Inside this issue

Autumn Leaves
HHW Collection
ARD
Env. Quote
Green Holidays
Purposeful Presents
Holiday Drives
Holiday School Contest
Special Collections

Jack, Samantha, Bonnie, Margaret, and Katherine celebrate the opening of Sustaining Bliss.

Sustaining Bliss

Bonnie Inglis Dodge has always appreciated the natural environment, but it wasn’t until her children began encouraging her to reduce waste and participate in more Earth-friendly shopping that Bonnie decided to take a stand.

Last Christmas, her children, triplets Samantha, Katherine & Margaret, and son Jack requested sustainable “green” gifts that Bonnie could not find at a local level. After shopping for these items on the internet, it occurred to Bonnie that the valley could use a store to satisfy the needs of eco-conscious shoppers. And so began the journey to Sustaining Bliss.

Sustaining Bliss is a retail outlet that embraces the concept of zero waste. The store is stocked with sustainably sourced products that are reusable, refillable, recyclable and compostable. It is tastefully decorated with items that have been creatively repurposed using style and flair. And, as an added bonus, it is a store that is managed and operated by Bonnie and her entire family. It is truly a family affair.

If you’re ready to be-come part of the solution and make a positive impact on the environment, I strongly urge you to visit Sustaining Bliss. The store is located at 27 McKinley Way in Poland and is open Monday - Saturday from 10:00 am - 4:00 pm. You may also visit Sustaining Bliss on their website, Facebook, or Instagram. Regardless of how you visit though, I assure you it will be a rewarding experience.

~ Kim Lewis
RREAP Mgr.

Choose to Reuse

Due to the pandemic, thou-sands of disposable masks and gloves are finding their way into the waste stream and unfortunately ending up as litter. Just look around and you’ll see these items on roadsides, in yards, on fences, in parking lots, on sidewalks, in lakes ... the list goes on and on. Fortunately, there is a solution to this problem. You can “choose to reuse.”

Choosing a cloth mask will prevent disposable masks from being in circulation and stop this waste at its source. This not only makes good environmental sense, but good fashion sense as well. There are so many trendy styles of masks on the market!

Disposable gloves can be avoided by frequently washing or sanitizing your hands. Just remember to carry your pocket-size sanitizer when you travel and refill it at home.
So please help prevent litter and “choose to reuse.” The world is depending on you.

Autumn Leaves

The wonders of nature are awesome. During autumn, leaves turn beautiful shades of orange, yellow and red and dot our countryside with brilliant colors. Unfortunately, this time period is brief and then the inevitable happens: All of the leaves fall to the ground. When the leaves fall, children celebrate by jumping and playing in them. For adults, however, it is a different story. Adults usually worry about how they’ll manage all of those leaves.

Actually, there are many options for managing leaves. If you have a back-yard compost bin, leaves can be saved and added to your bin throughout the year as a carbon source. If you have a mulching mower, leaves can be mulched right on your yard, allowing valuable nutrients to return to the soil. If neither of these options appeals to you, you may want to participate in a community leaf composting program. Boardman, Canfield Village, Canfield Town-ship, Lowellville, New Middletown, Poland Village, Sebring, Struthers, and Youngstown are all offering some type of curbside service.

To learn more about community leaf composting programs, residents may contact their local officials or visit the green team website at www.greenteam.cc.

Fall Household Hazardous Waste Collection

The Green Team is once again providing an opportunity for collecting household hazardous material. On Saturday, Oct., 3.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 & Photo Chemicals Bleach
Antifreeze Used Motor Oil Solvents Poisons
Aerosol Cans Propane Cylinders Acids Stains
Lighter Fluid Adhesive/Glue Mercury Greases
Roof Coatings Car Batteries Household Cleaners Pesticides
Varnish Gasoline Oil Based Paint Herbicides
Caulks Cylinder Fluorescent Lights

Latex paint will not be accepted. Dispose of Latex paint by hardening with sand or kitty litter and placing with regular household waste.

For additional information regarding this special collection, contact the Green Team.

Attention Fall Planters:

Take used nursery pots & flats to Lowe’s, Home Depot, or River’s Bend Farm. The pots will be sterilized for re-use.

Green Ideas

Instead of: Use:

Bleach Borax
Glass Cleaner Vinegar & Water
Stain Remover Cornstarch Paste
Grease Cutter Vinegar & Lemon Juice

America Recycles Day

America Recycles Day (ARD) is observed on November 15 and is the only nationally recognized day dedicated to encouraging Americans to recycle and buy recycled products.

When material is recycled it becomes new again. Plastic bottles can become carpet or play-ground equipment while glass bottles and jars may be recycled into new containers or glassphalt.

On America Recycles Day, take the pledge. Learn - Find out which materials are collected for recycling in your community. Act -Reduce personal waste by recycling. Share - In the next month, encourage one family member or one friend to begin recycling at home or at work.

For more information about this subject, visit americarecyclesday.org.

Environmental Quote

“We must instill the morality and ethics of conservation in the fiber of contemporary consciousness.”
~ Roger Caras
Yale School
of Forestry

Greening the Holidays

The day after Thanksgiving, typically known as “Black Friday,” has always been a feeding frenzy for shoppers. This year, however, will look different. Due to social distancing requirements and the necessity to reduce crowds, many retailers are offering early sales, a longer shopping season, and extended curbside shopping options.

