If you have arts and crafts supplies that you can no longer use but are in good shape and can be enjoyed by others, or if need more supplies for your kiddos but want to avoid buying brand new items at the store, there’s a Facebook group for that! ZWB Arts & Crafts Supplies Exchange – Boston Area is the Arts & Crafts Supplies subgroup of Zero Waste Beginners – Boston Area (which is a zero waste discussion group) and can be found at here (link to https://www.facebook.com/groups/471408600160965/). In this group you are invited to: (1) offer up FREE arts & crafts supplies!, (2) discuss and share Do It Yourself (DIY) projects, and (3) talk about how to cut down waste in the community. There are several other ZWB subgroups for exchanging items, and a list of them can be found here (link to https://www.facebook.com/groups/306954597181551/permalink/348249096385434/)
Recycling is now even more important than ever since we are doing more takeout’s, and stores, in general, are using more packaging. The city of Newton DPW sustainable materials management division has very specific rules for recycling. If you want to know how to best recycle black plastic take out containers, meal/grocery delivery packaging, or drugs containers. Check here (link to: https://myemail.constantcontact.com/Green-Cart-Chronicle.html?soid=1105979720296&aid=zYjabAIyZ38)
If you are surprised by snow in October, you may want to read a little bit more about factors influencing our weather including climate change and La Niña. You can find more information about this here (link to https://www.noaa.gov/media-release/us-winter-outlook-cooler-north-warmer-south-with-ongoing-la-nina)
Ever wonder what the environmental impact is of the food you eat? How beef compares to tofu? How beer compares to tea? Use the Climate change food calculator https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-46459714 to compare the different foods you eat to other carbon consuming activities and foods.
Still thinking about joining the Appalachian Trail challenge? Or perhaps you already have and are looking for a new spot to check out. Members of the Green Team would like to share some of their favorite local nature trails for you to enjoy. Some of our favorites local spots include Hammond Pond Reservation, Kennard Park, Oakdale Woods Conservation Area, and Hemlock Gorge. If you wish to venture a little further and want a flat trail, Elm Bank Reservation in Wellesley has beautiful views of the Charles River. If you are looking for a place with a variety of trails of varying difficulty, Noanet Woodlands in Dover has 17 miles of trails to explore. Wherever you go, we hope you enjoy all nature has to offer. In addition, we would also like to encourage families to bring some trash bags with you and to pick up trash while you are walking; if you are so inclined, you could share pictures with the Green Team and/or post them on the Keep Newton Beautiful Facebook page.
Do you want to limit visits to the grocery store? Do you worry about the stability of the food chain during COVID-19? Do you want to support local businesses? Do you want to protect the environment? Then, buy local. Local food producers are small businesses that can help ensure a healthy food supply while reducing transportation costs. Often the food is delivered directly to you. For more information, visit https://www.buylocalfood.org/buy-local/
We have previously highlighted the issue of food waste in MA in general and Newton in particular, and the importance of reducing it. To better manage food waste, we shared two tips; these were (1) RECYCLING food waste through composting and (2) REDUCING food waste via meal planning to help ensure that you don’t over-buy (see our tips in the February 2 and May 3, 2020 Updates, respectively). A third way to lessen food waste by REDUCING is to store your groceries properly, to keep your food fresh and tasty for longer, and to use your food up using a variety of suggestions in this handy tool (https://savethefood.com/storage)
In order to inspire our children to be mindful of the environment, we must teach them about nature. Did you know that the Oxford Junior Dictionary has removed a number of nature-related words—acorn, dandelion, fern, ivy, newt, otter, kingfisher, and more from its pages, replaced by words from the digital age like “bullet-point” and “broadband.” While certainly the latter are important for children to know, we must expose them to the words that describe our environment. The book, The Lost Words: A Spell Book by Robert MacFarlane and Jackie Morris uses a mix of illustration and poems with those “missing” words, to conjure back the magic of nature. Until we are able to get to the library again to see this beautiful book, bring these lost words into conversation on your next nature walk to inspire tomorrow’s environmentalists.
Did you know that food waste accounts for 27% of the trash stream in MA and makes up 4,573 tons of Newton’s trash annually? In addition to RECYCLING your food waste by composting (see our tip in the February 2, 2020 Update), a very important way to manage food waste is to REDUCE it in the first place. Meal planning and using grocery lists can help ensure that you don’t over-buy. You can use this meal-prep tool (https://savethefood.com/planning) to ensure that you’re only buying what you need at the grocery store.
With all the extra handwashing, have you ever wondered if bar soap is environmentally better than using liquid soap? Bar soap isn’t 100% zero waste because of the paper wrapping or cardboard box it comes in (although you can get bar soap without packaging!) But it is much better for the planet than large plastic bottles of liquid wash. Bar soaps last a lot longer than liquid soap which makes them also less expensive. Besides hand soap there are also shampoo and conditioner bars as well as solid dishwashing bars available.
