Last week we had a "runner" escape from the inmate line. I can't blame him. Working in a monotonous environment featuring single-digit temperatures (the plant is not heated) and a constant barrage of snow outside would make a lot of people take drastic measures. You would think school would be cancelled and people would take off work, but alas, 'snow day' has yet to enter the Colorado lexicon. The show must go on. He only had a month left. According to the grapevine, this guy sneaked out under the guise of a break, called a fellow gangbanger on a stolen cell phone, and was promptly picked up by two sexy ladies in a SUV. Talk about modern Western outlaws. This guy apparently belonged to a loathed "group" of Spanish individuals in Longmont, and is probably across the border at the moment, although he clearly hadn't perused enough crime fiction to know that his cell phone call would be traced. The guy he called has been arrested, as well as one of the ladies that picked him up, but the fugitive is still at large. The crew bosses have confidence that he'll be caught, and unfortunately for him, two years will be added on to the month of time he had remaining.
Apparently, theres a runner on average every one and a half years. This statistic would be interesting to use in a study on how our motivations to escape what we're meant to be doing, whether it fits within our goals or not, plays into behavioral modification. What drives us to the breaking point of saying "Enough! I'm not going to do this anymore!" and gives us the courage/indifference to change our behavior and stand up to oppression, real or perceived? If there's an inmate every one and a half years who decides his current lot isn't worth the personal freedom and gains he could be making on the outside, however horrible his crimes were, then how are you supposed to stop him if his motivation is solid and he's past the point of no return? It's like trying to stop a suicide bomber. You can try and improve the environment in which the individual or group of individuals is coming from or works within. This will have long-term benefits in appeasing the general condition and standard of living in said environments, but in the end, someone with stronger motivations will convince themselves or others that their desires cannot be boxed in, that theirs is a higher cause, and that something else is needed. This is the general trend of Progress with a capital P. No one can ever be satisfied.
Less than half of Americans are satisfied with their jobs. Not being paid enough is a valid cause of some of this discontent, although I'd argue that the majority lies within a perceived lack of meaning to the jobs we perform. All of us have a dream job, which might include being in control of some large company or nonprofit, streamlining production efficiency, maxmizing profits, helping thousands of less fortunate souls, (mine includes some combination of these as well as a comfortable clime (some might even use the word tropical), dacqueris, and copious amounts of paid vacation), but the fact is that there's only a limited amount of these positions. Perhaps, competition for these spots is a good thing; it motivates us to be all we can be (disregard any allusions to the Army's recruitment message, I'm not getting paid off...) to achieve those cherished positions. The trick, which Redskins kicker Shaun Suisham clearly forgot last week, is not to lose sight of the goal. More importantly, not to lose track of what it means, to the bigger picture of your life and the world around you, to be doing whatever you're doing.
What about those who wish to live simply, who like serving others, or cherish getting paid for what these bigwigs would call simple tasks? Their life is usually rooted in a struggle of some kind, whether in solidarity with a cause bigger than themselves or just simply to survive, and it is this struggle that gives them meaning. Devoting ones life to defending a cause they believe in regardless of where it takes them careerwise, or having a steady paycheck to provide for your family's future success and survival are both valid sources of meaning in life. While sorting through what are supposed to be recyclables (but often include everything else in the waste stream), workers here can fall into both categories above. The inmates who put in time here are also able to fulfill what Colorado state law requires of them: to be given eight hours of "meaningful" work. The inmate program here at the recycling center is under review, and most likely will be cancelled due to poor production (or at least poorer production than if we had trained workers on that line), and behavior problems like the one above. There are several pluses to hiring paid workers, the foremost simply being job creation. The Boulder County sherriff is naturally pushing back the deadline for termination in order to find a different work program they can send the inmates to, but sometime around the end of winter, the recycling center will no longer be using inmates as a source of labor.
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Friday, December 4, 2009
Letter from Mountain Top Removal Activist
Here follows a letter released by mountain top removal activist and West Virginia resident Roland Micklem, who was arrested outside the WV courthouse for openly fasting:
For a former naturalist whose interest in and concern for the natural world has spanned over half a century, the loss of so many once common and beloved species has been traumatic and depressing, depressing to an extent that has resulted in a loss of enthusiasm for a field of study that had stoked my fires in bygone years.
My boyhood haunts, where I came to know the grosbeaks, warblers, and other once abundant members of the creature kingdom have been converted to shopping malls and housing tracts. A fisheries researcher would be hard put to collect more than two or three minnow species from the same waters that yielded twenty or more in my student years. The proliferation of motorized traffic in eastern Virginia--only one of many examples of how so-called progress has impoverished our lives-has all but decimated the populations of box turtles, snakes, and other creatures that have not learned to look both ways before crossing the highways. Air, soil, and water pollution, along with other forms of environmental degradation, have robbed us of our natural heritage and birthright, namely the infinite variety of life forms that once flew through our skies, swam in our waters, and enriched our space with their beauty, their voices, and their strange and fascinating ways.
In the year 2009, I am, and have been for several years, an environmental activist.
I have exchanged my academic interest in the world of nature for a commitment to see that some of it is left for succeeding generations to study and enjoy. My sorrow over the changes that self aggrandizing humanity has wrought have resulted in my decision to fast, and I will do so, as indicated in my statement, in a very public place before those with the power to bring about needed reform.
But I'm not without hope. I'm inspired and energized by the young people here at Climate Ground Zero, who at great personal risk are carrying on a campaign to stop mountaintop removal by nonviolent direct action. Despite the awesome challenge of climate change and other threats to the global ecology, there's a new awakening among people and a renewed commitment to save Mother Earth from the excesses of our own species.
I'd like to be a part of this commitment.
For a former naturalist whose interest in and concern for the natural world has spanned over half a century, the loss of so many once common and beloved species has been traumatic and depressing, depressing to an extent that has resulted in a loss of enthusiasm for a field of study that had stoked my fires in bygone years.
My boyhood haunts, where I came to know the grosbeaks, warblers, and other once abundant members of the creature kingdom have been converted to shopping malls and housing tracts. A fisheries researcher would be hard put to collect more than two or three minnow species from the same waters that yielded twenty or more in my student years. The proliferation of motorized traffic in eastern Virginia--only one of many examples of how so-called progress has impoverished our lives-has all but decimated the populations of box turtles, snakes, and other creatures that have not learned to look both ways before crossing the highways. Air, soil, and water pollution, along with other forms of environmental degradation, have robbed us of our natural heritage and birthright, namely the infinite variety of life forms that once flew through our skies, swam in our waters, and enriched our space with their beauty, their voices, and their strange and fascinating ways.
In the year 2009, I am, and have been for several years, an environmental activist.
I have exchanged my academic interest in the world of nature for a commitment to see that some of it is left for succeeding generations to study and enjoy. My sorrow over the changes that self aggrandizing humanity has wrought have resulted in my decision to fast, and I will do so, as indicated in my statement, in a very public place before those with the power to bring about needed reform.
But I'm not without hope. I'm inspired and energized by the young people here at Climate Ground Zero, who at great personal risk are carrying on a campaign to stop mountaintop removal by nonviolent direct action. Despite the awesome challenge of climate change and other threats to the global ecology, there's a new awakening among people and a renewed commitment to save Mother Earth from the excesses of our own species.
I'd like to be a part of this commitment.
Monday, November 23, 2009
Holiday in Cambodia
The power went out Monday morning in the MeRF, allowing for an eerie distraction from normal routine upon entering the plant. The front doors were locked (since they run on automatic power), so I entered the recycling facility through the bat cave entrance to the sound of shovels scraping glass and other discards that fall to the production floor off the lines. Back-up power allowed for basic lighting and heat, but the isolated system disturbance caused by a weekend snow storm allowed for strictly manual tasks to be performed. No coffee or computing, the hallmarks of morning office routine. I was ready to brave the velociraptors and make it to the caged bunker housing the manual override controls when the power abruptly came back on after about an hour. Life returned to normal.
Our reliance on electricity is staggeringly taken for granted, so much so that we don't know how to live without it. Think about all the kitchen appliances, electronics and heating/AC/wired systems you use in during the day and imagine living a year or even a month without them. That's what Colin Beavan and his family did as an experiment, living without any energy emissions, new products or even (egads!) toilet paper for a year calling himself the "No Impact Man." With a book and movie deal promised beforehand by an agent I would probably not hesitate to do something equally as sensational. I must have missed the documentary at Silverdocs, but I plan to see the film at some point. The environmental impact, or lack thereof, by the Beavan family over the course of the year (one family produces 1600 pounds of waste), let alone the attention garnered by such an act, shows us that it's possible for individuals other than superheroes to start saving the world. My comrade Davey Rogner plans to walk across America picking up trash in Spring 2010 highlighting the need for better waste stream management and the incredible amount of trash Americans produce and discard. Putting aside the debate over whether "eco-stunts" work, the Beavan family and Rogner show us that it's possible to live an extreme zero waste lifestyle, albeit uncomfortable and humbling.
What's more important for us is to learn from these examples and start making changes in the way we consume, the way we discard, and the way we interact with the earth. This message is even more important as the holidays approach. There is an estimated 25% increase in solid waste during the holidays according to Waste & Recycling News. This is due to an increase in shopping, the packaging that gifts go through in their lifespans as gifts, the abundant spreads of food and drank at feasts and parties (Winter Ales here I come). Eco-Cycle has released their guide to making the holidays more eco-friendly, (non-residents can disregard the local Colorado info towards the bottom).
Among the top priorities you should consider this season is using recycled cards and gift wrap, or substituting hard-to-recycle gift wrap with newspaper, fabric or cloth wrapping materials. Try not to use any polystyrene peanuts or bubble wrap, as much fun as popping them compulsively is. Buying local, used, or recycled gifts cut down on an item's ecological footprint by not using virgin materials or transportation costs as do gifts that keep on giving like bikes, rechargeable batteries, reusable cloth bags or activity gifts like tickets to a ball game or concert. Setting up a compost bin during family feasts is important to save on food waste and potential fertilizer. Don't send your Christmas tree to a landfill, compost it out back. Recycle any old electronics that you may be replacing with newer versions at responsible recycling locations (look on Earth911.org for help with this). Donate any unused gifts from past years to thrift stores and deliver surplus food to homeless shelters. Following some of these simple steps will help decrease the waste load and contribute to less habitants on the Island of Misfit Toys.
Thursday, November 5, 2009
Colorado Scraps Tire Recycling Funding
Colorado Loses Funding for Tire Recycling
by Trey Granger (reposted from Earth911.org)
In an effort to balance the state’s budget, Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter has cut the $4 million funding that would have been used to clean up the largest tire stockpile in the nation, according to The Denver Post.
The program is funded through a $1.50 tax on all new tires sold, which also helps pay for other recycling programs. But because of a $318 million shortfall in the current budget, $2.7 million was eliminated through June 2010 and all cleanups and recycling incentives have been suspended until further notice.
The EPA estimates that 45 percent of all scrap tires are burned for energy. Since the average tire contains 5 gallons of oil, they can generate comparable energy to crude oil or coal.
One of the larger collection facilities in Hudson was recently purchased by Magnum Recycling, which will attempt to convert the stockpile into rubber powder that can be turned into new tires.
This week, the company held a media event with state legislators in attendance to unveil the renovated facility and discuss its plans.
Another site, Colorado Tire Recycling (CTR), recently announced it has partnered to convert its tires into fuel and supply the fuel to Novo Energies Corp. CTR collects more than 12,000 tons of tires each year, but the state generates an estimated 4 to 5 million tires annually.
The fear is that those facilities that relied on state funding will begin stockpiling tires without actually recycling them, since it can cost more to generate crumb rubber from the tires than the current value of the material.
Colorado is not the only state where an environmental program was cut due to budget shortfalls. In Wisconsin, the Clean Sweep program that collected hazardous waste from 40 communities went under in March because its grant was removed. The University of Arizona lost its composting program in August due to state budget cuts as well.
by Trey Granger (reposted from Earth911.org)
In an effort to balance the state’s budget, Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter has cut the $4 million funding that would have been used to clean up the largest tire stockpile in the nation, according to The Denver Post.
The program is funded through a $1.50 tax on all new tires sold, which also helps pay for other recycling programs. But because of a $318 million shortfall in the current budget, $2.7 million was eliminated through June 2010 and all cleanups and recycling incentives have been suspended until further notice.
The EPA estimates that 45 percent of all scrap tires are burned for energy. Since the average tire contains 5 gallons of oil, they can generate comparable energy to crude oil or coal.