While the global pandemic has caused a lot of negative changes in our society, maybe this change is for the best. In fact, this may be just the right time to reflect on the true spirit of the season and to make positive changes that are good for society and the environment. In other words, it’s time to “go green” for the holidays. Here are some simple tips to help you with this effort.

SHOP GREEN: Purchase items from local artisans and crafters and always carry your reusable tote bag to contain these purchases. If you’re using a curbside shopping service, refuse plastic shopping bags and opt for paper instead. If you’re shopping on line, remember to recycle shipping boxes and to return packaging material to local shippers for re-use.

GIVE GREEN: Make a donation in someone’s name to a local charity. Adopt wildlife or wildlife habitat. Create a basket full of homemade baked goods or print coupons for gifts of service.

DECORATE GREEN: Decorate an outdoor tree with fruit, seeds, and nuts for wildlife. Decorate your indoor tree with homemade ornaments.

ENTERTAIN GREEN: Host a zero waste celebration for your family. Use real dinnerware and provide recycling receptacles for beverage containers. Purchase locally grown food and save leftovers.

REDUCE, REUSE, RECYCLE: Wrap gifts in baskets or reusable bags tied with raffia bows. Make gift tags using last year’s cards. Participate in the Green Team’s holiday recycling drives.

~ Kim Lewis

Holiday Recycling Drives

Each year during the holiday season, an extra 5 million tons of waste is generated --- 25% more than usual! To address this issue, the Green Team is sponsoring two special recycling drives.

Wrap It Up Again! is the wrapping paper and greeting card drive scheduled for December 26 through January 15 at our recycling drop-off sites. Remember to remove all ribbons and bows and to exclude foil wraps.

The Christmas Tree Recycling Drive will be held December 26 through January 31 at designated recycling drop-off sites. Trees will be donated to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources for use as wildlife habitat.

Last year Mahoning County diverted nearly 5,000 pounds of wrap-ping paper and greeting cards along with 90,000 pounds of Christmas trees from the waste stream. Let’s make this year an even bigger success. Remember--- every little bit counts.

Presents with a Purpose

If you're at a loss to find the perfect gift and are shopping for the “person who has everything” why not consider making a charitable donation to a local agency in your gift
recipient’s name? In the valley, opportunities abound. For the humanitarian on your list, consider making a donation to:

The Beatitude House
Veteran’s Outreach
Rescue Mission
Mina’s Foster Closet
Make A Wish Foundation

For the animal lover on your list consider making a donation to:

Angels for Animals
Birds in Flight
Every Dog Matters
Friends of Fido
Frisky Ferrets, et al
NE OH Lab Rescue
OH Shorthair Rescue
TNR of Warren
West Side Cats

Design-an-Ornament Contest

Are your students creative? Do they like to create some-thing from reused material? Then you are ready for your students to enter the “Design - an- Ornament Contest.” From now until November 24, 2020 students in grades K through twelve can make ornaments from any reused material that they can find. Send them to the Green Team office.

The Green Team will decorate a Christ-mas tree at the Mahoning County Courthouse with various “reused” ornaments that the students send to the Green Team. The contest part of designing an ornament is to see which classroom gets a bird feeder made from recycled material. Every classroom that enters will have its name put into a jar.

After November 24th, the Green Team will pick a name from the jar to receive the bird feeder. Be creative and enjoy making the ornaments while teaching your students about “Reuse!”

~ Peg Flynn
Environmental Educator

Be an angel...

and recycle your old towels and blankets. Angels for Animals is in need of used bath towels and small blankets for their animal charity.

If you would like to donate these items please drop them off at the shelter located at 4750 State Rt. 165 in Canfield.

Upcoming Special Collections

In addition to the HHW Collection reported on page 2, the Green Team is hosting two additional special collections during the month of October. Information regarding these
events is posted below.

Electronics Recycling Drive

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 17, 2020 : 9AM - 2PM
CANFIELD FAIRGROUNDS : SR 46 : GATE 9
MAHONING COUNTY HOUSEHOLDS ONLY / NO BUSINESSES
WE WILL ACCEPT THESE ITEMS ONLY:
Cable & Wire Desktop Computers Misc. Electronics
Cell Phones DVD/VCR Players Network Equipment
Copiers Fax Machines Plasma Televisions
Cordless Phones Flat Panel Monitors Printers/Scanners
Computer Accessories Laptop Computers Servers
CRT Monitors LCD/LED Televisions Stereos
CRT Televisions Microwaves Tablets
NO FLOOR MODEL COPIERS
*ALL MONITORS & TELEVISIONS WILL HAVE A $20 FEE
FOR PROCESSING.
*ALL OTHER ELECTRONIC WASTE WILL BE ACCEPTED
FOR FREE.

Tire Recycling Drive

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2020 : 10AM - 2PM
CANFIELD FAIRGROUNDS : SR 46 : GATE 9
MAHONING COUNTY HOUSEHOLDS ONLY / NO BUSINESSES
RATES (CASH ONLY):

First 4 passenger tires are free.

Additional passenger tires are $2 each

Semi-tires are $4 each.

Agricultural tires are $20 each.

PLEASE NOTE: It is against Ohio Law for persons to transport more
than 10 tires without a license.
For more information about these special collections, contact the Green Team

For additional information call 330.740.2060 or visit our website www.greenteam.cc

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