Earth Saving Tips from  

Spring 2003  –  CELEBRATE EARTH DAY, APRIL 22!

PULLING THE PLUG ON SPRING-CLEANING “E-WASTE”

If your spring cleaning turns up unwanted computers, TVs, or other electronic equipment, you’re not alone.  Consumer electronics are a fast-growing portion of America’s trash. More than 3.2 million tons of electronic waste is laid to rest in landfills each year. And 250 million more computers will become obsolete between now and 2005 — not to mention countless other electronic goods.

When thrown into a landfill, computers, printers, cell phones, fax machines— even portable CD players and electric toothbrushes — can leak lead, cadmium, arsenic, mercury, selenium, chromium, and many other toxic materials into drinking water, where it can threaten our families’ health.

There are many resources to help you keep “e-waste” from harming ourselves and the environment:

 Reusing electronic equipment is the best use. If you can’t reuse the equipment yourself

— for example, turning an old personal computer into a server for a household network — try donating it to a school, social service organization, or other nonprofit organization in your community. (Be aware that many groups don’t accept older or nonworking equipment.)

 Recycling keeps e-waste from landfills. Most communities have recycling services available, including both for-profit and nonprofit organizations. Seek a recycler carefully. The best ones dismantle equipment, saving reusable parts before turning the remainder of the equipment into recyclable scrap. Avoid “recyclers” that ship e-waste overseas (usually to Asian countries) where it often is burned, polluting poor communities with toxic smoke.

Here are some things you can do to help reduce e-waste:

 Stop thinking of used electronics as “junk.” Just because you have outgrown something, it isn’t worthless. Even if it is no longer satisfactory for you, your computer may be of use to others.

 Keep e-waste out of landfills. If you cannot find ways to donate equipment, locate recycling resources in your community. Check the phone book, the Internet, and local government agencies.

 Don’t do it yourself. Don’t crack open electronic equipment on your own. In addition to the hazardous materials they contain, some equipment carries an electrical charge long after being unplugged. You could get a dangerous or deadly shock!

 Encourage electronics manufacturers to adopt take-back programs.

The best way to minimize e-waste is to make it easy for consumers to send equipment back to the factory for recycling. Call or write manufacturers asking them to do this.

RESOURCES ON THE WEB

Here are Web-based resources that can help:

Nonprofit donations:

• www.usedcomputer.com/nonprof.html

• www.sharetechnology.org

Recycling Directories:

• microweb.com/pepsite/Recycle/recycle_index.html

• www.earth911.org

Earth Saving Tips from Earth Share – Spring 2003, cont’d

HOW TO TREAT HOUSEHOLD STAINS — WITHOUT SOILING THE EARTH

Got a nasty cleaning problem this spring? Spots on carpets, couches, or clothing can require heavy-duty cleaners to remove. Some of these cleaners contain ingredients that can pollute the air and water — and endanger your and your family’s health.

Many stains can be easily and safely removed from clothing and household furnishings, increasing their quality and prolonging their useful life. Often, the only ingredients you need to remove stains are common household materials.  Below are few examples of common stains and the ingredients

to remove them. When treating any stain, try testing a small portion of the stain first to be sure it works.

 Adhesive tape: Freeze with ice; scrape off.

 Candle Wax or Crayons: Cover with brown paper bag and iron at low heat.

 Chewing Gum: Freeze with ice; scrape off.

 Chocolate Stains: Club soda.

 Coffee Stains: Moist salt.

 Coffee Pot Stains: Mix ice and salt.

 Cola Stains: White vinegar.

 Grease: Borax on a damp cloth.

 Ink Spots: Cold water, one tablespoon Cream of Tartar, one tablespoon lemon juice.

 Mildew: Equal parts salt and white vinegar.

 Oil: White chalk rubbed into stain before washing.

 Perspiration: Vinegar or lemon juice.

 Pet Stains: Warm water with a drop of liquid dishwashing detergent.

 Porcelain Stains: Baking soda.

 Rug Stains: Club soda. (Treat immediately!)

 Rust Spots (on clothing): Lemon juice, salt, sunlight.

 Rusty Bolts: Carbonated beverage.

 Scorch: Grated onion.

 Upholstery Spots: Club soda. (Treat immediately!)

 Water Marks: Toothpaste. Also try: rubbing toothpowder on wood; or spraying with a water mist,

then putting a paper bag or towel over it and ironing at a low heat.

 Wine Stains: Salt.

WHEN ALL ELSE FAILS…

Given that the “greenest” thing to do is to get the longest life out of everything we buy, tossing things out is far from ideal. So, if these alternative methods don’t work, it may be necessary to use some

kind of commercial stain remover. There are many brands of “nontoxic” cleaners and stain removers on the market. Whatever you use, keep things simple: Use the least amount of the least-potent product you can find, and follow directions carefully. That will help keep your health, and the health of the earth, unblemished.