Greening Up Your Holiday Waste
 

The boxes are opened, the wrapping paper is strewn about the living room, and the excited squeals have subsided. Now comes the hard part: figuring out what to do with all the gifts and discarded wrappings! Here are a few tips on how to Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle this post-holiday season.
 

Reduce
 

Reduce your household clutter (and the strain on your wallet) by only buying or replacing items that are truly needed. Perhaps that older computer, stereo component, or appliance can squeak out one more year? Look into refurbishing items before replacing them. For example, computers are generally considered to have a hardware life of at least 7 years, but a useful life of only three years.

The main reason for this is software upgrades. As computer users get new software, they find that they need more powerful computers to run it well. One way to extend the life of your computer is to upgrade your software deliberately and only as needed. Another is to buy computers that are upgradeable -- with plenty of room to add expansion cards, storage capacity, memory etc. to extend the life of the computer. Visit http://www.techsoup.org/howto/articlepage.cfm?articleid=554&topicid=0  for tips on how to keep your older computer alive.

Computers and appliances aside, household waste reduction should start at the store. When buying groceries or household items, look for brands that come in bulk containers and use less packaging. Buy a reusable metal or cloth coffee filter instead of using paper filters. Only buy items that you will actually use. Inventory your refrigerator and cupboards before going shopping to avoid having to throw things away.  Compost your kitchen and yard waste. More waste reduction tips can be found on the PA DEP website at http://www.dep.state.pa.us/dep/deputate/airwaste/wm/recycle/reduce/reduce.htm

Reuse
 

Well, there’s always the re-gift. There’s nothing wrong with passing along a gift that you know you’ll never use to someone who would really appreciate it to avoid such items ending up in a landfill. The key phrase here is “never used!” Or, consider donating unwanted gifts to charities. Did you get a new computer for the holidays? Why not donate your old one to a worthy cause such as schools, people with disabilities, or nonprofit organizations?

Blindly dumping old computer equipment upon schools and nonprofits can be more of a problem than a blessing because old or broken computers are expensive to dispose of. It's best to donate to nonprofit or school-based refurbishers. Visit http://sharetechnology.org/ to find a refurbisher near you. For nonprofits interested in buying used and refurbished computers, visit http://www.techsoup.org/products/recycle/index.cfm#find.
 

Another way to “reuse” household waste, as almost any good scout leader can tell you, is to save items like paper towel rolls, egg cartons, or popsicle sticks for children’s craft projects. I’m not talking about washing used toothpicks, but there are many everyday items that can be reused. Visit the US EPA’s “Reuse Household Items A to Z” website for some good, if slightly anal retentive, ideas: http://www.epa.gov/grtlakes/seahome/housewaste/src/reuse4.htm.
 

Recycle
 

In 1998, about 21 million personal computers became obsolete in the United States. Discarded electronics and their components may include batteries, mercury-containing switches, capacitors containing PCBs, cadmium plated parts, PVC plastics, brominated flame retardants, and lead-containing cathode ray tubes. The heavy metals found in electronics can poison groundwater and damage the nervous and reproductive systems of people and animals. To find out where to recycle a computer or buy a recycled computer visit http://www.techsoup.org/products/recycle/index.cfm.

Besides electronic waste, other types of household waste can be reduced by recycling. Most municipalities have some sort of recycling services available. Many townships also have Christmas tree recycling programs. Visit http://pennsylvania.earth911.org/master.asp?s=ls&cat=1&serviceid=100 to find one near you.
 

For municipalities interested in initiating a recycling program, F. X. Browne, Inc. can assist through all aspects of recycling programs for residential, institutional, and commercial units. F. X. Browne, Inc. recycling services include, but are not limited to, grant application and documentation preparation, determination of recycling options for small businesses, implementation of hauler registration programs, and design and preparation of educational materials. For more information, contact F. X. Browne, Inc. at info@fxbrowne.com.