Funding Factory Helps Organizations Raise Money Through Recycling

Posted by The Green Groove ⋅ September 21, 2011 ⋅ Leave a Comment

Filed Under recycling

I wanted to see if there was a way to raise money and save on filling landfills at the same time and here is something I think is perfect.

If you’re interested in raising money for a local school system or nonprofit organization, and you’re a fan of recycling, then you should consider registering with the Funding Factory. The Funding Factory is the largest fundraising-thru-recycling program in the United States.

The program uses a point system that accumulates and deposits points directly into a fundraising account. These points can be redeemed for money, or they can be used to purchase items such as art supplies and sporting equipment from an online catalogue.

Being a part of the program is super easy. You basically follow three steps:

Step 1: You register your business.

Step 2: You collect recyclables such as ink cartridges, cell phones, laptops and small electronics.

Step 3: You ship these items to the Funding Factory using pre-paid UPS labels.

Once your items are received you can choose your cash reward, or purchase something like a new computer for a school that desperately needs it.

Watch this video to see how West Boylston Public Schools in Massachusetts raised over $40,000:

Since the program began in 1997 it has partnered with over 50,000 schools and nonprofit organizations. Participants have earned over $20 million in rewards and over 21 million pounds of waste have been recycled and diverted from landfills.

Follow the Funding Factory on Facebook.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jUlyLvxoxxg&feature=player_embedded

Adopt-A-Beach Pictures

    

More Green Energy Thoughts from a Novice

~By Leigh Anne M. Geiter

Although I try to keep my eyes & ears open for ways to save energy and ways to upcycle previously used items into something new & of greater value, just when I think that most bases are covered, I learn something new.  While looking online for potential ways to convert my home to solar energy, I came across an article entitled “OPEC or OTEC?”  Obviously, we all know what OPEC is, and ANYTHING that would get our society away from making rich those who don’t particularly like us & can affect our lives & our economy is a GOOD thing, but what the heck, I wondered, was OTEC? 

Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC) is the process of converting cold ocean water into thermal energy in order to create power.  Brilliant!!  OTEC isn’t a pie in the sky futuristic query.  There are already working plants in Hawaii (where they are even using the technology to farm raise lobster & other marine species in on-shore ponds), and in the Indian Ocean, as well as plans for two new plants in The Bahamas.  So, why couldn’t we do this right here, along the US Coast?  There is NO reason. 

Learn more here:  http://www.triplepundit.com/2011/09/opec-otec  

  

                                             

Photo Courtesy USPACIFICFLEET on Flickr Creative Commons

10 Ways to Go Green and Save Green

By: Worldwatch Institute

How can we live lightly on the Earth and save money at the same time? Staff members at the Worldwatch Institute, a global environmental organization, share ideas on how to GO GREEN and SAVE GREEN at home and at work. To learn more about Worldwatch's efforts to create am environmentally sustainable society that meets human needs, sign up here for weekly e-mail updates.

Climate change is in the news. It seems like everyone's "going green." We're glad you want to take action, too. Luckily, many of the steps we can take to stop climate change can make our lives better. Our grandchildren-and their children-will thank us for living more sustainably. Let's start now.

We've partnered with the Million Car Carbon Campaign to help you find ways to save energy and reduce your carbon footprint. This campaign is uniting conscious consumers around the world to prevent the emissions-equivalent of 1 million cars from entering the atmosphere each year.

Keep reading for 10 simple things you can do today to help reduce your environmental impact, save money, and live a happier, healthier life. For more advice, purchase State of the World 2010 - Transforming Cultures: From Consumerism to Sustainability, a report from 60 renowned researchers and practitioners on how to reorient cultures toward sustainability.

1. Save energy to save money.
   
   
   • Set your thermostat a few degrees lower in the winter and a few degrees higher in the summer to save on heating and cooling costs.
   • Install compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) when your older incandescent bulbs burn out.
   • Unplug appliances when you're not using them. Or, use a "smart" power strip that senses when appliances are off and cuts "phantom" or "vampire" energy use.
   • Wash clothes in cold water whenever possible. As much as 85 percent of the energy used to machine-wash clothes goes to heating the water.
   • Use a drying rack or clothesline to save the energy otherwise used during machine drying.
2. Save water to save money.
   • Take shorter showers to reduce water use. This will lower your water and heating bills too.
   • Install a low-flow showerhead. They don't cost much, and the water and energy savings can quickly pay back your investment.
   • Make sure you have a faucet aerator on each faucet. These inexpensive appliances conserve heat and water, while keeping water pressure high.
   • Plant drought-tolerant native plants in your garden. Many plants need minimal watering. Find out which occur naturally in your area.
   
