For information about "What Goes Where" for recycling, please visit this site by our friends at SWANCC

Green Team Tips for Reducing Plastic Consumption

* Refuse disposable plastics whenever possible

* Specify no straws, stir sticks or plastic cup lids, when ordering beverages

* When shopping don’t accept plastic bags and buy produce in bulk rather than prepackaged

* Patronize carry out restaurants that use cardboard rather than polystyrene containers

* Refuse to buy items individually wrapped or in single serving packets, such as tea and snack foods

* Thank those merchants who offer eco-friendly products and packaging

* Reduce or stop using plastic single use beverage containers.

* Take food out of the plastic wrapping and wash before you cook it or put it in the microwave. When you heat plastic, that accelerates the movement of micro plastics out of the wrapping and into the food.

* Bring a travel mug to the local coffee shop for takeout and bring your own silverware and containers to events to cut back on the use of plastic cups and utensils.

* Work with state and local governments to ban plastic bags and other plastic packaging.

• Make the switch from sponges to washcloths whenever possible. 

• Reduce the use of paper towels by using one roll a month rather than a week.

• Switch to cloth napkins.

• Think about the amount of packaging when purchasing food and other items.  Choose glass over plastic when available, aluminum over plastic when possible, paper or cardboard over plastic, and bring your own containers when feasible

• If you must use single use beverage containers, choose glass, or aluminum over plastic, and be sure to recycle when done.

• Avoid plastic packaging whenever you can, especially when it comes to beverages. Bottled water has a much higher concentration of microplastics than any protein. When it comes to proteins go for whole fish and local meat whenever possible. Give it a rinse to remove any surface contaminants before cooking.

• Minimize highly processed food like fish sticks, chicken nuggets, and other ground, processed foods that often come in contact with plastic machinery during production. So opt for less processed foods or plant based proteins like beans.

• You can use plastic bread ties as scrappers to remove drips and drops off your counter, clean hard to reach places, or label cords to keep them separate and tidy. Even though they are plastic they are too small to go in your curbside recycling bin, so throw them in the trash, or collect them and send them to Danielle Cares for Chairs.

• Decline straws when offered

• If you put your creamer in first, you don’t need a stirrer for your coffee

• Decline plastic utensils when picking up your carry out meals

• Bring your own container for restaurant leftovers

• Refuse plastic bag to carry your leftovers! Or bring your own

·       Increase your meatless meals by one or more per week

·       Switch lights off when you leave the room and unplug your electronic devices when they’re not in use

·       Turn your water heater down to 120°. This can save about 500 pounds of CO2 a year.

·       Lower your thermostat in the winter and put on a sweater, and raise it in the summer and use a fan

·       Make sure you change the filters and service your furnace for optimum performance

·       Check the direction of your ceiling fans, clockwise in winter, counterclockwise in summer

·       Sign up to get your energy from clean energy from your local utility or a certified renewable energy provider

·       Drive less, consolidate your errands, carpool or walk

1. Regift only if the item is in its original packaging with all its parts.

2. Don’t regift a handmade item. Anything someone made for you should not be given away.

3. Only regift if the item is new or unused.

4. Make sure there are no monograms or hidden notes inside.

5. Only regift if you know the recipient would like the item.

6. Put effort into re-wrapping the gift.

7. If you unwrap a gift from a friend and recognize it as something she got from someone else the year before, be gracious. Always assume the gift giver has the best intentions. After all, it really is the thought that counts.

Unplug! Unplug all chargers and kitchen appliances when not in use.

Use Power Strips! Power strips are one of the easiest ways to stop your electronics from drawing power when not in use. You can connect multiple devices to one strip, like your TV, DVD player, gaming console, and sound system, and with a flip of a switch power them down all at once before you head off to sleep. Smart power strips are now available, automatically cutting off power to idle devices and saving you from manual switching it off.

Skip the Screensaver! Screen savers don’t save energy, in fact, they can keep your computer working harder. Instead, enable sleep mode or power save settings if you step away from your computer for more than a few minutes.