Why recycle?

Recycling lessens the requirement for raw materials. In turn, the environment and health damaging operations undertaken to obtain these materials are also reduced. Transportation and manufacturing processes of these raw materials uses fossil fuels. Another resource is thus reduced and still further environmental improvement made.

Use of recycling products within manufacture can also use less energy than using raw material, and result in lower emissions.

Most trash is either buried (landfill) or burnt (incineration). There is limited space available for landfill and both forms of disposal effect our environment.

What happened to that old saying 'waste not want not'? The overall amount of waste is increasing as we buy more packaged and disposable products. Most domestic households produce about 1 ton of trash annually. This amounts to around 27 million tons of waste each year and approximately a quarter of this is packaging waste.

Recycling therefore needs to increase. Recycling services need to get much better and everybody needs to recycle much more.

What is recycling?

What can be recycled?

A great many materials could be recycled but what can be recycled in practice is dependent on economics.

Products suitable for recycling are being marked with symbols detailing what they are made of to assist with both collection and reprocessing. Many curbside collection schemes are now in place to collect items such as tins, cardboard packaging, newspapers, plastic bottles etc and also recycling sites/banks for glass, clothes, shoes and organic garden waste.
Once recyclables have been collected, or are taken to a recycling site/bank, they will be sorted into the various materials i.e. paper, plastics and transported to appropriate reprocessors. Then they are broken down e.g. into chipped plastic and used by manufacturers to make a new usable product.

To clarify some of the terms you may come across in this new [green] world, we have provided the following glossary of terms.

3 R's

Reduce. Reuse. Recycle.

 

Aluminum

Aluminum is a lightweight, silver-white, metallic element that makes up approximately 7 percent of the Earth's crust. aluminum is mined and used in a variety of ways, but perhaps most familiarly in the manufacture of soft drink cans. recycles well and suffers no loss in quality when recycled.

Bamboo

Bamboo grows exceptionally fast and can be grown without pesticides and with virtually no impact on the surrounding environment. each plant regenerates on its own with no replanting needed and can reach full maturity in four years. some species of bamboo can grow 47 inches in a day and only needs a few raindrops of water to do so. bamboo protects the air we breathe. it releases 35% more oxygen than equivalent stands of trees.

Biodegradable

A"biodegradable" product has the ability to break down, safely and relatively quickly, by biological means, into the raw materials of nature and disappear into the environment.

Carbon footprint

The carbon footprint measures [the] demand on bio-capacity that results from burning fossil fuels in terms of the amount of forest area required [to] sequester these carbon dioxide emissions.

Carbon offsetting

Offsetting the amount of carbon emissions (co₂) produced in manufacture, production, transport, energy, food, etc with the planting of trees.

Chlorine free

Chlorine-free paper is an environmentally preferable alternative to paper bleached with chlorine. chlorine and its derivatives (such as chlorine dioxide)—the most common bleaching agents used by the pulp and paper industry—are quite harmful to the environment, particularly the aquatic environment.

Co co na

(see eco-carbon)

Corporate

A company's obligation to be accountable to all of its stakeholders.

Eco-carbon

is made from renewable resources such as coconut shells and bamboo shoots. eco-carbon is great for athletic apparel for it not only helps wick away moisture but is 'odorless' and repels odors.

Discharge printing

Discharge printing is a process by which the colored dyes in the fabric are essentially replaced by the pigment in the ink, thus allowing the printing of a much reduced ink layer. printing in this way also means there is no need for a white under base, as used in plastisol (PVC) printing. this combination of factors results in much softer prints. however, for the discharge process to work, the fabric must be 100% cotton and dyed using reactive dyes.

Eco spun

A textile product using PET (recyclable plastic bottles) and processed to create fibers to be knitted or woven into fabric.

Environmental aspect

The cause on the environment by the action of the company's activities. i.e. the extraction of raw materials, power, disposal of waste etc.

Environmental impact

Environmental impact is to consider the potential of all things effecting the environment. i.e. the use of air, water, waste and energy usage etc.

EVA lining

Biodegradable will not contaminate surrounding soil or ground water. traditional bags come lined with a raw material (PVC) which is oil based and constructed of heavy metals and non biodegradable products.

