Georgia Animal Protection Society

The Georgia Animal Protection Society is a nonprofit organization for the welfare of Georgia’s animal and pet population.  The Georgia Animal Protection Society assists with animal cruelty cases and promotes and provides low cost spay and neuter options.

 

Georgia Animal Protection Society – For The Protection of Your PetsGeorgia Animal Protection Society.

 

Going Green In Gwinnett…

Steps Gwinnett Can Take To Go Green

Waste Creation and Reduction Facts

There are over 100 million homes in the United States and about 400 thousand tons are waste are produced each year in the US. Since over 75 percent of waste is recyclable, if each home recycled 10 percent more of their waste than they do now, 40 thousand tons of waste would be saved each year.

Recycling at Home

Recycling is the most common way for reducing waste and can be easy to do at home. Several states and cities have a recycling program in place and all it takes is requesting a recycling bin. Go to the specific state’s recycling website to see how to get a recycling bin for the home. Not all states and cities provide curbside pickup. There are many different kinds of recycling programs.

Here are some examples of products frequently used in the home that are and are not recyclable. Note that this list differs in different ares.

Recyclable Goods

• Paper towel rolls
• Toilet paper rolls
• Plastic food containers
• Cardboard boxes
• Anything with the recycle symbol
• Notebooks and printer paper
• Phonebooks
• Paper grocery bags

Non-Recyclable Goods

• Paper towels
• Toilet paper
• Paper food containers
• Pizza boxes
• Wax paper and glossy paper
• Caps to bottle containers
• Plastic grocery bags

Reducing Waste at Home

Reducing waste is another great way to minimize the harmful effects excess waste has on the earth. Buying products with less packaging is a creative way to reduce waste. An example of this is buying a two liter bottle of soda instead of a six pack. When it comes to junk mail, unsubscribe to unwanted mail so there is less paper being sent out. This creates less waste on time and resources.

Plastic Bag Consumption and Solutions

Plastic grocery bags are another huge waste problem. The Wall Street Journal reported that the US uses 100 billion plastic shopping bags per year which takes 12 million barrels of oil to produce. Reduce grocery bag waste by bringing reusable bags to the grocery store.

Reusing Products at Home

Reusing products can be a resourceful way to reduce waste and save money. Reusing those plastic grocery bags is an original way to reuse products. These bags can be used in a number of ways like lining small garbage bags in bathrooms, holding wet clothes after a day at the pool, holding dirty clothes after a vacation, or carrying food and drinks to a party or barbeque.

Plastic food containers, such as soft serve butter containers, can always be washed out and used as food storage containers instead of buying more plastic containers. A more creative way to reuse household items is keeping envelopes sent inside unwanted junk mail. These will reduce having to buy more envelopes.

Recycling, Reducing, and Reusing Goods at Home

Implementing these easy and useful tips at home can make a big impact on the amount of waste produced each year. Composting can revitalize soil instead of throwing the food in the trash where it will never decompose. Reusing plastic grocery bags or not getting those at all will cut down on the amount of landfill waste and save millions of barrels of oil each year.

Here is a list on other easy ideas for cutting down on waste of all kinds in the home:

• Turn off lights in rooms that aren’t being used
• Take shorter showers to reduce water waste
• Keep the A/C on 78 in the summer and the heater on 68 in the winter
• Wash only full loads of laundry
• Wash only full loads of dishes
• Sweep instead of vacuuming
• Put a sweater on instead of running the heat
• Don’t let the water run when washing hands or brushing teeth
• Only take out the trash when the bag is full
• Turn off TVs when not in use
• Use environmentally friendly cleaning products

Green In Gwinnett Area – Keeping Gwinnett Green and Sustainable

SPCA Georgia Open House This Saturday

Join the Georgia SPCA this Saturday September 25th from 11am til 7pm at their Open House.  They are celebrating their newly opened expanded facility.  Come see the dogs, and cats, puppies and kittens!  Food, Fun, Music, Raffles!  Please see the flyer below.  The Georgia SPCA is located in Suwanee Georgia.

Green In Gwinnett Area is proud to be able to assist the Georgia SPCA.

Green In Gwinnett Area : Keeping Gwinnett Green and Sustainable

Gwinnett County Farmers’ Markets

Suwanee Farmers’ Market

address:370 Buford Highway  Suwanee, GA 30024

contact:Amy Doherty phone:770-945-8996

website:Suwanee Farmers Market

“Get it fresh in Suwanee! The Suwanee Farmers Market offers in-season produce, herbs and plants, free-range eggs and meat, baked goods, fresh flowers, and jams and jellies. The market is open at Town Center Park from 8 am-noon every Saturday from approximately early May to mid-October (except for the third Saturday in September).

“May-October, Town Center Park Every Saturday, early May – mid October (except third Saturday in September) 8 am – noon”.

