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Coffee

5/27/2019

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Many of us really enjoy one or more cups of coffee each day.  With a little planning, you can reduce the environmental impact while you enjoy your coffee.  Here are some ideas:
  • Used coffee grounds are great fertilizer.  Save the used grounds and sprinkle them on your houseplants (don’t overdo the amounts), your garden, or your lawn.  Mix them into the soil when you are planting.  I have heard that rosebushes and tomato plants grow well when used coffee grounds are added to the soil.  This also keeps the used coffee grounds out of the landfills.
  • If you stop at a coffee shop to get your coffee, take your reusable cup with you rather than using the disposable cup and holder from the coffee shop. 
  • If you have a coffee maker that uses pods, there are two options for reducing the waste.  You can buy reusable pods that can be filled with your own coffee grounds, so there is no pod to throw away and you can use the coffee grounds as fertilizer.  Some companies (Kauai Coffee is one) now offer coffee pods that use much less plastic.  Although it doesn’t say so on the box, it looks like the bottom portion could be compostable. 
  • If you have a coffee maker that uses filters, look for a reusable filter basket or compost the paper filters. 
  • Buy coffee that is grown and roasted in a sustainable manner.  
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Printer ink cartridges

5/12/2019

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I read an article (see link below) on recycling printer ink cartridges.  According to the article, more than half of the ink cartridges end up in landfills.  However, they can be recycled or refilled.  Some charities collect used ink cartridges as part of their fundraising programs.  There are also places to get them cleaned and refilled.  The article below has ideas and information on good ways to deal with used printer ink cartridges.  In addition, you can reduce the amount of ink you use by choosing the “draft” mode when high quality printing is not required. 
​
https://earth911.com/recycling-guide/how-to-recycle-ink-cartridges
​
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Litter

5/5/2019

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Some litter is obvious.  Bottles, cans, and food wrappers on sidewalks or roadsides are obviously litter.   Most environmentally conscious people wouldn't throw these items on the ground and are likely to pick up litter left by others.  There are items that many people do not consider to be litter but are still foreign and potentially harmful objects in the environment.  Many smokers do not consider cigarette butts to be litter, yet they can last up to 10 years in the environment, contain toxins that can leach into the environment, and can start grass fires if not fully extinguished.  Dog or cat poop in the wrong place can be litter, causing health hazards such as harmful bacteria in waterways or changing the nutrient composition of a stream.  A large dog park in our area was recently closed because the rainfall runoff was carrying too much bacteria to the nearby stream.  Balloons are litter and can be harmful to critters of various kinds.  Tossing rice at weddings can be harmful to birds who eat the rice left on the ground.  Chewing gum is also litter and can be harmful to critters who eat it (not to mention annoying if you step on it).  Paint chips from scraping old paint off the house before you re-paint can add harmful chemicals to the soil.  Even food can be litter if it’s left in a place or condition that will attract unwelcome insect, birds, or animals that then have to be moved or exterminated.  
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