Last Holiday Reminder

I suppose this would be idea #11. Don't forget your Christmas cards. Not the ones with the adorable children and beautiful families but the regular cards. Don't throw them away, don't even recycle these! If you have the money to spend for shipping please think about re-puposing your old Christmas, Hanukkah, birthday, and other occasion cards. Also, think about buying these cards for birthdays or get a jump start on the holiday's for next year! See below.



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Recycled Card Program

WE NOW ACCEPT USED, ALL-OCCASION CARDS YEAR ROUND!!

You can mail your donations to:

St. Jude’s Ranch for Children
Recycled Card Program
100 St. Jude’s Street
Boulder City, NV 89005

Phone orders:
877-977-SJRC (7572)

Recycled Card Program History
Over thirty years ago, wishing to show our donors appreciation for making St. Jude’s Ranch for Children possible, the idea was conceived for turning the previous year’s Christmas cards into “new” cards for the coming season. The recipients were so delighted with their unique “thank you,” they requested the children sell them the special cards. And so, the St. Jude’s Ranch Recycled Card Program was born.

Since then, the program expanded to include all occasion greeting cards…just about anything that starts with a used greeting card. People from all over the world have sent us their used cards!
Operated by Kids’ Corp., a program for the children at St. Jude’s Ranch to learn entrepreneurship skills, the children participate in making the new cards by removing the front and attaching a new back. The result is a beautiful new card made by the children and volunteers. The benefits are two-fold: customers receive “green” holiday cards for use and the children receive payment for their work and learn the benefits and importance of “going green”.

The ongoing support for the Recycled Card Program has been overwhelming! The Program grew and soon we were receiving over one million cards. We have since redesigned the process to more efficiently manage the increased production from the increased volume and we welcome your submissions!

NOTE: We currently have an increased need for both Birthday and Thank You card submissions.

To Purchase Cards:
Cards are sold in packets of 10 for $10.00 and are available in the following categories:

• General Christmas Cards
• Religious Christmas Cards
• Easter Cards
• Birthday Cards
• Thank You Cards
• All Occasion General Greeting Cards

Orders may be placed by any of the methods below:

• By Phone:
  1-877-977-SJRC (7572)
• By US Mail:
  Send your request and donation to:
  St. Jude’s Ranch for Children
  ATTN: Donor Office
  P.O. Box 60100
  Boulder City, NV 89006-0100

To Donate Cards:
We welcome your donation and ask that you please review the below tips before sending your donation. Currently, we have found the least expensive way to mail large quantities of card donations is through the USPS in a Flat Rate Box which holds up to 70 pounds (available at the Post Office).
Card Donating Tips:

• All types of greeting cards, including Christmas are used.
• Only the card front can be used (please check to be sure the back side is clear of any writing, etc.)
• We can not accept Hallmark, Disney or American Greeting cards.
• 5″ x 7″ size or smaller is preferred.
• Mail donations to :
  St. Jude’s Ranch for Children
  Recycled Card Program
  100 St. Jude’s Street
  Boulder City, NV 89005
• Thank you!

10 Holiday Reminders

HAPPY HOLIDAY'S!

I was thinking about 'reduce, reuse, recycle' tonight. The holiday's are literally right around the corner and I started wondering about how much is wasted and thrown out that could be saved during this time of year. My brain started racing. I know we, as a family, recycle everything we can after we celebrate, throw out some, but still throw out much less than we used to, but it still seems like too much. Here are some ideas that might help your household with keeping a few things out of the landfill over the next couple of holiday weekends.

1) Recycle everything (cardboard and plastic mostly). Most toys have a hard plastic that cannot be recycled. Double check for the recycle 1 and 2 symbols on the packaging. All of the cardboard can be recycled though, and don't forget tags from clothes, other packaging and most wrapping paper. (Check here for details on wrapping paper.)

2) Boxes and gift bags can be saved and reused for years and years.

3) Invest in reusable gift bags. Or, make gift bags on your own using cloth scraps, old jeans, men's dress shirts, or fun kids t-shirts.

4) Buy recycled wrapping paper or use the comic section of the newspaper.

5) Use cloth ribbon and bows to decorate gifts. These can be used year after year.

