Look for ways to reuse these items. This is a great way to teach your kids recycling.

Trees and greens: http://preview.alturl.com/8kvad

Need to find a tree recycler? Click on the link above and type in your zip code. You will get a list of vendors who will chip your tree for free.

Greeting Cards:

Cut the front part of the card off and use it as a label for next year. Punch a hole in the corner and add ribbon! Save money and the earth.

My sister has her six year old cut out all the pictures and she then glues them on another card. Family (me) and close friends receive the handmade cards. Really it is cute.

Wrapping Paper:

Where do I start! You can compost it, shred it and use it for packing material or hold on to it for the summer and use it for Paper Mache projects. Check with your local pet store and see if they take shredded paper. SLM shreds everything and donates it to the animal shelters.

Bows and Ribbon:

Save them for next year. I saved 42.00 this year by using all the bows I collected from last year.

Gift Bags:

Save those bags!!

If you have to buy anything buy the recycled products first. Your efforts do help the environment. Check with your town to see what recycling programs are in effect.

You can do it!! Yes you can!!

The gift giving is almost over and in the wake of the season is a mound of wrapping paper, bows, cards and greens!

Look for ways to reuse these items.  This is a great way to teach your kids recycling.

Trees and greens:  http://preview.alturl.com/8kvad

Need to find a tree recycler?  Click on the link above and type in your zip code.  You will get a list of vendors who will chip your tree for free.

Greeting Cards:

Cut the front part of the card off and use it as a label for next year.  Punch a hole in the corner and add ribbon!  Save money and the earth.

My sister has her six year old cut out all the pictures and she then glues them on another card.  Family (me) and close friends receive the handmade cards.  Really it is cute.

Wrapping Paper:

Where do I start!  You can compost it, shred it and use it for packing material or hold on to it for the summer and use it for Paper Mache projects.  Check with your local pet store and see if they take shredded paper.  SLM shreds everything and donates it to the animal shelters.

Bows and Ribbon:

Save them for next year.  I saved 42.00 this year by using all the bows I collected from last year.

Gift Bags:

Save those bags!!

If you have to buy anything buy the recycled products first.  Your efforts do help the environment.  Check with your town to see what recycling programs are in effect.

You can do it!! Yes you can!!

December is full of gift giving and parties.  It is also full of waste that can be reused.  Give Mother Nature a gift and recycle, reuse or reduce your own waste.

Christmas Trees!! 

Check with your local municipality.   Many communities chip the tress and offer free wood chips for the spring.

Batteries!!

I had no idea that 40% of all batter sales occur in the US during the holidays. [i]  The EPA recommends that you buy rechargeable batteries with the battery charger with your gifts!!

Christmas Cards!

Hallmark and American Greetings report that 2.65 Billion Christmas cards are sold each year.  What happens to the cards you received?  Do you recycle or use them as scratch paper?

If you don’t like the idea of sending an Ecard, then recycle those cards!!

Wrapping paper!!

So what happens to the paper that is thrown all over your house on Christmas morning?  Stack it and recycle it with the newspapers.  Save bags and bows and reuse them.

Check out this news story!!

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/12/26/earlyshow/main2296947.shtml

The Holidays are fun and exciting.  Please stop a moment and remember that the earth needs a gift as well.  Just taking care of your space will free up landfill space.

Merry Christmas!

According to Javelin Strategies, a prominent research firm that often reports on identity theft, incidences of identity theft increased by 11% from 2008 to 2009 altering the lives of 11 million Americans. While 2010 numbers are not yet available, if these numbers prove to be a pattern (or rise due to the increase of e-commerce and online activities), one in every 20 Americans risks being a victim this year.

Your odds of being a victim increase because businesses tend to complete more with financial transactions via mail and over the Internet, and increases its paper files with confidential information about themselves and your customers.

