The Clean Dozen: 12 Easy Ways to “Go Green”

1. The Clean Dozen:12 Easy Ways to“Go Green” Practical Ideas to Reduce, Reuse and Recycle

2. Reduce, Reuse, Recycle • The average American creates 4.5 pounds of solid waste each day! That is more than 1,600 pounds each year. • Making a conscious effort to reduce this amount, even by 25% (1 lb. a day), can save water, prevent pollution, and save expensive landfill space. • Recycling adds over 31,000 jobs and $5.7 billion to the Wisconsin economy.

3. 1. Reduce - Buy Bulk Items • Bulk items have less packaging per unit of product • Buy bulk items that are packaged with post-consumer materials and that can be recycled, such as paper and #1 and #2 plastic

4. 2. Reduce - Pack a No-Waste Lunch • Re-usable lunch box or bag • Avoid pre-packaged, individually wrapped food • Cloth instead of paper napkins • Re-usable utensils • Drinks in a thermos • Fresh fruits and vegetables (compost the cores and peelings)

5. 3. Reduce – Practice Green Driving • Slow down – reducing your speed from 65 mph to 55 mph will add 2 miles per gallon • Accelerate gradually; avoid fast starts and sudden stops • Park in the shade or a garage • Use air conditioning for highway travel; windows for around town

6. 4. Reduce – Clean Green • Reduce the number of chemicals used in your household by using non-toxics for cleaning • Baking soda for cleanser applications • Vinegar for stain, corrosion and stench applications • Furniture polish = 2 parts sweet oil (pharmacy) to one part apple cider vinegar

7. 5. Reduce – Avoid disposable bags • When asked “paper or plastic” – say “neither!” • Plastic manufacturing uses non-renewable resources and takes a long time to degrade • Paper takes a lot of energy to manufacture and transport • Dig out those unused tote bags and keep them in your car to use at the grocery store, hardware store, etc.

8. 6. Reuse - Donate old eyeglasses • Local Lions Clubs have drop boxes • Can mail them to regional collection center (www.lionsclubs.org) • Ask your eyewear provider if they recycle used eyewear • Sears and Target vision centers recycle eyewear

9. 7. Reuse - Return Packing Peanuts • Many “pack and mail” stores such as UPS Stores, will take your packing peanuts to reuse. • For a drop-off site, call The Peanut Hotline at 800-828-2214 or visit www.loosefillpackaging.com • Packing peanuts can also be used for drainage in the bottom of potted plants.

10. 8. Repurpose or donate clothing • Mend, don’t throw! • Donate your gently used clothing to the nearest thrift shop • Have a garage or yard sale • Well-used clothes can be used for rags or for packing padding • Socks can be used for hot pads, dusting or dog toys

11. 9. Reduce and Recycle – Junk Mail • Each person receives about 34 lbs of junk mail per year, using 80 million trees per year and 28 billion gallons of water to process • Write to the Direct Marketing Association to get off the lists they sell: Mail Preference Service c/o Direct Marketing Association PO Box 643 Carmel, NY 10512 • In the letter or 3 1/2 x 5" postcard, include the date, your name, address and signature, and write "Please register my name with the Mail Preference Service." • Good for 5 years • Call 1-888-567-8688 to avoid credit card and insurance junk mail offers

12. 10. Recycle – Ink jet cartridges • Office supply stores often provide postage-paid return envelopes for cartridges you buy at their stores • Many online sites collect cartridges for recycling and you can print postage labels by creating an account • Create your own fundraising program that collects cartridges - www.recycle4charity.com

13. 11. Recycle – It’s the Law • Since 1990, items banned from landfills in Wisconsin are newspapers, magazines, office paper, glass bottles and jars, major appliances, aluminum, steel and bi-metal cans, tires, yard waste, motor oil, cardboard and plastic containers. • Every unit of government and business is required to have a recycling program.

14. 12. Recycle – Use Vilas Programs • Amnesty – tires and appliances, obtain a voucher from your town or city clerk, then take items to Hwy G Landfill • Pharmaceuticals – upcoming drop-off collections on Oct. 18 (Eagle River), Oct. 25 (Rhinelander) and Nov. 1 (Woodruff) • Electronics – drop-off Oct. 18, Eagle River, $5 for TVs and Computer monitors, other small electronics for a nominal fee

15. Please Don’t Burn! Although burn barrels have been a common practice in the Northwoods for many years, they are dangerous for many reasons. Open burning is the #1 cause of wildfires in Wisconsin. Because of the low temperature of open burning, chemical reactions take place that create harmful dioxins that are released into the air and land on your (and your neighbor’s) property, contaminating the soil. It is illegal to burn plastic, asphalt, rubber, treated or painted wood, batteries, oil or wet rubbish. Although burning paper isn’t illegal, the better choice is to recycle it! Likewise, it is better to compost yard waste.

16. Learning for Life. University of Wisconsin, U.S. Department of Agriculture and Wisconsin counties cooperating. UW-Extension provides equal opportunities in employment and programming including Title IX and ADA. Contact information: Kelly HaverkampfCommunity Economic Development EducatorVilas County UW-Extension330 Court StreetEagle River, WI 54521715-479-3648kelly.haverkampf@ces.uwex.eduwww.uwex.edu/ces/cty/vilas 8/2008