6) Keep the plastic twisty ties and rubber bands that hold toy parts together. Can even label a gift boxes to store. The twisty ties that usually come on gifts are usually thicker than the garbage bag variety, super handy to have around the house.

7) Instead of buying all of your gifts, make a few. Baked goods, dry soup mixes, and homemade crafts are great to give as well as receive. You can even include the recipe.

8) After using gift cards save them to refill for someone else or reuse for yourself. (I've used gift cards for scrapbooking and my son has used them for bookmarks.)

9) Have your kids (or yourself) make the gift tags and cards. These give a special touch to the gift, especially for grandparents, aunts and uncles.

10) Don't forget to shop local. This will reduce your holiday footprint and support your local economy.

Feeling 'Winey'

After a very long week, tonight I was feeling 'winey'. Over the past 2 weeks I have had 3 days of training for work, finished baseball with son for the summer, started football for the fall with him, attended school meetings, bought school supplies, moved heavy wood furniture with my mom and hubs and finished the book "Sarah's Key".  I had a need to be 'winey'.

I love trying new brands of wine. Even if I dislike the taste. I love the experience of trying something new, for myself, no one else.

In July, my friend Sara recommended Bota Box wine to me. I had never heard of the brand, wine, nothing. Tonight, I made an extra trip 'back to town' (aka: 3 miles away) to pick up something nice for the hubs and a much needed bottle for me.

I have vaguely read about the different wineries that are known for organic or eco-friendly wine. I wish to try them all. Any company, large or small that is trying to make a difference is worth investing in... in my own opinion. That was when I had an 'ah ha' moment. I saw the Bota Box selections. For my first wine I picked the Pinot Grigio. I. Love. It.

I love the taste and flavor, the orange and tan box, and the recycleable imprint on the top right corner.  I just knew I had to look into this.  I found the company online and read this:

Bota Box not only has a new, more natural look, but is environmentally friendly too! According to recent studies, Premium Bag-In-Box wines use 85% less landfill waste than traditional glass packages and has a smaller carbon footprint as well. Bota Box takes it one step further to ensure that the box is not only recyclable, but that the manufacturing of the box is green.

Bota Box is printed on recycled paper containing 100% post-consumer fiber.

The box is 100% recyclable.
We now print directly on Kraft paper which doesn't need to be bleached like white paper.
The paper layers are bonded together with cornstarch instead of glue.
All inks and coatings are soy based instead of petroleum based.

The bag does not contain phthalate plasticizers or Bisphenol-A (BPA).

So whether you like red or white wine, when you choose Bota Box it doesn't matter because they are both green!

I love the wine and the box. I also am happy that I am supporting a company that consciously decided to change the norms and make a difference. So I ask you, what company have you switched to that makes a difference, large or small?

Add caption

Create-A-Crayon

Recycle your old color crayons into new ones!

Over the past 10 years Cole has accumulated more crayons in our house than I can count! Restaurant crayons make up a large portion. After working in the restaurant business I noticed thousands of crayons were being thrown away from the kids meal sets. Each crayon set is packaged by 2 or 4 and then tossed after use, but I suppose that is sanitary. Either way, Cole wanted to keep all of his crayons and so we did! The other random crayons came from kid craft sets, gifts and the boxes that were sent back at the end of each school year. There might even be a few road-side, sidewalk crayons in there.  A couple times, when Cole was little, we would smash up the crayons and make jumbo-crayons. Fun for little hands and a free new crayon.

Needed:
Crayons bits
Muffin Pan
Foil
Non-stick Cooking Spray

Directions:
1. Heat oven 300 degrees.
2. Line muffin pan cups with foil.
3. Spray the foil very lightly with non-stick cooking spray (makes crayons easier to remove).
4. Break old crayons into tiny pieces, less than an inch.
5. Fill the muffin pan cups with crayon pieces. Fill each cup with like colors OR mix colors.
6. Place muffin tin in the oven.
7. Leave tin in oven until all the crayon pieces are melted.
8. Remove from oven and let cool.
9. Once cooled pop out the crayons and try them!

Tip:
Oven time will vary depending on how many crayons you use.
For fun shaped crayons try using candy molds.



