Showing posts with label cleanscapes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cleanscapes. Show all posts

CleanScapes $10,000 Neighborhood Prize pays for benches along Interurban Trail

Tuesday, April 5, 2011

Five benches resulted from 2009-2010 contest
Five new benches have been installed along the Interurban Trail in Shoreline. The benches were purchased by CleanScapes, Shoreline’s contracted waste hauler, and installed by the City of Shoreline Parks Department.

CleanScapes awarded the $10,000 community project to residents in the Friday collection area. These residents won the reward by reducing their overall waste from 2009 to 2010, as compared to the other four collection areas.
Mayor McGlashan commented that “we are thrilled with the addition of these benches to the Interurban Trail. They are a great amenity for the neighborhoods that won, and the broader Shoreline community. They are also a great reminder that people can do more to recycle and reduce the amount waste they generate.”
Chris Martin, President of CleanScapes, stressed the importance of overall waste reduction: “Everything we throw away has environmental and economic costs. Recycling and composting are very important, but it still takes trucks and fuel to collect these materials, and energy to process them. A better solution is to cut back on how much stuff we use in the first place, and we want to reward those neighborhoods that demonstrate a commitment to that.”
Benches chosen by neighborhood committee and paid for by CleanScapes

CleanScapes was founded in Seattle, Washington in 1997, and provides sustainable solid waste and recycling collection and comprehensive StreetScapes management services to municipalities, commercial properties, business improvement districts and stadiums in Washington, Oregon and California. 


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CleanScapes Tip: recycle plastic cards

Wednesday, March 30, 2011

Gift Card Recycling

Gift cards are a popular way to give thanks and celebrate special occasions by giving the gift of choice. Retailer-specific, pre-paid “credit” cards are available from businesses large and small, from local cafés like Caffe Ladro to Amazon.com.

In most cases, this style of gift-giving greatly reduces the packaging waste associated with purchasing and wrapping an item. Great news! Well, almost. The main challenge has been what to do with gift cards once their value has been used.

In January 2008 one company launched a mail-in recycling program for plastic gift cards, as well as and other types of plastic cards. While plastic cards cannot be recycled in your curbside cart, you can recycle them by mailing them to Earthworks.

What’s in your wallet? If you have leftover, used or expired plastic cards, help keep them out of the landfill by mailing them to:

Earthworks
c/o Halprin Industries
25840 Miles Rd
Bedford, OH 44146

Interested in helping to start local collection stations? Organizations like DoSomethingGood are helping communities and students organize local plastic card collection for recycling.


The Big Picture

Plastic gift cards, retail membership cards and credit cards are made from PVC plastic, or polyvinyl chloride. The US Dept. of Health and Human Services has determined that vinyl chloride is a known carcinogen.

According to the International Card Manufacturing Association, 17 billion plastic cards, including gift, library, video rental and membership cards were produced in 2006.

As a result of continued popularity and increased demand for retail gift cards, between 75-100 million pounds of PVC material from plastic cards enters our waste stream each year.

Recycling plastic cards provides an alternative source of materials for manufacturers. Creating new cards from existing PVC plastic helps eliminate increased air and water pollution caused from manufacturing plastic cards from raw materials.


Reduce first. Reuse what you can, and then Recycle.

Reduce, Reuse and Win! Do you live in Shoreline? Learn how you can help your community win the 2010/2011 Neighborhood Waste Reduction Rewards competition.

Do you have a great idea or community waste reduction project? Tell us your story! Email the CleanScapes waste reduction team.

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CleanScapes tip: Greener St. Patrick’s Day

Thursday, March 17, 2011

This St. Patrick's Day, create a global table for an Irish feast from local farmers and producers.

If you missed your chance to shop at one of the year-round farmers markets in Ballard, the University District or West Seattle, you can still purchase local foods at grocery stores, or order directly from producers such as Olsen Farms, Full Circle Farms, Bill the Butcher, Bob’s Quality Meats or Rain Shadow Meats.

