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Inside this issueYSU Recycling Winter Deicing Composting Tips Env. Quote Holiday Trees Valentine Gifts World Water Day Christmas Tree Recycling E-Waste News
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Be The ChangeEach year on December 31st at the stroke of midnight, people everywhere make New Year's resolutions. And despite good intentions, research suggests that only 8% of these resolutions will be realized and 50% will be ditched by the end of February. So, for 2023 instead of setting unachievable goals, try incorporating all or some of these Earth-friendly habits into your life. - Use a refillable water bottle. Each year making water bottles used in the U.S. takes enough oil and energy to fuel 1.3 million cars. What a waste!
- Remember your reusable tote. While a majority of Americans agree that it is wise to shop with a reusable tote bags, many admit to leaving bag, many admit to leaving their bags in the car. When you consider the negative effects plastic bags have on wildlife and the environment, it makes perfect sense that shopping with your reusable tote should be a priority in the new year and beyond.
- Pick up litter. It is so simple. If each Green Scene reader would pick up 1 piece of litter per day, it would add up to over 1 million pieces of litter per year.
- Buy local. Reduce the impact that transportation takes on the environment by shopping for locally produced goods and services.
- Donate to save lives. There are many animal charities that can benefit from your generosity. If you are unable to make a cash donation, most charities have a wish list posted on their websites that request new and used items.
- Consider Meatless Mondays. When you limit meat consumption you conserve water, reduce fuel dependence, and curb greenhouse gasses. Such great incentives!
So go ahead and do it. By adopting some or all of these Earth-friendly habits into your life, you’ll make the world a healthier and happier place in the new year.
~ Kim Lewis
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Know Before You ThrowIt’s wonderful that many people participate in Green Team recycling programs, but it’s important that everyone knows how to recycle correctly. Putting the wrong material in the bins creates problems for material handlers and causes program costs to soar. So...know before you throw. Materials permitted in recycling bins are: - Commingled fibers
- Glass bottles & jars
- Food & beverage cans
- Plastic bottles & jugs
- Cartons
Materials not permitted in recycling bins are: - Plastic bags
- Styrofoam
- Plastic furniture / toys
- Food residue / liquids
- Clothes hangers
- Anything that tangles
For more information about this topic, please call us at 330-740-2060.
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YSU Gears Up For “Campus Race to Zero Waste”Youngstown State University will be participating for the 18th year in the national “Campus Race to Zero Waste” (CRZW) competition, formerly known as RecycleMania, beginning January 29, 2023-March 25, 203. In 2022, YSU earned a first-place finish in the state of Ohio against eight other schools and placed 11th overall in the competition.
CRZW is a friendly com-petition between colleges and universities across the US and Canada. Schools compete to see who can reduce, reuse, and recycle the most on-campus waste for coveted bragging rights – and a handcrafted recycled/repurposed trophy for the overall winner! YSU finished last year’s competition with a recycling rate of 55% by recovering approximately 170,000 pounds of recyclable material that was generated on campus!
YSU will be promoting waste reduction by urging the campus community to use the water bottle refill stations across campus to cut down on single-use plastic waste. Students caught filling up their reusable bottles will be rewarded during the popular “Get Caught Green-handed” campaign during the competition.
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Winter Deicing AdviceExcess salt and other deicing chemicals can harm aquatic life in our streams and impact drinking water supplies. This winter, you can help by following these Earth-friendly snow removal practices: - Shovel snow before it turns to ice to limit the need for deicing chemicals like salt.
- Shovel snow onto grassy areas. This will allow water to soak into the ground rather than overtax storm drains.
If you must use deicing chemicals, follow these suggestions: - Control application of chemical deicers & avoid over application.
- Use salt substitutes that are less harmful to the environment including Calcium Chloride and Magnesium Chloride.
- After snowmelt, sweep up residues to prevent products from washing into storm drains.
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Environmental Quote“If love and peace can prevail on Earth, and if we can teach our children to honor nature’s gifts, the joys and beauties of the outdoors will be here forever.”
~ Jimmy Carter
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Cold Weather Composting TipsWhile its true that the decomposition process slows down during winter, this is no reason to abandon your compost pile. Just follow these helpful tips for winter composting: - Make sure that your backyard bin is located near your house. No one wants to walk far in knee-deep snow.
- Don’t turn your pile when it’s really cold. Turning lets all that valuable heat out that fungus and bacteria need to survive.
- Make sure that you add shredded newsprint or autumn leaves to your pile for a good source of carbon.?
- Don’t water your pile. Watering is unnecessary since the pile is mostly inactive.
