Buy Recycled Goods
What You Can Do
Recycling is the collection, separation, processing and marketing of materials so they can be used again. If we don't buy recycled, we're not truly recycling. Purchasing products made from recycled materials completes the recycling process by creating the demand for the materials. If we don't buy recycled, then there is no point in putting products out at the curb.
Click here for a fact sheet on buying recycled.
You can help:
- Buy recycled paper packaging. Usually, if the unprinted side of the box is grey, it's made from recycled material
- Buying in bulk uses less packaging. Put manageable amounts in reusable, smaller containers for daily use
- Avoid single-use items
- Stay away from excess packaging such as single-size lunch items
- Examine the package: recyclable is not the same as recycled. A recycled product is actually made from materials that have been used before.
- Check where you normally shop for recycled content products. Office supply, grocery stores and general markets carry such items. They aren't hard to find!
Lumber and Construction
Recycled Denim Insulation: Bonded Logic’s UltraTouch Natural Fiber Insulation is made from 85% post-industrial cotton fiber local distributor: Cinema Quest LLc, 2 Distribution Court, Greer, SC 29650. 864-304-0545
Rubber Mulch
Would you like a great landscaping product that will also help keep tires from the landfill?
Try rubber mulch! It can be used as playground base, around trees and in flower beds, on walking paths and more.
Benefits are as follows:
- Made from recycled tires and industrial rubber scrap
- Does not float
- 5 times heavier than conventional mulch
- multiple color and texture options
- Retains ground moisture
- Minimizes dust
- Nontoxic
- Resists fading and compaction
- Won't attract termites/insects
Check out these websites for more information on rubber mulch:
http://www.internationalmulch.com/
http://www.closetheloop.com/
http://www.americanrubber.com/
Office Supplies
Want to know where your recycled paper goes?
Want to commit to buying recycled or tree-free paper products?
FedEx KINKO'S stocks their self-serve copiers with recycled paper. Over the span of this year's "Green Holidays" (St. Patrick's Day - Earth Day - Arbor Day), FedEx Kinko's is also stocking a Green Machine copier at every U.S. location, featuring copy paper that is 100% postconsumer, processed chlorine free. They'll also plant a tree if you buy a ream of recycled copy paper or recycled content greeting cards at their store. Best of all, FedEx Kinko's announced in March 2003 a new Sustainable Forest-Based Products Policy, developed in consultation with Rainforest Action Network (RAN). The new policy promises to provide more and higher-content recycled papers, no use of old growth or endangered forest fibers, stock papers that are processed chlorine free, increase use of tree free papers, support source reduction such as double-sided copies, and work with suppliers to ensure that they also verify their sources and follow FedEx Kinko's guidelines.
STAPLES announced in November 2002 its commitment to phase out paper products from endangered forests and dramatically increase its sale of recycled paper, thanks to a campaign led by ForestEthics and Dogwood Alliance, with help from lots of other environmental groups around the country.
OFFICE DEPOT now carries its "Green Top" house brand of recycled paper with 35% postconsumer content at very competitive prices with many virgin copy papers. We've seen specials where it's sold at the same price as their house brand "red top" virgin copy paper.
Click the link for more retail locations offering recycled paper products including cards and gift wrap.
Cards, Calendars
and Paper Products