Friday's 3 Rs ... what about that toothpaste tube?

It's Friday. So what does that mean? For one year, it meant we were talking vinegar. Then, for awhile, Fridays were all about recycling, reusing/repurposing, and reducing waste. Then it was back to vinegar again. So what about today? Well, I decided to resurrect Friday's 3Rs this week to address a dilemma I faced last night: what to do with used up tubes of toothpaste. As I squeezed the last bit of paste onto my toothbrush, I stood there holding the tube, not wanted to mindlessly toss it in the wastebasket. But, quite honestly, I didn't know if there was an alternative.


I got up this morning with a mission to find out what others did. Here's what I discovered:

This subject is discussed much online. Click here for a link to some comments about what other, perhaps more creative than me, do with theirs, such as making jewelry, using for cake decorating, keeping money hidden, etc. Note the company in the Philippines is no longer taking toothpaste tubes, unfortunately.

I found this video from a company in Brazil that is using old toothpaste tubes to make roofing tiles and school desks. Love it!! Here's what Sebastiao Rufino Barbosa says on the video about what they're doing: "There is an interesting ecological feature. If I used wood, I would be taking it from forests and would not replace it. Here I am using what would be considered garbage. The forest is thanking me and, in the same time, we are using an environment friendly material." The forest is thanking me.  Isn't that a great line?! According to an article n AllBusiness.com, "The program is now diverting over 17 metric tons annually of Unilever's toothpaste tube packaging volume." No matter how hard I tried, however, I could not find any information on how to get the tubes to them, which, even if I'd found out, would prove to be non cost-effective nor eco-friendly.

Back to the crafty stuff, for those of you who are so inclined ... and have the time! Here are step-by-step instructions on how to make a toothbrush (or pencil) holder out of used toothpaste tubes.

Terracycle upcycles Colgate products, including the toothpaste tubes, into backpacks and other products, but I simply refuse to use Colgate toothpaste, so it's a moot point in my house.

I checked Earth911.com for any recycling centers in my area that take toothpaste tubes. No luck. Then I started typing in random states. Still no luck. Not even in California! Bottom line for uncrafty and time-challenged me -- the tube's going in the wastebasket. I just can't find a viable alternative. If you know of one, please let me know!

Trying to keep it out of the landfill,

Hana

P.S. Can't go without a vinegar tip! After all, it is Vinegar Friday! Sanitize your toothbrush weekly by filling a small cup with distilled white vinegar and soak your toothbrush (bristle side down) overnight. Rinse well. Won't it feel good knowing a week's worth of germs is eradicated in a matter of hours?

Friday's 3Rs -- Recycling words



Photo by Peter Griffin



As I was working on the Vinegar Fridays book, it dawned on me that what I was really doing was recycling words. And then I thought, that has to count for something.

You see, sometimes it is difficult to come up with content week after week, especially when I'm caught up with my regular work. And putting together the book was no easy process. At first, I thought it would be fairly simple ... just take a year's worth of Vinegar Friday posts and put them together into a book.

Umm, it didn't work out that way. First of all, on many VFs, I wrote about using vinegar in a variety of ways. Well, the book is actually quite organized -- with chapters about cleaning, laundry, health, pets, etc. It took awhile for me to put all the info I'd written during that year into some semblance of order. I'm thankful for my daughter, Bethany, who went onto the blog, looked up all the VF posts and printed them for me. What a time-saver that was.

Once I organized everything, which required cutting the posts apart and dealing with little strips of paper, it was time to start writing. For the most part, I was able to recycle the words I'd already written. But not always. There were things to add and at times I just didn't feel a copy and paste kind of deal was appropriate. So I spent hours ... and hours ... writing the book. Recycling the words.

And that's what I have to say on this Friday's 3Rs post. Recycling words can be a challenge at times, just like recycling batteries, or electronics, or even plastic can be. Repurposing words can be even more difficult. So watch what you say. Sometimes our words belong nowhere else, but in the trash. But along comes someone who bears a grudge, and they root through the garbage, picking and choosing which words they will use against you. They tell others those words. They post them on Facebook. They repurpose them in ways you never intended. And anger arises and hurt befalls. Guard your words. They are a precious commodity.

Recycling with care,

Hana

Friday's 3Rs -- Lemons with a twist

In light of yesterday's post about lemons, I decided to do another one. This one is about repurposing lemons ... keeping with the theme of Friday's 3Rs. And, once again, it's a post Worth Repeating, originally posted in October of 2010.

When life gives you lemons, start cleaning!