One of the larger collection facilities in Hudson was recently purchased by Magnum Recycling, which will attempt to convert the stockpile into rubber powder that can be turned into new tires.
This week, the company held a media event with state legislators in attendance to unveil the renovated facility and discuss its plans.
Another site, Colorado Tire Recycling (CTR), recently announced it has partnered to convert its tires into fuel and supply the fuel to Novo Energies Corp. CTR collects more than 12,000 tons of tires each year, but the state generates an estimated 4 to 5 million tires annually.
The fear is that those facilities that relied on state funding will begin stockpiling tires without actually recycling them, since it can cost more to generate crumb rubber from the tires than the current value of the material.
Colorado is not the only state where an environmental program was cut due to budget shortfalls. In Wisconsin, the Clean Sweep program that collected hazardous waste from 40 communities went under in March because its grant was removed. The University of Arizona lost its composting program in August due to state budget cuts as well.
Hard-to-Recycle Item #3: Consumer Product Packaging
Something's got to be done about the enormous plastic packaging sum rung up by manufacturers if our communities ever want to have a chance of reaching zero waste. Approximately a third of waste sent to landfills is consumer product packaging (Origins). This includes chip and candy wrappers, saran and shrink wrap, bad rap and pop CD cases, frozen and ready-to-eat meals, beer pong cups, cosmetic supplies; all of the stuff you usually throw in the trash because its not recyclable. A good way to identify CPP (this isn't actually an official acronym, but the recycling industry is full of them, so I'm just going to follow the trend..) is if it's made of plastic and/or contains a consumable product inside (duh!). Unfortunately, if CPP doesn't end up at the landfill, it often ends up clogging streams around fallen trees and beaver dams, not only polluting our watersheds but creating an unsightly sight suited for the Death Star's trash compactor.
The pollution caused by CPP can be directly attributed to the flood of new plastic materials marketed to suburban America and the new middle class after World War II. Since then, single-use packaging has increased by more than 10,000% (EPA), a staggering percentage comprehensible only by a huge exponential growth curve that doesn't fit in this blog space. The Society of the Plastics Industry and entrepreneurs like Earl Tupper applied the scientific developments of the past century's plastic invention and chemical manipulation to a fast-growing list of consumer products, mainly food and drink containers, advocating for its use in almost every industry. Plastic is valued for its lightweight durability and ability to mold to almost any shape. It is hard to recycle because there are so many chemical resins that vary from plastic to plastic. A number system from 1-7 is invoked to identify types of plastic and an easy chart can be found on Eco-Cycle's website. Until the 1970s there was little regulation and health concerns for the use of plastic. Indeed, the FDA did not issue any ultimatums on plastic manufacturing until 2002 when they introduced the current Good Manufacturing Initiative (cGMP), which focuses on risks to public health in manufacturing procedures and end-product quality. The private research and calls for greater study by environmental groups and universities on the hazards of plastics has yielded shocking results.
While producing plastics is known to be a toxic process that releases pollutants into the air, the finished plastic is usually much safer although trace chemicals can remain, and this is where much research needs to be done. PVC, used to make shrink wrap as well as the popular potato gun piping, can leach harmful chemicals when it comes into contact with food and the World Health Organization classifies vinyl chloride (the VC part) as a human carcinogen. Polystyrene, used to make styrofoam, used to release CFCs into the ozone until non-CFCs were used, and can leach chemicals that affect hormone functions. Polycarbonates, used to make firmer molds like CD cases and action figures, has bisphenol-A, an estrogen-like hormone disruptor thats been known to lead to increases in body weight and insulin resistance in animal studies. This stuff is nasty, and even when it's recycled properly, chemicals like dioxin are released every time plastic is burned. It should also be noted that global plastic production accounts for 8% of the world's oil consumption (Ecobiz).
Further innovation in the area of biodegradable plastics is required by manufacturers to avert a literal suffocation of our future. Some companies have been able to develop such holy grails. A class of oxo-biodegrable plastics has been invented by adding small amounts of catalytic metal salts to polyolefin (a form of shrink wrap) that when exposed to oxygen degrade over a matter of months to biomass particles. Biodegradable plastics like Biopol and Ecoflex are being developed that degrade with exposure to sunlight, water, bacteria, enzymes and other natural causes, but the materials are currently too expensive to be of any widespread industry use. A process called active disassembly (ADSM) uses shape memory alloys and polymers as well as trigger points to disassemble consumer products part by part for easy recycling. This also is costly to the consumer at the moment, but will have long-term benefits for CPP as well as electronic waste. Much work is also being done on biopetroleum, which uses sugars and algae to capture carbon dioxide and turn it into clean fuel. These technologies hold the fate of Earth's environment in their hands. While the plastics industry and American Chemical Association avidly defends the use of plastics, they need to accept responsibility for the environmental problems they've caused and actively work for, promote and cheapen these new technologies. Now I better watch my back..
Europe currently leads the way in requiring manufacturers to consider the end-life of their products and incorporate plans for such before they proceed. This is enforced through increasing legislative pressures and directives like the goal of increasing recycling rates from 75% to 85% by 2015, and the goal of eradicating landfills for hazardous waste. While a lot of Americans seem to dislike or distrust smart, proven European initiatives like universal health care and shorter work weeks, pressure of some sort needs to be exerted on manufacturers to consider the end-life of their products and to employ active disassembly techniques. This is already being set in motion by more and more examples of green corporate stewardship, but improvements like the implementation of the technologies listed above still need to be made.
In direct relation to the recycling industry, Polyflow Inc. of Ohio claims to have developed a process that turns previously unrecyclable materials like rubber, plastics, electronics and scrap metal back into raw polymer and monomer feedstock to manufacture new items creating an efficient recycling loop. The company still looks like its consolidating support and funds to jump off, but could prove to be a worthy investment in the future if they install regional plants across the nation. TerraCycle, a so-called "upcycling" company, has partnered with companies like Mars and Frito-Lay to create consumer products featuring popular candy and chip wrappers such as this Doritos tote bag and Oreo kite. Putting the obvious branding mechanism aside, this repurposing initiative diverts tons of the most popular consumer product packagaing and reminds me of the Nascar flair jackets worn a decade ago by Springbrook's urban elite. You can even get paid for collecting specific, intact wrappers and sending them in if you truly want to nickel and dime it. For all the ladies and mermen, the natural cosmetic company Origins allows you to bring in any used cosmetic products, regardless of brand, to any store location to be shipped to their recycling plant for reuse. Origins has also committed to use natural ingredients and recycled materials wherever possible in their production chain.
Another solution to the problem of consumer product packaging is simply to consume less plastic. Ask for paper bags or use renewable ones at the grocery store. Buy products with no plastic wrap around them that have a recyclable or compostable end-life, and combine similar produce items (like Gala apples and Granny smith apples, or red, green and orange Bell peppers) into one bag. Save your plastic bags from newspapers and produce, keep 'em dry, and deposit them at a safe recycling center or grocery store (search Earth911.org for a proper location). Walmart and similar big box stores are asking manufacturers to ship products to them in packages of three, which cuts down on plastic wrap, but may ultimately contribute to more plastic being used since its a switch to bulk consumption. Buy bulk only when the contents inside can be recycled. If you're having a party or large event, don't forget to invite me, but also find compostable paper plates and cups; Eco-Cycle has a Zero Waste Event Kit if you need ideas--unfortunately they don't ship.
Not only do manufacturers have to get with the program, but we as consumers need to be mindful of our buying practices and support the companies that sponsor green stewardship initiatives. The people's support for market innovations combined with government pressure and research has always led to results-oriented solutions that better our world in general. This can be seen in operation all over the green sector from the desire for clean fuels like solar and wind power to energy-saving devices like halogen light bulbs and toilets that flush less water. We must consume less plastic as a society and make a conscious shift to other materials. The will to change is stronger than any polyamide polycarbonate tupperware resin bullshit.
The pollution caused by CPP can be directly attributed to the flood of new plastic materials marketed to suburban America and the new middle class after World War II. Since then, single-use packaging has increased by more than 10,000% (EPA), a staggering percentage comprehensible only by a huge exponential growth curve that doesn't fit in this blog space. The Society of the Plastics Industry and entrepreneurs like Earl Tupper applied the scientific developments of the past century's plastic invention and chemical manipulation to a fast-growing list of consumer products, mainly food and drink containers, advocating for its use in almost every industry. Plastic is valued for its lightweight durability and ability to mold to almost any shape. It is hard to recycle because there are so many chemical resins that vary from plastic to plastic. A number system from 1-7 is invoked to identify types of plastic and an easy chart can be found on Eco-Cycle's website. Until the 1970s there was little regulation and health concerns for the use of plastic. Indeed, the FDA did not issue any ultimatums on plastic manufacturing until 2002 when they introduced the current Good Manufacturing Initiative (cGMP), which focuses on risks to public health in manufacturing procedures and end-product quality. The private research and calls for greater study by environmental groups and universities on the hazards of plastics has yielded shocking results.
While producing plastics is known to be a toxic process that releases pollutants into the air, the finished plastic is usually much safer although trace chemicals can remain, and this is where much research needs to be done. PVC, used to make shrink wrap as well as the popular potato gun piping, can leach harmful chemicals when it comes into contact with food and the World Health Organization classifies vinyl chloride (the VC part) as a human carcinogen. Polystyrene, used to make styrofoam, used to release CFCs into the ozone until non-CFCs were used, and can leach chemicals that affect hormone functions. Polycarbonates, used to make firmer molds like CD cases and action figures, has bisphenol-A, an estrogen-like hormone disruptor thats been known to lead to increases in body weight and insulin resistance in animal studies. This stuff is nasty, and even when it's recycled properly, chemicals like dioxin are released every time plastic is burned. It should also be noted that global plastic production accounts for 8% of the world's oil consumption (Ecobiz).
Further innovation in the area of biodegradable plastics is required by manufacturers to avert a literal suffocation of our future. Some companies have been able to develop such holy grails. A class of oxo-biodegrable plastics has been invented by adding small amounts of catalytic metal salts to polyolefin (a form of shrink wrap) that when exposed to oxygen degrade over a matter of months to biomass particles. Biodegradable plastics like Biopol and Ecoflex are being developed that degrade with exposure to sunlight, water, bacteria, enzymes and other natural causes, but the materials are currently too expensive to be of any widespread industry use. A process called active disassembly (ADSM) uses shape memory alloys and polymers as well as trigger points to disassemble consumer products part by part for easy recycling. This also is costly to the consumer at the moment, but will have long-term benefits for CPP as well as electronic waste. Much work is also being done on biopetroleum, which uses sugars and algae to capture carbon dioxide and turn it into clean fuel. These technologies hold the fate of Earth's environment in their hands. While the plastics industry and American Chemical Association avidly defends the use of plastics, they need to accept responsibility for the environmental problems they've caused and actively work for, promote and cheapen these new technologies. Now I better watch my back..
Europe currently leads the way in requiring manufacturers to consider the end-life of their products and incorporate plans for such before they proceed. This is enforced through increasing legislative pressures and directives like the goal of increasing recycling rates from 75% to 85% by 2015, and the goal of eradicating landfills for hazardous waste. While a lot of Americans seem to dislike or distrust smart, proven European initiatives like universal health care and shorter work weeks, pressure of some sort needs to be exerted on manufacturers to consider the end-life of their products and to employ active disassembly techniques. This is already being set in motion by more and more examples of green corporate stewardship, but improvements like the implementation of the technologies listed above still need to be made.
In direct relation to the recycling industry, Polyflow Inc. of Ohio claims to have developed a process that turns previously unrecyclable materials like rubber, plastics, electronics and scrap metal back into raw polymer and monomer feedstock to manufacture new items creating an efficient recycling loop. The company still looks like its consolidating support and funds to jump off, but could prove to be a worthy investment in the future if they install regional plants across the nation. TerraCycle, a so-called "upcycling" company, has partnered with companies like Mars and Frito-Lay to create consumer products featuring popular candy and chip wrappers such as this Doritos tote bag and Oreo kite. Putting the obvious branding mechanism aside, this repurposing initiative diverts tons of the most popular consumer product packagaing and reminds me of the Nascar flair jackets worn a decade ago by Springbrook's urban elite. You can even get paid for collecting specific, intact wrappers and sending them in if you truly want to nickel and dime it. For all the ladies and mermen, the natural cosmetic company Origins allows you to bring in any used cosmetic products, regardless of brand, to any store location to be shipped to their recycling plant for reuse. Origins has also committed to use natural ingredients and recycled materials wherever possible in their production chain.