How much information does someone really need to know in order to impersonate you to a 3rd-party? Your name? Birth date? Address? Armed with easily found information such as this, and maybe a couple other key pieces of information such as the high school you went to, your cat’s name or your mother’s maiden name, an individual could potentially access your existing accounts or establish new financial accounts in your name.  With the advent of social media this seemingly simple information has become that much easier to obtain.

Personally identifiable information (often called PII)  refers to information that can be used to uniquely identify, contact, or locate a single person or can be used with other sources of information to uniquely identify a single individual. What constitutes PII? Under the definition used by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget the following are considered PII:

• Full name (if not common)
• Social Security Number
• IP address (in some cases)
• Vehicle registration plate number
• Driver’s license number
• Face, fingerprints, or handwriting
• Credit card numbers
• Digital identity
• Birthday
• Birthplace
• Genetic information

Some information that is commonly used and combined with one of the pieces of information to uniquely identify an individual might include.

• First or last name, if common
• Country, state, or city of residence
• Age
• Gender or race
• Name of the school they attend or workplace
• Grades, salary, or job position
• Criminal record

Every business and household has confidential information. The day to day functions of any business will produce a surprising amount of information that could be used against the business by it’s competitors. The list includes; in-house memos, draft of documents, quotes, forecasts, trends, benchmarks, meeting notes, employee records and pay stubs.

An estimated $100 billion a year is lost to information bandits.  Having jumped in dumpsters and source separating product am amazed there is no law anywhere against dumpster diving.  After your business has disposed of it’s documents, it has no claim to it’s privacy.

Unfortunately, one of the weaknesses of any business are disgruntled employees.  Implementing a security plan is the only way to ensure a distressed employee will not make a mistake the business or you could suffer from.  Be sure you have locked bins in your office and this problem is easily solved.

The United States protection of business & its citizens is forever changing.  With new legislation from government, regional and local, it is only fitting each takes an active role to protect what is his or hers.  This then puts a burden on businesses to stand in the forefront to protect its employees and for private individuals to protect the documents and information they are charged with.

So, what can you or your business do to protect yourself from being a victim when it comes to paper-based information?  Properly dispose of waste and that means shred, shred, shred!

When it comes to shredding your options include:

• Purchasing an appropriate shredder for your needs
• Dropping off waste at a shredding facility
• Arranging for on-site shredding

Shredders come in all shapes and sizes and differ based on the amount of volume they are able to shred (both number of sheets at a time and overall usage demand) and the type of cut they output. The resulting shredded output varies based on cost of the shredding mechanism and degree of security.  Ranging from least expensive/least secure the types of paper shredders include:

• Strip cut which  produce an output of long strips of paper output
• Cross-cut which use a dual-cut blade resulting in a uniform small shred and
• Micro-cut – this literally turns the paper into dust.

Some of the challenges of the do-it-yourself approach is the ability to handle the quantity your needs require and the ability to recycle the shredded waste (not all recyclers accept shredded paper waste).

If you can find a shredding facility in your area you can easily store up your sensitive waste and drop it off, however this presents the added steps of securely storing the waste in the meantime, packaging, and then delivering the waste to a facility.  Therefore, be sure to contact a company who has the wherewithal, national/regional & local experience expertise who diverts the waste shredded and places it into a sustainable reuse system that stays here in the United States.

According to Al Richter of Richter Drafting & Office Supply Company, Inc. in Souderton, PA, shredding as a service is on the rise for three main reasons
: the rise of identity theft, HIPAA regulations, and the desire to be ecologically responsible about recycling.

When choosing a shredding service, you want to be certain the business is one you can trust.  The National Association for Information Destruction (NAID) at http://www.naidonline.org/ lists member organizations throughout the country.

You can minimize expense, divert paper into a sustainable full circle platform and feel protected because you save your identity.

If you are using any disposable napkins, placemats, or utensils you can drastically reduce your trash by purchasing compostable items or reusable items.  Restaurants that use disposable napkins, utensils or placemats can reduce waste volume by switching to reusable items. Switching from disposables may add to dishwashing and laundry costs, but will save on the purchase of paper goods and avoid waste disposal costs.