- Cut food scraps into smaller pieces. This will expedite the composting process.
- Keep smiling. Soon it will be spring.
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What Happens to Holiday Trees?For the past 30 years, the Green Team has provided a Christmas tree recycling program for Mahoning Valley residents. In spite of the artificial tree’s popularity, cut trees are still enjoyed by many people. Therefore, it is important to provide recycling opportunities for discarded trees so that they don’t end up in a landfill.
When you take your cut tree to one of our participating drop-off sites, you can be sure that it will be recycled. When the program originated in 1992, trees were mulched at each collection site and used in community landscaping projects. Beginning in 2007, however, the program experienced a change. For the past 14 years we have been donating trees to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) for use as wildlife habitat. Through this partnership, over a million pounds of trees have been diverted from the waste stream and submerged in local lakes for fish structures.
If you are one of the persons still enjoying a cut Christmas tree during the holidays, please remember to recycle. A list of designated drop-off sites is printed at the bottom of this publication. Trees will be accepted until January 31.
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ODNR staff place Christmas trees in area lakes for wildlife habitat.
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Expressions of LoveWith Valentine’s Day right around the corner, many of you will be searching for the perfect gift. This year, in addition to expressing your love for that special some-one, why not express appreciation for the one who loves you unconditionally: Mother Nature. You can save trees and support wildlife by sending your beloved an e-card from the World Wildlife Fund. Visit www.worldwildlife.org for options. After you have selected a card, you’ll want to buy a gift. If chocolate is on your list, be sure that it is eco-friendly. The Rainforest Alliance and The Arbor Day Foundation both sell delicious shade-grown organic chocolates that are farmed using fair trade practices. Flowers should be selected in a similar fashion. For a list of florists that offer organic, fair-trade flowers, visit www.citrussleep.com/eco-friendly-living/top-fair-trade-organic-natural-flowers. Finally, if your sweetheart likes bling, be sure to ask your jeweler about sustainably mined gemstones. Better yet, check out an estate sale or second-hand store and buy a vintage piece. You just might be surprised at the treasures you’ll find.
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World Water DayWorld Water Day, celebrated on March 22, is an international observance day. The intention is to inspire people around the world to learn more about water-related issues and to take action to make a difference. A wonderful way to observe this special day is to make changes in your life that incorporate water conservation measures. These measures include: - Only drinking water from a refillable container.
- Turning off the water while you brush your teeth.
- Running the dishwasher and washing machine with full loads.
- Watering your lawn only when it needs it.
- Capturing rainwater.
- Keeping your plumbing in good repair.
- Xeriscaping your yard.
- Composting food & yard waste then applying the compost instead of using harsh fertilizers.
- Taking short showers instead of baths.
- Installing low flow fixtures
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E-Waste NewsIf you received a new computer, TV or other electronic device for Christmas please remember to recycle your old unit. For a complete list of local electronic recycling facilities visit our website at www.greenteam.cc and refer to the recycling catalog. And remember: Always phone ahead for specific information about electronic and all recycling programs.
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Post-Holiday ReminderBetween now and January 31, gift-wrap and greeting cards will be accepted at all Mahoning County drop-off sites and at the curb. Be sure that paper is loose or in a brown paper bag. Plastic bags are not permitted in any of the Green Team bins. Cut trees will be accepted at the locations listed below: - Austintown Twp. Park - 6000 Kirk Rd.
- Beloit Village Park-17910 5th St, Beloit
- Berlin Twp. Bldg.- St. Rt. 224, Berlin Center
- City of Campbell - Warhurst Rd. @ salt dome
- Canfield Twp. Fire Station - 5007 Messerly Rd.
- Craig Beach / Milton Twp. - 1979 Grandview, next to fire station
- Ellsworth Twp. Fire Station.- St. Rt. 45, Ellsworth
- Goshen Twp. Maintenance Garage - 12649 Seacrist Rd, Salem
- Green Twp. Cemetery - Intersection of St. Rt. 165 & Beaver Creek Rd.
- Jackson Twp. Admin. Bldg., 10613 Mahoning Ave, N. Jackson
- Lowellville Village St. Dept.- 3 W. McGaffney Rd.
- New Middletown / Springfield - 10720 Struthers Rd, at recycling center
- Poland Twp. Rd. Dept.-7508 Clingan Rd.
- Struthers City provides curbside pick-up
- Youngstown - CCA Building (former South Library) 1771 Market St.
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For further information about recycling and other solid waste management programs, visit our website at www.greenteam.cc or follow us on facebook
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