The LOOP - Issue 39 May/June, 2006 Third Annual Conference of the Sustainable Business Network of Greater Philadelphia - Theme: Prosperity, Place, Passion May 19-20, 2006 * Philadelphia, PA The goals of the Annual Conference are to share our vision, inspire action and provide practical tools to people on the ground. We've got a long track record of inspiration: last year, 100% of participants said they were inspired by attending this conference! Join us this year to clarify your vision for building a local living economy in this region, share ideas, and have a blast! More info available at: www.sbnphiladelphia.org To Mulch with Rubber or Not to Mulch, That is the Question. CONSUMER REPORTS is the trusted monthly magazine from America s #1 consumer product testing center for unbiased product ratings and advice. They gave rubber mulch a stating, "It can eliminate the need for annual mulching, since rubber doesn't break down as wood does; it's heavy enough to stay put; and you can use less of it than wood mulch: Rubber mulch need be only 1.5 inches deep vs. about 3 inches for wood mulch." For the complete report: http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/home-garden/home-improvement/mulch-rubber-vs-wood-506 /overview.htm Ideas for fund raising: 101 Things to Do With Spare CD Rom Disks: http://www.hintsandthings.co.uk/musichall/CDroms.htm Non-profit organizations can save their paper & cardboard and bring them to your local recycling center & get paid for bringing tons of clean/dry paper & cardboard (1st call the local MRF to check on minimum quantities to be paid for). Construction & Demolition (C&D) Recycling - According to the 2004 Statewide Waste Characterization Study, construction and demolition (C&D) materials account for almost 22 percent of the waste stream. Many of these materials can be reused or recycled, thus prolonging our supply of natural resources and potentially saving money in the process. Common C&D materials include lumber, drywall, metals, masonry (brick, concrete, etc.), carpet, plastic, pipe, rocks, dirt, paper, cardboard, or green waste related to land development. Of these, metals are the most commonly recycled material while lumber makes up the majority of debris that still goes to a landfill. At the end of a building's life, demolition generates large amounts of materials that can be reused or recycled, principally wood, concrete and other types of masonry, and drywall. Rather than demolish an entire building, consider "deconstructing" all or part of the structure. Deconstruction is the orderly dismantling building components for reuse or recycling. In contrast to demolition, where buildings are knocked down and materials are either landfilled or recycled, deconstruction involves carefully taking apart portions of buildings or removing their contents with the primary goal being reuse. It can be as simple as stripping out cabinetry, fixtures, and windows, or as involved as manually taking apart the building frame. Through careful planning, reuse and recycling of C&D materials can actually be more economical than disposal. For information about common C&D recycling practices and techniques as they apply to specific materials, visit these sites: http://www.epa.gov/epaoswer/non-hw/debris-new/index.htm http://www.ilsrorg/recycling/buildingdebris.pdf http://www.drywallrecycling.org/ http://www.shinglerecycling.org/ http://www.ciwmb.ca.gov/ConDemo/#Reuse Americans Recycling 28.5 Percent of Their Trash, But Still Throw Most Away BioCycle magazine's 15th Nationwide Survey, the "State of Garbage In America," reports that Americans recycled 28.5 percent of their waste, or 110.4 million tons. By comparison, 64 percent 248.6 million tons of waste still is thrown away in landfills, with the remainder, 7.4 percent or 28.9 million tons, burned, mostly in waste-to-energy plants.waste stream studies have found that close to 60 percent of what is thrown away could be recovered, including paper, beverage containers, food waste and wood." http://www.jgpress.com/archives/_free/000848.html#more Marketplace Exceptional Products from Close the Loop: All of our recycled products are proudly Made in the USA! Green is the new Red, White & Blue - Turning waste into a valuable resource Close the Loop is based in Kunkletown, PA and uses recycled materials to offer new surfacing and building products, such as rubber mulch, rubber pavers, and recycled plastic post & rail fencing. Our products are often used in equestrian centers, homes, schools & township playgrounds. It is patriotic to purchase recycled products & keep our country clean & green! Please visit our website at www.closetheloop.com for these and many other high quality recycled products. Close the Loop is offering scholarships to Camp Invention - Children are taught to use their own imaginations, broken appliances, and recycled materials to create new inventions. At camp, children will learn physics, engineering, creative problem-solving in a fun way designed to promote a passion for science while they also learn to entertain themselves with the everyday materials they can find at home. For more information, please visit: www.closetheloopcom/camp_invention.html Inspirational Quotes: "Those who dwell among the beauties and mysteries of the earth are never alone or weary of life." Rachel Carson "May and June. Soft syllables, gentle names for the two best months in the garden year: cool, misty mornings gently burned away with a warming spring sun, followed by breezy afternoons and chilly nights. The discussion of philosophy is over; it's time for work to begin." - Peter Loewer -- Close the Loop |