My microwave is dirty. I don't know what exploded in there, but it definitely left its mark.

Now before those of you who are anti-microwaves (and probably rightfully so) jump on me, I know microwaves are not the best things to have in our homes. I use mine sparingly and generally keep it unplugged. Actually, it serves more as a breadbox than anything.

But back to the interior condition of my microwave -- it needs a good cleaning. Fortunately, I have a solution, and it doesn't involve chemicals! I found this little hint in a Better Homes and Gardens magazine recently. The blurb started out with "Let lemon-infused steam do the work of cleaning your microwave." That got my attention.

Here's what you do (and what I'll be doing a bit later):

Grab a glass bowl that is microwave-safe. Add about two cups of water, followed by the juice from half a lemon. Next, place the squeezed lemon half into the water and put the bowl into the microwave. Set it on high for five to ten minutes and turn it on. Now walk away...don't stand there watching the bowl spin. It is best not to be nearby when the microwave is doing its thing! Keep the door closed for an additional five minutes or so and then wipe out the inside with a cloth. According to BHG, "the work is done."

Here's hoping...

Now that you have used half of your lemon, why not use the other half for something useful? Here are some ideas:

• If the change in weather has you feeling under the weather, and you are suffering from a sore throat, simply skewer the halved lemon and roast it over your stove's burner until the peel turns golden brown. After it cools down a bit, mix the juice with a teaspoon of honey and swallow it.
• Are your fingernails (or toenails, for that matter) looking rather yellow and sickly? Just rub them with a wedge of lemon. They will be sparkly white in no time.
• Speaking of white -- if you add about 1/2 cup of lemon juice to your wash cycle, your dingys won't be dingy anymore.
• Plastic and wooden cutting boards can get nasty with food stains over time. Super lemon to the rescue! Just squeeze the lemon onto the board, rub the stain with the juice and then let it sit for a half hour. Rinse it off and it should be looking like new. This will disinfect the cutting board as well. This is a good trick for sanitizing chopping blocks, too.
• If you have been grating cheese, simply rub the lemon (pulp side) over the grater and voila! No more stickiness!

Don't you love discovering new uses for the things God's created? Okay, I'm off to clean my microwave. I'll let you know how it goes!

Keeping it green with lemons this time,

Hana



Okay, here is my review on cleaning the microwave -- A-

After a little bit of scrubbing, my microwave looks like new. I only "cooked" the lemon-infused bowl of water for seven minutes. Perhaps had I gone with ten minutes, I would have bumped the grade up.

When the microwave was clean, I went on to clean other things in my kitchen with the lemon water. Then I used the cooked lemon and scrubbed my bamboo cutting boards. Finally, I soaked my sink stopper in the bowl and ripped apart the lemon and fed it to the garbage disposal. No waste here. My kitchen smells wonderfully lemony and I feel really good about disinfecting and cleaning with nothing more than a halved lemon, some water and a dishcloth. Post your own review after you give this a try. Maybe you'll give it an A+!

Friday's 3Rs -- something to make you smile

Friday's 3 Rs -- Medications

Did you ever wonder what you should do with expired medications, or medications you are no longer taking? Flush them, right? Wrong! Dump them in the trash, right? Wrong! Leave them in your medicine cabinet and let your kids deal with them after you're dead. Well, I guess that could be an option.

Here's the thing -- prescription and over-the-counter drugs can leach into the ground water, as well as pose a potential risk of ingestion for curious kids and animals who may be attracted to the yummy candy-like appearance of a rainbow of pills and capsules.

So, what do you do?

Well, ideally, you take all your people (and pet) meds to a collection event close to you. Call your local municipal building and ask if a Take Back event is scheduled in your town.

You can also check with your local pharmacies and see if any of them have a safe disposal method for your expired prescriptions.

If there is not an event coming up and you can't find a pharmacy that takes your meds, you can still clean out your medicine chest by throwing the meds in the trash. However, you must be careful how you do this.

First, open bottles and dump contents (pills, capsules and liquid) into a sturdy Ziploc-type bag. Add a little bit of water to help the pills dissolve. Next, add some cat litter or coffee grounds to make the concoction less appealing to curious children or scavenging critters. Seal the bag and throw it in the trash.

Remove your name and any identifying information from the bottle and recycle it.

There, that's not too complicated. Ideally, you want to keep these toxins out of the landfill, but if you don't have another alternative, this is the best way to go.

The FDA released a list of meds that are safe to flush down the toilet. If this is the method you choose, pay strict attention to the following list. Do not add any meds to this list, unless the bottle specifically indicates that the drug may be flushed!