   
3. Less gas = more money (and better health!).
   
   
   • Walk or bike to work. This saves on gas and parking costs while improving your cardiovascular health and reducing your risk of obesity.
   • Consider telecommuting if you live far from your work. Or move closer. Even if this means paying more rent, it could save you money in the long term.
   • Lobby your local government to increase spending on sidewalks and bike lanes. With little cost, these improvements can pay huge dividends in bettering your health and reducing traffic.
   
   
4. Eat smart.
   • If you eat meat, add one meatless meal a week. Meat costs a lot at the store-and it's even more expensive when you consider the related environmental and health costs.
   • Buy locally raised, humane, and organic meat, eggs, and dairy whenever you can. Purchasing from local farmerskeeps money in the local economy.
   • Watch videos about why local food and sustainable seafood are so great.
   • Whatever your diet, eat low on the food chain [pdf]. This is especially true for seafood.
   
   
5. Skip the bottled water.
   • Use a water filter to purify tap water instead of buying bottled water. Not only is bottled water expensive, but it generates large amounts of container waste.
   • Bring a reusable water bottle, preferably aluminum rather than plastic, with you when traveling or at work.
   • Check out this short article for the latest on bottled water trends.
   
   
6. Think before you buy.
   
   
   • Go online to find new or gently used secondhand products. Whether you've just moved or are looking to redecorate, consider a service like craigslist or FreeSharing to track down furniture, appliances, and other items cheaply or for free.
   • Check out garage sales, thrift stores, and consignment shops for clothing and other everyday items.
   • When making purchases, make sure you know what's "Good Stuff" and what isn't.
   • Watch a video about what happens when you buy things. Your purchases have a real impact, for better or worse.
   
   
7. Borrow instead of buying.
   • Borrow from libraries instead of buying personal books and movies. This saves money, not to mention the ink and paper that goes into printing new books.
   • Share power tools and other appliances. Get to know your neighbors while cutting down on the number of things cluttering your closet or garage.
   
   
8. Buy smart.
   
   
   • Buy in bulk. Purchasing food from bulk bins can save money and packaging.
   • Wear clothes that don't need to be dry-cleaned. This saves money and cuts down on toxic chemical use.
   • Invest in high-quality, long-lasting products. You might pay more now, but you'll be happy when you don't have to replace items as frequently (and this means less waste!).
   
   
9. Keep electronics out of the trash.
   • Keep your cell phones, computers, and other electronics as long as possible.
   • Donate or recycle them responsibly when the time comes. E-waste contains mercury and other toxics and is a growing environmental problem.
   • Recycle your cell phone.
   • Ask your local government to set up an electronics recycling and hazardous waste collection event.
   
   
10. Make your own cleaning supplies.
    • The big secret: you can make very effective, non-toxic cleaning products whenever you need them. All you need are a few simple ingredients like baking soda, vinegar, lemon, and soap.
    • Making your own cleaning products saves money, time, and packaging-not to mention your indoor air quality.

