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E-News: Green Star's Electronic, Environmental Newsletter!
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| Green Star E-News Vol. 2, No. 8 August 14, 2001 Recognizing businesses committed to environmental responsibility. In this issue: * Shining Star: Valley Community for Recycling Solutions * National Pollution Prevention Week * Green Events Update * Recycling 101: Steel Cans * Businesses Offer Successful Recycling Program Tips * Green Star Website Resources *This Month’s Hot Link: People Mover * Thank You 2001 Sponsors SHINING STARS Valley Community for Recycling Solutions, a nonprofit dedicated to strengthening recycling opportunities for the Matanuska Valley, is working towards achieving the Green Star Award. The Wasilla office recently received a site visit and opportunity assessment by Green Star Recycling Coordinator, Jeanne Carlson. VCRS is also hosting a recycling information booth at the Alaska State Fair later this month. Recycling staff and volunteers from a variety of organizations will be on hand to answer questions and provide recycling information. Green Star will also be represented at the booth so be sure to stop by and say hello. Send your examples of Shining Stars to betsy@greenstarinc.org. . ================================= NATIONAL POLLUTION PREVENTION WEEK Alaskans are celebrating September 17-23, 2001, as Pollution Prevention Week in conjunction with the National Pollution Prevention Roundtable and National Pollution Prevention Week. In its seventh year, the week is an opportunity for government agencies, business groups and community organizations to work together to highlight the importance of pollution prevention as the best method to protect the Alaskan environment. How to Get Involved? You can get involved by planning an event for Pollution Prevention(P2) Week. Planning an event can be as easy as publicizing the p2 efforts that already exist in your community, organization or business. Begin by evaluating existing programs and plan events to highlight them during this week. This week is also a great time to launch new programs and activities. You may want to pool resources with other organizations to extend your outreach and make it possible to plan activities you may not have the resources to do alone. However you decide to participate, it is an excellent opportunity to increase public awareness for your organization, business or agency while spreading general awareness for pollution prevention. Prevention pollution means eliminating at the source the use of toxic chemicals which have the potential to eventually generate pollution. Pollution prevention - also called waste prevention and source reduction (as in the "first R" in "reduce, reuse, and recycle") - should be considered before recycling, pollution control and waste disposal. To prevent pollution you need to look at the source and figure out how to eliminate it. If you don't generate it, then you don't have to eliminate it. ================================ GREEN EVENTS UPDATE A Green Event is a public event that has agreed to reduce waste and provide recycling bins for public use. Bins are available for free use through Green Star. Contact jeanne@greenstarinc.org for more information. Green Events continues to be successful with several events recycling in June. In fact on June 23rd, a total of four events were recycling simultaneously. The Saturday Market continued its recycling activities; the Mayor's Midnight Sun Marathon set up recycling bins for plastic bottles at the finish line; the Scottish Highland Games in Eagle River set up bins for plastic, aluminum, and glass throughout the event; and Habitat for Humanity collected cans and bottles during its Blitz Build in Mountain View. All in all, several thousand people were able to put their beverage containers in recycling bins. During July, the Downtown Partnership's Live After Five concert on July 19th will be recycling. ================================ RECYCLING 101: STEEL CANS This is the seventh in a continuing series of articles about the materials recyclable in Anchorage. Steel cans are typically food cans and some types of pet food cans. They are what used to be called tin cans, but "steel" is a more accurate description for these containers. What we often refer to as a tin can is really more than 99% steel with a thin plating of tin to protect the flavor of food in the can. Because it is made of steel, all you need is a small magnet to tell it from an aluminum can. Steel cans are classified as a ferrous metal, which means that they contain iron and are attracted to magnets. Aluminum cans are not attracted to magnets. The National Picture According to the U.S. EPA, approximately 2.86 million tons of steel cans (food and other cans) were generated in 1997. This figure is down from 1980 figures due to displacement by lighter containers and plastics. Steel cans were recovered at a rate of 60.5 % (1.7 million tons) in 1997. Steel Cans in Anchorage According to a 1997 study in Anchorage, we generated 28,010 tons of metal waste. Of that figure, 17,847 tons were ferrous (including steel). This figure includes metals processed in Anchorage, but received from other parts of the state. The recycling figures of 14,002 tons in 1997 also may include multiple years of accumulation so actual annual recycling may be lower. Overall, these figures show a 50% recycling rate for all metals. Unfortunately, we don't have data about how much material is from steel cans and how much is from old car bodies and industrial scrap metal. How Do I Recycle Steel Cans? Steel cans may be dropped off 24 hours a day at the Anchorage Recycling Center, 6161 Rosewood Street off of Dowling. Cans should be empty and rinsed. Labels and lids are okay and cans do not need to be flattened, although this does save space. Metal jar lids from glass jars also can be included in this category, but not metal twist-off bottle caps, as these are usually aluminum. If you are unsure if the can is steel or aluminum, test it with a magnet. A magnet will stick to steel but not aluminum. Steel cans are usually food cans, some pet food cans, and some small juice cans. Most small cat food cans are aluminum. Steel cans are baled and sold to a local scrap metal dealer with facilities in the Pacific Northwest. Resources Steel Recycling Institute http://www.recycle-steel.org ================================ BUSINESSES OFFER SUCCESSFUL RECYCLING PROGRAM TIPS Green Star recently facilitated a workshop for Anchorage businesses interested in enhancing their workplace recycling programs. The group discussed common concerns and challenges, and worked together to develop solutions. *Challenges identified by the group include: *Trying to increase employee involvement and participation, *Logistics of transportation of materials, *Turnover of people involved, including employees or students, *Keeping recyclables clean and dry in storage, *Losing bins and other supplies in the process of recycling, and *Keeping materials properly segregated. During the workshop, Marcia Kidd of Corporate Express and Tee Little of the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation's Compliance Assistance Office both shared specific ideas about developing and maintaining a workplace-recycling program. Both organizations have earned a Green Star Award and have successfully implemented recycling programs. Corporate Express is a worldwide supplier of office furniture, office and computer supplies, and related services. In Anchorage, the company employs approximately 100 employees consisting of 60% administrative and sales personnel and 40% warehouse and off-site installation personnel. The company's goal is to set an example of how a business can effectively take on environmental initiatives, not only to become a leader for other Corporate Express Divisions to follow, but to help local businesses by sharing ideas and experiences as well. Corporate Express is proud of its accomplishments to date but does not consider itself "finished." The critical elements that helped encourage employees to become so involved are listed below:
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