Cabbage, red potatoes and sustainably raised, grass-fed beef are in season and can be yours for a fraction of the environmental cost.

Looking to make green eggs and ham? Give Blue #1 and Yellow #5 a break and try a natural food dye from Nature’s Flavors or Seelect.


The Big Picture

Do you know the carbon footprint of your food?

Most produce grown in the United States travels an average of 1,500 miles before it gets sold(1). Purchase Chilean grapes or apples from New Zealand, and your food has traveled more than 6,000 miles from farm to table.

In addition to the energy and fuel used to transport our food, there is also the energy used during production. Approximately 23% of the energy used in our food production system comes from processing and packaging food(2). Every year, the US food system uses as much as France’s total annual energy consumption - 10 quadrillion Btu(3).

You can decrease the resources required to produce the food you consume by learning what is fresh in Washington State, plan meals around seasonal availability, and learn what is sold from local producers in grocery stores or farmers markets.

By supporting locally grown meals, you can help reduce packaging and fuel used to transport food from across the U.S. and around the world.

Reduce first. Reuse what you can, and then Recycle.

Reduce, Reuse and Win! Do you live in Shoreline? Learn how you can help your community win the 2010/2011 Neighborhood Waste Reduction Rewards competition,

Do you have a great idea or community waste reduction project? Tell us your story! Email the CleanScapes waste reduction team.

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CleanScapes Tip: Planning for SuperBowl Parties

Monday, January 31, 2011

Touchdown!

Whether you are attending or hosting a party for Super Bowl XLV, there are easy ways you can reduce waste as you prepare for the festivities.

Set the stage for success by using reusable and washable plates, platters, silverware, napkins, cups and mugs.

Keep packaging waste at bay by purchasing in bulk, bringing your own reusable shopping bags when you shop and serving drinks in pitchers instead of individual serving containers.

Green your grill and buffet by featuring local produce, meats and treats. Year-round farmers' markets in Ballard, the University District and West Seattle are plentiful with seasonal crops and meat from local farms. Local foods are also available at grocery stores like Central Market, PCC, and Ballinger Thriftway.

When it is time to clean up, encourage your guests to pitch in. Set out and clearly mark your recycling bins, and if you have food scraps and yard debris collection service, help guests keep food waste out of the garbage by using a collection container for food scraps.

Resources:

The Big Picture

According to the US EPA, nearly 113 billion disposable cups, 39 billion disposable eating utensils, and 29 billion disposable plates are used in the US each year.

The best environmental alternative is to use durable, reusable and washable serviceware, even when considering the energy used to manufacture reusables and the water and soaps used to wash them.

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Snow News: CleanScapes

Wednesday, January 12, 2011

Wednesday, January 12


SERVICE UPDATE

All CleanScapes services are on time and on schedule.

Missed Collection
If you believe your service has been missed, report the problem.

Customer Service for Shoreline 206-763-4444 or

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CleanScapes Tips: Why reduce waste?

Wednesday, December 15, 2010

Today marks the one year anniversary of the Weekly Waste Reduction Tips. Looking back at a year’s worth of waste reduction ideas, and forward to the year ahead, we wanted to pause to answer the question, “Why reduce waste?”

The short answer is that everything we make, buy and dispose of has an impact on the environment, and as individuals we generate a lot of waste.

Whether the next stop for that waste is the landfill or a recycling or composting facility, it all requires natural resources for transportation and processing.

All of the natural resources used during the lifecycle of the things we buy -- from obtaining and processing raw materials (wood, minerals, water, etc.) to the manufacture, transportation and finally, disposal of products -- add up to 29 percent of the anthropogenic (caused by people) greenhouse gas emissions released in the US.

Luckily, one solution can make a big difference: reuse items as much as you can to stop waste before it happens. Waste reduction alternatives like reusable bags, travel mugs and refillable water bottles are easy to substitute, can help you save money and are a simple way for each of us to conserve natural resources.

By working together to reduce waste as a community, we can create a more sustainable future together.

