Category: Recyling Works
If you’ve ever opened a brand new bag of potato chips only to find the bag half, or even a third full, you are not alone. This disappointing phenomenon is called over-packaging and greatly adds to our landfill problems in the United States. Potato chips aren’t the only culprit. Cereal, cookies, over-the-counter medicines, candy, toys....the list goes on and on.
In our fast-paced lifestyle, it is not unheard of for families to hit a fast food restaurant or the drive-through at least once a week...maybe more. Ball games, practices, meetings, going here, going there. It has become the norm. We seem to not even notice it anymore, until the statistics really hit home. “At least one quarter of American adults eat fast food everyday”*
The term “recycling” conjures up thoughts of aluminum, plastic, glass, and paper. A recyclable commodity that may get overlooked is wood. Wood recycling, consisting both of raw wood and used wood products, as well as paper, and has become more of a focus in the past decade. We don’t normally think of recycling a natural, renewable resource, but considering the staggering statistics, it is more than necessary.
With the development of single stream recycling, the recycling process has come a long way from its initial introduction. Labels can be left on tin cans and plastic bottles since the heat involved in the processing of these materials eliminates the labels altogether. Most recycling centers even allow lids to be left on plastic bottles and containers. If that’s the case, surely something as harmless as stickers on a cardboard box is ok, right? The answer to that is a surprising No. How about a little food residue in cans, plastic or cardboard? Although recycling centers ask that plastic, glass, and metal recyclables be rinsed and clean, cardboard and paper is a different story.
It’s very common when one thinks of document destruction, the word “shredding” comes to mind. Most commercial workplaces or home offices have had, at one time or another, a strip-shred or cross-cut shredding machine in them. Depending on the need, one can be purchased for under $50 to well over $3,500. While these may do a fair job of shredding at times, the real question to consider is whether or not a bag full of recyclable paper particles at the end of the day, headed for the landfill, is the best-practice for your company’s data security and environmental mindedness?
When researching and learning about recyclable materials this past year, I have come across some things that I hadn’t necessarily thought of. Along with information that I was looking for on what to recycle, how to recycle, and even statistics on the demographics of those most likely to recycle, comes some sad and alarming news about cooking with these materials.
Considering that recycling bins and carts around our neighborhoods always seem to be full, and recycling drop-off locations are brimming with newspapers, cardboard and all kinds of other recyclable materials we have successfully saved from the landfill, you would think that the recycling rate in America would be quite high, right? Not really.
Each element of a company is essential to keeping it running smoothly and efficiently. Accounting, Human Resources, Customer Support, Sales, etc. No matter the type of company, each department by itself is necessary, but nothing if left to run by itself.
It wouldn’t be as beneficial to talk about recycling if we didn’t add in information and discussion on topics that round out the concept of recycling. Conservation and preservation of our natural resources remains of equal importance. For our purposes today, and along the lines of conservation, I’d like to discuss water conservation.
Numerous reports of vandalism to trash carts and mailboxes have been reported to Borden Waste-Away as well as to the Elkhart County sheriff's department. Carts smashed into mailboxes, overturned carts with the contents spilled all over yards, and even missing carts are among the reports that have been taken.