Top Tips

At home

• Fill up the washers. When you use your dishwasher or clothes washer, make sure to fully load them so you don’t waste water washing small loads.
• Trick the toilet. Some toilets, especially older ones, use 3.5 gallons per flush or more. To cut down on the water, put sand or rocks in a plastic bottle to weight it down, fill it with water, put the lid on tightly, and place in the toilet tank. Make sure the bottles don’t interfere with the mechanisms in the tank. And don’t overdo it. If you end up having to flush the toilet twice, your bottle is taking up too much space. There are also devices on the market that do the same job.
• Stop major toilet leaks ASAP. A toilet that keeps running (you can usually hear it) can waste as much two gallons of water every minute!
• Stop “silent” toilet leaks. A “silent” leak in a toilet can waste thousands of gallons a month. To find a silent leak, put food coloring in the tank. Don’t flush. Check the toilet bowl after 10 or 20 minutes. If there is color in the bowl, your tank has a silent leak. These leaks are usually from a worn-out fill valve at the top of the tank or flapper valve at the bottom of the tank that fails to shut off when the tank is full. To replace the flapper, shut off the water at the toilet. Next, remove the worn valve and purchase a comparable replacement part. Replacing the top valve is somewhat more complicated, but you can do it if you are reasonable handy.
• Flush less, and be a water miser. Don’t flush unless it is necessary. If you toss a tissue into the toilet, there’s really no need to waste a couple gallons of water flushing it away. When you run water waiting for it to get hot, put a container under the faucet and save this cold water to use for something else, like watering plants.
• Fix dripping faucets. Drip, drip, drip. It may not seem like much, but it adds up. Just 100 drops per minute of dripping can waste 350 gallons in a month. A leak that’s a tiny stream can total 2,000 gallons a month. Most leaks can be stopped simply by replacing worn-out washers inside the faucet. These washers are cheap and easy to install.

• Check for hidden leaks. To find other hidden leaks, turn off all your water taps. Check your water meter and write down the reading. Don’t use any water for 30 minutes, then read the meter again. If it shows water has been used, then there’s a hidden leak that should be fixed promptly.
• Don’t run water when brushing teeth. Many people leave the tap running while brushing their teeth. This can waste hundreds of gallons of water each month. So turn off the tap while brushing, and only use water to rinse your mouth and your toothbrush.
• Use the garbage disposal only when you have to, and run as little water as possible into it. Or consider composting food waste and avoiding the garbage disposal altogether.
• When you wash dishes by hand, fill the sink and dip dishes in water to rinse rather than running a lot of water.
• Use your automatic dishwasher. Believe it or not, dishwashing machines are actually more efficient than hand-washing. Most dishwashers do not require pre-rinsing dishes by hand. Just scrape solid food off with a spatula.
• Take shorter showers, and take showers instead of baths. The longer you linger, the more water you use. But filling a bathtub takes a lot more water than the average shower.

In the yard and garden

• Nix the lawn or shrink it to a more earth-friendly size. In many parts of the country, lawns are heavy water users. Smaller lawns also mean less mowing–and that saves time, money, and CO2 emissions.
• Water lawns less often, but more deeply-and don’t overwater. Over half of the average household’s water use is outside the house. Lawns are a major guzzler. Watering to the root depth of is best. In clay soil, one-half inch of water should moisten the soil to a depth of six inches. Lawns in very sandy soils need less water but more frequent application. To find out how deeply the water is penetrating, turn on the sprinkler for five minutes, then push a spade in to check your depth. If five minutes moistens the soil two inches down, you may need to water for fifteen minutes to moisten it down to six inches.
• Water shrubs more deeply and less frequently.
• Use brooms and buckets. You can waste a lot of water blasting dirt and leaves off your driveway or sidewalk with a hose. Instead, use a broom. And when you wash your car, use a few buckets of water instead of hosing it off.
• Water as early as possible. Watering early in the morning means that less water is lost by evaporation from the sun. Also, plants are less likely to get diseases if watered at this time, rather than in late afternoon or evening.
• Mulch and compost. Several inches of mulch will keep moisture in the soil while it suppresses weeds. You can use everything from grass clippings to newspapers for mulch. Also, adding compost to the soil helps it retain moisture.
• Check outside for leaks too. Your sprinkler and irrigation systems are the prime suspects.

When shopping, look for

• Native or locally adapted plants. They’ll require less watering than plants that are not well-suited to your soils and climate. You’ll also save water if you group plants by how thirsty they are.
• High-efficiency toilets. Some high-efficiency toilets take only 1.3 gallons per flush (gpf), or only about a third as much water as older toilets. Some utilities give generous rebates for installation of the efficient toilets–in some cases up to the entire cost. Check with your local utility to find out if rebates are available.
• Low-flow showerheads. Install a water-efficient showerhead that takes no more than the federal maximum of 2.5 gallons per minute. “Low-flow” showerheads can do even better.

