Going Green

I found out something really interesting in one of my training meetings at work today. Do you know the difference between the solid recycling logo and the clear recycling logo? To be honest, until today, I never noticed there were two different logos. The difference is pretty significant though. The solid logo means the product you are using was recycled. The clear logo means that it is recyclable. Evidently,  if you do not see the clear logo, it can only be recycled once. Which means it will still end up in a landfill eventually. Recyclable (clear logo) items can be recycled over and over so it has true sustainability.  So, if you are someone who cares about helping the environment, this is great information to know. Every little bit helps. 

Be careful when you recycle your plastic bottles. . If you recycle, you need to make sure you remove the plastic lid and the plastic ring from the lid. The reason? The two plastics melt down at different temperatures which means they can not be melted down together. Unfortunately, most cities do not have the staff to take the time to remove them for you so, if you do not do it, you might as well not recycle it at all because they are discarded and placed in landfills anyway. Both plastics can be recycled, of coarse, but the plastic from the bottle may be recycled into carpet and the lid might be recycled into car parts. Not all plastics are equal.

Now I need to look into eventually buying a more fuel efficient vehicle. Not only does my Yukon not help the environment, I'm sick of paying ridiculous gas prices.