San Francisco already covets the highest recycling rate in the nation but city officials think that the city could do better than a 72% recycling rate.

I can see the pros here, I mean, obviously I want people to recycle, but personally, I’m thinking the cons may outweigh the pros of hitting that 75% recycling rate. I’m of the mindset that you can’t force things, green or otherwise on people (barring the serious stuff – yeah, please don’t shoot people). Once you impose fines on recycling what’s next? Fines for not carrying a reusable grocery bag or fines if you can’t afford solar panels on your house? What about fines for feeding your kids non-organics. I mean, it gets pretty sticky.

I also don’t like that recycling is being singled out in this way, as if recycling is the most important green act you could do. It seems to take importance off other issues. Lastly, when green gets pushy, green doesn’t make friends. I’ve seen it a million times. Once green folks say “YOU HAVE TO DO THIS” we loose people in the cause because forcible green is one, not cool, and two, not as effective as people going green on their own.

On the flip side, we do fine folks for things like littering, and not recycling is one of the most littering thing you can do.

I don’t know. My whole deal with green is helping folks to realize that small green steps can build up until you naturally succeeds at a higher level of green living on your own terms. That’s a green lifestyle that lasts. Forcing recycling… it means well, but it may be too much.

What do you think?

[image via stock.xchng]

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First – a round-up for the kiddos…

This first video is hands down my most favorite recycling video for kids, by kids (ok older teens) of all time. These kids are so flipping funny and so on target with the music and how the video was cut. I laugh every single time I watch it.

What tofu does when you walk away… I love this video – it’s pretty silly. My son liked it, but then he’s a strange kiddo. If you’ve got a wacky kid they might like this too. Or you can simply read more about kids and tofu.

Last up, a video for little ones that explains recycling in terms they can totally understand.

Grab your kids and enjoy – later I’ll post a round up of some of the more adult-minded green videos from THF’s past.

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The SamePaperPlayAgain recycling bin from the folks at FeelAddicted adds some kick to the recycling experience. Literally.

Use it at home or the office to spice things up. I suggest a contest, maybe with office supply prizes. At home I bet the kids would love this too.

Visit FeelAddicted to learn more.

[images via FeelAddicted]

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Think carefully about upgrades: Do you really need to upgrade to a bigger, newer, more flashy version? Flashy new stuff is overrated, especially if your old equipment works well. If you think you need more space, say on an iPod, you may not. Don’t tell me you listen to every song you own every day – transfer some old ones to your computer or another hard drive.

Can you fix it?: If you can fix your equipment for a decent price, you’ll expand its lifespan, save resources, and save cash. This is a choice to weigh carefully though. If you have a big appliance or electronic item, it might be better to buy a newer, more energy efficient version and recycle the old less energy efficient one.

Look at the company: Buy products that come from companies who have recycling programs in place. If you’re getting rid of something, check with the company for a program as well.

Buy energy efficient: Look for the Energy Star label. Not only is Energy Star good for you – saves you money and energy, but this label is a big plug for the earth. Because the label exists, manufacturers have a label to aim for. The label allows energy efficient products to be more prevalent, so buy them over non-Energy Star items.

Look to eBay: I’m not personally into eBay; all that bidding and stuff is confusing to me. However, eBay does have a cool Rethink Initiative going on. The Rethink site offers “Information, tools and solutions that make it easy – and even profitable – to find new users for idle computers and electronics, and responsibly recycle unwanted products.”

Recycle: After thinking a purchase through you can donate an older, but still working piece of equipment to a local non-profit or a company that will do this for you. You can also swap your equipment or give it to a recycling organization. If you don’t know where to recycle, Earth 911 is one of the best general recycling resources; they can help you find out how to recycle almost anything.

Bonus tip: brush up on your basic recycling terms: Recycling Terms You Should Know Part One and Part Two.

Are you getting new electronics this holiday season?

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One small step that can make this easier for your kids is to add pictures to the bins. Yeah, some bins have pictures, but they’re not all that great. Use your digital camera to take photos of typical items you recycle at home, and tape them onto the correct bins. Another idea is to have your child draw pictures – but only do this if your child draws well enough to remind himself which bin is which.

Click here to learn about all the current contests, themes, and green challenges going on at Tree Hugging Family in August 2008

[image via Jennifer's stock collection]

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We used to be able to look at a container, note the recycle logo and feel happy. Now there are some terms thrown in that might throw you.

Pre-consumer: When a package says “Pre-consumer” it’s referring to the actual waste made during a manufacturing process. This means no-one used the item ever, but it was recycled into something new. This is not the best situation because it creates energy waste that benefited no one. Such as the thick Sunday paper no one buys. It’s not used, but it did take energy and trees to make

The good news is that at least it’s being recycled. Other items that end up as pre-consumer are items never meant for consumers. An example is trimmings from when a company makes envelopes or notebook paper.

Post-consumer: As you might have guessed, post-consumer is material that is used by consumers before being recycled. So say you did buy that Sunday paper, then you recycle it, that’s post-consumer material now.