• Aerators. Low-flow aerators on your kitchen and bathroom faucets are easy to install and cut down on water use and splashing. A flow rate of 2.2 gallons per minute is good for kitchen faucets and 1.5 gallons per minute for bathroom faucets.
• A water-saving clothes washer. A high-efficiency machine can clean clothes better while using 30% to 50% less water and 40% to 70% less energy than conventional models. Look for a “water factor” label.
• Water-smart irrigation controllers. There are new products that automatically adjust irrigation based on actual weather conditions, shutting off when it rains, sending out more water in hot and dry spells, and reducing runoff from slopes by recycling water that runs down them. You save water, money, and have healthier gardens. Some water districts even offer vouchers for savings on purchases of these new systems. Ask your local district about rebates.
• Drip irrigation. Drip irrigation systems apply water at the base of a plant instead of saturating soil all around it, and therefore they use a lot less water than an overhead sprayer. Slow, accurate application of water to the plant roots prevents water from running off on walkways and into gutters. A well designed drip system is durable. And there are even sub-surface drip irrigation systems for lawns. Ask about rebates for these systems too.
• Hand watering. Drip irrigation uses less water than sprinklers, but for small yards you can save even more if you water with a hose. Studies show that people use less water and water less frequently when they do the job by hand.

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Other Considerations

• Be aware of sliding-scale rates. To discourage water waste, many utilities charge more if you use above a certain amount. A district might charge a baseline price of a sixth of a cent per gallon for the first 150 gallons. But for every gallon above that baseline rate, the price might go up to a fifth of a cent or more.
• Want to be on the cutting edge of green gardening? Irrigate your yard with gray water. Gray water systems reuse the relatively clean waste water from showers, bathtubs, bathroom faucets, and clothes washers (never from toilets or dishwashers, and rarely from kitchen sinks). The most basic gray water system is a bucket placed under the showerhead or tub faucet to collect water wasted during that annoying wait for the hot water to arrive. You can use the buckets of water to flush the toilet or water plants. More sophisticated setups pipe the gray water from the house through filters and then into the garden or a holding tank. To minimize health risks from contaminants that might be in the reused water, gray water is usually used for below-surface irrigation of nonedible plants. Gray water isn’t yet legal in some communities and states, so check with your local building department. Find out more about building a gray water system at www.graywater.net.
• Rainwater harvesting is a time-honored way of making the most of the pure water from the skies. Under ordinary circumstances, rainwater runs off your roof into the sewer or onto paved areas where it can pick up pollutants and carry them into local waterways. A rainwater harvesting system captures that roof runoff and directs it to a storage container, which can be anything from a basic covered barrel to a huge underground tank with a pump to get the water back up to the surface. Harvested rainwater is usually used for irrigation, although if it’s appropriately purified, it can also be used for drinking and cooking. If you want to try harvesting, make sure that your roof is made of a material that won’t leach contaminants into the water. You should also have a “first flush valve” so that the first few minutes of rainfall is diverted into the normal drainage system rather than into the barrels or cistern. This helps keep contaminants like bird droppings and mold spores out of the harvested water.

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Benefits…

…to your wallet
On average, U.S. households consume about 127,500 gallons of water a year. Water is a bargain. The average cost is only about a sixth of a cent per gallon, and the average household’s total bill comes to about $200 a year. Of course many people pay more than this, depending on their use and higher-than-average rates in some areas. Many people can cut their use–and their costs–in half without even investing in new equipment. If you go all out, and invest a bit, you can save even more. Studies by the American Waterworks Association (AWWA) have found that in some cases water consumption can be reduced by a whopping 75%.

…to the Earth
The less water we use, the more remains for the nature’s creatures to enjoy. Also, the less water we use, the less energy is required to pump and process it. That means less mining and drilling for coal, oil, and natural gas, which damages the environment. Lower energy use also lowers the emission of global-warming gases such as carbon dioxide and other pollutants.

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Getting Started

• Look closely at your water bills. If you are spending more than average, or are shocked at the bill, it’s especially important to study it. A big change may signal that you have a hidden leak.

You can find many other water-saving products and ideas at the website of the American Waterworks Association. Many local waterworks also supply practical, money-saving information.

