Nearly 80 percent of American households have old technology sitting around, according to a recent survey by Staples. Most people with old, unused tech devices have one to five pieces they’d like to get rid of, but less than half know how to recycle it, the survey found.

“You make a lot of changes when you’re trying to live a greener lifestyle, from recycling all the plastics your family uses to choosing more energy-efficient appliances,” says Toni Hammersley, blogger at A Bowl Full of Lemons. “Fortunately, you can also green your digital life by recycling old technology you no longer use. Staples will take a slew of your old and unused technology products right in-store for free to help you responsibly and easily recycle.”

Recycling technology is good for the environment, the EPA says. Valuable resources like metals, plastics and glass can be reused; every 1 million cellphones recycled yield 35,000 pounds of copper, 772 pounds of silver, 75 pounds of gold and 33 pounds of palladium, according to the EPA. What’s more, recycling or donating electronics reduces consumption of natural resources, greenhouse gas emissions, and air and water pollution associated with making new materials.

Hammersley, an organizational expert, offers some tips for recycling tech:

* You can recycle old office technology that no longer works for free by taking them into your local Staples. The store will accept the computers, monitors, printers and numerous other types of electronics for recycling – free of charge. For more information on the program and a list of tech items that can be accepted into the free recycling program, visit Staples online.

*You can also trade in eligible technology to receive a Staples eCash card that you can use toward your next in-store or online purchase. The laptop that’s too slow for your gaming activities might qualify for a trade in and get a gift card to put toward new technology or anything else you need within the store.

* Equipment that still works can also be donated. Goodwill accepts technology items for repair and recycling and schools, churches, charities and other community organizations in your area may accept older tech that’s still usable. You can also find computer donation organizations with a simple online search. Before you donate any piece of technology, be sure that the organization can use it and you won’t burden them with items they might have to recycle. Also be sure to delete all your personal information, including files, documents and apps that may contain personal information. Staples provides this service in stores through their Tech Services.

“Clutter of any kind can stand in the way of organization at home or in the office,” Hammersley says. “Recycling is one of the most efficient, cost-effective and environmentally responsible ways to get rid of any kind of clutter – including old technology.”

*BPT

The post Top tips for recycling tossed-aside tech appeared first on AKAMom Magazine.

Here are three ways your family can create positive environmental change starting today.

Recycle

Research shows that less than 2 percent of waste in the United States is recycled, yet almost half of all trash can be recycled. School lunches are one source of waste that most families don’t consider. These are packed each morning and tossed away each afternoon once lunchtime is finished.

To increase awareness of recycling options during lunch, Entenmann’s Little Bites Snacks has partnered with the recycling and upcycling experts at TerraCycle for the “Turn Trash to Cash” program, giving students the chance to recycle their Little Bites snack pouches and earn money for their school. TerraCycle can recycle the pouches to create products like tote bags, pencil cases and even picnic benches.

You can learn more about the campaign by visiting TerraCycle on Facebook.

Protect water resources

Water is one of the most important resources people have, yet every year billions of gallons are needlessly wasted. You can conserve water in your home by teaching your children to take shorter showers or baths, turning off dripping faucets and avoiding letting the water run while they are brushing their teeth.

You can also reduce water waste in your home by investing in water-saving appliances and by reducing or eliminating the practice of watering your lawn, relying on rain to do so instead.

Help plant a tree

Few things are as beautiful as a tall, healthy tree. But trees are more than just a beautiful backdrop, as they are also essential to the environment. Here are four reasons why from the Arbor Day Foundation:

1. Trees help clean the air. They improve the quality of the air you breathe by capturing dust and pollution particles that can affect your health.

2. Trees help fight climate change. As trees grow, they remove greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide from the air, store carbon, and release pure oxygen into the atmosphere.

3. Trees planted along waterways can help filter out chemicals that might otherwise wash to water sources. They also can create stable soil and help prevent soil erosion, flooding and even landslides.

4. Trees properly planted around a home can help lower air conditioning and heating costs by up to 25 percent.

This year Entenmann’s is partnering with the Arbor Day Foundation for the Little Bites’ Earth Day Sweepstakes. For every entry, fan or not, received through the Little Bites Facebook page, Entenmann’s will donate $1 to the Arbor Day Foundation to plant a tree – up to 25,000 trees in total. The sweepstakes starts March 1. You can learn more at the Little Bites Facebook page.

Environmentally friendly habits are easy to pick up and they can be a great way to bond with your children on a shared project while developing lifelong habits. So don’t wait another minute! Start your family down the eco-friendly path today.

*BPT

The post 3 ways to become more environmentally friendly in 2015 appeared first on AKAMom Magazine.

From an early age, children can roll up their sleeves and get involved in helping reduce the amount of trash they produce by participating in recycling programs. Across the country, children will celebrate Earth Day April 22 with science fairs and environmental educational seminars about the importance of recycling. When children start recycling early in life, they’re more likely to continue that behavior as they get older – and pass the practice on to their own kids.

Recycling is a growing program in households, cities and schools across the country. In fact, Americans recycled 82 million tons of materials in 2009 – the most recent year for reported data, and that number keeps increasing, according to Keep America Beautiful.

School programs are a great way to not only promote recycling in younger generations, but also to create a fundraiser for the schools. This year, as Earth Day approaches April 22, schools can organize aluminum can drives and participate in cash-for-schools programs based on recycling lunch packaging. One such program is The Recycle…Reuse…Replenish Earth Day Campaign which encourages school children to recycle their Entenmann’s Little Bites Pouches with TerraCycle, resulting in cash back to the school.

In addition, here are some more recycling, reusing and replenishing tips, perfect for school children to promote every lunch day at the school.