Another solution to the problem of consumer product packaging is simply to consume less plastic. Ask for paper bags or use renewable ones at the grocery store. Buy products with no plastic wrap around them that have a recyclable or compostable end-life, and combine similar produce items (like Gala apples and Granny smith apples, or red, green and orange Bell peppers) into one bag. Save your plastic bags from newspapers and produce, keep 'em dry, and deposit them at a safe recycling center or grocery store (search Earth911.org for a proper location). Walmart and similar big box stores are asking manufacturers to ship products to them in packages of three, which cuts down on plastic wrap, but may ultimately contribute to more plastic being used since its a switch to bulk consumption. Buy bulk only when the contents inside can be recycled. If you're having a party or large event, don't forget to invite me, but also find compostable paper plates and cups; Eco-Cycle has a Zero Waste Event Kit if you need ideas--unfortunately they don't ship.
Not only do manufacturers have to get with the program, but we as consumers need to be mindful of our buying practices and support the companies that sponsor green stewardship initiatives. The people's support for market innovations combined with government pressure and research has always led to results-oriented solutions that better our world in general. This can be seen in operation all over the green sector from the desire for clean fuels like solar and wind power to energy-saving devices like halogen light bulbs and toilets that flush less water. We must consume less plastic as a society and make a conscious shift to other materials. The will to change is stronger than any polyamide polycarbonate tupperware resin bullshit.
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Hospital in Wisconsin Energized by Beer
Hospital Runs On Beer
by Lauren Hasler
A hospital and a local brewery in southern Wisconsin are piloting a program to create renewable energy.
The project, which began Oct. 7, generates energy by turning methane discharge from City Brewery’s waste treatment into power. The gas, which used to be flared or released into the atmosphere, is then converted to electricity using an engine installed by Gundersen Lutheran, a healthcare group headquartered in the same city.
The project should generate three million kilowatt hours each year, offsetting about 8 percent of the electricity used on two of Gundersen Lutheran’s largest campuses.
The electricity is then sent to the grid to be consumed by local power customers. To offset the costs of its consumption, the hospital is paid by the local utility for the power produced.
“With the cost of health care increasing, we are trying to hedge that inflation. We are working very aggressively to reduce the cost of energy and the cost of healthcare, and pass those savings on to patients,” said Jeff Rich, Gundersen Lutheran’s executive director of major projects and efficiency improvement.
To close the loop, heat generated from the engine will be captured and recycled back to produce heat for the waste treatment process at City Brewery.
“This project is pioneering. It’s transformational to think of a healthcare system taking action to be a producer of power,” said Rich.
Electricity generated from coal can increase the risk of heart, lung and liver disease, as well as lead to reproductive problems from mercury in water.
But the combined heat and power project is just the first step toward Gundersen Lutheran’s goal of reaching energy independence. In hopes of creating a healthier and more sustainable environment for its patients, Gundersen Lutheran has started the “Envision” campaign. Rich explained that hospitals are about two-and-a-half times as energy intensive as most business structures. “We are a big consumers of coal-fired electricity. But as a healthcare provider, that is not consistent with our mission.”
Gundersen Lutheran has a multi-pronged approach to environmental stewardship, including meeting 100 percent of its energy needs for its facilities by 2014, committing to environmentally and economically sustainable business practices, partnering with communities, providing national leadership and lowing healthcare costs.
It plans to meet these goals by using renewable energy, improving energy efficiency, working on recycling and waste management and achieving LEED certification of new buildings.
HealthLeaders Media said Gundersen Lutheran’s green initiative is “probably the most ambitious eco-friendly agenda of any healthcare entity in the United States.”
by Lauren Hasler
A hospital and a local brewery in southern Wisconsin are piloting a program to create renewable energy.
The project, which began Oct. 7, generates energy by turning methane discharge from City Brewery’s waste treatment into power. The gas, which used to be flared or released into the atmosphere, is then converted to electricity using an engine installed by Gundersen Lutheran, a healthcare group headquartered in the same city.
The project should generate three million kilowatt hours each year, offsetting about 8 percent of the electricity used on two of Gundersen Lutheran’s largest campuses.
The electricity is then sent to the grid to be consumed by local power customers. To offset the costs of its consumption, the hospital is paid by the local utility for the power produced.
“With the cost of health care increasing, we are trying to hedge that inflation. We are working very aggressively to reduce the cost of energy and the cost of healthcare, and pass those savings on to patients,” said Jeff Rich, Gundersen Lutheran’s executive director of major projects and efficiency improvement.
To close the loop, heat generated from the engine will be captured and recycled back to produce heat for the waste treatment process at City Brewery.
“This project is pioneering. It’s transformational to think of a healthcare system taking action to be a producer of power,” said Rich.
Electricity generated from coal can increase the risk of heart, lung and liver disease, as well as lead to reproductive problems from mercury in water.
But the combined heat and power project is just the first step toward Gundersen Lutheran’s goal of reaching energy independence. In hopes of creating a healthier and more sustainable environment for its patients, Gundersen Lutheran has started the “Envision” campaign. Rich explained that hospitals are about two-and-a-half times as energy intensive as most business structures. “We are a big consumers of coal-fired electricity. But as a healthcare provider, that is not consistent with our mission.”
Gundersen Lutheran has a multi-pronged approach to environmental stewardship, including meeting 100 percent of its energy needs for its facilities by 2014, committing to environmentally and economically sustainable business practices, partnering with communities, providing national leadership and lowing healthcare costs.
It plans to meet these goals by using renewable energy, improving energy efficiency, working on recycling and waste management and achieving LEED certification of new buildings.
HealthLeaders Media said Gundersen Lutheran’s green initiative is “probably the most ambitious eco-friendly agenda of any healthcare entity in the United States.”
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Food Recycling Law in San Fran
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=113969321
Food Recycling Law a Hit in San Fransisco
by David Gorn (NPR)
Tossing food scraps in your garbage can is a crime — at least in San Francisco. A brand-new city law requires residents to discard food waste in a separate bin. It's the first program of its kind in the nation, and so far, it's a mandate San Franciscans seem to relish. In fact, many residents and landlords began implementing the law before it took effect, using their city-provided food recycling bins to separate waste.
After enforcing a food waste rule, the garbage room in the basement of the Cathedral Hill Plaza apartments in San Francisco is no longer a malodorous sty.
"It doesn't smell so bad," says Linda Corso, the apartment manager. "Our trash room doesn't stink like it used to."
That's because none of the wet garbage, the food waste, goes down there anymore, Corso says. Instead, food scraps go into sealed compost bins that get picked up by the city. Corso says the program has significantly trimmed the building's garbage costs.
"We used to have two bins picked up every day," she says. "Now we're down to one bin every day. So we've cut that in half."
Garbage officials in the city have been stunned and heartened by the tons and tons of food waste that is already streaming in. After picking up curbside food scraps, garbage trucks head to the south of the city to the Organics Annex, the heart of the citywide food waste operation. Jared Blumenfeld, the city's environmental officer, says the Organic Annex is already processing about half of the city's food waste, which is more than 500 tons per day.
"You can see a lot of lettuce, tomatoes, old apples, rotten cabbages," Blumenfeld says. "You get a kind of vivid picture here of what's being thrown away."
San Francisco turns all of that food refuse into compost, which is then sold to Bay Area farms and vineyards. The program is the latest effort in one of the most aggressive recycling campaigns in the nation. San Francisco currently keeps 72 percent of its garbage stream out of the landfill by recycling cans, bottles, construction material and cooking oil. Blumenfeld says that even though the program officially launches Wednesday, he's not surprised by how many people are already fully participating.
"We hear a lot about climate change, and what we can do and should do, and what's happening in Congress," Blumenfeld says. "But people want to know what they can, practically, do every single day, and composting your food scraps is probably the single most effective thing you can do as a citizen in the United States today."
Blumenfeld says composting is simpler than it may seem.
"This is not rocket science," he says. "This is putting some food scraps into a different pile and then turning it into compost. If we can't do that, then I really worry about our ability to do some of those more complex things."
The city can fine people for noncompliance, but officials say they are unlikely to use that power except in extreme cases. San Francisco's ultimate and fairly lofty goal — according to Blumenfeld — is to get to zero waste, meaning no garbage at all going into landfills, by the year 2020.
Food Recycling Law a Hit in San Fransisco
by David Gorn (NPR)
Tossing food scraps in your garbage can is a crime — at least in San Francisco. A brand-new city law requires residents to discard food waste in a separate bin. It's the first program of its kind in the nation, and so far, it's a mandate San Franciscans seem to relish. In fact, many residents and landlords began implementing the law before it took effect, using their city-provided food recycling bins to separate waste.
After enforcing a food waste rule, the garbage room in the basement of the Cathedral Hill Plaza apartments in San Francisco is no longer a malodorous sty.
"It doesn't smell so bad," says Linda Corso, the apartment manager. "Our trash room doesn't stink like it used to."
That's because none of the wet garbage, the food waste, goes down there anymore, Corso says. Instead, food scraps go into sealed compost bins that get picked up by the city. Corso says the program has significantly trimmed the building's garbage costs.
"We used to have two bins picked up every day," she says. "Now we're down to one bin every day. So we've cut that in half."
Garbage officials in the city have been stunned and heartened by the tons and tons of food waste that is already streaming in. After picking up curbside food scraps, garbage trucks head to the south of the city to the Organics Annex, the heart of the citywide food waste operation. Jared Blumenfeld, the city's environmental officer, says the Organic Annex is already processing about half of the city's food waste, which is more than 500 tons per day.
"You can see a lot of lettuce, tomatoes, old apples, rotten cabbages," Blumenfeld says. "You get a kind of vivid picture here of what's being thrown away."
San Francisco turns all of that food refuse into compost, which is then sold to Bay Area farms and vineyards. The program is the latest effort in one of the most aggressive recycling campaigns in the nation. San Francisco currently keeps 72 percent of its garbage stream out of the landfill by recycling cans, bottles, construction material and cooking oil. Blumenfeld says that even though the program officially launches Wednesday, he's not surprised by how many people are already fully participating.
"We hear a lot about climate change, and what we can do and should do, and what's happening in Congress," Blumenfeld says. "But people want to know what they can, practically, do every single day, and composting your food scraps is probably the single most effective thing you can do as a citizen in the United States today."
Blumenfeld says composting is simpler than it may seem.
"This is not rocket science," he says. "This is putting some food scraps into a different pile and then turning it into compost. If we can't do that, then I really worry about our ability to do some of those more complex things."
The city can fine people for noncompliance, but officials say they are unlikely to use that power except in extreme cases. San Francisco's ultimate and fairly lofty goal — according to Blumenfeld — is to get to zero waste, meaning no garbage at all going into landfills, by the year 2020.
Monday, October 19, 2009
The Passage of Trains
One of the primary ways we ship our processed bales is by freight train. In the case of paper, the trains go to mills in Arizona and Oregon. Several railroad tracks pass the recycling facility on their way to (ironically) the coal power plant across the street. (You would think that with all its radical inclinations, Boulder would have converted to a clean energy source by now, but my comrade Davey Rogner tells me this is not the case in many progressive communities across the nation). After delivering its evil, black cargo, Mr. Peabody's coal train comes back up the rail to our platform, where the forklift operator loads bales directly on to the rail cars, a process that usually takes several days. Each bale is roughly a ton, each rail car holds up to twenty bales. If we don't fill up a rail car to its capacity of 40,000 pounds, we are often losing money. This rarely happens however, and if anything, we suffer from a lack of rail cars coming in, which often leaves stacks of bales outside, another money loser that creates among other things, transitional housing for rats (somebody call FEMA!). My supervisor Lou claims the railroad companies are like whole other sovereign entities, ironfisted in their business dealings and authority, and we, their malcontents, are often struggling to order more choo choo trains.
I never really got into trains as a kid--I was more fascinated by Legos and spaceships--but I do remember my grandpa expressing an enthralling interest in all things train; I still have his wooden train whistle. I always wanted one of the mega Lego automatic train sets, and my grandpa was no doubt routing for me in this endeavor, but my petitions were always denied (along with several others like a video game system, but I'm not bitter..), and so my relationship with trains has suffered. With the exception of Mr. Dolan's impressive model trolley conglomeration in his basement, train fascination seems to be taking the route of other cherished American memories like Scooby Doo/malt shops, white picket fences, and Mr. Rogers, who in his episodes featured a model train set. I never quite understood the buzz til now, probably because the trains I'm used to are subways, but there is something nostalgically appealing about the movement and platonic form of trains. I guess once you see how much the railroad permeates life out west, even today, and hearing them blast their horns at night especially, you come to appreciate their antiquity and consistent, linear motion.