MEDICINES RECOMMENDED FOR DISPOSAL BY FLUSHING

This list from FDA tells you what expired, unwanted, or unused medicines you should flush down the sink or toilet to help prevent danger to people and pets in the home. Flushing these medicines will get rid of them right away and help keep your family and pets safe.

FDA continually evaluates medicines for safety risks and will update the list as needed.

Medicine  --  Active Ingredient

Actiq, oral transmucosal lozenge *  --  Fentanyl Citrate

Avinza, capsules (extended release)  --  Morphine Sulfate


Daytrana, transdermal patch system  --  Methylphenidate


Demerol, tablets *  --  Meperidine Hydrochloride


Demerol, oral solution *  --  Meperidine Hydrochloride


Diastat/Diastat AcuDial, rectal gel  --  Diazepam


Dilaudid, tablets *  --  Hydromorphone Hydrochloride


Dilaudid, oral liquid *  --  Hydromorphone Hydrochloride


Dolophine Hydrochloride, tablets *  --  Methadone Hydrochloride


Duragesic, patch (extended release) *  --  Fentanyl


Embeda, capsules (extended release)  --  Morphine Sulfate; Naltrexone Hydrochloride


Exalgo, tablets (extended release)  --  Hydromorphone Hydrochloride


Fentora, tablets (buccal)  --  Fentanyl Citrate


Kadian, capsules (extended release)  --  Morphine Sulfate


Methadone Hydrochloride, oral solution *  --  Methadone Hydrochloride
         
Methadose, tablets *  --  Methadone Hydrochloride


Morphine Sulfate, tablets (immediate release) *  --  Morphine Sulfate


Morphine Sulfate, oral solution *  --  Morphine Sulfate


MS Contin, tablets (extended release) *  --  Morphine Sulfate


Onsolis, soluble film (buccal)  --  Fentanyl Citrate


Opana, tablets (immediate release)  --  Oxymorphone Hydrochloride


Opana ER, tablets (extended release)  --  Oxymorphone Hydrochloride


Oramorph SR, tablets (sustained release)  --  Morphine Sulfate


Oxycontin, tablets (extended release) *  --  Oxycodone Hydrochloride


Percocet, tablets *  --  Acetaminophen; Oxycodone Hydrochloride


Percodan, tablets *  --  Aspirin; Oxycodone Hydrochloride


Xyrem, oral solution  --  Sodium Oxybate


*These medicines have generic versions available or are only available in generic formulations.


So, the next time you are about to toss some pills in the trash or flush a medication down the toilet, check back here first. There is a proper way to do it and when you care about the environment and the future of your children and grandchildren, it's definitely worth the effort to do it right!

Keeping it out of the landfill (as much as possible),

Hana

Friday's 3 Rs -- those pesky used gift cards

Did you know that used gift cards can be recycled? Well, they can. And that's a good thing! Every year, we throw over 75 million pounds of PVC material from these plastic cards into the landfill. Over 75 million pounds!!!!!

So the next time you're about to toss one in the trash, STOP!! Best Buy is one retailer that accepts used gift cards (and not just their own). They have kiosks in the front of the store where you can drop off your cards.

Whenever you need to find recycling info on anything specific, just visit Earth911.org and type in your item and zip code. The site will direct you to the closest drop-off location.

If you don't have a Best Buy close to you, another option is to simply mail your cards to Earthworks where they will chop them up, melt them down and create new cards and other products out of 100% recycled PVC.

Cards can be mailed to:

Earthworks
c/o: Halprin Ind.
25480 Miles Rd.
Bedford, OH  44146

Put your name or the name of your organization on the package so they can track it. Include only the cards ... no rubber bands, paper clips, or paper.

In lieu of recycling your old gift cards, you can check into the possibility of reloading them. Many retailers will be happy to reload them for you and then you can give them as gifts -- this is regifting at its finest!

But what if you have unused gift cards sitting around that you know you're never going to use? It happens. Someone buys a gift card for a store that caters to petite women and gives it to a woman who's a size 14. Or a card to a beer distributor given to a recently proclaimed alcoholic. Dumb, perhaps, but it happens. Do not despair! Simply swap your card for cash. Swapagift.com is the place to go. They have over 1,000 agents across the U.S. Or you can send the card into GiftCards.com. Keep in mind you will not get the full value for your card, but it's better than having it sit in your desk drawer for years unused.

