Posts Tagged ‘environmental awareness’

Another Green Victory for Earth Day

Friday, April 30th, 2010

Let’s face it- Michigan weather is never predictable! While the rain continued to come down on April 25, it didn’t stop brave participants from joining Recycling for Charities at the Recycle Royal Oak event.

Many families fearlessly made their way to the different green stations set up in downtown Royal Oak for the event.  Make and take crafts were provided by Arts & Scraps, SOCRRA had recycling bins on site for sale, and OUR Credit Union provided free document shredding. And of course RFC was there to collect e-waste from community members! For being so green those who donated were able to sign up to win a free Digital Camera or Digital Photo Frame, provided by Kodak. Below are our winners, who we thank again for taking the time and braving the rain to donate!

Kevin Patrick Miller and his new Kodak Digital Camera
“What a great unexpected surprise. It made my day!”


Nicola Davis showing off her Kodak Digital Photo Frame
“Oh my I love our frame- we have been playing with it and it took me all evening to load 400 pictures on it! What a fun toy!”


Through RFC’s Earth Day events, and with the help of local participating businesses, we were able to collect over 150 electronic waste items for recycling. Imagine if this e-waste had been thrown out, ending up in our landfills with the chemicals possibly seeping into local ground water! Not only were we able to save these electronics from affecting our environment but we also helped raise funds for two worthy non-profits, the Hospice of Michigan and the Oakland Land Conservancy. RFC was also able to give away the ever popular biodegradable pots with planted vegetable seeds! Over 150 pots were handed out at our Earth Day events, many to kids who were excited to get their gardens started right away!

From communicating with possible partners to placing donation requests so that participants did not walk away empty handed at events, Winter Greenterns Jenny and Katie were involved with the entire event planning process. The Greenterns spent time writing press releases, contacting media sources, spreading awareness through social media, and convincing local businesses to help our green cause! But most importantly Jenny and Katie were able to see how a non-profit organization functions behind the scenes and gained real job experience. It also didn’t hurt that they worked in a fun and energetic setting at the Recycling for Charities office!

Part of the Recycling for Charities Team with the Greenterns

A special thanks to all donors and participating businesses who had to put up with weekly intern visits and calls! We truly appreciate your support: AlexEmilio Salon, Bean and Leaf Café, Bethel Farms, Café Muse, Douglas J Salon, Nutri-Foods, Scout, Siegers Seed Co., Shine, TASI Juice Bar, and Titzy’s.

Recycling to Help Man’s Best Friend and Mother Earth

Friday, April 30th, 2010

The strong bond between animals and the environment is undeniable, but is often disregarded when it comes to keeping our land and water pollution-free. One cell phone alone, if thrown away, can pollute 40,000 gallons of ground water, which in turn affects the nearby wildlife. While the mission of Friends For the Dearborn Animal Shelter is to provide loving care and sanctuary to animals that are neglected, Recycling for Charities hopes to help in a similar way by making sure e-waste stays out of landfills and in turn keeping ground water clean for wildlife.

Last year alone the shelter took in over 2,500 animals, many of whom were extracted from hoarding situations or were surrendered due to the poor economy affecting the state of Michigan. 65 percent of these animals were saved by the Dearborn Animal Shelter which is astounding considering that the national average of animals which are received and euthanized by shelters is 70 percent.

You can help the private, non-profit organization Friends For the Dearborn Animal Shelter by joining them to celebrate the 5th Annual Mutt Strut & Pet Expo. The pledge-driven dog walk and community-wide celebration will take place at Dearborn’s Ford Field, with lots of entertainment, shopping, and fun focused on pets and their families. It will take place May 15 and 16 from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. at Dearborn’s Ford Field— rain or shine or snow – all weather is dog weather!

Participants will be able to bring their broken and used wireless electronics,  such as cell phones, PDAs, MP3 players, iPods, iPhones, pagers, and digital cameras, to be recycled. All of the proceeds from the recycled e-waste will in turn go back to the Friends for the Dearborn Animal Shelter who can use it to care for the animals they rescue. If you have no e-waste to contribute you can also make a monetary donation. According to the shelter just $25 would provide an orphan kitten or puppy with special formula for 9 days.

Friends For the Dearborn Animal Shelter is dedicated to their mission of helping both homeless and owned animals, whether it be through care or adoption. You can help their passionate cause by visiting their website at www.dearborn-animals.com and can learn how to get involved with the Mutt Strut & Pet Expo at www.dearbornmuttstrut.com.

Success Dressed in Green for Earth Day Celebration

Monday, April 19th, 2010

Recycling for Charities could not have asked for a better day to celebrate the 40th Anniversary of Earth Day. The sun was shining down on their eco-friendly Smart Car; the newest hits provided by 98.7 AMP Radio kept everything upbeat and the donations pouring in. The campus of Oakland University was glowing green thanks to students, staff and local community members.