Trains are one of those man-made inventions that inevitably changed the course of history, specifically in the last few centuries. There is no biblical parable or Dao meditation on the train, although it feels like there should be. Rail transport is prevalent in almost every developed country across the world, and you can take great scenic journeys across vast spanses of land via rail. I hope to complete one of these journeys in the near future. A mystical aesthetic remains associated with rail travel. This usually manifests itself artistically in some ghostly rural landscape or the meandering architecture of time, always time, and industry, pressing on the heels, or memory, casually observing. A train passing offers both calm and disruption, both connectivity and separation.
Dynamic interpretation of trains abounds in all art forms. A list of movies involving trains, provided by our friends at Amtrak, gives you a glimpse of this. Three of my favorite movies involving trains that aren't mentioned on that list are Before Sunrise, The Festival Express, and The Darjeeling Limited. All three address time or memory in some way. Before Sunrise deals with forming a relationship under the time constraints of a Eurorail vacation. The Festival Express pieces together footage of an epic music tour including rock greats Buddy Guy, Janis Joplin, Grateful Dead and The Band across Canada by rail. The Darjeeling Limited reunites three brothers on a trans-India rail journey in a search for their estranged mother as well as some spiritual reconciliation in each of their lives.
Trains are referenced or alluded to in many pieces of music including Bob Dylan's "Freight Train Blues," The Wailer's "Stop That Train," Ellington's "Take the A Train," James Brown's "Night Train," multiple renditions of Dylan Thomas' poem "Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night," a poem that expresses anger and resilience in the face of death, to name just a few. (The next time you're playing Kings, and the category is "Songs that have 'train' in them," you'll be ready). Train noises are often imitated in music from folksy interpretations of the railroad like Johnny Cash's "Orange Blossom Special" to modern soundscapes like Don Meers' "Train Noise." In all these examples, the meditation is not stagnant, but moving; always having a place to go and destination in mind. I enjoy taking trips for this very reason, and I suppose a similar analogy could be made for the recycling stream..
My mother once told me that an allusion to the passing of trains in literature usually means that some change or revelation is occurring; kind of like deja vu means that something has changed within the Matrix, but not quite. So in writing this reflection that tackles the daunting topic of locomotion (hoping to no avail to avoid using cliches), I must be hinting at the passage of time. Indeed, major changes have occurred in my life: some are by choice, some undoubtedly have yet to come, some probably should not be, but I prefer not to get caught up in Galadriel's mirror. The ever-growing growing pains are enough to bear. I am now at the turning of the tide. Invitations to bumpin parties have all but disappeared. I can't stay up much past midnight like I used to. I go to bed usually around nine or ten depending on my fatigue level, a fact that puts me on par with my parents' bedtime, and then, even after ten hours of sleep, I struggle to get up. My hair seems to be slowly receding into the old Fretz horseshoe. From looking at some of the veterans here at the MRF, I fear this might be hastened by wearing a hard hat.. From a hike one Saturday up the 12,500 ft. Meadow Mtn. (which was my roommate Aaron's 100th peak of the year), I learned I am no longer the graceful gazelle I used to be, galloping from rock to rock on the way down, but am now more like a speedy buffalo (not quick by any human measure) mixed with the fragility and dart speed of a mountain goat (bumbaclaaaat). A muscular fawn. Mr. Thomas with more testosterone perhaps?
In any case, I have noticed that as I grow older, time seems to speed up. I mentioned this once to high school math teacher and clarinetist Cyrus Ishikawa who laughed. Physics easily disproves this faulty intuition by measuring the microwave emissions of a caesium atom's electrons during energy changes to recognize a second. When it comes to perception, however, philosophy trumps science. Since we have no distinct sense for viewing the fourth dimension, our perception of time is registered by using our other senses to observe and attribute causal relations between event A and event B, and the undeniable fact that time moves in only one direction. T.S. Eliot once wrote "I have measured out my life with coffee spoons." Placing aside other existential meanings of The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock, we see Eliot's perception of a day passing was gained by observing the time frame between cups of coffee. While comparisons to my own caffeine-saturated life could be made including the yellow vapors, another reference to the Matrix would yield the observation, "there is no spoon," which isn't exactly encouraging.
The perceived increase in time passing, like all things in life, has its advantages and disadvantages. The work day and week for that matter go by in a flash, but then, so does the weekend. Where before I got bored as a kid, now I can train my mind to focus on varying tasks and thought chains, putting the mental over the physical as planned, but am still not able to conquer everything in the time I thought I would. My comrade Masala Justice was able to count down the hours until his train left for Delhi, something a younger self probably wouldn't have had the patience for, by musing on all the people bustling around him. As he hung out the door catching the fresh air and observing the countryside passing by, the train ride allowed him to reflect on his journey thus far: "Another story I may or may not recall, another piece that adds to this imperfect puzzle." I guess that's the way the whole durned human comedy keeps perpetuatin' it-self, down through the generations, westward the wagons, across the sands of time, a puzzled world crisscrossed by train tracks, passengers ranging from business class sleepers to stowaways, the unseen conductor directing the traffic.
And indeed, there will be time.
I never really got into trains as a kid--I was more fascinated by Legos and spaceships--but I do remember my grandpa expressing an enthralling interest in all things train; I still have his wooden train whistle. I always wanted one of the mega Lego automatic train sets, and my grandpa was no doubt routing for me in this endeavor, but my petitions were always denied (along with several others like a video game system, but I'm not bitter..), and so my relationship with trains has suffered. With the exception of Mr. Dolan's impressive model trolley conglomeration in his basement, train fascination seems to be taking the route of other cherished American memories like Scooby Doo/malt shops, white picket fences, and Mr. Rogers, who in his episodes featured a model train set. I never quite understood the buzz til now, probably because the trains I'm used to are subways, but there is something nostalgically appealing about the movement and platonic form of trains. I guess once you see how much the railroad permeates life out west, even today, and hearing them blast their horns at night especially, you come to appreciate their antiquity and consistent, linear motion.
Trains are one of those man-made inventions that inevitably changed the course of history, specifically in the last few centuries. There is no biblical parable or Dao meditation on the train, although it feels like there should be. Rail transport is prevalent in almost every developed country across the world, and you can take great scenic journeys across vast spanses of land via rail. I hope to complete one of these journeys in the near future. A mystical aesthetic remains associated with rail travel. This usually manifests itself artistically in some ghostly rural landscape or the meandering architecture of time, always time, and industry, pressing on the heels, or memory, casually observing. A train passing offers both calm and disruption, both connectivity and separation.
Dynamic interpretation of trains abounds in all art forms. A list of movies involving trains, provided by our friends at Amtrak, gives you a glimpse of this. Three of my favorite movies involving trains that aren't mentioned on that list are Before Sunrise, The Festival Express, and The Darjeeling Limited. All three address time or memory in some way. Before Sunrise deals with forming a relationship under the time constraints of a Eurorail vacation. The Festival Express pieces together footage of an epic music tour including rock greats Buddy Guy, Janis Joplin, Grateful Dead and The Band across Canada by rail. The Darjeeling Limited reunites three brothers on a trans-India rail journey in a search for their estranged mother as well as some spiritual reconciliation in each of their lives.
Trains are referenced or alluded to in many pieces of music including Bob Dylan's "Freight Train Blues," The Wailer's "Stop That Train," Ellington's "Take the A Train," James Brown's "Night Train," multiple renditions of Dylan Thomas' poem "Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night," a poem that expresses anger and resilience in the face of death, to name just a few. (The next time you're playing Kings, and the category is "Songs that have 'train' in them," you'll be ready). Train noises are often imitated in music from folksy interpretations of the railroad like Johnny Cash's "Orange Blossom Special" to modern soundscapes like Don Meers' "Train Noise." In all these examples, the meditation is not stagnant, but moving; always having a place to go and destination in mind. I enjoy taking trips for this very reason, and I suppose a similar analogy could be made for the recycling stream..
My mother once told me that an allusion to the passing of trains in literature usually means that some change or revelation is occurring; kind of like deja vu means that something has changed within the Matrix, but not quite. So in writing this reflection that tackles the daunting topic of locomotion (hoping to no avail to avoid using cliches), I must be hinting at the passage of time. Indeed, major changes have occurred in my life: some are by choice, some undoubtedly have yet to come, some probably should not be, but I prefer not to get caught up in Galadriel's mirror. The ever-growing growing pains are enough to bear. I am now at the turning of the tide. Invitations to bumpin parties have all but disappeared. I can't stay up much past midnight like I used to. I go to bed usually around nine or ten depending on my fatigue level, a fact that puts me on par with my parents' bedtime, and then, even after ten hours of sleep, I struggle to get up. My hair seems to be slowly receding into the old Fretz horseshoe. From looking at some of the veterans here at the MRF, I fear this might be hastened by wearing a hard hat.. From a hike one Saturday up the 12,500 ft. Meadow Mtn. (which was my roommate Aaron's 100th peak of the year), I learned I am no longer the graceful gazelle I used to be, galloping from rock to rock on the way down, but am now more like a speedy buffalo (not quick by any human measure) mixed with the fragility and dart speed of a mountain goat (bumbaclaaaat). A muscular fawn. Mr. Thomas with more testosterone perhaps?
In any case, I have noticed that as I grow older, time seems to speed up. I mentioned this once to high school math teacher and clarinetist Cyrus Ishikawa who laughed. Physics easily disproves this faulty intuition by measuring the microwave emissions of a caesium atom's electrons during energy changes to recognize a second. When it comes to perception, however, philosophy trumps science. Since we have no distinct sense for viewing the fourth dimension, our perception of time is registered by using our other senses to observe and attribute causal relations between event A and event B, and the undeniable fact that time moves in only one direction. T.S. Eliot once wrote "I have measured out my life with coffee spoons." Placing aside other existential meanings of The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock, we see Eliot's perception of a day passing was gained by observing the time frame between cups of coffee. While comparisons to my own caffeine-saturated life could be made including the yellow vapors, another reference to the Matrix would yield the observation, "there is no spoon," which isn't exactly encouraging.
The perceived increase in time passing, like all things in life, has its advantages and disadvantages. The work day and week for that matter go by in a flash, but then, so does the weekend. Where before I got bored as a kid, now I can train my mind to focus on varying tasks and thought chains, putting the mental over the physical as planned, but am still not able to conquer everything in the time I thought I would. My comrade Masala Justice was able to count down the hours until his train left for Delhi, something a younger self probably wouldn't have had the patience for, by musing on all the people bustling around him. As he hung out the door catching the fresh air and observing the countryside passing by, the train ride allowed him to reflect on his journey thus far: "Another story I may or may not recall, another piece that adds to this imperfect puzzle." I guess that's the way the whole durned human comedy keeps perpetuatin' it-self, down through the generations, westward the wagons, across the sands of time, a puzzled world crisscrossed by train tracks, passengers ranging from business class sleepers to stowaways, the unseen conductor directing the traffic.
And indeed, there will be time.
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Question Authority - Labor Pt. 2
It is true that we employ inmates from 7 to 3 everyday. I am not sure whether they get paid (it'd be roughly around a dollar an hour if they were), but the conditions are not nearly as hazardous as the federal prison recycling plants. They even get burritos and pizza catered by local establishments from Thursday to Saturday. It is certainly not that comfortable of a community service assignment, nothing like the University of Maryland food Co-op, but it gets them out of the cell for the day. From what I can gather, these are all minimum security inmates with domestic violence charges or one too many DUIs. Most of the sentences can't be longer than a month or two, since there is high turnover in who the jail brings. None stretch longer than a year. Granted any time spent behind bars is time robbed from someone's life, and I oppose incarceration for nonviolent crimes in general. Community service could still be performed here at the recycling center, and jails would not have to be involved.
The saddest tale in my eyes are the four or five hired workers who have to work alongside the inmates on the same co-mingled containers line. They get to enjoy their freedom at the end of the day, but have to do the same work that the chain gang does, taking the same breaks, and working under the scrutinizing eyes of the crew boss. Their opportunities to socialize and mobilize with other co-workers are limited, their dignity reduced to that of a prisoner. The crew boss, who rotates every day, gets to sit behind a window in a heated passage surfing the internet and watching movies, like a modern day overseer. Who gets to say that this man or woman has more of a right to sit on their ass all day and not do any of the hard work? When I walk past and occasionally exchange small talk, their attitude is one of resignation and resentment to the task at hand, as if their lot in life was unfair, as if they'd rather be out in a patrol car laying down the law, excitedly persecuting youths and minorities.