Recycling your used gift cards is not your only green option. You can also find household uses for them. Here are just a few ideas I gleaned from About.com:

• Use them as scrapers and texturing tools when painting, sculpting or making pottery
• Punch holes in them and use them to keep threads separated when doing needlepoint, crochet or cross stitch projects
• Cut them into shapes for stenciling
• Paint them and cut them out to use as scrapbooking embellishments

For more ideas on how to reuse gift cards for household projects, check out This Old House.

Remind your husbands and dads not to throw away all the cards they get for Father's Day once they've spent them!

Keeping things out of the landfill,

Hana

Friday's 3 Rs -- what to do with water filters

A few weeks ago, my daughter, Jess, and I went to our local Recycle Rama where we dropped off a variety of recyclables. One thing Jess hauled back home, however, was her bag of Pur water filters. Why? Because they were only accepting Brita filters.

Apparently, Brita responded to public pressure (and a successful petition campaign) and started a Take Back program. Pur, however, has consistently ignored its environmental responsibility. I now strongly regret buying Jess her Pur water pitcher for Christmas!

Brita has teamed up with Preserve, a U.S. company that manufactures BPA-free kitchenware and tableware out of recycled plastic. The plastic casing on the Brita filters is recycled and the filter material is regenerated or converted into energy. Why Pur is not part of this program is beyond me!

My hope is that Pur will step up to the plate sometime soon, so I recommend hanging on to your filters for future recycling.

So here's the deal for all you Brita pitcher users out there (in the U.S. and Canada) -- head over to the Preserve website and look for a drop-off location close to you. Whole Foods is one of the companies participating in this program. Unfortunately, this is only for the filters used in pitchers and not for the faucet mount filters.

Now for the rest of us who filter our water through other systems, other than Brita. RecycleWaterFilters.com takes all brands of household water filters, including:

• carbon water filters
• drinking water filters
• refrigerator filters
• reverse osmosis filters
• sediment water filters

All you need to do is pack up as many filters as you can in a USPS Flat Rate Mailer (for those of us in the States) or your own box (up to 12" x 12" x 5 1/2") and send them off to their location.

There is a cost involved, however. Right now, the regular price of $9.99/box has been reduced to $6.99/box. Why a fee? Quite simply, to offset the costs of recycling.

Whether you're mailing your filters or taking them to a drop-off location, it is important to dry them out first! Shake out all the excess water and then let them sit for 2 or 3 days (preferably in the sun). If you are dropping them off at Whole Foods or another location, wrap the dry filters in a plastic grocery bag (which will be recycled as well) and place them in the recycling box marked specifically for Brita filters.

From now on, I'll be saving my refrigerator filters and shipping them off to RecycleWaterFilters.com. It's a small price to pay to keep the filters out of the landfill.

Keeping it green with the 3 Rs,

Hana

Recycling plastics can be tricky -- cut through the confusion with Week One of Friday's 3 Rs.

Did you know your screw on plastic bottle caps and jar lids are made out of #5 plastic? Many curbside recycling programs don't accept #5 plastics. Check out the solution in Week Two of Friday's 3 Rs.

Friday's 3 Rs -- Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

TGIF's 3 Rs! Did you reduce waste in your home this week?

Today, we're talking caps ... bottle caps, to be precise. Did you know most bottle caps are made from #5 plastic and most curbside recyclers do not accept them? So, what happens when you throw your soda or water bottle lids in with your plastic recycling? Unfortunately, in many cases, they get sent to the landfill ... exactly where you don't want them!

Fortunately, there is another answer, which I wrote about last June, but thought worthy of repeating. Aveda recycles #5 plastic lids and caps, transforming them into brand new recycled packaging for their salon products. How cool is that?!

Here's what they take:

• Twist tops or caps with threaded necks (water/soda, juice, milk, shampoo)
• Flip top caps (ketchup, mayo, dressing)
• Lids on plastic jars (peanut butter) and bottles (laundry detergent)

You want to look for lids, tops and caps with threading that are too rigid to bend or break with your hands. Make sense?

That obviously eliminates the kid of flimsy plastic lids on margarine tubs, yogurt containers, etc. Just remember -- the lids must screw on. The exception here would be pump or spray tops, which they do not take.

You can find out if there is an Aveda location near you by visiting their website.

Jumping on the bandwagon, in a good way, is Whole Foods, which is also now accepting #5 plastic to be recycled.