Recycle cardboard, glass, metals and plastic. Do not let a small footprint stop you from recycling.  SLM has a solution for you! 

Replace beverage bottles and cans. Most beer and soft drinks can be served on-tap, reducing both the cost of buying beverages and disposing or recycling cans and bottles. Even wine can be stored in bulk in some circumstances.

Most restaurants have already replaced the disposable items like cups, utensils, trays, dishes , condiments with reusable ones.

Buy locally to minimize transportation costs.

Some of my fast food clients are operating recycling programs for polystyrene containers. This is not done throughout the US.  Call SLM and find out if we can do this in your area. 

Have your purchasing agents ask your vendors to provide you with products that are packaged in materials such as recyclable or reusable paper, glass, steel, aluminum or plastic.

Donate useful, outdated stock and leftover foods to food pantries, charities and shelters.

Team Training:

Be sure that recycling and trash bins look different from each other and are clearly marked. Both types of bins should be conveniently located in the kitchen and bar areas so that employees will use them.

Take time to train employees about what gets tossed in which bins. Be specific, using product names used in your restaurant. Make up a “Dos and Don’ts” list for recycling and post it on the bulletin board or at work stations.

If your restaurant is self-serve, post signs letting customers know that you are recycling and what they should do with their items. Either put out a bin for these items, or have customers leave them on a designated counter for collection by your staff.

Be sure that your grounds crew knows to keep yard waste separate from other waste.

Contact SLM to help you set you your full house recycling.

http://earthandindustry.com/2011/09/microsoft-hp-coke-bumped-from-dow-jones-sustainability-index/

As consumers you want to go shopping with the environment in mind.  Purchase products that help protect our environment.

Think lifecycle of a product.  The lifecycle is from cradle to grave.

• Purchase products that are rechargeable or reusable
• Avoid excess packaging.
• Buy something that is used
• Share
• Buy Energy Star products
• Purchase items that are made from recycled materials.

Your purchase makes a difference!

SLM’S E-WASTE EVENT!

Recycle Your E- Waste!

Why – Help Support Open Line & the Valley!

When –October 15, 2011 9:00 am to  1:00 pm

Where – Marlborough Township Building

6040 Upper Ridge Rd Green Lane Pa 18054

Questions – Call Jean Gjessing at 267-429-7424

*Fees apply to certain items for recycling cost of hazardous or data sensitive material*

Every business owner wants to save money, increase their investment and make every cent count to increase profits.  Recycling can add to your bottom line, not take away from it.

Make your copies and printouts double sided.  This can reduce your paper needs by 35%.  If you have a smart board to use, do not even print them out.  Bring up your agenda on the smart board.

Call your trash provider and request your trash to be ‘on-call’.  This will cut your bill dramatically.  Call SLM and talk about single stream recycling, composting and white paper recycling.  Rebates are out there!

If you are printing out documents that are sent electronically only to hand them off to be scanned, think about the wasted paper.

Set up a recycling group in your office to really look at all your paper, filing, printing and document storage processes.   Reducing waste, reusing materials, and recycling all help make operations more efficient.

The earth belongs to all of us and we all have a social and moral responsibility to care for mother Earth!  Go Green!

Oil is used to make the plastic that holds our ink!  Once in the landfill it will take about 1,000 years to breakdown.  There are millions of empty cartridges in our landfills!

Stop the madness!  Staples will pay you 2.00 per cartridge!

Did you know that …..

The average inkjet cartridge uses 3.5 oz. of oil in its production.

It takes 1,000 years for a cartridge to decompose even more when it is inside a landfill. Each year 300 million of these cartridges are thrown away. This amounts to 75,000 tons of trash.  YIKES!!!

Buy the recycled ink cartridges at the store.  You save money,  you help to save the environment and we all win!!

http://www.staples.com/sbd/cre/products/3dollar_inkrecycle/

Set up a box in your office and have a pizza party with your rebate!