In reflecting on this situation (and others in general), I have to be careful not to be the accuser, for that is a role the devil plays. I can't let my assumptions judge the situation, and must put my faith in Jah to rectify any injustice. People don't like when you assume too much, as a rule. In the words of early Bob, "Judge not before you judge yourself. Judge not if you're not ready for judgment...So while you talk about me, someone else is judging you." To be fair, I also sit at a desk with a computer for extended periods of time during the work day. However, being a person thats been in handcuffs four times in my life, and who has seen several comrades fall beneath the blows of the justice system, my love for the authorities extends only so far. Jail should not be used for nonviolent offenders, and yet 2/3rds of prisoners in this country are, making me question the motives for keeping so many locked up. The more time deliberates, the more days one can bill you for. The legal system is a self-sustaining industry just like any other.
I thought to myself what would a world look like without police or militaries, and I have to say, it wouldn't be all that bad. Implementing such anarchy would have to be a step-by-step process, but after the initial chaos and looting, I'm confident the world would enjoy a decrease in crime and war. This confidence comes from the belief that humans are inherently good, the opposite of original sin, and the fact that no one wants to live in a world where violence reigns supreme. Peace, truth, love, beauty. This true sense of anarchy could only be accomplished with the abolishment of money, of course, eliminating unnecessary labor and profit-driven ambition. Only the work that needed to be done to eat and live simply would be done by those that wanted and needed the work to be done. This would be an ideal setup, from a labor standpoint, but who would do all the jobs that no one wanted to do? Who would be responsible for picking up the trash and operating recycling plants? The workers here would sure as hell not want to do this work for free. Barter systems would work for essential goods, but whose water and electricity am I going to use for my hot tub and whose biodiesel fuel is the bus going to use? Who's going to drive the bus? The point I'm trying to make is that order needs to be maintained, property protected and competitive wages handed out for shit to function properly, from a production standpoint. This is a realization I'm reluctant to make, but is essential in understanding labor relations. Feel free to argue this point as I always enjoy debate on interesting subjects.
The strange thing is that, from a production standpoint, inmate labor isn't cutting it. The quality of the baled product would be improved by a better trained workforce. It'd be easier to scale up production with fewer lost days, less break times, no inmate stigma or problems. There'd be no personal safety problems here at the plant or back at the jail. We're constantly worried that a sharp object may appear on the lines and be smuggled back to the jail for shenking purposes. Financially, the cost of the inmate program is about 60% that of a regular work crew, which isn't that much of a setback and isn't taking into account the new revenues from a better baled product. Jerry and Lou have begun petitioning the county to remove the inmate program from the recycling facility and replacing it with hired workers.
The saddest tale in my eyes are the four or five hired workers who have to work alongside the inmates on the same co-mingled containers line. They get to enjoy their freedom at the end of the day, but have to do the same work that the chain gang does, taking the same breaks, and working under the scrutinizing eyes of the crew boss. Their opportunities to socialize and mobilize with other co-workers are limited, their dignity reduced to that of a prisoner. The crew boss, who rotates every day, gets to sit behind a window in a heated passage surfing the internet and watching movies, like a modern day overseer. Who gets to say that this man or woman has more of a right to sit on their ass all day and not do any of the hard work? When I walk past and occasionally exchange small talk, their attitude is one of resignation and resentment to the task at hand, as if their lot in life was unfair, as if they'd rather be out in a patrol car laying down the law, excitedly persecuting youths and minorities.
In reflecting on this situation (and others in general), I have to be careful not to be the accuser, for that is a role the devil plays. I can't let my assumptions judge the situation, and must put my faith in Jah to rectify any injustice. People don't like when you assume too much, as a rule. In the words of early Bob, "Judge not before you judge yourself. Judge not if you're not ready for judgment...So while you talk about me, someone else is judging you." To be fair, I also sit at a desk with a computer for extended periods of time during the work day. However, being a person thats been in handcuffs four times in my life, and who has seen several comrades fall beneath the blows of the justice system, my love for the authorities extends only so far. Jail should not be used for nonviolent offenders, and yet 2/3rds of prisoners in this country are, making me question the motives for keeping so many locked up. The more time deliberates, the more days one can bill you for. The legal system is a self-sustaining industry just like any other.
I thought to myself what would a world look like without police or militaries, and I have to say, it wouldn't be all that bad. Implementing such anarchy would have to be a step-by-step process, but after the initial chaos and looting, I'm confident the world would enjoy a decrease in crime and war. This confidence comes from the belief that humans are inherently good, the opposite of original sin, and the fact that no one wants to live in a world where violence reigns supreme. Peace, truth, love, beauty. This true sense of anarchy could only be accomplished with the abolishment of money, of course, eliminating unnecessary labor and profit-driven ambition. Only the work that needed to be done to eat and live simply would be done by those that wanted and needed the work to be done. This would be an ideal setup, from a labor standpoint, but who would do all the jobs that no one wanted to do? Who would be responsible for picking up the trash and operating recycling plants? The workers here would sure as hell not want to do this work for free. Barter systems would work for essential goods, but whose water and electricity am I going to use for my hot tub and whose biodiesel fuel is the bus going to use? Who's going to drive the bus? The point I'm trying to make is that order needs to be maintained, property protected and competitive wages handed out for shit to function properly, from a production standpoint. This is a realization I'm reluctant to make, but is essential in understanding labor relations. Feel free to argue this point as I always enjoy debate on interesting subjects.
The strange thing is that, from a production standpoint, inmate labor isn't cutting it. The quality of the baled product would be improved by a better trained workforce. It'd be easier to scale up production with fewer lost days, less break times, no inmate stigma or problems. There'd be no personal safety problems here at the plant or back at the jail. We're constantly worried that a sharp object may appear on the lines and be smuggled back to the jail for shenking purposes. Financially, the cost of the inmate program is about 60% that of a regular work crew, which isn't that much of a setback and isn't taking into account the new revenues from a better baled product. Jerry and Lou have begun petitioning the county to remove the inmate program from the recycling facility and replacing it with hired workers.
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
White Van Solidarity - Labor Pt. 1
Monday was a bad day. Not only did the Rockies get booted out of the playoffs by the defending champ Phillies, but the MeRF's paper baler broke, shutting down our fiber lines and sending most of the workers home. The fact that I also got out early, and don't give two owls hoots about baseball would indicate that I had a good Monday, which I did, so perhaps I should change the first sentence to "Monday was a bad day, from a production standpoint."
Equipment breaks pretty frequently here at the recycling center. I'd say on average something breaks four out of five days of the week, usually something minor, which sends the production supervisor Lou scrambling to fix it. This could include me running to the hardware or auto parts store, but usually involves Lou tracking down or ordering needed parts from satellite companies throughout the area. Machinery malfunctioning could be avoided by better preventative maintenance (PM) checks, or the hiring of a maintenance mechanic, something that Lou has been advocating, but the operations manager Jerry has been refusing. Hiring a knowledgeable and efficient mechanic would reduce system downtime, keep things running smoothly, and decrease time spent on such matters by Lou, someone who puts in nearly 60 hours a week.
However, since the markets turned for the worse, operating managers understandably have to keep a close eye on the budget, and hiring anybody new even on a modest salary sets the whole ship back. This is just one example of the politicking encountered in MeRFtown, from a production standpoint.
I have already indicated my respect for the hired workers here who do battle daily against the endless stream of a community's recyclable waste, putting their health and fortunes at risk with little-to-no upward job security/mobility and minimal benefits, but I suppose any job is a valuable blessing to have in these times. I have not yet mentioned the noble management that weighs financial and employment decisions as well as directs production orders (how many bales of x are shipped when and where as well as what exactly x is comprised of). I have not been here long enough to accurately judge these folks, but needless to say, theirs is a kushier, much more desirable job, from a production standpoint.
I count myself as a strange hybrid between the two echelons, running errands and other odd jobs for the facility as well as conducting research and compiling educational materials for outreach campaigns. I still don't know exactly what I do here, but I like the variety and relaxed schedule. The most consistent responsibilities I've been given besides exploring the local hardware store, are getting lunches from the county jail for the inmate workers Monday to Wednesday, and dropping off/picking up gloves at the laundromat. Strangely, the manager at the laundromat used to work as a contract laborer at the MeRF and mentioned the headaches she would have at the end of a day working here.
When I go on errands in the Eco-Cycle van, I count myself a member of the mystical and elusive Order of White Vans, pledging solidarity and assistance to all fellow workers driving white vans. If we happen to see another white van on the road, all modes of sympathy go out to our brother or sister in need, especially in traffic easing; mainly letting them get onto a highway at the accelerating speed they so choose, or patiently allowing them to pull in and out of tight parking spaces. I trace this heritage back to my days driving white vans for ExpresSign, UMD Residential Facilities, and Lutheran Social Services, back in Maryland. White van drivers always seem to be the root of suspicion in communities (remember the sniper attacks?), yet they provide some of the most needed services. So next time you're on the road, bee kind to the fellow in the white van.
Equipment breaks pretty frequently here at the recycling center. I'd say on average something breaks four out of five days of the week, usually something minor, which sends the production supervisor Lou scrambling to fix it. This could include me running to the hardware or auto parts store, but usually involves Lou tracking down or ordering needed parts from satellite companies throughout the area. Machinery malfunctioning could be avoided by better preventative maintenance (PM) checks, or the hiring of a maintenance mechanic, something that Lou has been advocating, but the operations manager Jerry has been refusing. Hiring a knowledgeable and efficient mechanic would reduce system downtime, keep things running smoothly, and decrease time spent on such matters by Lou, someone who puts in nearly 60 hours a week.
However, since the markets turned for the worse, operating managers understandably have to keep a close eye on the budget, and hiring anybody new even on a modest salary sets the whole ship back. This is just one example of the politicking encountered in MeRFtown, from a production standpoint.
I have already indicated my respect for the hired workers here who do battle daily against the endless stream of a community's recyclable waste, putting their health and fortunes at risk with little-to-no upward job security/mobility and minimal benefits, but I suppose any job is a valuable blessing to have in these times. I have not yet mentioned the noble management that weighs financial and employment decisions as well as directs production orders (how many bales of x are shipped when and where as well as what exactly x is comprised of). I have not been here long enough to accurately judge these folks, but needless to say, theirs is a kushier, much more desirable job, from a production standpoint.
I count myself as a strange hybrid between the two echelons, running errands and other odd jobs for the facility as well as conducting research and compiling educational materials for outreach campaigns. I still don't know exactly what I do here, but I like the variety and relaxed schedule. The most consistent responsibilities I've been given besides exploring the local hardware store, are getting lunches from the county jail for the inmate workers Monday to Wednesday, and dropping off/picking up gloves at the laundromat. Strangely, the manager at the laundromat used to work as a contract laborer at the MeRF and mentioned the headaches she would have at the end of a day working here.
When I go on errands in the Eco-Cycle van, I count myself a member of the mystical and elusive Order of White Vans, pledging solidarity and assistance to all fellow workers driving white vans. If we happen to see another white van on the road, all modes of sympathy go out to our brother or sister in need, especially in traffic easing; mainly letting them get onto a highway at the accelerating speed they so choose, or patiently allowing them to pull in and out of tight parking spaces. I trace this heritage back to my days driving white vans for ExpresSign, UMD Residential Facilities, and Lutheran Social Services, back in Maryland. White van drivers always seem to be the root of suspicion in communities (remember the sniper attacks?), yet they provide some of the most needed services. So next time you're on the road, bee kind to the fellow in the white van.
Thursday, October 8, 2009
Hard-to-Recycle Item #2: Electronics Pt. 1
The Dirty Little Secret of the Digital Age
In this modern world of sensory overload and exponential technological growth, we must be careful not to get caught up in an illusion of progress and disposability, something that makes it easy to overlook and forget what exactly we're throwing away when something needs to be replaced.