Interested overseers hung out during set up and engaged in conversation about various green facts and how to help maintain our Earth with volunteers from Recycling for Charities (RFC), Sustaining Our Planet Earth (SOPE), Reverb and The Salvation Army. From 11:30 a.m. until 1:30 p.m. there were several tables stationed outside of the Oakland Center that provided food, key chains, pins, green facts, seeded pots,  and activities. Students, staff, and members of the community had the opportunity to donate their broken/old phones, iPods, cameras, electronics and clothing. All donors were entered in a drawing for eco-friendly prizes. Recycling for Charities raffled off a Kodak Digital Camera and a Digital Photo Frame. The winner of RFC’s raffle will be announced and contacted sometime next week.

The Earth Day Celebration helped RFC keep 50 tons of e-waste out of landfills. Also, the raised funds were donated to the Michigan Hospice. The Salvation Army walked away with bags upon bags that will help clothe our community and Reverb promoted their Campus Consciousness Tour encouraging students to actively go green. Green gardens will be growing this spring too as the biodegradable pots provided by Bethel Farms and planted with seeds from Siegers were a big hit! The teamwork from all organizations combined to create an exciting, fun and educational environment.

If you thought you missed out on the fun, think again! We will be in Downtown Royal Oak this Sunday, April 25, from 12 p.m. until 4 p.m. continuing the celebration of Earth Day with Recycle Royal Oak. Bring your e-waste!

You can also stay updated about our green initiatives and events by following us on Facebook and Twitter.

Recycling for Charities: Our Earth Day Challenge

Thursday, March 18th, 2010

Where is your old cell phone? How about your iPod that broke last month? Most likely they have been sent to their final resting place — your junk drawer. Why not do something positive with it, instead of letting it sit to collect dust?

So, are you up for the challenge? If you are visiting the Royal Oak area between March 22 and April 24 you will have the opportunity to recycle your used and broken electronics, including cell phones, iPhones, pagers, iPods, PDAs, MP3 players, and digital cameras. Leading up to the Earth Day weekend, Recycling for Charities will have collection boxes placed in participating businesses and stores in downtown Royal Oak. Individuals can drop off their old electronics and may even receive a discount for being green (a list of participating businesses, locations, and discounts can be found at the end of this post)! Feel free to snap a picture of yourself doing your green deed and upload it to Facebook or Twitter. Don’t forget to mention us so that we can show others how you helped make a difference this Earth Day!

When thrown away cell phones create  tons of garbage in our landfills. Just one is enough to pollute about 1 Olympic sized swimming pool of water!  Recycling for Charities is giving you the opportunity to help the environment while celebrating the 40th Anniversary of Earth Day. The challenge to keep our landfills clean of e-waste will culminate with the Earth Day community celebration in downtown Royal Oak, April 25. By participating you can help prevent electronic waste from entering our water sources and landfills, where they can continue to release harmful chemicals. All you need to do is bring your used or broken wireless electronics, and RFC will do the rest. Going green is that easy, and you can write it off on your taxes!

RFC will also be taking their mission to the streets of Royal Oak in their eco-friendly Smart Car. Participants will have the chance to get up close and personal with the Smart Car and will learn how this tiny vehicle is helpful to the environment.

Only 10 percent of used and broken cell phones are recycled each year. What is your excuse? You can help Recycling for Charities eliminate e-waste this Earth Day by donating your old electronics to local stores or by bringing them to the community event on April 25 from 12-3:30 pm. Let’s help make Michigan a little “greener” this Earth Day, together!

Participating Businesses:

1 ) AlexEmilio Salon – The goal at AlexEmilio is to make an impact on your life, just by changing how you look. They want you to feel amazing when you leave and continue to feel that way. The salon offers haircuts and color along with nail and facial treatments.

409 South Main St., Royal Oak, MI 48067

2 ) Bean & Leaf Café – This café provides their customers with environmentally friendly cups that are 100% bio-degradable and offers many varieties of fair trade organic coffees. Customers can also browse the internet while enjoying their cup of coffee thanks to the café’s free Wi-Fi. When you buy a $20 gift card, you will get a drink of any size on the house, and all of those who work in Royal Oak can receive 10% off their order- be sure to mention Recycling for Charities!

106 S. Main St., Royal Oak, MI 48962

3 ) Café Muse – Voted as having one of the best sandwiches in America by Esquire Magazine, Café Muse offers an array of items for breakfast and lunch. They also pride themselves on their natural cuisine, using fresh ingredients and products that are humanely treated and grown without the use of pesticides or growth hormones. Make sure to look for a blurb on Recycling for Charities in the list of specials at Café Muse!

418 S. Washington Ave., Royal Oak, MI 48067

4 ) Douglas J Aveda Institute –Douglas J provides cutting edge cosmetology education. With its affiliation with Aveda, Douglas J is able to share and exchange curriculum ideas and learn the latest innovations in areas like cosmetology and esthiology. Students provide services such as haircuts and color, as well as spa, facial, and nail treatments under the supervision of their instructors. All donations dropped off at Douglas J will benefit the Oakland Land Conservancy.

