Think Outside The Bin

The Stuff Stop

Melinda Anderson — Mon, 07 May 2012 18:16:31 +0000

Professional Organizer Sue Anderson at Simplified Living Solutions has launched a new website called The Stuff Stop that matches up people’s unwanted stuff with people (charities & ministries) that need your unwanted items. With a simple click of the mouse you will be connected with places that want your stuff or that can help you dispose of it in a green way.

The Stuff Stop is a nationwide resource for donating and recycling electronics, hobby and sports equipment, household items, kids items, medical equipment, medical supplies, office, school and packing supplies, party and event supplies, shoes, clothing, accessories, and vehicles.

Think Outside The Bin is a Go-To Resource

Think Outside The Bin — Fri, 23 Mar 2012 19:20:21 +0000

At the 2012 Virginia State Conference of the Daughters of the American Revolution, Think Outside The Bin was recognized as the “go to” source for recycling. This resource guide helped the Frances Bland Randolph Chapter in Petersburg, VA win the State Recycling Award!

Frances Bland Randolph daughters have a long tradition of being excellent stewards of the environment by annually recycling hundreds of pounds of newspapers, aluminum, plastics and other items.

Rainforest Alliance Thinks Outside The Bin

Verde Mom — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 11:14:52 +0000

RAINFOREST ALLIANCE

Image Courtesy of Rainforest Alliance

At a local coffee house recently, I noticed a cute little green frog. Not an actual frog (that would have been alarming beside my Mocha Latte), but a certification seal on a sign. It accompanied the proud announcement that they served only “Rainforest Alliance Certified” coffee beans.

The frog looked familiar, I’ve seen it showing up in other areas and on product labels, so I did some research to find out it’s significance. I was so happy that I did. The frog is a seal that comes from The Rainforest Alliance, and it indicates that the contents of the package were grown on sustainably managed farms. What does that have to do with recycling? Everything!

Consumers around the globe recognize the little green frog as a symbol of environmental, social and economic sustainability. This year marks the 25^th anniversary of the Rainforest Alliance. With an annual operating budget of $30 million and operations in 66 countries, they are a significant force for positive change, with a true global reach. The Rainforest Alliance (www.rainforest-alliance.org) is a non-profit organization that is dedicated to conserve biodiversity and ensure sustainable livelihoods by transforming land-use practices, business practices and consumer behavior.

The organization started with forest conservation in mind and moved into the agricultural industry, first with bananas. Chiquita currently produces 85% of their bananas with the Rainforest Alliance Certified methods, even though they don’t market the seal on their products yet.

You can already find the little frog in many places, so be on the lookout for him, knowing your purchase is helping to promote good farming practices and protecting the rights and wellbeing of farm workers. The company helps workers transform the way they grow food, harvest wood and host travelers. They make sure all workers are paid fair wages and have access to quality education and healthcare and no child labor is allowed.

The conservation methods used by the Rainforest Alliance include composting and recycling waste, and they help protect the forests and wildlife. They established the Forest Stewardship Council, another symbol to look for (FSC) when buying wood products and paper products. They are dedicated to conserving forests and logging in a responsible manner. The Rainforest Alliance has set the standard for all corporations to follow, to insure a more sustainable future for our children.

You can already ‘follow the frog’ at a store near you, finding him on labels such as Lipton Tea, Newman’s Own Chocolate, Mars Cocoa and even on some cosmetics and cleaners. Caribou Coffee, WalMart, Target, Whole Foods, Sam’s Club, Costco, McDonalds, P.F. Chang’s, Goldman Sachs, The Waldorf Astoria, Holiday Inn, Marriott, SeaWorld, Hilton, Hyatt and others have incorporated Rainforest Alliance products.

Think of your shopping choices as enormous decisions. Every time you choose a product, hotel or piece of furniture, you can help the recycling effort, protect rainforests, wildlife and riverbanks. By making a conscious effort to follow the frog, you are making an immediate difference around the globe.

www.rainforest-alliance.org/

Top Ten Recycling Tips from Think Outside The Bin

Think Outside The Bin — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 11:14:36 +0000

THINK OUTSIDE THE BIN

“Think Outside The Bin: Discard your common household items, help your neighbor, help your earth” was written with a vision of making a difference in America’s homes and landfills. In celebration of our success, we offer you The Best Recycling Tips of 2011, our top picks and posts for the year:

10. Top 5 Benefits of Social Recycling

9. Cosmetic Database will convince you to recycle toxic products

8. Get Organized Month gift for you

7. The sights and smells of a landfill

6. Don’t laugh, dentures can be donated!

5. Crocs Cares about recycling - Our #1 clicked link was for recycling Crocs!

4. Landfill statistics and Zero Waste America

3. 21 Ways to Recycle Medicine Bottles

2. A sea of plastic: More plastic than plankton in our ocean

And the Ball Drops…

1. Our #1 Post viewed by over 500 people in one day was: Landfill Statistics in the U.S… Staggering.

Happy New Year…and thank you for your support and for your willingness to Think Outside The Bin this year!