Norcross Farmers’ Market

address:72 Park Drive  Norcross, GA 30071

contact:William Shipley phone:404-824-4350

website:Whistle Stop Farmers Market of Historic Norcross

The Whistle Stop Farmer’s Market is a group of organized citizens of Norcross, Georgia whose mission is to bring locally fresh produce, organic produce, meats/cheeses, baked goods, homemade sundries, sauces, spices and other items from across our region as an open air market to the thriving historic area of Norcross.

June-October, Tuesday’s from 4-8PM, June 2nd-Oct 27th 2009.

Located along side Thrasher Park on Buchanan Street in Historic Norcross.

Lawrenceville Farmers’ Market

185 West Crogan Street  Lawrenceville, GA 30045

contact:Rebekah Cline phone:678-226-2639

website:Lawrenceville Farmers’ Market

“The Annual Lawrenceville Farmers’ Market on the Square is held every Saturday from June 6th through September 26th. Each week the Lawrenceville Farmers’ Market will open from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. in historic downtown Lawrenceville in the parking lot behind the Crogan Street fountain directly across from the Historic Courthouse front entrance. The market draws a host of farmers, home canners, and individuals who grow their own products. Whether you’re coming downtown for your weekly, fresh produce or visiting our historic shopping district, the Lawrenceville market has become a Saturday morning treat to pick up not only fresh fruits, vegetables, grass fed beef, eggs, herbs and flowers but also unique baskets, soaps, honeys, and jams.

“June-September, Every Saturday from June 6th until September 26th 8 a.m. – 12 p.m. Historic Downtown Square Lawrenceville, GA (Across from Historic Courthouse behind Crogan St. fountain)”

Dacula Farmers’ Market

2225 Givens Rd. Dacula, GA 30019

Anthony Stokes phone:678-863-9612

website:Dacula Farmer’s Market email:stokesfarm@bellsouth.net

This Farmers’ market takes place on a private farm in Dacula, where local farmers bring their naturally grown vegetables, fruit, and eggs to sell. Several farmers also offer beef, pork and chicken, which you can pickup at the slaughter house or on their farms. The Dacula Natural Buyer’s Club provides boxes of organic produce from around the world to augment what is locally available. The market is also a drop point for Johnston Family Dairy. They graze their cattle on pasture to produce some of the most delicious milk you’ll ever taste. It is un-homogenized and only lightly pasteurized.

Green In Gwinnett Area – Keeping Gwinnett Green and Sustainable

~ James Chronicle

Green Wednesday’s Green Chamber

Please join the Green Chamber of The South on the first Wednesday of each month for an informal gathering of like-minded professionals and individuals interested in connecting with others to share ideas on Green Business. At each meeting we have a short presentation by one of our members and the rest of the time is devoted to networking.

Next meeting:
Wednesday, September 1, 2010 – 11:45am – 1:30pm
Presenter: Kim Veal – Weston Solutions
Cost (members): $18.00
Cost (non-members): $23.00
Web site address:

Home

Registration Deadline: August 31, at 12:00pm

When To Second Guess

Schedule Time for Second Guessing
Questioning whether or not you’ve made the right decision can be a useful way to make sure you’re on the right track. But if you second guess yourself at the wrong time, you may feel tempted to give up on important commitments. Don’t question yourself when you are most vulnerable. Instead, schedule a time to review your decision critically when you are in the right frame of mind. For example, don’t wonder whether you should abandon a plan to talk more during meetings when you are walking into the conference room. Rather, tell yourself that you will question the decision ten minutes into the meeting, once you’ve had time to get used to the idea. Setting a time will also help you second guess once rather than nagging yourself with doubts.

Green In Gwinnett Area

Green vs Clean

1) Bottled Water vs. Tap Water. Myth: Bottled water is better for you. Fact: Bottled water is less regulated than tap water, and in a 2008 study by the Environmental Working Group, 38 contaminants were found in 10 of the top brands of bottled water. Also, plastic bottles leach harmful chemicals into the water. Finally, if you like things clean, then why add to the huge amount of plastic that exists in our oceans and landfills? That stuff is not going anywhere, and eventually it will show up on your beach and in your backyard. That’s pretty gross.
2) The Disinfection Obsession. Myth: Green cleaning products aren’t as effective as antibacterials. Fact: Unless you are a surgeon requiring a sterile environment, good old soap and water or even home made concoctions like vinegar and baking soda are just as effective cleaning agents as antibacterials – sans the side effects of toxic chemicals, indoor air pollution, and water pollution. These don’t sound so very clean to me.
3) Use and Toss. Myth: Single use products are more hygienic than reusable ones.  Fact: Actually, you can get a better clean from cloth towel than a paper towel, without the paper waste and mess. Cloth towels are more absorbent and stronger and therefore are more effective at getting the grime out of your kitchen. Use and wash is still better than use and toss, and if your mess is not a wet one, you can even reuse your cloth towel a few times before washing it, making it even more environmentally preferable to paper.
4) Kleenex vs. Handkerchief – I got nothin’ here – sorry, you won’t catch me blowing my nose over and over in the same hanky. Even I have my limits….but I am open to suggestions!
5) The Hippie Stigma. Myth: People who are passionate about the environment are tree-hugging hippies who don’t shave, wear deodorant, or shower regularly.  Fact: We are not in the 60’s anymore.