409 S. Center St., Royal Oak, MI 48067

5 ) Scout – This eclectic shop sells art work, home décor, vintage finds, pottery, and textiles… just to name a few. When you drop off your old electronics at Scout you will receive 10% off of all candles.

508 S. Washington Ave., Royal Oak, MI 48067

6 ) Shine – When visiting this trendy store expect to find unique bags, jewelry, pillows, books, body products, and much more! You will receive 10% off your entire purchase when you drop off your old electronics at Shine!

621 S. Washington Ave., Royal Oak, MI 48068

7 ) TASI Juice Bar – Known as the ‘healthy side of fast food’ TASI serves up great smoothies and fresh snacks. As a bonus to the environmentally-conscious,  the wheatgrass used in their delicious drinks is organically grown!

204 West 4th St., Royal  Oak, MI 48067

8 ) Titzy’s – The philosophy of Titzy’s is to bring great and unique maternity, infant and nursing wear to people at a fair price. They also offer organic items such as lotion for mothers and babies. Those who drop off their electronics at Titzy’s will receive 10% off their entire purchase!

506 S. Washington Ave., Royal Oak, MI 48067

Not going to be in the Royal Oak area? You can still do your part to help us reach our goal by donating items to be recycled right here on our website.

Plastic Waste Forms Island of Garbage in Pacific Ocean

Thursday, February 18th, 2010

The Great Eastern Garbage Patch. Have you ever heard of it? Most haven’t. Located at a natural collecting point right in the center of revolving currents called the North Pacific Gyre, the Great Eastern Garbage Patch is a floating island of waste estimated to be twice the size of Texas. That’s right- TEXAS. Somehow this massive garbage heap had shied away from the media for years, but has now been brought to the public’s attention via Captain Charles Moore of the Oceanographic Research Vessel Alguita, who is credited for its discovery.

Thousands of miles from land this garbage patch is littered with debris that many would assume is from people aboard passing ships, but researchers think not. They estimated that 80 percent of the trash is actually due to land dwellers and has eventually found its way over the years to the North Pacific Gyre. This is nothing but bad news considering that there is even more trash riding the currents as you sit and read this now, destined to add to the island’s growth.

A 10 mile-wide fleet of plastic Taco Bell take-out bags.

80,000 Nike running shoes involved in a containership spill in 1990.

Discarded fishing nets and lines that run miles long.

“Nurdles”, or tiny plastic pellets that resemble tapioca and carry high concentrations of deadly chemicals, one hundred billion pounds of which are used each year to make things like CD cases and plastic pipes.
This is just some of what can be found on and near the Great Eastern Garbage Patch, but they all equal this: roughly one million pieces of plastic per square mile across hundreds of miles of the Pacific Ocean. Countless animals in and out of the water have confused these floating plastic objects as food or have gotten tangled or strangled in plastic lines and nets only to lose their lives. According to Marine Biologist David Barnes of the British Antarctic Survey, “Plastic is not just an aesthetic problem. It can actually change entire ecosystems.”

Right now we can only expect the trash to continue invading the ocean. There are bans in place to prevent the dumping of plastics but enforcement on the open ocean is not taken seriously and when accidents occur they do not need to be reported. This means people like Captain Moore, who are trying to stop plastic from taking over our ocean, don’t even have a chance to clean up the debris left by others, even if by accident.

What is ironic is that people value plastics for the same reason plastics are causing so much harm to our oceans: its durability. While manufacturers place the blame of plastic debris on consumers, Captain Moore makes a good point saying that, “there’s no reason why a six-pack ring or a peanut butter jar should have to last for 400 years.” While manufacturers have attempted to perfect biodegradable packaging there is only one company, EarthShell, which has made real progress. The company has already begun work with the National Park Service who uses their biodegradable plates and has even provided many McDonald’s restaurants with their clamshell boxes. The Environmental Cleanup Coalition has also made a huge impact by taking the initiative to collaborate with other organizations who try to come up with ways to safely remove plastic and other pollutants from the ocean.

Recycling for Charities is passionate about helping to eliminate waste in any way possible. While we are limited to recycling electronic waste we have tips to help consumers prevent the growth of this plastic-waste island too. You can buy products with less plastic packaging and therefore decrease your plastic waste. For example, instead of buying pop or soda that has a six-pack ring around them, buy the case in the cardboard box that can later be broken down and recycled. Also, you can practice and promote the proper disposal of plastic items. Recycle your plastic waste when possible and never litter, especially near places like the beach where wildlife can mistake your trash for food. If you do not have the means to donate money to an environmental organization you can always donate your time by helping with a local clean-up at a park or beach. Remember, your small effort can make a big difference.

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