Sports Venues Turn Green

By Terry L. Shannon

The world of going green” has hit sports venues in a big way.  And the impact has been huge.  Right here in our own backyard, the Corpus Christi Hooks initiated its own GO GREEN program that encourages fans at Thursday through Saturday games to collect empty aluminum and plastic bottles and pass the recyclables down the row to a member of the Hooks Green Team. Patrons are prompted each night through a late-inning video board and public address reminder.

"It's responsible to recycle and we look forward to partnering with our guests, CC Disposal and Coca-Cola," Hooks president Ken Schrom said. "The most effective way to recycle is through teamwork. We believe our great fans will be great teammates in this endeavor."  Schrom also said CC Disposal is providing the Hooks with a cardboard baler.  "We have massive amounts of cardboard to contend with and the baler puts us on track for an effective cardboard recycling initiative as well."

While it isn’t sports exclusive, American Bank Center adopted Green Practices in an effort to reduce the venue’s carbon footprint by becoming more energy efficient and reducing waste. The mission of the Green Practices sustainability program is to pioneer greening efforts in Corpus Christi’s premier convention facility.

To promote energy efficiency the lighting at the complex was converted from incandescent lighting to compact fluorescent lighting while reducing the wattage of fluorescent lights in select areas of the Convention Center and saving a generous amount of kilowatt hours per year. Timed lighting systems also aid in energy conservation and SMG management is looking forward to installing sensor lighting systems in the distant future in some areas of the Arena.

To reduce waste, American Bank Center recycles printer ink cartridges and oil from the ice rink chillers and air compressors. American Bank Center employees also practice conservation awareness by producing paperless reports or documents and purchasing “green” products when possible. In addition, clients and visitors are encouraged to stay at downtown hotels within walking distance from the venue, restaurants, and other attractions to reduce vehicle emissions. SMG management eventually wants to obtain bins to place around the complex for the recycling of plastic, glass bottles, aluminum/tin cans, paper and cardboard products. 

Did you know that during every University of Texas home football game, the Longhorn Recycling Roundup program collects and recycles plastic cups and bottles? Fans are encouraged to participate in this program by placing their cups or bottles in barrels or clear, cylinder recycling cans located within the stadium, designated cans and recycling centers on the suite and club levels, and by placing recyclables in the complimentary bags that are distributed within tailgating lots. Last year UT fans managed to collect a staggering 26,385 pounds of plastic, making it one of the largest efforts ever undertaken by a university stadium of this size. 

You might have a son, daughter, maybe even a grandchild who’s involved in sports.  The next time you show up to support him/her, take a look around and see what can be done to recycle.  If all of us just did a little, it would make a huge impact.  As an example, UT played Rice in the season opener this year and in that game alone, 4.88 tons of plastic were collected, 16,104 yards of landfill space were saved, as was 1,854 gallons of oil.  

"Building Green"

By: Jonathan Hiatt

According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), buildings currently account for 39 percent of all energy, 12 percent of all water, and 68 percent of all electricity used in the United States, along with 38 percent of all carbon dioxide emissions produced. All of which adds up to one giant ecological footprint.
Buildings that are more energy efficient save on both natural resources and operational costs–two factors that, coupled with greater consumer awareness in recent years spurred by programs like LEED–have led to a massive surge in what is today known design wise as green building. Green building takes into account the way a structure uses energy and water, the types of materials used in construction, and how much waste the building creates, as well as its indoor air quality. Green building for developments also takes into account factors that help to create healthy neighborhoods and minimize urban sprawl.

In order to achieve greater energy efficiency, green buildings often make use of a tight building envelope, passive solar orientation, low-e windows, heat exchangers, and/or radiant in-floor heat. Many of them also generate their own, off-grid energy through solar systems and geothermal heat pumps. Water conservation strategies in green buildings include low-flow toilets (annoying and possibly embarrassing, but it's for a good cause) and showers as well as the use of reclaimed rainwater for landscape irrigation; resources are also conserved using locally sourced and/or recycled/reclaimed/renewable building materials. Additionally, green buildings help to ensure a healthy environment for those who live within them by emphasizing low-VOC paints, non-toxic building materials and proper ventilation.

References:

EPA Website, 2011, "Why Build Green," <http://www.epa.gov/greenbuilding/pubs/whybuild.htm>