonald House, and the Berlin Township Recycling Center.

Congratulations are ex-tended to Western Re-serve Elementary School and the entire district for winning the NEOEA Green School Award. Through its environmental stewardship programs, Western Reserve is a shining example of a school that is truly making a difference.

~ Kim Lewis

Earth Day 2020

Learn to Compost with the Green Team

Environmental Quote

“What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make.”
~ Jane Goodall

Explore the Magic

Hey, kids! Enjoy a magical experience with us at Mahoning County Libraries during the 2020 summer reading program. This year we’ll be reading a humorous book titled The Wartville Wizard by Don Madden. This comical tale recounts a mystical man’s encounter with a town full of litterbugs and the supernatural powers he acquires to tackle the problem. After reading the book we’ll use our own magical skills to create colorful crafts
from recovered materials. At the conclusion of the program, everyone will receive a “Don’t Be A Litterbug” coloring book and recycling information to share with their parents. This activity is recommended for children in grades Pre-K through 3. Contact the Green Team or visit the library website at www.visitlibrary.org for
a list of locations.

Curbside Update

Earth-friendly Substitutions

No Drugs Down the Drain

Spring Household Hazardous Waste Collection

The Green Team is once again providing an opportunity for collecting household hazardous material.  On Saturday, May 9, The Household Hazardous Waste Collection will be held at the Canfield Fairgrounds from 9:00 am until 3:00 pm. The collection hours listed below are designated by last name:
A-F 9:00 am-11:00 pm         G-N 11:00 am-1:00 pm         O-Z 1:00 pm-3:00 pm

The following HOUSEHOLD items will be accepted:
Thinners      Automotive Fluids      Pool Chemicals      Bleach
Antifreeze      Used Motor Oil      Solvents      Poisons
Aerosol Cans      Propane Cylinders      Photo Chemicals      Stains
Lighter Fluid      Adhesive/Glue      Wood Preservatives      Greases
Roof Coatings      Car Batteries      Household Cleaners      Pesticides
Varnish      Gasoline      Oil Based & Spray Paint (5 gallon limit)
Insecticides      Herbicides      Cylinder fluorescent bulbs      Acids

Latex paint will not be accepted. Dispose of Latex paint by hardening with sand or kitty litter and placing with regular household waste. Also, please note that compact fluorescent light bulbs may be recycled at Home Depot or Lowes.

If you have any questions regarding this special collection, please contact the Green Team.

The Great American Cleanup

The Great American Cleanup is the country’s largest community improvement program that kicks off in more than 20,000 communities each spring. This national program engages more than 5 million volunteers and participants who take action in their communities every year to create positive change and lasting impact.

Did you know that individuals are much more likely to litter where littering already exists? Let’s end this cycle together.  Please consider becoming a part of the Great American Cleanup and organize a “Clean Your Block Party” sharing in the responsibility to improve our communities. Preventing litter requires changing individual behavior.

If you would like to pick up litter in your community, please call the Green Team for support. In 2019 over 1500 dedicated volunteers participated in community clean-ups and collected 12.6 tons of litter. Hopefully 2020 will be another successful year.

Environmental Shopping During  A Pandemic

The current pandemic has caused many changes in the way we live, but abandoning our green habits is not going to help the situation. We can continue to protect the envi- ronment and ourselves by following guidelines that are based in fact. For example, many people are under the impression that bottled water is safer than tap water and are buying this product in large quantities. This simply isn’t true. According to the US EPA, the COVID-19 virus has not been detected in drinking- water supplies and Americans can continue to use and drink water from their taps as usual.

Another  falsehood  is that plastic shopping bags are safer than reusable totes. This information is not based on facts. However, if your grocery store has implemented a policy about shopping with reusable totes, you have a few options. You can request a paper bag or ask the cashier to place your loose groceries in the cart and do the packing in your car. This not only eliminates the need for a  plastic  bag,  but  also gets you out of the store faster. A fact that is true regarding the pandemic is how long the virus lasts on certain surfaces. According to Johns Hopkins University, COVID-19 is viable for up to 72 hours on plastics, 48 hours on stainless steel, and 24 hours on cardboard.

It is important for all of us to stay safe during the pandemic. Thankfully we can do this  while safeguarding  the planet too.

A Word About Wipes

Baby wipes, disinfecting wipes, personal hygiene wipes, wet wipes, flushable wipes. These products have become increasingly popular in the war against COVID-19, but consumers need to realize that it is dangerous to flush these products down the toilet. Flushing a wipe is just like flushing a piece of cloth. It clogs sewer systems, dam- ages equipment and may lead to basements flooding. According to information posted by Mahoning County Engineer Pat Ginnetti, Mahoning County has 40,000 customers in the sanitary sewer system. Ginnetti is pleading with people to throw wipes away and not flush them in the toilet. He suggests that everyone starts doing this now.

