
Earth
Day IS every day, especially when you have a family - as families, our
impact can be felt more, we tend to consumer more, and there is the very
real fact that we are raising the next generation that will have to
live in this world. The practical questions: What kind of diapers to
use? What
kind of products to clean and feed your kids and home? How can your
family can "Go
Green" together? Join
us today as we discuss the book
National
Geographic Green Guide Families
by Catherine Zandonella.
Special thanks to Nancy Friedman from New York City
Moms Blog, who sourced this
book club for us!
Silicon Valley Moms Blog is
hosting the book club discussion this month. Please go here
to leave a comment
below
to join in the discussion.
Author Catherine Zandonella also answered a couple of questions
for SV Moms Group bloggers. If you have a question, please leave it in
the comments below.
Question: It’s easy to recycle (or even forgo) the plastic
bags from the market. How do you handle the endless sandwich, snack,
veggie and bread bags? Can these be recycled even if used and peppered
with crumbs or peanut
butter? (I’ve already reduced the plastic bag use by choosing reusable
containers for earth911.com or www.plasticbagrecycling.org.
(California state law requires that stores collect plastic carryout
bags for lunches, but we still use too many
baggies.)
Answer: Many types of plastic bags can be recycled. These
include newspaper bags, produce bags, bread bags, and "zip lock" bags
(remove zipper first) can be recycled. You can find locations that will
accept plastic bags at recycling, but you'll have to check with the
retailer to see if they also accept other types of bags.)
www.plasticbagrecycling.org
site has a list of the types of plastic bags and plastic wrappers that
can be recycled. In addition to the plastic bags listed above, you can
also recycle plastic dry cleaning bags and plastic wrap on furniture and
other purchased goods such as paper towels, napkins, and diapers. See
the web site for a full list.
Plastics that CANNOT be recycled, according to www.plasticbagrecycling.org,
are:
- food or cling wrap
- prepackaged food bags including
frozen food bags (e.g., prewashed salad bags)
- film that has been
painted or has excessive glue
- other bags or films
- bio-based
or
compostable plastic bags
Make sure all bags are clean and dry before you recycle them!
Question: Our family swing set sits atop a blanket of recycled
tire
rubber. Until reading the Green Guide, we thought it was the best choice
(environmentally
& economically). Should we immediately swap out the rubber mulch for a natural wood product? If so, how should we
dispose it? Can the rubber mulch be placed in the recycling container?
Answer: Tire disposal is regulated on a state by state basis,
and you will have to contact your state's department of environmental
protection or waste management board to find out what to do with the
rubber mulch. In California, you might start with CalRecycle: www.calrecycle.ca.gov.
Past
SV Moms Group Book Clubs have included:
Click here
to read all about the SV Moms Group Book Club.
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