The same goes for any object, not just paper. It could be a plastic container, a glass milk jug, any item. Now, it’s better to buy post-consumer because obviously we’re reusing items to a greater capacity. That said, currently humans barely recycle – honestly we as a group of humans on the planet recycle far under 50% total of what we could. It’s terrible. So, pre-consumer is still far better than nothing. But if you have a choice choose high post-consumer material products.

I hope the terms today and yesterday help you on your recycling journey. It’s nice sometimes to have everything laid out.

To learn more read:

• US Postal Service Helps You Recycle
• School Waste Reduction
• Who Said Plastic Bags Are Good for Nothing?
• Trash Control
• Two Weeks Worth of Reuse

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Recycling:  We all know what recycling is… or do we? When it comes right down to it, recycling means we collect materials that CAN actually be used again. A material must be able to be turned back into raw material and then into something new, or there’s no point in even trying to recycle an object.

Juice lids are one example. We can toss them in a recycle bin, but they can’t be re-made into anything, so we haven’t really recycled them, have we? To be sure that your recycling efforts aren’t for nothing, the first step is to only buy products that you’re positive can be recycled.

Reuse: Reuse is part of the recycling process (see above) however, reuse is also something we can do with objects that cannot be recycled.  Reuse means that we reuse an item, either for the same tasks or objective over and over, or that we think up a new and useful use for said object. Let’s use those juice jar lids from above again. Now we can’t recycle juice lids – can we re-use them? Why sure we can. Here are some of my ideas:

• To mix paints in (for a picture, not a house obviously).
• Make a big checker board out of recycled paper and paint some lids black.
• Hold beads that you’re working with to make a necklace.
• Turn them into dolhouse furniture – a sink, a fountain, a little stool.

What else can you think of?  

Tomorrow we’ll look at two more recycling terms.

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How it works:

1. Gather up some kiddos – the more the better. Many schools participate each year from elementary to middle schools, but homeschoolers, church groups, day care centers, 4H clubs, girl scouts, playgroups or neighborhoods could as well. Basically, if you have a pack of kids, you’re good to go.
2. Head to your local grocery store and ask the store manager for enough paper bags so that each child gets one.
3. Kids decorate the bags with Earth Day messages about reuse, wildlife, energy conservation, and more. I think a bag that says, “Please recycle/reuse me” is a good idea.
4. Return the bags to the store on or before Earth Day (April 22). Customers get a great surprise and a lesson in earth-friendly living from kids, when the store packs their groceries in these custom bags on Earth Day.
5. Log onto the project website and leave a report on the short report form, so that your bag count can be counted. If you’re a school, you’re entered to win a prize package.

What you get (besides a nice happy warm feeling):

“You can download a Certificate of Participation after registering your report. Your groups’ report and photos will be featured on the site, and your bags will be added to this year’s national tally. If you contact your local media, you may get some press coverage too. And don’t forget the reward of being part of an international effort to promote environmental awareness!”

Bags from 2007 Earth Day at Arbor Heights Elementary in Seattle, WA:

Discovery School in Cuernavaca, Morelos, Mexico

See more event photos.

This cost-free environmental awareness project started in 1994 and that first year more than 10,000 kids participated. How many kids do you think will participate this year? Will you be one of them?

Learn more at the Earth Day Groceries Project website.

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On the way to the bathroom I’m thinking did Cedar fall, crack his head, break the toilet? He usually calls me, “mama” – “mom” when there’s trouble. Uh oh. No good thoughts are in my head, that’s for sure.

I run into the bathroom and Cedar is standing smack in the middle of the room; just standing there, frozen, with no pants or undies to be seen either I might add. I rush over to my half naked child and start checking for blood, bruises, asking him if he’s ok.

Cedar says he’s fine, and I say, “Well, what are you screaming for – I thought you were hurt!

Now, this child, who I’m trying really hard to be mad at for scaring me to death, holds up an empty toilet paper roll and says all calmly, (and I quote), “Can I recycle this?”

Me: “What the? That’s why you were screaming?”
The boy: “Yeah.”
Me: “WHY?”
The boy: “Because I’ve always really wanted a pirate telescope, and now, I can recycle this tube into one.”

Sigh. What are you gonna say to that?

[photo: stock.xchng]

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Today the blog we’re featuring is actually one of mine – Declutter It. It’s all about organizing, but as you might expect, I tend to toss in green issues when I can. Actually green living and organizing often go hand in hand. For example, to me, simplifying is a major aspect of green living and at Declutter It we recently discussed How To Start Getting Rid of Stuff. This is a topic many have issues with, but once you try to minimize, it can help you organize and help the planet at the same time.

Other notable green Declutter It posts:

A white board that saves you time and paper. 

Recycling Three Ways + Bonus Cow Idea

Best Agenda Planners Ever! – no joke – I LOVE these and they’re earth friendly.

Post from: Tree Hugging Family