Recycling Update from Jose

Recycling efforts are up at Arapahoe Library District since we began the program last spring. Currently, we are recycling approximately 20% more materials than last April.
Key People, our janitorial service, is working with us to collect our office materials and place them in the recycling bins at each of our locations. We would like to increase our recycling another 10% to 15% and we are asking for your help. Please refer to the Dos and Don’ts of Recycling on the Buildings and Grounds website. If you need any additional bins, let us know. We would also like to hear any ideas or comments you might have about how to increase recycling.

Interesting recycling facts:
· Currently, far more paper is recovered from recycling than is in land-fills.
· Paper accounts for two-thirds of all the packaging material recovered from recycling in the United States – more than glass, metal and plastic combined.
· The average office worker generates an estimated half pound of recyclable paper per day. Based on 20 working days per month, an office of 80 people would recycle more than 4 tons of paper per year.
· By recycling and reusing 4 tons of paper, an office of 80 people would yearly save:
1. 68 trees
2. 28,000 gallons of water
3. 1,520 gallons of fuel
4. 16,400 kilowatt-hours of electricity
5. 12 cubic yards of landfill space
· Paper fiber can usually be recycled up to eight times.
· In 2006, the U.S. paper recovery rate achieved an all-time high of 55%. This was made possible by the efforts of millions of Americans who recycle at home, school and at work.

The Green Library

There is a new blog out there called The Green Library. What is it? This is what they say:

The Green Library blog is devoted to documenting significant activities, events, literature, and projects that focus on " ... increasing the efficiency with which buildings use resources — energy, water, and materials — while reducing building impacts on human health and the environment during the building's lifecycle, through better siting, design, construction, operation, maintenance, and removal" of and by libraries.
http://thegreenlibraryblog.blogspot.com/

They also have a Facebook group:
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=32308457042

US Book Industry summary report

Last March the The Green Press Initiative (GPI) and The Book Industry Study Group (BISG) produced a 86 page report called ‘Environmental Trends and Climate Impacts: Findings from the U.S. Book Industry. (order it here) Their summary by can be found as a .pdf here.
Eco Libris also produced a great summary of the report with a few key findings:

• What’s responsible for the biggest part of the book industry’s carbon footprint? First - forest and forest harvest impacts: 62.7%; Second - paper production at the mills: 22.4% share. Conclusion - the paper consumed for the production of books is main responsible for the industry’s carbon footprint (12.4 million metric tons or 8.85 lbs. of carbon dioxide per a book, 2006 stats)
  
• The sources of paper and Endangered Forests: the sources of paper come from all over the world; several places are endangered forests with too little being done to protect these natural resources from the exploitation of industries and result in tree farms with little biodiversity, fundamental changes and losses in natural systems, severe impact on species, etc.
  
• Some increase in the use of post-consumer waste (PCW) recycled paper: About 5% of recycled paper is used in books, with some companies reporting they use much higher percentage now, some up to 13% recycled paper. (data from 2006)
  
• More policies, but not enough quantitative targets: 60% report they have developed environmental policies but these policies lack much in the way of quantitative targets.
  
• Certified paper use: There is an increase in Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified paper for books but not true data yet available.
  

Eco Libris also notes some important missing information that could have been useful in the report:

• there is no mention of e-book industry
• what about a comparison to European book industry
• what are the main reasons that stop publishers and other companies to go green

Source: http://greeningyourlibrary.wordpress.com/

Pledge this!

Take 5 for the environment!! Make your pledge here:
greenprint denver

Green Frontier Fest

August 24th is The Green Frontier Fest, showcasing everything from major renewable energy technologies to everyday products and services, aims to create an engaging, educational, and empowering view of greener living. This event is a benefit for the City of Denver Greenprint program.

Date and Times

Sunday, August 24, 2008
10:00 AM to 6:00 PM

Location

Sculpture Park at the Denver Performing Arts Complex
Intersection of Speer Boulevard and Champa Street
in Beautiful Downtown Denver, Colorado

Admission
FREE!

greenfrontierfest.com

"Green" fee for plastic bags?

Seattle became on Monday one of the first major American cities to discourage the use of paper and plastic shopping bags by requiring grocery, drug and convenience stores to charge 20 cents per bag. The City Council also banned plastic foam food and drink containers.

The laws go into effect on January 1st. Of course people avoid this fee by bringing in their own bags.

The filmy plastic grocery bags are hard to recycle and are messy. They blow around streets, snag in trees and float in waterways. Some reports say the plastic shreds are eaten by fish and other marine life, and kill them. Plastic bags are made with petroleum products, and usually are used just once, before being thrown away.

Did you know San Francisco has banned plastic bags from checkouts in supermarkets and LA is following in their footsteps?

What is your opinion on banning or charging for plastic bags? Have you cut down your use of them since cloth bags are so inexpensive and readily available?

You can find more info on the Seattle plastic bag fee here:
Seattle "green" fee news

9th Annual Rocky Mountain Sustainable Living Fair

The Sustainable Living Fair is a solution based, hands-on, family oriented event designed to educate people of all ages and backgrounds about Sustainable Living Practices, Renewable Energy, Environmental & Social Responsibility, Natural Health, Green Building, Alternative Vehicles, Organic Agriculture, Local Economies and more.

Musical entertainment, kid zones, a Zen sand garden and other unique events round out the weekend. Admission is $5 per day; free for kids 12 and under.

Fair hours are: Saturday 10 a.m.-6 p.m.; Sunday 10 a.m.-5 p.m

Location: Rocky Mountain Raptor Center, 720 E. Vine Drive, Fort Collins


For more green-oriented events in and around the metro area, visit Greenprint Denver