I am talking about the tons of electronic waste (a.k.a. e-waste) Americans generate each year, which includes over 25 million television sets, 47 million computers, and 150 million cell phones. If this is not shocking enough, electronic waste of this nature often ends up in one of three places: landfill or incinerator facilities, federal prison recycling plants, and developing countries, all of which release and expose toxins to workers, the public and the environment in one way or another. It does not help that our federal government actively promotes all three of these options by deregulating landfill restrictions, operating prison recycling plants, which are our government's number one e-waste depository, and refusing to ratify The Basel Convention, which bans exporting hazardous waste from wealthy countries to poor countries, and has been signed by nearly every other developed country (notable exceptions being Russia and Israel). It is not surprising that the United States refuses to sign on, considering they have yet to adopt the Kyoto Protocol (essentially reducing 1990 emissions levels by 20% by 2020). Hopefully (keep your fingers crossed!), a breakthrough will occur at the next round of talks in Copenhagen in December.
Landfills are the ultimate bane of environmentalism and shouldn't even be used as a last resort option. They have been proven to leak chemicals (known as leachate) and methane gas at an alarming rate. More than 4.6 million tons of e-waste met its final resting place in the year 2000 at landfills in the United States (EPA). This is not good for babies; lead, cadmium and mercury (found in most TVs and computers) can cause brain and kidney damage, especially in children. Brominated flame retardants (found on the plastic casings for computers) can affect hormonal functions in a young child's development. One tablespoon of mercury can contaminate a 20-acre lake (CHaRM). These chemicals could all be potentially leaking into your local groundwater.
Through a subsidary company UNICOR, the federal government operates prison recycling plants in seven locations across the United States generating over $765 million in sales in 2005. Complaints have been made about the occupational safety and exposure to hazardous chemicals by prison workers, guards and even the public. While the Boulder County Recycling Center employs the use of prison inmates, we never handle hazardous materials unless they come out by accident due to negligence by residents or businesses. These federal prison labor camps, paying the inmates a dollar an hour, are essentially toxic sweatshops. More on this subject later.
One of the most secretive and ultimately tragic disposal methods of electronic waste is by shipping it to developing countries such as China, Vietnam, Ghana, Nigeria, and Pakistan. These are just a few of the growing list of countries that covertly allow electronic waste dumping and recycling. Most national and international law finds this smuggling practice illegal, but somehow the shipping containers full of TVs and computers from the west get through. Workers strip the electronics of their precious metals by burning the plastic or dipping the cases in acid concoctions. Not only is the personal and environmental health at stake, but also the privacy of millions is compromised when hard drives are salvaged and resold, often to organized criminals who sift through the hard drives looking for financial information. Because I feel like I'm not giving this issue adequate justice, your homework assignment is to watch the following investigative reports: Ghana: Digital Dumping Ground, The Wasteland, and The eSteward Solution. They are all very informative and cover most of what I'm saying.
The biggest turnover in electronic supply and demand happens around the holidays, when millions of Americans replace their TVs or computers, or buy the newest video game system, and then throw out their old, defunct models. This is accentuated by the development of HD flat screens, the switch to digital signals and cheaper computers, especially PCs, which tempt consumers (myself included) with quicker, flashier technologies. While only a disciplined belief in living simply (so that others can simply live) can slow this wave of consumerism down (or acting naughty throughout the year so Santa Claus doesn't visit your house), it is important to recognize that your choice to dispose of something will have hazardous environmental consequences, often becoming someone else's problem, if not acted upon responsibly.
The first question you should ask yourself in getting rid of a device is whether it can be reused. If it can, consider giving it to someone in need, posting it to your local Craigslist or Freecycle, or donating it to Goodwill or Salvation Army. Volunteers like myself are happy to take working TVs off your hands, especially if they fall into the quicker, flashier and mainly, larger categories. If it doesn't work anymore, search for your closest take-back program or electronic recycler. Surprisingly, 99% of electronic materials can be recycled through stripping a gadget of its valuable materials like copper, gold, glass, plastic and steel (Earth911.org). However, a lot of these so-called recyclers end up shipping their e-waste overseas for folks in developing countries to do the toxic stripping, so it's important to check for an e-Steward certification, which guarantees your e-waste will not be exported, sent to a landfill or incinerator, or recycled in a prison labor camp.
A good site to find take-back programs is Earth911.org. Your local Best Buy, Staples or Office Depot usually has some sort of take-back program. The manufacturer of your gadget may have a mail-back collection program in place as well; Dell leads the way with this as far as computers, and Apple has indicated measures they will introduce soon to boost their green score. Take-Back-My-TV has convinced six major manufacturers (Sony, Samsung, LG, Sharp, Panasonic, and Toshiba) to start take-back programs. As for cell phones, check out Project KOPEG (thanks Nadia!) on ways to mass recycle phones for money, or check with your service provider to see if they have established any exchange programs.
So come this holiday season, remember to safely dispose of your old TV, computer or cell phone before you buy that new one. Your conscious decision to recycle electronic waste properly, whether you succeed or not, is a moral acknowledgement that some people in the world (and the world itself for that matter) are being harmed by our wasteful decisions as a modern society. It's a step forward in the direction of true progress, sustainability; sometimes it takes baby steps.
Videos to Watch:
http://www.pbs.org/frontlineworld/stories/ghana804/video/video_index.html
http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=5274959n&tag=related;photovideo
http://video.google.com/googleplayer.swf?docid=8338941213868209143&hl=en&fs=true
In this modern world of sensory overload and exponential technological growth, we must be careful not to get caught up in an illusion of progress and disposability, something that makes it easy to overlook and forget what exactly we're throwing away when something needs to be replaced.
I am talking about the tons of electronic waste (a.k.a. e-waste) Americans generate each year, which includes over 25 million television sets, 47 million computers, and 150 million cell phones. If this is not shocking enough, electronic waste of this nature often ends up in one of three places: landfill or incinerator facilities, federal prison recycling plants, and developing countries, all of which release and expose toxins to workers, the public and the environment in one way or another. It does not help that our federal government actively promotes all three of these options by deregulating landfill restrictions, operating prison recycling plants, which are our government's number one e-waste depository, and refusing to ratify The Basel Convention, which bans exporting hazardous waste from wealthy countries to poor countries, and has been signed by nearly every other developed country (notable exceptions being Russia and Israel). It is not surprising that the United States refuses to sign on, considering they have yet to adopt the Kyoto Protocol (essentially reducing 1990 emissions levels by 20% by 2020). Hopefully (keep your fingers crossed!), a breakthrough will occur at the next round of talks in Copenhagen in December.
Landfills are the ultimate bane of environmentalism and shouldn't even be used as a last resort option. They have been proven to leak chemicals (known as leachate) and methane gas at an alarming rate. More than 4.6 million tons of e-waste met its final resting place in the year 2000 at landfills in the United States (EPA). This is not good for babies; lead, cadmium and mercury (found in most TVs and computers) can cause brain and kidney damage, especially in children. Brominated flame retardants (found on the plastic casings for computers) can affect hormonal functions in a young child's development. One tablespoon of mercury can contaminate a 20-acre lake (CHaRM). These chemicals could all be potentially leaking into your local groundwater.
Through a subsidary company UNICOR, the federal government operates prison recycling plants in seven locations across the United States generating over $765 million in sales in 2005. Complaints have been made about the occupational safety and exposure to hazardous chemicals by prison workers, guards and even the public. While the Boulder County Recycling Center employs the use of prison inmates, we never handle hazardous materials unless they come out by accident due to negligence by residents or businesses. These federal prison labor camps, paying the inmates a dollar an hour, are essentially toxic sweatshops. More on this subject later.
One of the most secretive and ultimately tragic disposal methods of electronic waste is by shipping it to developing countries such as China, Vietnam, Ghana, Nigeria, and Pakistan. These are just a few of the growing list of countries that covertly allow electronic waste dumping and recycling. Most national and international law finds this smuggling practice illegal, but somehow the shipping containers full of TVs and computers from the west get through. Workers strip the electronics of their precious metals by burning the plastic or dipping the cases in acid concoctions. Not only is the personal and environmental health at stake, but also the privacy of millions is compromised when hard drives are salvaged and resold, often to organized criminals who sift through the hard drives looking for financial information. Because I feel like I'm not giving this issue adequate justice, your homework assignment is to watch the following investigative reports: Ghana: Digital Dumping Ground, The Wasteland, and The eSteward Solution. They are all very informative and cover most of what I'm saying.
The biggest turnover in electronic supply and demand happens around the holidays, when millions of Americans replace their TVs or computers, or buy the newest video game system, and then throw out their old, defunct models. This is accentuated by the development of HD flat screens, the switch to digital signals and cheaper computers, especially PCs, which tempt consumers (myself included) with quicker, flashier technologies. While only a disciplined belief in living simply (so that others can simply live) can slow this wave of consumerism down (or acting naughty throughout the year so Santa Claus doesn't visit your house), it is important to recognize that your choice to dispose of something will have hazardous environmental consequences, often becoming someone else's problem, if not acted upon responsibly.
The first question you should ask yourself in getting rid of a device is whether it can be reused. If it can, consider giving it to someone in need, posting it to your local Craigslist or Freecycle, or donating it to Goodwill or Salvation Army. Volunteers like myself are happy to take working TVs off your hands, especially if they fall into the quicker, flashier and mainly, larger categories. If it doesn't work anymore, search for your closest take-back program or electronic recycler. Surprisingly, 99% of electronic materials can be recycled through stripping a gadget of its valuable materials like copper, gold, glass, plastic and steel (Earth911.org). However, a lot of these so-called recyclers end up shipping their e-waste overseas for folks in developing countries to do the toxic stripping, so it's important to check for an e-Steward certification, which guarantees your e-waste will not be exported, sent to a landfill or incinerator, or recycled in a prison labor camp.
A good site to find take-back programs is Earth911.org. Your local Best Buy, Staples or Office Depot usually has some sort of take-back program. The manufacturer of your gadget may have a mail-back collection program in place as well; Dell leads the way with this as far as computers, and Apple has indicated measures they will introduce soon to boost their green score. Take-Back-My-TV has convinced six major manufacturers (Sony, Samsung, LG, Sharp, Panasonic, and Toshiba) to start take-back programs. As for cell phones, check out Project KOPEG (thanks Nadia!) on ways to mass recycle phones for money, or check with your service provider to see if they have established any exchange programs.
So come this holiday season, remember to safely dispose of your old TV, computer or cell phone before you buy that new one. Your conscious decision to recycle electronic waste properly, whether you succeed or not, is a moral acknowledgement that some people in the world (and the world itself for that matter) are being harmed by our wasteful decisions as a modern society. It's a step forward in the direction of true progress, sustainability; sometimes it takes baby steps.
Videos to Watch:
http://www.pbs.org/frontlineworld/stories/ghana804/video/video_index.html
http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=5274959n&tag=related;photovideo
http://video.google.com/googleplayer.swf?docid=8338941213868209143&hl=en&fs=true
Greenies and Hardhats of the World Unite
New Campaign Applauds Recycling in the Senate Climate Bill
For immediate release: September 30, 2009
The Recycling Works! campaign (RW), a coalition of labor, environmental and community organizations applauds Senator Carper as well as Boxer and Kerry for recognizing recycling as a key climate strategy. RW calls the inclusion of state recycling programs in the new Senate climate bill an important step towards rebuilding the economy, and looks forward to working with the Senate on details of these programs.
“We are very pleased to see this bill recognizes the importance of recycling. Increasing recycling rates not only reduces energy use and greenhouse gas emissions from landfills, but creates good-paying green jobs that add much needed stimulus to our economy,” says Robert Morales, Director of the Solid Waste, Recycling & Related Industries Division at the International Brotherhood of Teamsters.
The state recycling programs in the Clean Energy Jobs and American Power Act establish support for local recycling programs, recycling facilities, and increased U.S. manufacturing with recycled materials, all of which will strengthen the U.S. economy. Recycling creates 10 times the number of jobs per ton of waste as landfills or incinerators.
According to a September 2009 EPA report, 29% of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions come from the goods that we produce, consume and throw away. The report notes that U.S. municipal solid waste recycling in 2006 avoided nearly 183 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent greenhouse gas emissions.
Recycling reduces greenhouse gas emissions by reducing waste going to landfills and incinerators. According to the EPA, landfills are a leading source of human produced methane emissions, and incinerators release more greenhouse gas emissions than coal-fired power plants per unit of energy produced. Even more emissions are prevented when recycled materials replace new raw materials in the manufacturing of new products.
The Recycling Works! campaign is a collaboration of The Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives (GAIA) and the International Brotherhood of Teamsters to bring together waste workers, community and environmental justice activists to create recycling programs that generate good jobs, combat climate change, create energy independence and revitalize community health.
“We are excited to be bringing the voices of labor, environmental groups, and communities that confront waste to the discussion of climate solutions,” says Steph Sherer of the Recycling Works! campaign.
