The LOOP - Issue 31 January, 2005 www.closetheloop.com Tree & Gift Recycling TREECYCLING: With over 33 million real Christmas trees sold in North America every year, Christmas tree recycling is an important way to give a renewable, recyclable resource back to the environment. Find specific drop-off sites in your area to recycle your Christmas tree by visiting: http://pennsylvania.earth911.org/master.asp?s=misc&a=misc/xmas/treecycle.html SWAPAGIFT: An opportunity to swap your unwanted gift cards for cash and other gift cards. Check it out online at: www.swapagift.com Just Ask For It! - Reducing insurance costs for public playgrounds - For public playgrounds in schools, daycares & municipalities, many insurance companies will negotiate the best possible rate based on multiple factors. Insurance underwriters can be influenced by certain factors that increase the safety of the surface by using rubber mulch; as much as 5% savings! Since 79% of the injuries are from falls to the surface below, if you have or plan to use rubber mulch, you just may have a significant savings on insurance & liability costs. Just ask for an IRPM credit due to a safer surface, as your risk for injury is reduced with this type of rubber surfacing, and real environmental progress is achieved by using recycled tires. Definition: IRPM--individual risk premium modification rating plan. A rating plan where equitable rates or premiums can be developed for specific policies by taking into consideration factors likely to affect future losses and expenses. Expense modification is based on the fact that handling costs of large risks may vary from the average. Risk modification recognizes special characteristics, other than those considered in the determination of the basic rate. For more information, contact Mike Dolon of Dryfoos Insurance 800.253.6728. Worth doing right - Electronic recycling - Webster's defines the word "recycle" as follows:Recycle (1926): 1: to pass again through a series of changes or treatments: as a: to process (as liquid body waste, glass or cans) in order to regain material for human use b: RECOVER 2: to adapt to a new use: ALTER 3: to bring back: REUSE <a light, chatty tribute that recycles a number of good anecdotes Larry McMurtry> 4: to make ready for reuse <the plan to recycle long-vacant tenements> vi 1: to return to an earlier point in a countdown 2: to return to an original condition so that operation can begin again used of an electronic device recyclable (adj.) recycler (n) MORE THAN WORDS. If we could only stop there and get to work. The definition seems reasonable, complete and even includes the words, "electronic device." Perhaps it meant a radio or a light bulb consisting of more "organic" materials like wood, copper, iron, tin, lead and glass, not the complex synthetic and less organic materials that are much more difficult to recycle and that also have a half-life many times that of the simpler elements of yesterday's products.The troubling part of electronics recycling is the residential consumer probably believes that every e-recycler is at the very least ultimately providing for the same kind of recycling to answer the question: Is my computer being recycled properly? Is it being kept out of a landfill, and is the recycling process doing more good than harm to our environment? I would contend that genuine electronics recycling is NOT cheap. Anything worth doing right is never easy or cheap. Tom Hogye, writing in Recycling Today http://www.recyclingtoday.com/Articles/article.asp?Id=5416 SpaceShipOne - Tire rubber fuels outer space journey - SpaceShipOne uses a hybrid motor. This is because the motor has combined elements from both solid and liquid rocket motors. This makes for a unique motor capable of accelerating SpaceShipOne to twice the speed of sound. But the fuel it burns to do this is even more interesting. To cut down on both cost and risk, SpaceShipOne is propelled by a mixture of hydroxy-terminated polybutadiene (tire rubber) and nitrous oxide (laughing gas). The rubber acts as the fuel and the laughing gas as the oxidizer. Want more info on spaceshipone? Check out: http://science.howstuffworks.com/spaceshipone5.htm What's Your Opinion? - Thanks for last newsletter answers to What environmental issue should the newly elected president focus on? Answers received: Renewable energy, Greenhouse gas emissions, Producer responsibility, Finally work with other nations to enforce and build on Kyoto agreement. Marketplace Exceptional Products Horse Turf - Close the Loop offers the premiere footing for horse arenas. Using rubber mulch in your horse arena has many benefits: cost effective (long lasting), resist to mold, mildew and rot, helps the environment by using recycled materials, superior surface drainage, reduced dust & greater cushion and less stress on the horse & rider. Please contact us for a quote. http://www.closetheloop.com/tirechips_horse.html Playground Rubber Mulch - Simply the most shock absorbing playground surface on the market today. Please call or email for more information or a quote. http://www.closetheloop.com/tirechips.htm NEW! Rubber Curbs & Timbers - http://www.closetheloop.com/rubbercurb.html NEW! CD Pins - Amazingly hand-cut and decorated with wire & beautiful beading from a legally blind artist - http://www.closetheloop.com/cd_pins.html - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Inspirational Quotes: For last year's words belong to last year's language And next year's words await another voice. And to make an end is to make a beginning. ~T.S. Eliot, "Little Gidding" A New Year's Prayer Dear Lord, please give me A few friends who understand me and remain my friends; A work to do which has real value, without which the world would be the poorer; A mind unafraid to travel, even though the trail be not blazed; An understanding heart; A sense of humor; Time for quiet, silent meditation; A feeling of the presence of God; The patience to wait for the coming of these things, With the wisdom to recognize them when they come. Amen. ~Anonymous Wishing you and your loved ones a Happy and Peaceful New Year. Close the Loop To donate to theTsunami Disaster Relief, please visit one of these organizations websites: http://www.careusa.org/ http://www.redcross.org/ |
