WHATS YOUR 1 THING?

I'm enrolled in '100% Green Power' through Puget Sound Energy.  -Rick, Federal Way
I recycle all the garbage I can and compost food scraps. I try to buy organic products with minimal or biodegradable packaging.  -Megan, Tacoma
At work I buy 100% post consumer paper for our office printing & copying needs.  -Averie, Bellevue
I now bike everywhere i used to go in a car to get to friends houses.  -Steven , Sammamish
to get to places like school, and other towns i walk, ride my bike, rollerblade and when necessary, take the metro.  -kylie repp, snoqualmie
I carpool with my divorced spouse 5 days a week.If we can make it work, you can make it work!  -Sherry, Arlington, WA
I grow as many vegetables as I can year round at my neighborhood P-Patch. I give extras to neighborhood foodbank or neighbors.  -Cristina , Seattle
I started a blog to help green parents reduce their energy use and exposure to toxins.  -Kathleen R., Seattle
I use cloth diapers and cloth wipes on my 10 month old daughter Abigail!!  -Megan, Fort Lewis
I am parking my car 3 days a week, finding other ways to commute to work.  -Janelle, Bothell
I use biodegradable bags for my dog's waste.  -Monica, Seattle
My partner and I take showers together  -L, Everett
I live in the community I work in.  -Kara, Olympia
I take the metro bus.  -Caroline, Seattle
save the planet  -bill Sather, monroe
Bio-degradeable doggy poo poo bags... My dog poops a lot.  -Johna, Sammamish
I recycled a car. Bought a 1990 VW Cabriolet, 32 miles to the gallon, for $950. I make 6 figures but set the standard for reuse!  -David, Kirkland
I work @ home, so have flexibility. From May-Oct, I try to line dry all but 3X/month. I save 100 hours of dryer time a year!  -Deirdre, Vashon
I have a Klean Kanteen stainess steel water bottle that I carry with me instead of constantly buying plastic disposable ones!  -Laelle, Tacoma
I encouraged my collage (the art institute of Ft Lauderdale) to add receycleing bins in the Class room. I was successful.  -William, Ft Lauderdale
using bar soaps instead of plastic bottled soaps = less packaging. also using all natural dish soaps.  -karin, poulsbo
I drive my motorcycle as often as possible instead of my car - 50 mpg helps some.  -Bruce, Lake City
Alot of people forget about being green at work, put an extra garbage can next to your desk for recyclables.  -Tim, Seattle
I Carry a travel mug with me for coffee.  -Katie, Kelowna
I used a refillable water bottle instead of disposable ones.  -Amiee, Seattle
Follow my kids around shutting off lights and making sure the water is shut off.Sounds funny but my house saves elec/water.  -Michel Brooks, Auburn
I use reusable canvas bags when grocery shopping.  -Linda, Puyallup
I check my tire pressure once a month to improve the efficiency of my gas and reduce the amount CO2 into the air.  -Terra Moreland, Tacoma
Stop using poison Roundup. Spray vinegar-kill weeds - driveway, sidewalk, between pavers. Breaks down, doesn't hurt Sound.  -Susan, Seattle
We are diligent to ensure that our recycling meets the guidelines provided.  -M, Redmond
wearing flip flops. (no socks to wash!)  -S, Renton
I installed a gray water toilet, using one of our rain barrels.  -Rich , Seattle
We recycle everything we can in the house.  -Michel, Auburn
I ride my bike as much as possible rather then drive my car. I can easily put 150 miles on my bike a week this time of year.  -Lyn, Kent
I use a non-disposable coffee filter and use the grounds in my garden.  -Jill, Renton
we raise quarter horses and one thing we do is catch rain water and use it to spray down the arena.  -Leah, Freeland
I use phosphate free, all natural detergent and softner when I do laundry.  -Kaitlin, Tacoma
Being a vegetarian has more of an eco-friendly impact then buying a hybrid.  -Morgan, Seattle
Solar heated water and a soapstone masonry heater with baking oven minimize our propane use. Awesome.  -Michele Keyes, Olga
Go Solar!!!! Yes it works here!  -Kate, Seattle
I use cloth instead of paper:cloth napkins, cloth kitchen towels, bandanas for runny noses, cloth bag instead of paper/plastic  -Tara, Shoreline, WA
I RECYCLE JUST ABOUT ANY THING YOU CAN THINK OF.. I EVEN TAKE THE TIME TO STRIP RECYCLABLES OF NON-RECYCLABLE MATERIALS DO YOU ?  -RON, OAK HARBOR,WA.
I try yo use my lights as little as possible and always turn them off when i leave a room.  -Aleena, Carnation
Very simple - stop eating meat! Going veggie drastically reduces your carbon footprint.  -Diane, Seattle
We've changed nearly all our ligh bulbs to the new compact type..they may not look beautiful but it's worth the savings!  -Angela, Black Diamond
I quit buying bottled water.  -Tony Russell, 100.7 The Wolf
I use a "GREEN" product called Eximo to remove oil stains from my driveway to prevent toxic water runoff.  -Derek, Issaquah
My housemates and I have a big vegie garden going in our yard and are watering with collected rain. Tasts so good!  -Bruce, Lake City
I use the new mesh grocery bags instead of paper or plastic  -Danica, Seattle
I refill four, one gallon, water bottles for work. I am a May truck driver. I hope all trucks get APU's to stop useless idling.  -Richard Carstens, Carson
 

