Conservation Tips & Props

USAgain, a Chicago-based textile collection company, announced its annual collection figures.  In 2011 alone USAgain collected 60 million pounds of textiles for reuse and recycling around the globe.

Textile waste is a huge environmental issue.  According to the EPA, Americans discard approximately 13.1 million tons of textiles annually.  Only 15% of which is collected for reuse and recycling – leaving 11.2 million tons of textiles to be dumped in our nation’s landfills.

In 2011 USAgain kept 54.5 million items out of landfills, saving 342,857 cubic yards of landfill space and preventing 420,000,000 pounds of C02 from being released into the atmosphere.

“Everyday people throw away perfectly reusable and recyclable textiles, clothes and shoes because they don’t have a convenient option for recycling them,” said USAgain CEO Mattias Wallander. “It is our goal to prevent these items from being trashed and put them back in the use stream.”

USAgain, a green for-profit company, with over 10,000 drop-boxes located across 15 States, offers residents a convenient option for disposing unwanted clothing, shoes and other textiles.  The collected textiles are sold second-hand in the United States and around the globe.  Items that are not re-wearable are recycled into industrial wiping rags, furniture padding, insulation and more. 

To find a drop box near you visit: www.usagain.com
About 
USAgain, a leader in the textile recycling industry, with corporate headquarters in Chicago, is a for-profit company that recycles and resells unwanted clothing and other textiles. In 2011 alone, the company collected 60 million pounds of discarded clothing. USAgain operates over 10,000 collection bins in fifteen states. Their mission is to provide consumers with a convenient and eco-friendly option to rid themselves of excess clothing, which are then diverted from landfills.

 

Long before most businesses recognized that committing to green saved greenbacks, two reprographics leaders, – Océ and Xerox were instrumental in creating and refining best practices for sustainability. These two companies have developed and honed strong environmental programs.

Océ has long been recognized as an environmental leader. They approach sustainability from both ends. Their products are manufactured in a sustainable way; and they enable their customers to operate in a sustainable fashion. Océ has been listed on Dow Jones’ Sustainability Index since 2004. Among the issues the company considers are its energy and water consumption; the reusability of the components of its printers; the amount of waste the firm produces; and employee health and safety. Océ produces an annual sustainability report.

http://www.oceusa.com/sustainability.

Xerox also focuses on environmental issues.The company has a policy of “Waste-Free Products in Waste-Free Facilities.”Xerox manufacturing operations use an ISO14001 conforming environmental management system that ensures that environmental issues are considered in day-to-day activities. For more information on Xerox’s environmental policies, visit http://www.xerox.com/environment.

Océ and Xerox are certainly not the only reprographics equipment manufacturers with a focus on the environment. In today’s green-oriented world, nearly every company is. But Océ and Xerox are the first and have the most comprehensive sustainability policies and best practices.

An energy audit is a great way to discover places for you to save energy – and money. The first step in an energy audit is to talk to your power company. Many offer free audits that attempt to weed out energy wasting habits.

Second, consider energy management software.These programs track your usage and help you identify areas of waste. Take a demo of the Energy Lens program at http://www.energylens.com/.

If neither of those steps satisfy you, you may want to call in a pro. Many consultants these days conduct energy audits that identify air leaks, wasteful equipment, places that need more insulation, and such. Look online under “energy consultants”to find one near you.

Time to repaint the office? Don’t use normal paint and expect your employees to breathe those fumes for weeks later! The EPA claims indoor air is three times more polluted than outside air; reduce some of that by using paint with low quantities of volatile organic compounds (VOC).

Like many green ideas, using low-VOC paint has more than one advantage. Of course the air will be cleaner, but you’ll also be able to easily dispose of unused paint, since it’s not a hazardous waste.

There are actually three categories of environmentally smart paint: natural, zero-VOC, and low-VOC.

Natural paints are made from natural raw ingredients, such as plant oils, clay, and beeswax. These have virtually no emissions and are completely safe for your employees and the environment.

Paint with less than five grams of VOC per liter can be called “zero- VOC,” according to the EPA.

The amount of VOCs in low-VOC paints varies – the amount is written on the label – but they’re all below 300grams per liter, and many are under 50 grams per liter.

All low-VOC paints use water as the solvent rather than petroleum-based solvents. That in itself is a major advantage. Low-VOC paints also contain no, or very low levels of, heavy metals and formaldehyde.

Larry Fabina, energy team coordinator for ArcelorMittal USA in Chicago, says that over the past four years there has been a transformation at the steelmaker, both operationally and culturally, to be more focused on improved energy management. “From the shop floor to the desk space, many employees have become conscious about how energy use affects their day-to-day life at work and at home.”