The Big Picture
How much waste do we generate? In Washington state individuals and businesses generated 16,000,000 tons of waste in 2009(1). According to the US Environmental Protection Agency Americans generated approximately 250 million tons of waste in 2008(2).

Reduce first. Reuse what you can, and then Recycle.

Reduce, Reuse and Win! Do you live in Shoreline? Learn how you can help your community win the 2010/2011 Neighborhood Waste Reduction Rewards competition.

--CleanScapes Staff 
 

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CleanScapes Tip: Go Green for the Holidays

Tuesday, December 7, 2010

During the holiday season there are many opportunities to go green. The US Environmental Protection Agency estimates that Americans throw away 25% more trash between Thanksgiving and New Year's Day than any other time of year, which translates into an extra one million tons of waste generated nationwide each week. 
 


What can you do to reduce waste during the holidays? 
  • Give Experiences. Support the local economy by purchasing gift certificates for experiences.  Look no further than local restaurants, museums, sporting events, concert halls, theater shows, and classes for everything from yoga to guitar lessons for a unique and special gift for every interest and age group. Or, give the gift of a shared experience and make a date to do something special together. 
  • Shop Sustainably. With local and regional holiday craft fairs, it’s easy to support local artists, farmers and merchants. Other ways to shop green include purchasing items made from recycled content or items made from renewable resources, such as bamboo. And when you shop, don’t forget your reusable shopping bags.
  • Re-Gift - Make it a white (elephant) holiday. The easiest 'shopping' can be done at home. “Re-gift” things that have gone unused or unopened and find these items a new home.
  • Re-Charge. When you purchase gifts that require batteries, consider purchasing rechargeable batteries and a charger. Each rechargeable battery replaces up to 1,500 single-use batteries.
 
Give Homemade.
  • Get crafty! Save money this holiday season by making your own gifts and cards. No matter your skill level, the sky is the limit for do-it-yourself projects. 
 

  • Donate. Instead of a gift, donate to a charity in a friend or family member’s name.  Holiday donations are a great way to support local non-profits and help the community.
  • Reduce Packaging. While shopping for holiday meals, consider buying in bulk, or purchase items with the least amount of packaging.
  • Bring Your Own. It's easy to reduce waste when you bring your own travel mug to the coffee shop, take your refillable water bottle with you for on-the-go hydration, and stash your reusable shopping and grocery bags in the car to carry your holiday purchases. Reusable bags also make wonderful gift bags, and provide an eco-extra for your special someone.
  • Around the Table. Before stocking up on single-use plates and cups, save money by using reusable and washable plates, cups, silverware, napkins, table clothes and serving dishes. For larger parties and a festive table, combine resources by borrowing tableware from friends. If you are looking to save money, purchase gently-used durable serviceware at local second-hand retailers.
  • Holiday Recycling. Encourage your guests to pitch in. Set out and clearly mark your recycling bins, and if you have food scraps collection service, help guests keep food waste out of the garbage by using a collection container for food scraps.
Resources: 

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CleanScapes waste reduction tip: recycle bottle corks

Saturday, December 4, 2010

"‘Tis the season for holiday parties, family gatherings and raising a toast with friends.  If your special event involves wine or champagne, consider collecting your natural corks and dropping them off to be recycled."
There are many ways to stop waste before it happens.  CleanScapes says.:  Uncork and Recycle!

 Drop-off locations include the Vineyard Wine Shop in Greenwood and DeLille Cellars in Woodinville.

Natural, as opposed to plastic, corks are collected locally by ReCork and recycled into shoe components, flooring, gaskets, bulletin boards and sports equipment.

According to ReCork, approximately 13 billion natural cork wine stoppers are produced for the global wine industry every year. Of these, 1 billion are used in the US.  By recycling cork through drop-off programs, you can extend the life of this sustainable resource.  Recycling cork is a great way to keep a natural resource out of the landfill.

Reduce, Reuse and Win! Do you live in Shoreline? Learn how you can help your community win the 2010/2011 Neighborhood Waste Reduction Rewards competition.

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Shoreline CleanScapes update - garbage pickup - maybe

Wednesday, November 24, 2010

CleanScapes provides garbage and recycling service to Shoreline.