So, let's face it. Recycling bottle caps is a bit inconvenient. After all, you have to take them to either Aveda or Whole Foods to be recycled. Here's what my husband and I do to make it a bit easier. We have a large coffee canister on our counter right beside our large kitchen recycling can. When we have #5 lids/caps, we simply toss them into the canister. Then, when I have a reason to head over to the mall (usually to buy something at Aveda), I just dump them in a bag and take them with me. It's really no big deal.

At next year's Recycle Rama, I want to set up a bottle caps and corks recycling station, giving the amazing folks who attend the event two more options for recycling.

Of course, if you can find ways to reuse your caps and lids, that's fantastic. I like to save the plastic lids from mayo and peanut butter jars because they make excellent 'saucers' for 4" potted plants. That's my Reuse Tip for today. Please add your own in the comments section. I always appreciate your creative input!

Keeping it green with the 3 Rs,

Hana

Friday's 3 Rs -- Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

Welcome to the first in a series of Fridays focused on the 3 R's! I'm hoping to answer your recycling questions, as well as my own, as we venture down this road together. I'm especially excited to be introducing this series the day before our local Recycle Rama.

First of all, any time you have a question on where to recycle something, go to this link and type in your zip code. That's the first piece of advice I have for you.

Secondly, if you're not recycling ... well, I don't even know what to say to you. Seriously. But it's never too late to start. Let's start with the simplest of all: Plastic. There is NO reason to toss most plastics in the trash. Even when you are out and about and grab a bottle of water at the mall or the zoo or wherever and you discover there isn't a recycling bin at the location. Pop the bottle into your purse, diaper bag, stroller, whatever, and take it home to recycle. Inconvenient? Perhaps. But responsible.

Can all plastic be recycled? No, so it is a good idea to check with your local curbside recycling program to find out what they will and will not take. You're probably familiar with the little recycling triangle embossed on the bottom of plastic containers. The number inside (between 1 - 7) is the key.

#1. Polyethylene Terephtalate (PETE or PET) -- This is the number you'll find on clear disposable water and soda bottles (most of the time), as well as peanut butter jars and similar containers.

#2. High Density Polyethylene (HDPE) -- Opaque plastic that is actually one of the safer plastics as far as leaching goes. Margarine tubs, milk bottles, laundry detergent, shampoo bottles, etc.

#3. Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) -- This is a familiar term because plumbing pipes are made from PVC. But did you know food wrap and cooking oil bottles are made from it as well? The problem with PVC is that it contains phthalates, which have been known to be hormone disrupters. So, skip using plastic wrap with you food and do not microwave with it!! Ever. Sorry, that was just a side note. Back to recycling. PVC generally is not accepted by your curbside recyclers. That doesn't mean, however, that it is not recyclable. You just have to find a place that will take it.

#4. Low Density Polyethylene (LDPE) -- Plastic bags. Endless amounts of plastic bags (use your reusable bags, folks!!). These are generally not picked up either. But many retailers collect clean plastic bags for recycling. Bread bags, squeezable bottles and an occasional food wrap is made with #4 Plastic.

#5. Polypropylene -- Beverage bottles that are not clear, but have a cloudy appearance, fit this category, as do yogurt containers, straws, and bottles for ketchup, mustard, syrup, etc. Most recycling programs accept #5 Plastic, so if your kids use straws, teach them to toss them in the recycling can, not in the trash!

#6. Polystyrene (Styrofoam) -- This plastic should be avoided as much as possible because it is tough to recycle and research is pretty clear that it leaches toxic chemicals into the environment. Plus, if it is heated, it's even worse. My advice for those of you who like to eat out and take "doggy bags" home, try to avoid the styrofoam containers!! Get in the habit of taking your own containers to the restaurant. Not only is this an eco-friendly thing to do, it's a better-for-your-health thing to do. Styrofoam is a nasty, nasty plastic. Avoid it whenever possible.

#7. Hodge-podge -- What?? Well, if your plastic is marked with a 7, it means it doesn't fit in any of the other 6 categories. Like? Well, how's this for a hodge-podge:

• computer cases
• toothbrushes
• baby bottles
• miscellaneous food containers
• Legos and many other plastic toys
• protective head gear
• automotive parts like tail lights

There are a couple of problems here. One is that most recycling programs do not accept plastic that falls into this category. The second is that polycarbonate is included under the mysterious #7 labeling. Polycarbonate = BPA and we all know we have to avoid that!


So, that's my overview of plastics. When possible, avoid #3, #6 and #7, not just because of the recycling difficulties, but for health and environmental reasons as well.

This is our home. Treat it responsibly. Start by filling up those recycling containers!

Focusing on the 3 Rs,

Hana