Even though you cannot use your reusable bags at the store during the COVID-19 epidemic, there is still a way you can use them. Ask the cashier to put your food back in the cart and keep your reusable bags in the car. You can then put your food into your bags when you get to the car. Most grocery stores appreciate when you do this so that they don’t run out of paper bags.
We all have heard of the rush to get toilet paper as we all stay home to limit our exposure to others. Are those empty toilet paper rolls starting to mount up? Making crafts from items we typically throw out is a great way to be green The green team would like to challenge the countryside community to make a toilet paper roll creature out of those left over rolls. Send a picture of your creative project to CSNgreenteam@gmail.com by next Sunday. The most creative crafters will get a special recognition from Ms. Herlihy in her next video message to our community.
Recycling facilities continue to face issues with “contamination”. Contamination are items placed in our single stream recycling bins which need to go to trash or need to be recycled by other means. Plastic bags and other flexible plastic continue to be the number one problem. Plastic bags bind up machinery at the sorting facility, which decreases efficiency, increases costs, and creates a safety risk to workers. Do not place plastic bags, bubble wrap and other flexible plastic packaging into your single stream recycling. Want to explore more about this topic with your children this week? Check out https://theconversation.com/curious-kids-where-do-my-recycled-items-go-86135
Did you know there are some easy ways to save water? Always turn off the faucet while brushing your teeth or shaving. Only wash full loads of laundry (when possible in cold water to save energy). Run your dishwasher only when it is full. Instead of rinsing your dishes before loading them in the dishwasher, soak very dirty dishes in a bit of warm water and scrape off any leftovers. Take shorter showers.
Did you know that you can get a free home energy audit through Mass Save? They will recommend ways to improve energy efficiency and cut energy costs and they also offer rebates on insulation, high efficiency water heaters and other incentives. In addition they provide no cost home improvements including:Did you know that you can get a free home energy audit through Mass Save? They will recommend ways to improve energy efficiency and cut energy costs and they also offer rebates on insulation, high efficiency water heaters and other incentives. In addition they provide no cost home improvements including:• ENERGY STAR® LED light bulbs• Advanced power strips• Low-flow showerheads• Faucet aerators• Programmable thermostats or discounted wireless thermostats (installed at a second appointment)For more information go to: https://www.masssave.com/en/saving/energy-assessments/homeowners/
The average American household receives 848 pieces of junk mail, which equals 1.5 trees every year and more than 100 million trees for all U.S. households combined. One contributor to that junk mail pile is catalogs. Many just go striaght into the recycle bin. To reduce this impact to our environment there are services such as the non-profit Catalog Choice which will sends merchants your catalog opt-out request on your behalf. Register at https://www.catalogchoice.org/.
Composting 101: Home composting is easier than you think and it is a great way to reduce trash and create fertilizer for your garden. There are many helpful videos and tips online, such as here and here.
Did you know that 60 million water bottles are being thrown away every day in the US? Very few of those bottles are properly recycled and most of them are turned into other products and not water bottles again, meaning new resources are needed to make more water bottles. Here are a few suggestions what you can do to reduce the use of water bottles: • Refuse plastic water bottles, even if they are offered to you for free • Get and use a reusable water bottle, made from glass or steel • Drink from water fountains Please email Julie if you are interested in joining Countryside’s Green Team!
Did you know that 160,000 plastic bags are being used every SECOND around the world? Most of them are only used for a few minutes and they are not being recycled properly and eventually end up in landfills or as litter. The alternative to single-use plastic bags is to bring your own reusable bags like cotton totes or even a previously used paper bag. If you are just buying one or two items, another option is to just carry them in your hands.
Did you know that plastic straws contribute disproportionately to plastic pollution? It takes a lot of energy to make them. They are also incredibly difficult to recycle like any other small plastic utensils. The ocean is full of unrecycled “microplastics” that are ingested by sea creatures and then ingested by us. We can ofcourse do many things about it. * Choose not to use plastic straws at take-out restaurants and cafes. * Don’t purchase plastic straws. * Avoid using juice boxes. * Encourage businesses and schools to explore non-plastic straw alternatives. Have you considered using a reusable straw ? They are increasingly available, affordable and portable. Check out Option 1 and Option 2.
The CS Green Team will be running a weekly feature that includes “Green Tips”. We hope this is helpful, particularly as you head into the busy holiday season. Tip #1: Did you know that decorating, wrapping and packaging products account for nearly half of the 85 million tons of paper consumed in the United States? And although some can be recycled, there are better options for the environment, such as using newspaper or reusable fabric bags. Click here for a list of 15 great ways to make the holidays greener. Please email the CS Green Team with questions, if you have other Green Tip ideas, or if you want to join our team! New members are always welcome!