Think Outside The Bin 2011 in review

Think Outside The Bin — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 01:51:42 +0000

The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2011 annual report for this blog.

Here’s an excerpt:

The concert hall at the Syndey Opera House holds 2,700 people. This blog was viewed about 22,000 times in 2011. If it were a concert at Sydney Opera House, it would take about 8 sold-out performances for that many people to see it.

Click here to see the complete report.

New Year’s Resolution to Recycle More

Think Outside The Bin — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 11:14:25 +0000

Start a Recycling Revolution in 2012!

Some resolutions to consider:

Resolve to begin recycling if you don’t already. You can start small. This site provides a wealth of information about getting your recycling efforts off the ground.

If you already recycle, step it up a notch. If your curbside recycling service doesn’t accept a particular item (like glass or cardboard), resolve to begin taking that item to the drop off facility in your area.

Resolve to purchase more products packaged with post consumer recycled materials. The higher the percentage listed on the package, the better.

Resolve to purchase more items made from recycled materials. Paper towels, toilet paper, napkins, and many other paper products fall into this category.

Resolve to purchase more items in bulk, thus reducing packaging waste.

Resolve to create at least one creative craft using something you might otherwise throw away. This is fun, gets your creative juices flowing, can reduce stress, and is a great way to spend some quality time with your family.

http://www.recycling-revolution.com/recycling-resolutions.html

Gift Card “Recycling”: Oprah and Forbes like Plastic Jungle

Think Outside The Bin — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 11:14:49 +0000

PLASTIC JUNGLE

Plastic Jungle helps you buy, sell or exchange gift cards and get cash for cards you don’t want. When you receive a gift card you don’t want, get cash for it or buy another retailer’s gift card, easily and online in moments at Plastic Jungle. Plastic Jungle has over 16,000 Facebook Fans and has been seen in The Oprah Magazine, Wall Street Journal, USA Today, Fox Business, Forbes, TechCrunch, NBC and The New York Times.

www.plasticjungle.com

Think Outside The Bin Resources for Gift Cards

Donation Valuation Guides for End of Year Giving

Think Outside The Bin — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 11:14:33 +0000

Out with the old, in with the new. The last week of the year is a busy time for Goodwill, Salvation Army and other organizations that collect donations of clothing, household items, electronics and more.

“The joy of giving is indeed a pleasure, especially when you get rid of something you don’t want.” -Frank Butler and Frank Cavett, “Going My Way”

Maximize the amount of your anticipated tax refund in the Spring by making an itemized list NOW of everything you donate before the end of the year. Check out this Think Outside The Bin post with several donation valuation guides for you:

http://thinkoutsidethebin.com/2011/09/16/how-much-is-your-donation-worth/

Government Tax Incentives for Going Green

Think Outside The Bin — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 11:14:35 +0000

As the end of the year approaches, think outside the bin and reflect…have you taken steps this year to make a difference in your environment? Celebrate your accomplishments and think forward to the next upgrades you plan to make in energy efficient appliances, home improvements or other areas that will save you money and save energy.

The U.S. Government is rewarding us, in tax incentives, for ‘going green’ but many of their programs expire at the end of 2011. Read all about these soon-to-expire incentives in Tracy’s December 2011 column (In H.O.P.E.), In Honor of Planet Earth.

http://www2.independenttribune.com/news/2011/dec/11/government-gifts-going-green-ar-1702609/

When you upgrade and need to recycle your old appliances, doors, windows, etc. check out our previous post ideas:

Donate Appliances

Rebates Offered to Recycle Appliances

Donate Building Materials

Buy My Tronics Makes an Impact in eWaste

Think Outside The Bin — Mon, 26 Dec 2011 11:14:10 +0000

BUY MY TRONICS

Cash for your electronics has never been easier! Check out Buy My Tronics for an online recycling option for your electronic item. Submit your item and get the value of it before deciding to sell it, then send it to Buy My Tronics and they will put the money into your PayPal account once it is received and the condition is verified.

Buymytronics.com has received favorable press from MSNBC, CNN and PC World:

Watch the MSNBC video about how Buy My Tronics works:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/24359133#24274337

http://tech.fortune.cnn.com/2008/06/17/how-much-is-your-old-iphone-worth/

http://www.maclife.com/article/dead_ipod_dont_scrap_it_sell_it