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

A Resolution to WalkGreen…

Today is a great day to commit to learning how to WalkGreen. My personal goal is to teach how to WalkGreen via the internet, in my local Gwinnett community, the metropolitan Atlanta area, state of Georgia and Southeastern part of the United States as God provides the means. I want to share easy ways each of us can make small lifestyle changes to help protect, preserve and live in harmony with the earth as God intended!

Some people believe Green living requires the loss of style, fashion and money. The truth is when you decide to WalkGreen you’ll save money and make a better place to live for yourself, others and generations to come. So my prayer today is any and everyone reading this today will make a commitment to changing at least one thing at a time. If we all change a little it can help a lot. I don’t know if you’ve made your resolution list yet but I encourage you to add learning to WalkGreen a priority in 2009. It can’t hurt in this economy we can all afford to learn a few things that will save us money. Why not do something to help the earth and Gwinnett in the process?

Add this resolution to your 2009 list …Walk Green In Gwinnett and save!

Here are two tips the easy green tip from December and the new tip for January.

December: Drink filtered water instead of bottled water. Filling and reusing a stainless steel container created for long term use with water is more beneficial to the environment and your pockets than purchasing bottled water. With all of the talk about chemicals used in bottling plastics it may also prove to be even more beneficial to your health.

January: Recyle! In Gwinnett county (Snellville, Suwanee, Duluth, Centerville, Lawrenceville, Norcross etc) all of the garbage disposal companies (including whoever eventually ends up with the final contract) pick up the little blue bins that take away plastics, aluminum cans and glass. Call your waste disposal provider today. The more you recycle the less you throw away. This cuts down on how often you purchase garbage bags, that saves you money. WalkGreen…and Save!

Join Green In Gwinnett Area on Facebook and LinkedIn!  GIGA!  Spread the word!

I received my letter from Advanced Disposal today.

Apparently we are back to our original disposal handlers but we have the option to select the new one??? That is what I gather from the letter I received today from Advanced Disposal. They are issuing refunds and collecting their carts. Residents are advised to place their empty carts curbside by 0700 on Monday January 5th 2009.

You can contact Advanced Disposal at 770–887-6063