Beltrami County Recycling and Waste Management

Beltrami County has two ways to recycle your main consumer products: Fibers and Containers.

Containers are described as: bottles (glass, plastics, aluminum and tin), plastics, only with a neck and [1] or [2] labeled on the bottom. To recycle they ask that all containers be rinsed and clear of all product residues. Lids must also be removed.

Examples of [1]

Bottles: water, juice, milk, medicine containers, household cleaner bottles, ice cream buckets. Once it has been processed by a recycling facility, [1] PETE can become fiberfill for winter coats, sleeping bags and life jackets. It can also be used to make bean bags, rope, car bumpers, tennis ball felt, combs, cassette tapes, sails for boats, furniture and, of course, other plastic bottles.

Examples of [2]

Containers: detergents, bleach and household cleaner bottles, milk jugs, car fluid bottles, watering cans, and heavier plastics. Plastic labeled with the number [2] is often recycled into toys, piping, plastic lumber and rope.

Examples of Fibers:

Newspapers, magazines, corrugated cardboard, paper bags, books (without bindings), pamphlets, cereal boxes (etc.), phone books, mixed paper. Even paper with staples and plastic 'windows' can be recycled in the Fiber bin. Do not put laminated paper or laminated layered products in Fiber recycling.

Where to Recycle:


Bemidji Solid Waste Transfer Station
751 Industrial Drive SE, Bemidji
Phone: 218-751-1668
M-F 8:00-5:00
Sat. 8:00 – 1:00


Blackduck/Kelliher Transfer Station
33003 Hwy 72 NE, Blackduck
Phone: 218-835-6961
M-Tu. – Th.-F 8:00 – 5:00
Sat. 8:00 – 1:00
Closed Wednesday


Ten Lakes Rural Site
23170 Power Dam Rd NE, Bemidji
Monday: 5:30 PM – 8:30 PM
Thursday: 5:30 PM – 8:30 PM
Saturday 8:00 AM – 3:00 PM


Waskish Rural Site
5537 Hillman Dr, Waskish
M-Sat. 8:00 AM – 6:00 PM


Nebish Rural Site
4934 Lumberjack Rd NW, Puposky
M-F 8:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Sat. 8:00 AM – 3:00 PM


Pinewood Rural Site
12921 Centerline Rd NW, Pinewood
M-F 8:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Sat. 8:00 AM – 3:00 PM


Fourtown Rural Site
63063 Fourtown Rd NW, Fourtown
9:00 AM – 8:00 PM 7 days/week

Stand alone Recycling bins:
Herberger's parking lot
Near Slim's Bar and Grill
Tom Stop gas station

For complete information visit the Beltrami County website and these links:
http://www.co.beltrami.mn.us/Departments/Env%20Services/resources/Recycling%20Program%20Brochure.pdf

http://www.pca.state.mn.us/index.php/component/option,com_docman/task,doc_view/gid,11360

Coming Next... Hubbard County

I Can Save the Earth!: One Little Monster Learns to Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle (Little Green Books)

Back Thru The Future

Recycling is not always free, but worth it!

Back Thru the Future does CD, DVD, and computer hard drives.

http://www.backthruthefuture.com/

The only cost is shipping.

The post office does have standard shipping boxes that I think are well worth the shipping price.

At work we have a CD shredder that I use now for all work, other agency and personal shredding of CD's and DVD's. Last year we sent in one box of shredded CD/DVD's . There were over 400 CD's! These could have been in the garbage for hundreds of years, we really have no idea how long they will last in a landfill environment.

Since our first shipement I have been collecting disks that come in the mail, old CD computer games and other disks from other agencies in my building and am getting really close to sending our second box. I am hoping to get other agencies at work to join in and assist with the collection of CD's and DVD's, but we'll see how that goes!

http://www.cdrecyclingforfree.com/

http://www.freeharddriverecycling.com/

Above are pictures of the final product! We put everything in a plastic bag becasue the edges are sharp from the shredding. Not sure there was be a way to re-use the CD's at this point for anythign fun because they are so sharp. We send them in the boxes shredded for security purposes but they will also accept full CD/DVD's and shred them for you.