In the United States, ArcelorMittal has achieved more than $22.7 million in ongoing annual energy savings by implementing 24 projects over the past two years. “The company also expanded the number of sites engaged in its energy program during 2010, with 90 percent of our U.S. sites using the ArcelorMittal Energy Management System model,” Fabina says. In 2008, ArcelorMittal was the first steel company to achieve an Energy Star award, and has done so for four consecutive years.

Last year, ArcelorMittal competed for and was awarded a matching grant of $31.6 million from the U.S. Department of Energy, through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, for a project to capture gas flare and reuse it to produce electricity at its Indiana Harbor facility. It also has another ARRA project in the works focused on reducing energy consumption at its Burns Harbor mill.

ArcelorMittal also has set a global goal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 8 percent per metric ton of steel by 2020, Fabina adds.

In 2010, The Timken Co., Canton, Ohio, transformed 1.6 million tons of scrap metal—the equivalent of 1.3 million junk cars—into some of the cleanest, strongest steel on earth. This Timken steel was made from nearly 100 percent recycled content, which included 350,000 tons of recycled scrap metal from Timken operations.

“Timken makes a positive impact on the world not only because of the types of products we make, but how we make them,” said Alan Oberster, vice president of environmental, health and safety. ”Our steelmaking process is a great example of this. We create value by making products the world needs, and by making our steel out of scrap, we conserve natural resources while putting mountains of waste to good use.”

Oberster added that being green is not new to the company, founded by Henry Timken in 1899, a pioneer in the development of roller bearings that have enabled the energy-efficient operation of vehicles and machinery from horse-drawn wagons to the Space Shuttle.
Timken also demonstrates industry leadership in efforts to reduce energy and waste in its operations:

• In 2010, Timken diverted 20,350 tons of electric-arc furnace dust from landfills, capturing and recycling the dust byproduct of the company’s steelmaking process. Timken’s steel manufacturing relies on energy-efficient electric technology that is a green alternative to blast-furnace or basic-oxygen-furnace methods.

• The company continuously invests in technologies that reduce the amount of electricity needed to produce its steel. Timken has cut the amount of energy needed to produce steel ingots by 27 percent since 1990.  Based on 2010 production alone, the electricity saved is enough to power 11 million homes for a day.

• At its Canton steel facilities, Timken recycles 30 million gallons of water waste each day through a closed-loop recycling process, enough to fill 45 Olympic-sized swimming pools.

In recognition of Earth Day, the company has posted videos on the Timken YouTube channel featuring recycling in its steelmaking process and green jobs in the company. A wind turbine animation shows how Timken’s technologies work inside these massive systems to harness the wind’s natural energy. Additional information about the company’s green and corporate citizenship initiatives is available at Timken’s website, www.timken.com.

As the Steel Market Development Institute (SMDI) celebrates the 41st anniversary of Earth Day, investing member companies remind consumers about the sustainability benefits and superior recycling attributes of steel – making it the most cost-effective, durable option for all market applications.

The North American steel industry has invested billions of dollars in new technologies over the past two decades. Expenditures directed towards these investments have had notable results, including reductions in energy consumption, reduced CO2 emissions, a reduced life cycle impact and increased recycling.  Since 1990, the industry has reduced energy intensity per ton of steel produced by 30 percent and CO2 emissions by 35 percent.

“Steel is integral to a modern society that enjoys a high quality of life, as we do in America. From the cars we drive to the bridges we cross, steel plays an essential role. It also provides safe packaging for the foods we eat, is a central material in the appliances we use and is the framing structure for the buildings in which we live and work. All of these steels will be recycled and re-appear as even better products, ensuring a safe and secure future,” Lawrence W. Kavanagh, president of SMDI, said. “In addition to being the world’s most recycled material, steel provides consumers with a number of benefits, such as improved fuel economy and reduced emissions in today’s vehicles, up to 40 percent cooling cost savings for buildings with reflective metal roofs, and reliable and recyclable steel utility poles that withstand wind and ice.”Kavanagh concluded that companies that select steel for their products are making the environmentally responsible choice.

SMDI, a business unit of the American Iron and Steel Institute, grows and maintains the use of steel through strategies that promote cost-effective solutions in the automotive, construction and container markets, as well as for new growth opportunities in emerging steel markets.  For more information, visit www.smdisteel.org.

In the not-too-distant future it’s possible, and even likely, that new subdivisions or “sustainable community” developments will follow a blueprint similar to Serosun Farms in Hampshire, IL.