Your garbage and recycling may or may not be picked up today in Shoreline - it depends on how accessible your street is.

CleanScapes cancelled Tuesday collections because of the road conditions and used some of their trucks to help with sanding and snow removal in Shoreline (see story).

Normally, that would push everyone ahead a day - Tuesday on Wednesday; Wednesday on Thursday, and so on.

They had already planned to be off on Thanksgiving and collect Thursday on Friday and Friday on Saturday.

They are putting their trucks on the road for the accessible residential areas, so Tuesday and Wednesday customers may get service, if they live in a flat area.

"Residential customers who do not receive service today should place all carts (garbage, recycle, food waste/yard debris) in the usual collection location on their next collection day.

"Residents can put out double the amount of garbage at no extra cost. Recycling and food waste/yard debris will be collected as usual."

CleanScapes will be providing limited commercial collection service. 

If you do put your collection bins out, make sure they are out of the roadway.

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CleanScapes truck assisting with snow removal/sanding in Shoreline

CleanScapes provides garbage and recycling services to Shoreline.

As part of a pilot project with the City of Shoreline, CleanScapes is using a modified commercial collection truck to plow and sand roads in Shoreline. CleanScapes’ President, Chris Martin, came up with the idea after the significant snowfall the region received in 2008.

“It occurred to me that if our trucks could not get out to collect garbage on steep or difficult to reach streets, why not use them to assist our municipal customers to increase the number of plows on main arterials”, said Martin.

CleanScapes acquired several plows and a sander that can be placed on collection vehicles in 2009, and they are piloting this modified service approach in Shoreline.

Read more...

CleanScapes Tips: Bicycle Recycling

Saturday, November 13, 2010


There are many ways we can stop waste before it happens.  Every week, CleanScapes emails tips on how to reduce waste as part of the Neighborhood Waste Reduction Rewards program.  


Do you have unused, broken or unwanted bicycles or bike parts? You can recycle them. CleanScapes has partnered with Bike Works and Seattle’s transfer stations to create a new recycling opportunity.

At Seattle’s North transfer station bring your bikes and parts to CleanScapes “RE-CYCLING” dumpsters, which are painted bright green and decorated with bicycle decals. The station is located in the Fremont/Wallingford neighborhood at North 34th Street, near Carr Place North, 1350 North 34th Street.

All of the bikes and parts collected are taken to Bike Works where youth and adult volunteers of all skill levels help sort and repair broken bikes.

This program started in June.  Now in its sixth month, the program has consistently collected 10-50 bikes weekly for reuse, repair and recycling.

The bicycles and parts support Bike Works youth programs, the Bike Works community Bike Shop, as well as two bicycle aid programs that redistribute bicycles to Africa.

Bikes beyond repair are stripped down to the frame and the leftover scrap metal is delivered to Seattle Iron and Metals for recycling.

Reduce first. Reuse what you can, and then Recycle.

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$10,000 Community Project Proposal Deadline June 30

Friday, June 18, 2010

Have you heard the news? Residents in CleanScapes Friday collection area won a $10,000 community improvement project because they reduced their garbage, recycling and yard debris more than any other Shoreline neighborhood during CleanScapes Neighborhood Waste Reduction Rewards Competition.

All Shoreline residents have the opportunity to submit ideas for capital improvement projects (e.g., benches, playground equipment, kiosks) for construction in the Friday collection area: Highland Terrace, Meridian Park, Parkwood, Westminster Triangle or Richmond Highlands (south of N 175th). 



The deadline to submit project proposals is June 30. 

Submit an idea for a large project up to $10,000 or one or more smaller projects. To submit a project idea, visit the CleanScapes website and complete the Community Project Proposal form. Email or mail to CleanScapes, Education Outreach, 5939 4th Ave S, Seattle, WA 98108.

For more information or questions, please contact Hannah Swee at (206) 859-6700. For more information on how to win the public improvement project in your neighborhood next year, visit the CleanScapes information page

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