Green In Gwinnett Area: Keeping Gwinnett Green and Sustainable

Green In Gwinnett Tip

Choose fewer ingredients
A long list of ingredients often indicates the presence of questionable chemicals that may be harmful to you or the environment. This is especially true for personal care products, food, and cleansers. Simplify what you buy.  Buy organic if available.  Organic foods have less ingredients because they don’t include the harmful chemicals that could be added in non-organic foods…

Green In Gwinnett Area – Keeping Gwinnett Green and Sustainable

Gwinnett Relay For Life 2010 Today!

Purchase GIGA T-Shirts at the HOPEinks.org “Toners For Life” site tonight and 100% of the proceeds go to The American Cancer Society Gwinnett Relay For Life!

Print Green USA, Inc., in association with the HOPEinks.org program is an official partner of The American Cancer Society’s Relay For Life Program.  Please visit: HOPEinks.org for more information.  Print Green USA is also participating as a Relay For Life team named “Toners For Life” and will be at tonights Gwinnett Relay For Life event at site 268!  Team Captain’s are James Chronicle and Joe Doherty.  The Gwinnett Relay For Life event is held at the Gwinnett County Fairgrounds. The Gwinnett Relay For Life 2010 currently has 7882 particpants and 366 Relay Teams.  The Gwinnett Relay For Life 2010 has raised over $1 million so far!

More Here: http://printgreenga.blogspot.com/2010/05/gwinnett-relay-for-life-2010.html

Gwinnett LEED Certified Library Ribbon Cutting

Gwinnett County Public Library System’s

LEED Certified Hamilton Mill Branch

Join us on May 8, 2010 at 1 pm for our Grand Opening Celebration.

The library is open to customers beginning on April 24, 2010.

3690 Braselton Highway
Dacula, GA 30019

(View Map)

The Gwinnett County Public Library is eagerly anticipating the opening of the Hamilton Mill branch located off of Interstate 85 in Dacula, GA. Gwinnett’s first green library was designed to achieve LEED Silver Certification from the United States Green Building Council. The following is a brief description of some of the library’s unique features and sustainable attributes that are sure to enrich, amaze, and inspire Gwinnett residents for many years to come.

Sustainable Sites

• The building is close to park and recreation centers.
• The building provides parking provisions for fuel efficient and hybrid vehicles, and bike racks for patron and employee use.
• EPA “Energy Star” roof with reflective color coating reduces heat island effect.

Water Efficiency

• Drought tolerant plants and water efficient drip irrigation system will help reduce water usage.
• Native or adapted plants have been restored to open areas.
• Low flow automatic faucets and toilets.

Energy & Atmosphere

• Extra foam insulation on the exterior wall enhances energy efficiency.
• Window glass features double glazing, low emission, and selective low emission coating to improve insulation and heat gain and loss through the building fenestration.
• Energy use is reduced up to 30% with energy efficient lighting, heating, and cooling equipment.
• Artificial lighting is automatically controlled based on the amount of daylight entering the space, improving energy efficiency and turning off luminaries when not needed.
• Air conditioning equipment does not use conventional CFC and HCFC refrigerants, which are not environmentally friendly.

Materials & Resources

• 89% of construction waste associated with this project was recycled and diverted from local area landfills.
• Building materials contain both pre- and post- consumer recycled content and are manufactured within a 500-mile radius of the project site.
• Carpet contains recycled material.

Indoor Environment Quality

• Sunshades and solar control devices on the south facade help control the amount of light and heat which enters the building throughout the year.
• Vertical fins on the east and west windows reduce direct afternoon sunlight.
• Paints and adhesives contain no or low volatile organic compounds (VOC), thereby reducing indoor pollutant sources.
• Carbon dioxide and humidity sensors monitor indoor air quality.

“Art in Architecture”

One of the more unique features of the project is the “Art in Architecture” component designed by local artist Maria Artemis, who as described by the architect, “collaborated with the team to create a provocative series of screened glass ‘paintings’ for windows throughout the library. The motif condenses themes of water, earth, sun, and the use of language in our culture.”

All photographs by Michael E. Casey

Green In Gwinnett Area –  Green And Sustainable