FSC

Forestry Stewardship Council (FSC) certified forests are managed to ensure long term timber supplies while protecting the environment and the lives of forest-dependent peoples.

Fair-Trade

Producer organizations that supply fair-trade products are inspected and certified by FLO (Fair-trade Labeling Organizations International) and receive a minimum price that covers the cost of sustainable production, together with an extra premium that is invested in social or economic development projects. by buying direct from farmers at better prices, helping to strengthen their organizations and marketing their produce directly, consumers have the opportunity to buy products, which were bought on the basis of a fair trade.

Fossil fuels

Fossil fuels are the remains of plant and animal life that are used to provide energy by combustion; coal, oil, natural gas.

Glass

Most commercial glass is made from a molten mixture of soda ash, sand, and lime. an excellent material for re-using and recycling. The recycling process can be repeated endlessly without any loss of quality.

Greenhouse gases

Greenhouse gases (GHGs) are those that contribute to the 'greenhouse effect', trapping heat from the sun in the earth's atmosphere. carbon dioxide is the main greenhouse gas, but there are a number of others including methane (CH₄) and nitrous oxide (N₂0).

HDPE

High Density Polyethylene. a type of plastic that is commonly used in milk cartons.

Hemp

Originating in the Orient, it comes from the stem of plants. there are no pesticides used when growing hemp and it grows in clusters of up to 300 plants per square yard. hemp can be cultivated in as few as 100 days. hemp seeds are very nutritious and contain essential amino and fatty acids.

Organic cotton

A typical conventional cotton t-shirt uses about 150 grams of acutely toxic pesticides and insecticides; that's the size of a cup of sugar. (source: Soil Association). organic cotton is manufactured from organically grown cotton plants. no chemical pesticides or fertilizers are used to grow it, and the final cloth is unbleached and dyed with natural plant dyes.

P.E.T.

(Polyethylene Terapthelate) invented in 1993 by Patagonia® founder Yvonne Chounard; as their Synchilla® fabric. plastic bottles that are made into recycled polyester, the bottles are separated by color, sterilized and then crushed, chopped, and melted. the melted plastic is extruded through a shower-head type device, producing fibrous polyester strands. those strands are woven into eco P.E.T. tech-fleece, along with many other products, even in place of plastics.

PVC

Polyvinyl chloride. The environmental issues related to PVC are numerous, they relate to the manufacturing process, the additives used with the plastic and the final disposal.

Plastisol print

In textile printing, plastisol is the carrier for the resin and pigment etc. they are essentially a non-volatile equivalent to the solvent in solvent-based inks and paints.

Plastisol printing

Plastisol ink contains phthalates, which are claimed to be endocrine disrupters. these are chemicals that have been linked with generating either sex changes, or unbalanced levels of certain sexes within the marine environment. phthalates, when ingested into the body, are under investigation as they could potentially be harmful. there is now more awareness of these issues along with this are large corporations who have set environmental objectives which include the removal of PVC and phthalates from all of their products, packaging and stores etc. there is now a great pressure on many printers to produce products free from these chemicals. producers have recognized this need and developed a new plastisol ink, which is both PVC and phthalate free. the introduction of this new ink ensures that printers are able to offer a solution where such environmental concerns are an important issue for their customers.

Post-consumer waste

Post-consumer waste is collected through commercial and household recycling programs and recycled content could include both post-consumer waste and post-industrial waste.

Post-industrial waste

Post-industrial waste (or pre-consumer waste) is produced during the manufacturing process, for instance paper off-cuts from printing processes or fabric scraps from manufacturing of apparel.

Recyclable

The term "recyclable" on products is misleading - used to designate that a product or its package can be recycled. anything can in theory be recycled. if you are looking to do the right thing for the environment, you should be choosing items that are made from recycled material.

Recycled

The reprocessing of a waste product into a new product (often taking the place of virgin material), and then bought back by the consumer as new item. paper, card, tires, plastic, CD's, glass and aluminum etc. are all products that can be recycled, however some loss of quality affects application in the number of time materials may be recycled.

Recycled blue jeans

eliminates using virgin materials. the main use of recycled denim is home insulation. recycled denim is a much better alternative to standard insulation because it does not irritate skin; it has maximum thermal performance, its non-toxic.