Waste Disposal

April 4, 2008 - 1:16pm — clybecker

As humans and consumers, it is expected that we will generate a large amount of waste. However, not all of that waste needs to, or should, end up in the landfills. There are so many opportunities to reuse, reduce, recycle, or rot many of those items in your house or neighborhood.

-Recycling, reusing and composting:

In 2005, the city made it illegal for most commercial, residential and self-haul garbages to contain more than 10% recyclable items. This means the garbage for you, your business, or your apartment complex could not be picked up and you could potentially be fined for not recycling.

Did you know that Seattle residents and apartment complexes are eligible for free recycling bins and containers? The do! Contact the city for more info.

Seattle Public Utilities has a great yard waste and compost program where you can add food-soiled containers (e.g. pizza boxes and paper napkins) and vegetable scraps to your yard waste (e.g. grass clippings). All of these bins get collected and turned into usable compost instead of releasing methane gas at the landfill. What a great idea!

If you want to do more, there are programs available to help you learn about composting or recycling.

The Master Recycler Composter Program is a community education program offered by King County that focuses on resource conservation and waste reduction. Participants receive 40 hours of free training.

Seattle Tilth offers The Master Composter/Soil Builder Volunteer Program, which teaches participants how to calculate their personal carbon footprint and develop an action plan beginning in their own backyard.

Hazardous and Electronic Waste
What about all those things that can’t or shouldn’t be thrown in your backyard, trash, or recycling bin?

Many household cleaners and common items like computers, batteries and televisions should not be thrown in the trash. What do you do with them? Empty containers of most cleaners and similar products can usually go into the trash, but if you have any left in the can or container you should take it to a household hazardous waste facility.

Check out the WasteMobile! Brought to you by King County, the WasteMobile travels all around to pick up your household hazardous waste. They have scheduled events around the county, find one in your neighborhood!

What sorts of things qualify as Hazardous Waste? Most appliances, like air conditioners, refrigerators and microwaves have hazardous chemicals in them that can leach into the ground and contaminate the soil our water. Don’t forget that pesticides like ant and roach killer, rat poison, and ammonia must also be delivered to a hazardous waste site.

Electronic, or E-Waste is a relatively new thing, but there are plenty of places that will take your old laptops.

King County has a program called the Take it Back Network that accepts electronic products like computers and cell phones, and also fluorescent light bulbs.

InterConnection, a Seattle based nonprofit, collects and refurbishes old computers and laptops and then sends them to underserved communities around the world. They also offer computer training and education to low-income volunteers in the Seattle area. Plus, if you volunteer at their collection center you can earn a free computer!