If you’re using any type of wipe, please act responsibly and throw it away. Wipes flushed down the toilet will only lead to problems.

Home Safe Home

If you’re struggling to find hand sanitizer and disinfectants at the store, you’re not alone. These products have been flying off the shelves and are in limited supply. However, this does not mean you must abandon your mission. Hand sanitizer and disinfect- ants can easily be made at home. A DIY recipe for making hand sanitizer is very simple. Combine 3/4 cup of isopropyl or rubbing alcohol (99 percent), 1/4 cup of aloe vera gel and 10 drops of an essential oil. Pour all ingredients into a glass bowl and beat with a whisk until solution forms a gel. Pour the gel into an empty bottle for easy use, and label it “hand sanitizer.” There are several recipes for making DIY disinfectants. One of the simplest recipes involves combining 1 cup of alcohol (99 percent), 1 cup of distilled water and 20 drops of an essential oil or lemon juice. Thoroughly mix ingredients, pour into a spray bottle, and apply the appropriate label.

These are just a few products that can help keep you and your home safe. For more recipes, log onto your favorite search engine and explore  all  of  the wonderful
information available on line.

Doing Our Part

After searching our shelves, the Green Team discovered 5 boxes of hazmat suits that were promptly donated to the MC Health Department for use in fighting the corona virus. It’s nice to know that when we all work together, we can be part of the solution.

Household Battery Recycling

Household battery recycling bins located at Mahoning County Libraries are currently inaccessible to the public. To address this issue, please hold on to your batteries until libraries reopen, or contact the Green Team for other alternatives.

Inspirational Quotes

 
“Life is not shutting down, it’s waking us up.”
~ Dr. Amy Acton
 
“When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, "Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.”
~ Fred Rogers

Scholarship Opportunities

The Ohio Association of Litter Prevention and Re- cycling Professionals (OALPRP) is offering a $1,000.00 scholarship  to a deserving student from Ohio. To qualify for the scholarship, a student must:

• Plan to enroll or currently be enrolled at an accredited Ohio college, university, or technical school.
• Have declared  or plan to declare a major relating to environmental sciences or environmental education.
• Reside in Ohio.

Completed   forms   can be e-mailed to Scholar- ship  Chair  Katrina  Carpenter    at    kcarpen[email protected] or sent by USPS to OAL- PRP Scholarship  c/o Perry
County Waste Reduction & Recycling, PO Box 621, New Lexington, OH 43764. Forms sent by postal mail should be postmarked by April 15. Any questions or assistance   regarding  scholarship applications may be directed to Peg Flynn or Kim  Lewis  at  the Green Team.

What On Earth Can You Do With...

• Lids from Pringles cans? - donate them to the Green Team Education Department
• Plastic grocery bags?recycle them at a re- tail outlet
• Empty gift cards? - mail them to the Green Team
• Motor oil? - recycle it at an auto parts store
• Leftover latex paint? - harden it with kitty litter and place in house- hold trash
• Packaging material? - take it to a UPS or FedEx shipping center for re-use
• CFL’s? - recycle at Home Depot
• An old American flag?- -retire it at the Veterans Service Commission
• Ink jet cartridges? - contact Staples or Empties 4 Cash
• Bowling trophies? - donate them to Purple Cat
• Eyeglasses? - contact a local Lions Club
• Other unique material? - Call the Green Team at 330.740.2060 for options

The True Cost of Styrofoam

During the late 1980’s, consumer outrage over McDonald’s use of polystyrene clam shell containers led to the company’s discontinued use of the product in favor of a more Earth-friendly alternative. Yet today, some 25+ years later, polystyrene foam, known by the trade name of Styrofoam, is still in widespread use. The reason for this is simple. Styrofoam is cheap.

Styrofoam packaging is used in everything from take-out food containers, to drink cups, to meat and produce trays. And while purchasing Styrofoam may be cheap for the consumer, its cost to the environment is not.

Styrofoam is a dangerous product from cradle  to grave. According to The National Bureau of Standards Center for Fire Research, 57 chemical by-products are released during the production of Styrofoam causing air pollution and producing liquid waste that requires safe management. Of course, once Styrofoam has served its purpose, it must be discarded. Since most recycling centers do not collect Styrofoam, it often ends up in crowded landfills or worse: as litter. In fact, Styrofoam is now considered the main component of marine debris.
So really...how cheap is Styrofoam? You decide.

Tips for Reducing Styrofoam

• Use a travel mug for coffee or choose a business that uses paper cups for take-out.
• Buy produce loose rather than in a Styrofoam tray.
• Patronize restaurants that do not use Styrofoam take-out containers.
• Use dry popcorn instead of Styrofoam peanuts for packaging material. If you receive Styrofoam peanuts, return them to UPS and Fed-Ex shippers. The peanuts will be reused

For further information about recycling and other  solid waste management programs, visit our website at 
www.greenteam.cc    
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