Recycle:

• Know your numbers – Teach your children to look for numbers and recycling symbols on plastic containers to know which containers can be reused through a recycling program.

• Sign up for cash back programs – Sign up your school for the TerraCycle program – if it’s not already registered – and have your children recycle their Little Bites pouches each lunch hour. Visit www.terracycle.com/en-US/brigades.html to find a listing of other lunch items TerraCycle collects.

Reuse:

• Keep the container – Send your children to school with their daily sandwich packaged in a reusable container they can bring home and use again the next day. Let them decorate the container to make it a personal item to show off at lunch.

• Craft material supplies – Before throwing anything away, teach your children to think about how the material might be reused in a crafting project. TerraCycle provides several do-it-yourself project ideas at www.terracycle.com/en-US/do-it-yourself-projects.html.

Replenish:

• Have leftovers? – Set up a compost pile at home, and give your children a lesson in biodegradable foods. Ask them to bring leftovers that are biodegradable home in their sandwich container to add to the compost pile.

• Grow new lunch materials – Give your children a small garden to plant and tend that contains their favorite vegetables. Show them how beneficial their lunch compost is for growing those plants they can eat at future lunches.

Entenmann’s will be giving away weekly prizes, including Little Bites coupons home improvement gift cards for starting an Earth Day garden, and a $5,000 cash grand prize through a sweepstakes link at www.facebook.com/Entenmanns. Register your school now for a chance to win the prize and build a beautiful Earth Day garden.

Help teach your children the importance of the three R’s: recycle, reuse and replenish. The earlier they start, the more likely they’ll be to participate the rest of their lives.

*BPT

The post School lunches are gold mines for recycling, reusing and replenishing appeared first on AKAMom Magazine.

Whether stopping in for a daily to-go cup of coffee or running your weekly grocery store trip, you likely have many purchases throughout the day.

With Earth Day right around the corner, it’s a great time to reflect on your own personal impact on the environment and the world around you. Because so many consumer habits can have a negative effect on the planet, it’s important to take steps to reduce this trend.

“There are many ways to support the green movement,” said Hillary Femal, vice president of marketing for IFCO, the world’s leading producer of eco-friendly Reusable Produce Containers. “But the easiest way is to become an educated consumer.”

BE A GREEN CONSUMER

As a sustainable shopper, you can do your part to cut down on the amount of waste filling landfills and other environmental dangers. Here are a few steps you can implement in your own daily routine or whenever you’re out shopping:

• Know Your Grocer: Many companies and grocers are taking steps to provide greener solutions for the display of their products, such as produce. Recycling cardboard boxes used to display produce is good, but according to the EPA, reuse is better. That’s why many grocers use Reusable Produce Containers (RPCs). Grocers can use and reuse these containers to ship, store and display fresh produce – all in an environmentally friendly way that reduces waste.

• Understand Your Brands: Educate yourself on whether your favorite brands and fresh produce growers support green initiatives. Village Farms is a greenhouse grower of fresh tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers that focuses on green agricultural practices from the farmer to your plate. Village Farms and many other growers choose to use RPCs to pack fresh fruits and vegetables safely from their fields. From there they ship the RPCs to major retailers across the country and the containers keep the produce safe and fresh throughout the journey.

• Choose to Reuse: Keep in mind that recycling is a start, but reuse is smart. You can choose to reuse by choosing products with eco-friendly or reusable packaging and shopping at retailers displaying their fresh produce in RPCs. This packaging is not only good for the fruits and veggies you love, but it’s also great for you and the planet.

• Support Grocers that Reduce Waste: Some specialty food stores may be well known for their green standards, but many major food retailers are also making green choices. Many choose to provide produce brands, such as Village Farms, who recognize the importance of reducing waste when shipping their products and choose RPCs to reduce waste, energy and greenhouse gas emissions. These stores are also able to display the produce directly in their containers, getting even more use out of them and showing their commitment to environmental conservation.

• Bag it Up: According to the EPA, thousands of plastic and paper shopping bags are thrown away every year. Help cut down on this extra waste by using reusable cloth bags for your purchases. Keep them with you in your car, so they’re always handy for shopping trips to the grocery store, drug store or anywhere else you frequently shop.

So, the next time you’re spending the green in your wallet, think about how to make green choices with the products you buy. Visit www.choosereuse.org to learn about Reusable Produce Containers and support and share the cause with your friends by following Choose to Reuse on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest.

*Family Features 

*Photo courtesy of Getty Images

The post Make Every Day Earth Day appeared first on AKAMom Magazine.

WHERE IN THE WORLD IS AWAY?       

Little Lee and little Lou sat by a lake sharing a bottle of juice.

It was a warm sunny day and the birds were at play and we

smiled as we watched mama goose.

As we finished the drink Lou pulled back his arm and said”

I’m gonna throw it AWAY.”

I said “Stop Lou, think!  Before we make a mistake!

Where in the world is AWAY?”

“If we throw it in the lake

it’s gone for today, but is that really AWAY?”

Not for the frogs who hip hop on the logs

or the fish who jump up in the air.

Or the little teeny things

that live off the greens that grow on the bottom down there.

All of our spills just fill up their gills

and it’s really hard to breathe with no air.

They play hide and go seek, and think school is cool

so we shouldn’t make a mess down there…

The self-published book will be available in hardcover with digital copies to follow.  It comes with a humorous read along CD featuring Franti, his son Ade, friend Addison Savage, singer Jolene Rust, and Spearhead band mate J Bowman. Retail price for the hardcover physical copy is $19.99. www.whereintheworldisaway.com

The post Where In The World Is Away? appeared first on AKAMom Magazine.