Recycled polystyrene

eliminates using virgin materials. styrofoam can be re-used as packaging materials or condensed to make products such as lawn furniture.

Re-use

To find a new function for an item that has outgrown its original use, use again for waste saving.

RoHS

is short for Restriction of use of certain Hazardous Substances in electrical and electronic equipment. the following substances are considered to be hazardous: 1) Lead (Pb); 2) Mercury (Hg); 3) Cadmium (Cd); 4) Chromium (CR/VI); 5) Polybrominated Diphenyl (PBB); 6) Polybrominated Diphenyl Ether (PBDE); all substances mentioned except Cadmium (Cd) are not allowed to exceed a 0.1% presence in each component. Cadmium (Cd) is not allowed to exceed 0.01% in each component.

Social responsibility

In all its operations and activities with the aim of achieving sustainable development not only in the economical dimension but also in the social and environmental dimensions.

Soy

Soy is made from manufacturing tofu waste and is the only protein based botanical fiber. soy is often used in conjunction with bamboo or hemp to create a nice [hand] for the garment.

Sustainable development

A process of developing (land, cities, business, communities, etc) that "meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs" according to the Brundtland Report, a 1987 report from the United Nations. one of the factors it must overcome is environmental degradation but it must do so while not forgoing the needs of economic development as well as social equity and justice.

Unbleached

Unbleached cotton is ecru color, sounder for the environment than bleached or dyed cotton. unbleached paper may not attain the same high white finish as that of bleached paper but is good for general use; however buying recycled paper could even be seen as more important than recycling used paper because demand for recycled paper in the U.K. currently lags behind supply!

Vegetable based inks

Using vegetable oil, rather than petroleum solvents, as the vehicle for carrying pigment. vegetable ink colors tend to be more vibrant than petroleum-based inks, but may take longer to dry.

Waste neutral

When a greater weight of products made from recycled materials is the same or greater than the weight of materials sent to be recycled, waste neutral will be achieved.

LINKS

www.earthday.net
Founded by the organizers of the first Earth Day in 1970, Earth Day Network (EDN) promotes environmental citizenship and year round progressive action worldwide.

www.sustainablecotton.org
The Sustainable Cotton Project is committed to promoting fair trade organic and sustainable cotton clothes.They are helping to build a large network of consumer activists, designers, students, labor unions, farmers, social and economic justice groups, clothing manufactures, and environmentalists to increase consumer demand for organic and sustainable cotton apparel in our communities, companies and campuses.

www.ema-online.org
Environmental Media Association is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization. There goal is to mobilize the entertainment industry in an effort to educate people about environmental problems and inspire them to act on these problems now.

www.Napcor.com
The National Association for PET Container Resources, is a national trade association for the PET plastic industry in the United States and Canada.

www.P2.org
National Pollution Prevention Roundtable

www.InterconRecycling.com
Recycles electronic scrap worldwide.

www.EnviroCitizen.org
Center for Environmental Citizenship is a nonpartisan, nonprofit environmental organization dedicated to educating and training a diverse national network of young adults in political and leadership skills to make them effective citizens and activists.

www.BottleBill.org
A comprehensive reference of beverage container laws in the US and abroad.

www.Container-Recycling.org
The Container Recycling Institute is a nonprofit organization that studies and promotes policies that shift the social and environmental costs associated with the recycling and disposal of container and packaging waste from taxpayers to producers and consumers.

www.environmental-collections.com
Environmental-collections.com is about Global Warming.
This site was created to help make it easier to stay informed and to integrate Earth conscious habits into our busy lives.

www.wastehelper.com
Waste Helper Resource Directory. A comprehensive waste management resource site.

smart car

Commonly Recycled Materials

1% FOR THE PLANET
To be perfectly honest, it’s not about us. It’s about businesses recognizing that industry and ecology are inherently connected. It’s about realizing the positive effects of connecting businesses, consumers and nonprofit's through philanthropy. And it’s about understanding that the true cost of doing business can be mitigated by a simple pledge to the planet.

ECO Tips
Environmental tips and sustainable solutions for a healthy planet