This residential development located on 410 acres in Kane County and about 65 miles west of Chicago features custom homes that emphasize environmentally sustainable living.

But it also offers surroundings that fit right in with that concept, giving the title of “sustainable community” some significant meaning, while establishing what many believe will be a growing trend.

The buyers of these homes will be working closely with the developer, John DeWald & Associates, when discussions take place about design and construction. Architects and builders at Serosun Farms incorporate passive design elements that take into effect wind and sun patterns.

Another key green feature is a rainwater collection system, and geothermal heating and cooling.

With the homebuilders focusing on building and design aspects that aid the environment, those who live in the community will notice plenty of other “green” aspects will become part of daily life.

The community offers a farmer’s market with fresh produce, flowers, free-range poultry, grass-fed beef and other specialty items.

Wildlife habitats and prairie restoration will be incorporated into the grounds and surrounding areas.

Hay will be produced to support an equestrian center in the community, while permeable driveways and prairie grasses will ease rainwater runoff.

Residents will have access to community garden plots, allowing them the option of growing their own vegetables and fruits.

In ever-increasing numbers, American consumers are deciding that it’s important to be clean and green. A recent survey from the Soap and Detergent Association shows that Americans are taking numerous steps to make their laundry habits more environmentally friendly.

The National Cleaning Survey reveals that more U.S. households are laundering in cold water and switching to multi-purpose cleaning products. Echo Research questioned 1,000 American adults, including 500 men and 500 women, asking what changes, if any, they have made to their cleaning routines in the past year.

According to the survey:

• 58 percent are washing laundry in cold water more frequently.

• 41 percent have switched to multi-purpose cleaning products.

• 38 percent use refillable cleaning products.

• 36 percent bought high-efficiency or energy-efficient washers or dryers.

• 29 percent do laundry less frequently.

• 12 percent make their own cleaning products.

“Consumers are making conscious decisions about cleaning products and practices that support their beliefs,” says Nancy Bock, SDA Vice President of Education. “They are not choosing products as they did in the past.”

Additionally, Americans seem to be reading their detergent label directions a lot more than in the past. The 2010 SDA survey shows 62 percent of respondents say they have read the directions on a package of laundry detergent, vs. 38 percent who say they never have read the package. When SDA last asked that question in 2003, 49 percent said they had not read the detergent directions.

“Cleaning products are changing. Reading the label takes the guesswork out of dosage,” says Bock. “With newer detergent products introduced in recent years, it’s more important than ever to read the label and use the proper amount of detergent in the washer.”

Visit SDA’s website for information on laundry and fabric care products at:

http://www.cleaning101.com/laundry

One of the most common kitchen appliances is becoming more affordable for those who are green conscious, especially in the area of energy savings, and will soon be available in the United States with models that cut down on chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) or hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) refrigerant emissions.

Known more commonly as Freon, the CFC emissions were common in refrigerators that Americans purchased prior to 1966 and considered a threat to the ozone layer. More recently, refrigerators have used the HFC refrigerant that has been tied to global warming. Since the 1990s, environmentalists have been pushing to stop emissions of CFCs or HFCs into the atmosphere by encouraging the use of a hydrocarbon refrigerant, which is a more natural combination of hydrogens and carbons that do not degrade the ozone and are easily broken down by the sun.

Refrigerator manufacturers have responded in recent years by making it more affordable to purchase a “green” refrigerator, one using high-efficiency motors and vacuum insulated panels that consume less power. Within the next year, the use of hydrocarbons will become more commonplace as well. Germany is credited by environmentalists with starting this trend toward hydrocarbon refrigerants in 1993, which was about the same time that the U.S. began embracing HFCs as a replacement for CFCs.

Although refrigerators account for far less global consumption of HFCs than air-conditioners in automobiles, it is believed that an HFC refrigerator’s impact on the climate is nearly 4,000 times more potent over a 20-year period than the far more common greenhouse gas of carbon dioxide.

Since the first Greenfreeze refrigerator was sold in Germany early in 1993, it is estimated that more than 400 million hydrocarbon household units have been sold by major manufacturers such as Whirlpool, Haier and Sanyo.

While Americans wait for that option, they can still obtain energy-efficient models and do their own maintenance to keep the appliance from draining unnecessary power. Vacuuming the refrigerator coils at least once a year helps maintain energy-efficient operation. The seal around the refrigerator door can be checked by closing the door on a dollar bill. Replace the gasket if the bill falls out or can be easily removed without opening the door. Keep door gaskets clean of mold and mildew with mild detergent and water, not bleach, say the experts.