The campaign recognizes that the climate bill should be strengthened in many areas but is pleased that Congress is acknowledging the importance of recycling as a climate mitigation strategy.
For immediate release: September 30, 2009
The Recycling Works! campaign (RW), a coalition of labor, environmental and community organizations applauds Senator Carper as well as Boxer and Kerry for recognizing recycling as a key climate strategy. RW calls the inclusion of state recycling programs in the new Senate climate bill an important step towards rebuilding the economy, and looks forward to working with the Senate on details of these programs.
“We are very pleased to see this bill recognizes the importance of recycling. Increasing recycling rates not only reduces energy use and greenhouse gas emissions from landfills, but creates good-paying green jobs that add much needed stimulus to our economy,” says Robert Morales, Director of the Solid Waste, Recycling & Related Industries Division at the International Brotherhood of Teamsters.
The state recycling programs in the Clean Energy Jobs and American Power Act establish support for local recycling programs, recycling facilities, and increased U.S. manufacturing with recycled materials, all of which will strengthen the U.S. economy. Recycling creates 10 times the number of jobs per ton of waste as landfills or incinerators.
According to a September 2009 EPA report, 29% of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions come from the goods that we produce, consume and throw away. The report notes that U.S. municipal solid waste recycling in 2006 avoided nearly 183 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent greenhouse gas emissions.
Recycling reduces greenhouse gas emissions by reducing waste going to landfills and incinerators. According to the EPA, landfills are a leading source of human produced methane emissions, and incinerators release more greenhouse gas emissions than coal-fired power plants per unit of energy produced. Even more emissions are prevented when recycled materials replace new raw materials in the manufacturing of new products.
The Recycling Works! campaign is a collaboration of The Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives (GAIA) and the International Brotherhood of Teamsters to bring together waste workers, community and environmental justice activists to create recycling programs that generate good jobs, combat climate change, create energy independence and revitalize community health.
“We are excited to be bringing the voices of labor, environmental groups, and communities that confront waste to the discussion of climate solutions,” says Steph Sherer of the Recycling Works! campaign.
The campaign recognizes that the climate bill should be strengthened in many areas but is pleased that Congress is acknowledging the importance of recycling as a climate mitigation strategy.
Thursday, October 1, 2009
Hard-to-Recycle Item #1: Condoms
In answering the call of CHaRM coordinator Dan Matsch to add one hard-to-recycle item every year to CHaRM's list of accepted items, I will be exploring the feasibility and current recommendations for several options. This week's topic of discussion is condoms.
I started my workday a couple weeks ago in a flurry of idealism concerning how we could reduce our waste stream to zero ("or darn near"). This probably resulted from my tour and indoctrination the day before at Eco-Cycle's Center for Hard-to-Recycle Materials, one of the epicenters from which the zero waste message resonates. While zero waste is somewhat wishful thinking, saving 90% of the waste stream is achievable, but only through critical public support and education, something that will mean banging the message over and over throughout the land like a new-age Johnny Appleseed with a Paul Bunyan-size frying pan.
Somewhere in the mix of brainstorming for items, eating a banana, and contemplating Lady Gaga's poker face, I decided what better to recycle than condoms! Could it be possible to salvage, sterilize and reuse the tens of billions of condoms used every year or is this also somewhat wishful thinking?
Some concerned environmentalist-entrepreneurs in China apparently think you can. According to Agence France Presse, rubber hair bands made from used condoms have started appearing in southern China and are selling like hot cakes; strange, eco-friendly, but ultimately contaminated-with-semen hot cakes. Scientists and doctors have warned of the potential STD risks of this infectious waste. There are also reports of traditional Chinese gowns and fans being made out of used condom material. Touristas be warned!
So while the news of condoms being recycled in China is hopeful, the processing capacity to engineer a safe, recycled product is not quite there. The chipboard boxes that condoms come in can usually be recycled, but as for the plastic wrappers and contents within, their fate sadly lies either in the Pacific Ocean in an area twice the size of Texas or between a rock and a hard place at the local landfill. The wrappers could potentially be manufactured with recyclable plastic, something a targeted campaign to manufacturers might yield.
As for the rubbers themselves, it turns out that latex and lambskin condoms are biodegradable (polyurethane is not!), so if you have a compost pile out back, you could help the cause by composting these used products. However, if you live close to a wilderness area or have animal visitors/companions close by, they may be attracted to the human scent and dig your used receptacles up. The last thing you want is your neighbors to see a whole bunch of used condoms lying around your new landscaping digs! A quick fix to this potential problem is to wrap the condoms in a paper base and cover your compost pile, something that should be done anyway to let the composting microorganisms, which are adverse to solar rays, do their thing.
Whatever you do, don't flush your condoms! Like many other objects, these will clog your plumbing or have to be picked out by workers at the sewage treatment plant. They could even make it back into the water stream, or at least the chemical residue. Water stream contamination is a major problem when it comes to flushing medicines; it's estimated that over 45 million Americans could be drinking water tainted with pharmaceutical drugs.
Since condoms aren't really reusable, the most environmentally-friendly option for birth control is reusable barriers like diaphragms, cervical caps and shields. Obviously, birth control pills work too, but these don't prevent the spread of STDs. You and your partner should get tested and be extremely confident in your faithfulness before making the switch to no protection.
It should be noted that using a condom far outweighs its negative impact on the environment by blocking the chance for reproduction, something that nearly doubles if not triples, maybe even quadruples, your carbon footprint in the world by spawning another cute, little, rambunctious consumer. It's been argued by some environmentalists that the greatest thing you can do to save the Earth is not to reproduce, but I won't go that far. As far as the whole organic, fair-trade buzz, be on the lookout for fair-trade condom brands like French Letter.
So there you have it: "These clever war tips, you wont get from cats who never wore skips." Some condoms can be composted, mainly latex and lambskin, not polyurethane. The boxes they come in can be recycled, but not the wrappers. These wrappers could potentially be made with recyclable plastic; stay tuned for a targeted campaign to Lifestyle and Trojan.
I started my workday a couple weeks ago in a flurry of idealism concerning how we could reduce our waste stream to zero ("or darn near"). This probably resulted from my tour and indoctrination the day before at Eco-Cycle's Center for Hard-to-Recycle Materials, one of the epicenters from which the zero waste message resonates. While zero waste is somewhat wishful thinking, saving 90% of the waste stream is achievable, but only through critical public support and education, something that will mean banging the message over and over throughout the land like a new-age Johnny Appleseed with a Paul Bunyan-size frying pan.
Somewhere in the mix of brainstorming for items, eating a banana, and contemplating Lady Gaga's poker face, I decided what better to recycle than condoms! Could it be possible to salvage, sterilize and reuse the tens of billions of condoms used every year or is this also somewhat wishful thinking?
Some concerned environmentalist-entrepreneurs in China apparently think you can. According to Agence France Presse, rubber hair bands made from used condoms have started appearing in southern China and are selling like hot cakes; strange, eco-friendly, but ultimately contaminated-with-semen hot cakes. Scientists and doctors have warned of the potential STD risks of this infectious waste. There are also reports of traditional Chinese gowns and fans being made out of used condom material. Touristas be warned!
So while the news of condoms being recycled in China is hopeful, the processing capacity to engineer a safe, recycled product is not quite there. The chipboard boxes that condoms come in can usually be recycled, but as for the plastic wrappers and contents within, their fate sadly lies either in the Pacific Ocean in an area twice the size of Texas or between a rock and a hard place at the local landfill. The wrappers could potentially be manufactured with recyclable plastic, something a targeted campaign to manufacturers might yield.
As for the rubbers themselves, it turns out that latex and lambskin condoms are biodegradable (polyurethane is not!), so if you have a compost pile out back, you could help the cause by composting these used products. However, if you live close to a wilderness area or have animal visitors/companions close by, they may be attracted to the human scent and dig your used receptacles up. The last thing you want is your neighbors to see a whole bunch of used condoms lying around your new landscaping digs! A quick fix to this potential problem is to wrap the condoms in a paper base and cover your compost pile, something that should be done anyway to let the composting microorganisms, which are adverse to solar rays, do their thing.
Whatever you do, don't flush your condoms! Like many other objects, these will clog your plumbing or have to be picked out by workers at the sewage treatment plant. They could even make it back into the water stream, or at least the chemical residue. Water stream contamination is a major problem when it comes to flushing medicines; it's estimated that over 45 million Americans could be drinking water tainted with pharmaceutical drugs.
Since condoms aren't really reusable, the most environmentally-friendly option for birth control is reusable barriers like diaphragms, cervical caps and shields. Obviously, birth control pills work too, but these don't prevent the spread of STDs. You and your partner should get tested and be extremely confident in your faithfulness before making the switch to no protection.
It should be noted that using a condom far outweighs its negative impact on the environment by blocking the chance for reproduction, something that nearly doubles if not triples, maybe even quadruples, your carbon footprint in the world by spawning another cute, little, rambunctious consumer. It's been argued by some environmentalists that the greatest thing you can do to save the Earth is not to reproduce, but I won't go that far. As far as the whole organic, fair-trade buzz, be on the lookout for fair-trade condom brands like French Letter.
So there you have it: "These clever war tips, you wont get from cats who never wore skips." Some condoms can be composted, mainly latex and lambskin, not polyurethane. The boxes they come in can be recycled, but not the wrappers. These wrappers could potentially be made with recyclable plastic; stay tuned for a targeted campaign to Lifestyle and Trojan.
Adventures in MeRFland
This is the first in a series of dispatches hoping to chronicle my year of service working at the Boulder County Recycling Center. In the spirit of reflection that my friend Masala Justice cultivated in his year abroad in Indicorps, I hope to illuminate and illustrate my experiences as a volunteer. Perhaps a blog is in the future works. Without further ado...
Many of you know (but some souls remain isolated or obsolete) of my recent move to Boulder, CO to volunteer, via Mennonite Voluntary Service, at Eco-Cycle, a group founded in the 70s to begin the then-new and uphill task of recycling their county’s waste stream. Created at a grassroots level, Eco-Cycle made Boulder one of the first twenty communities in the United States to offer curbside recycling, doing so by collecting recyclables with old school buses and sorting by hand at a small, upraised trailer. This trailer, still on location at the Center for HArd-to-Recycle Materials (CHaRM), is now defunct, but given the reverence of a well-preserved historical site. Unfortunately, tours of that site will be unavailable a hundred years from now due to the planned move and construction of CHaRM and Eco-Cycle’s main offices about a year from now. The new site will actually be closer to where I spend most of my time, which is the Material Recovery Facility (MRF, pronounced “Merf” for all you jargon-heads out there). Another term for the MRF, which is used more frequently in public, is the Boulder County Recycling Center…
Never did I ever think I would be working at a recycling center. Even when I toured the Montgomery County Recycling Center in fourth grade did the thought ever pass my mind that I wanted to work at one of these facilities. I’m not sure what goes through the heads of all the kids who come through the BCRC on field trips, maybe: “What is that awful smell that smells like skunk diarrhea?” or “I’d very much like to ride one of those belts and see where it takes me.” Or maybe those are just my thoughts from working the lines that I’m projecting onto innocent children who have yet to know a hard day’s work. Regardless, I am sure that working at a recycling facility is not in the future ambitions of most of these children, alongside the goals of say being president or being an astronaut. Well, maybe that one kid who likes playing Rambo and feeding mice to his pet snake.
The reality of the situation is that most of the workers at the MRF don’t have such a choice in their employment. As Immanuel Sila, an MVS coordinator put it at orientation, "you can leave, they usually can't." Many are temporary contract workers, about half are Spanish-speakers, some have substance abuse problems or past convictions. They get paid $9-12 an hour to sift through people’s waste; some hired workers get more. These are the grunts on the front lines of the fight to recover 90% of our waste stream, the definition of “zero waste.” These are the real environmental warriors, or at least, the ones doing some of the hardest work. With their unkempt beards, long-sleeved flannel and dusty boots, some look like they just hopped off the train from Yuma. When the buzzer sounds for breaks, which are roughly every two hours, the line of wearied men leaving the facility could be re-imagined as workers leaving a mine shaft. A black-and-white Robert Frank photograph tinged with October Sky, perhaps.
For my first few days, in the interest of learning my way around, I was assigned to work the sorting lines alongside this gnarly crowd. Apart from the monotony of the task at hand: seperating plastic, cardboard, and containers (and everything in between) from an endless stream moving at around 5-10 mph causing temporary movement sickness if you look away for a moment, a buzz in itself, the job wasn't that bad. Some people prefer work that puts them in a routine trance-like state with no critical thinking involved. I must admit that the dissatisfaction of missing a potential contaminant that you spotted up the line, such as a Gatorade bottle or aluminum can, is similar to the feeling when you miss a shot in basketball. If you get bored, you can hum songs or recite rap verses to yourself, or maybe that's just me. If a strange object shows up (I've seen a rubber chicken, Tickle-me-Elmo, super-soakers, and various balls) the workers will make a joke out of it, usually targeting a comrade of theirs. All types of objects get flung around from level to level adding to the many other dangers of working at a MRF. The nicer clothing I wore to make a good first impression had to be adjusted. Never have I worn blue jeans this frequently; this stems from a preference for khaki and a lack of childhood enthusiasm for uncomfortable denim material ever since I shat my pants in first grade.
Whether through my superhuman sorting abilities or the fact that I'm not getting paid to volunteer, I was promoted to work in the head office (alas, behind a computer again) with the accounting ladies, who all seemingly have names that start with D, strangely. Unfortunately, there is not a permanent work station so I have been playing musical chairs and am now back in the production office of the MRF under the direction of a bilingual New Yorker named Lou (who reminds me of my friend Aaron in fifteen years mixed with a stouter Stephen Colbert). The occasional accent that arises mixed with the industry knowledge this man possesses from years of experience bring to mind the waste contract turf wars between New York and New Jersey prevalent in the Sopranos. For the most part, I mainly work under the operations manager, a gaunt, knowledgeable man somewhere in his sixties named Jerry, who has already engaged me in inter-office politics, and the other day, while discussing a results-oriented outreach campaign, told me to "make it rain."
Naturally, I am always uncomfortable when theres segregation of classes at work. The only answer I can provide to the sorters who see me through a window working at a computer is that I'm not getting paid. At any rate, the nature of our operations here don't allow for the accounting office to be mixed with the processing facility, and the buildings were constructed apart from each other. This seperation is bothering for a crusader like me, and in my initial dialogue with Jerry, I expressed several measures I thought would improve the plight of the workers. These included ergonomics training, English tutoring and recreation equipment in the break room, but it seems these initiatives were not included in my job description. I almost had the nerve to suggest longer or more frequent break periods, but realized that the mandates of our production curve wouldn't allow it without sacrificing our sustainability as a public enterprise.
Needless to say, I am learning a lot about the recycling industry and receiving a sometimes overwhelming amount of on-the-job training. Basically, we ship bales of different materials via rail and truck to manufacturing plants that pay us on the quality of the bales, and which then supports our operating costs. The higher-ups listen to my comments and questions with patience, and give calm, detailed responses that touch on overarching goals for Eco-Cycle and society in general. As far as the suggestions listed above, the ergonomics and stretching instruction is already being done through the company's health insurance plan. English tutoring is something that's been considered in the past, but there doesn't seem to be much interest among the Spanish population. The foosball and ping pong tables in the break room are just completely out of the question...
Much has been said about the rise of the green economy, and maybe in twenty or thirty years when history notes this period as the start of that, I'll be able to look back and say I was a part of it. The importance of recycling has been successfully engrained throughout most of our culture, but work still remains to be done on reclaiming even more items from our waste stream so that they don't end up at a landfill and become our children's children's problem. CHaRM tries to add one hard-to-recycle item a year to its list, which already includes #6 styrofoam, computer electronics, plastic bags, and porcelain. Last year, the MRF converted to single-stream recycling (no seperation of containers with paper), which makes it easier for the residents/consumers albeit more confusing (an education gap exists on what is safe to recycle, which I will hopefully help to close). A large, outdoor compost facility is in the works that will produce no methane, the main evil that landfills and indoor compost piles present. More on all this later.
For now, know that the main evils of waste reduction are consumerism and plastic production. If only circumstances had invoked Walter Brooke (thanks IMDB) to tell a young Dustin Hoffman in The Graduate that recyclables and not plastics were the future... Alas, hundreds of billions of plastic products are made every year, and now because of this, there exists an area twice the size of Texas in the Pacific Ocean contaminated with buoyant and non-biodegradable plastic items such as water bottles. Reducing your plastic consumption is not all you can do to help reduce waste. Indeed, there are many things you can do, some of which include: living more simply-buy less and buy locally, (try limiting your leisure spending to $50 a month ;-)), eat healthy-no more microwave dinners, less meat and high fructose corn syrup, f a dollar menu, reuse plastic bags and containers, read up on your local recycling center's acceptable materials, start a compost pile, do good work. In the words of a third grader whose drawing made the September slot of an eco-calendar in our office, "Compost...because a rind is a terrible thing to waste."
Fridays are always the best days, going back to TGIF and pizza for school lunch. This weekend I plan to help out at the CPT National Congress in Denver (www.cpt.org) as well as play music with some friends. As the final buzzer sounds and production at the MRF stands still, I am reminded of Fred Flintstone: Yabba dabba doo.
Many of you know (but some souls remain isolated or obsolete) of my recent move to Boulder, CO to volunteer, via Mennonite Voluntary Service, at Eco-Cycle, a group founded in the 70s to begin the then-new and uphill task of recycling their county’s waste stream. Created at a grassroots level, Eco-Cycle made Boulder one of the first twenty communities in the United States to offer curbside recycling, doing so by collecting recyclables with old school buses and sorting by hand at a small, upraised trailer. This trailer, still on location at the Center for HArd-to-Recycle Materials (CHaRM), is now defunct, but given the reverence of a well-preserved historical site. Unfortunately, tours of that site will be unavailable a hundred years from now due to the planned move and construction of CHaRM and Eco-Cycle’s main offices about a year from now. The new site will actually be closer to where I spend most of my time, which is the Material Recovery Facility (MRF, pronounced “Merf” for all you jargon-heads out there). Another term for the MRF, which is used more frequently in public, is the Boulder County Recycling Center…
Never did I ever think I would be working at a recycling center. Even when I toured the Montgomery County Recycling Center in fourth grade did the thought ever pass my mind that I wanted to work at one of these facilities. I’m not sure what goes through the heads of all the kids who come through the BCRC on field trips, maybe: “What is that awful smell that smells like skunk diarrhea?” or “I’d very much like to ride one of those belts and see where it takes me.” Or maybe those are just my thoughts from working the lines that I’m projecting onto innocent children who have yet to know a hard day’s work. Regardless, I am sure that working at a recycling facility is not in the future ambitions of most of these children, alongside the goals of say being president or being an astronaut. Well, maybe that one kid who likes playing Rambo and feeding mice to his pet snake.
The reality of the situation is that most of the workers at the MRF don’t have such a choice in their employment. As Immanuel Sila, an MVS coordinator put it at orientation, "you can leave, they usually can't." Many are temporary contract workers, about half are Spanish-speakers, some have substance abuse problems or past convictions. They get paid $9-12 an hour to sift through people’s waste; some hired workers get more. These are the grunts on the front lines of the fight to recover 90% of our waste stream, the definition of “zero waste.” These are the real environmental warriors, or at least, the ones doing some of the hardest work. With their unkempt beards, long-sleeved flannel and dusty boots, some look like they just hopped off the train from Yuma. When the buzzer sounds for breaks, which are roughly every two hours, the line of wearied men leaving the facility could be re-imagined as workers leaving a mine shaft. A black-and-white Robert Frank photograph tinged with October Sky, perhaps.
For my first few days, in the interest of learning my way around, I was assigned to work the sorting lines alongside this gnarly crowd. Apart from the monotony of the task at hand: seperating plastic, cardboard, and containers (and everything in between) from an endless stream moving at around 5-10 mph causing temporary movement sickness if you look away for a moment, a buzz in itself, the job wasn't that bad. Some people prefer work that puts them in a routine trance-like state with no critical thinking involved. I must admit that the dissatisfaction of missing a potential contaminant that you spotted up the line, such as a Gatorade bottle or aluminum can, is similar to the feeling when you miss a shot in basketball. If you get bored, you can hum songs or recite rap verses to yourself, or maybe that's just me. If a strange object shows up (I've seen a rubber chicken, Tickle-me-Elmo, super-soakers, and various balls) the workers will make a joke out of it, usually targeting a comrade of theirs. All types of objects get flung around from level to level adding to the many other dangers of working at a MRF. The nicer clothing I wore to make a good first impression had to be adjusted. Never have I worn blue jeans this frequently; this stems from a preference for khaki and a lack of childhood enthusiasm for uncomfortable denim material ever since I shat my pants in first grade.
Whether through my superhuman sorting abilities or the fact that I'm not getting paid to volunteer, I was promoted to work in the head office (alas, behind a computer again) with the accounting ladies, who all seemingly have names that start with D, strangely. Unfortunately, there is not a permanent work station so I have been playing musical chairs and am now back in the production office of the MRF under the direction of a bilingual New Yorker named Lou (who reminds me of my friend Aaron in fifteen years mixed with a stouter Stephen Colbert). The occasional accent that arises mixed with the industry knowledge this man possesses from years of experience bring to mind the waste contract turf wars between New York and New Jersey prevalent in the Sopranos. For the most part, I mainly work under the operations manager, a gaunt, knowledgeable man somewhere in his sixties named Jerry, who has already engaged me in inter-office politics, and the other day, while discussing a results-oriented outreach campaign, told me to "make it rain."
Naturally, I am always uncomfortable when theres segregation of classes at work. The only answer I can provide to the sorters who see me through a window working at a computer is that I'm not getting paid. At any rate, the nature of our operations here don't allow for the accounting office to be mixed with the processing facility, and the buildings were constructed apart from each other. This seperation is bothering for a crusader like me, and in my initial dialogue with Jerry, I expressed several measures I thought would improve the plight of the workers. These included ergonomics training, English tutoring and recreation equipment in the break room, but it seems these initiatives were not included in my job description. I almost had the nerve to suggest longer or more frequent break periods, but realized that the mandates of our production curve wouldn't allow it without sacrificing our sustainability as a public enterprise.
Needless to say, I am learning a lot about the recycling industry and receiving a sometimes overwhelming amount of on-the-job training. Basically, we ship bales of different materials via rail and truck to manufacturing plants that pay us on the quality of the bales, and which then supports our operating costs. The higher-ups listen to my comments and questions with patience, and give calm, detailed responses that touch on overarching goals for Eco-Cycle and society in general. As far as the suggestions listed above, the ergonomics and stretching instruction is already being done through the company's health insurance plan. English tutoring is something that's been considered in the past, but there doesn't seem to be much interest among the Spanish population. The foosball and ping pong tables in the break room are just completely out of the question...
Much has been said about the rise of the green economy, and maybe in twenty or thirty years when history notes this period as the start of that, I'll be able to look back and say I was a part of it. The importance of recycling has been successfully engrained throughout most of our culture, but work still remains to be done on reclaiming even more items from our waste stream so that they don't end up at a landfill and become our children's children's problem. CHaRM tries to add one hard-to-recycle item a year to its list, which already includes #6 styrofoam, computer electronics, plastic bags, and porcelain. Last year, the MRF converted to single-stream recycling (no seperation of containers with paper), which makes it easier for the residents/consumers albeit more confusing (an education gap exists on what is safe to recycle, which I will hopefully help to close). A large, outdoor compost facility is in the works that will produce no methane, the main evil that landfills and indoor compost piles present. More on all this later.
For now, know that the main evils of waste reduction are consumerism and plastic production. If only circumstances had invoked Walter Brooke (thanks IMDB) to tell a young Dustin Hoffman in The Graduate that recyclables and not plastics were the future... Alas, hundreds of billions of plastic products are made every year, and now because of this, there exists an area twice the size of Texas in the Pacific Ocean contaminated with buoyant and non-biodegradable plastic items such as water bottles. Reducing your plastic consumption is not all you can do to help reduce waste. Indeed, there are many things you can do, some of which include: living more simply-buy less and buy locally, (try limiting your leisure spending to $50 a month ;-)), eat healthy-no more microwave dinners, less meat and high fructose corn syrup, f a dollar menu, reuse plastic bags and containers, read up on your local recycling center's acceptable materials, start a compost pile, do good work. In the words of a third grader whose drawing made the September slot of an eco-calendar in our office, "Compost...because a rind is a terrible thing to waste."
Fridays are always the best days, going back to TGIF and pizza for school lunch. This weekend I plan to help out at the CPT National Congress in Denver (www.cpt.org) as well as play music with some friends. As the final buzzer sounds and production at the MRF stands still, I am reminded of Fred Flintstone: Yabba dabba doo.
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