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Tag Archives: green tips

Green Tips – Used Oil

Used oil from just one oil change can contaminate one million gallons of fresh water. It is estimated that do-it-yourselfers improperly dispose of 200 million gallons of used oil each year. If all the oil from the do-it-yourselfers were recycled, that would be enough oil for more than 50 million cars a year.

If you change your own oil, these tips may come in handy. Recycling used motor oil is easy:

 

  • Use drip pans to catch any fluids.
  • Do not dump or spill oil on the ground.
  • Put the used oil in a clean plastic container with a tight lid.
  • Do not mix the oil with anything else.
  • Do not pour oil down storm drains or place in the trash.
  • Take the used oil to a service station or an oil collection center for recycling.
  • Some big-box, auto-part and tractor supply stores will collect used oil from do-it-yourselfers.

 

Remember while you may have a local Household Hazardous Waste Collection event available to you, if we reduce the amount of waste materials by only buying what we need or finding a way to recycle them, we’re conserving resources and saving energy.

For more information about disposing of used oil, contact the Solid Waste Management Program at 573-751-5401.

For additional environmentally-friendly tips, please visit Green Tips or Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.

Posted on Apr 10, 2012

Green Tips – Gardening

 

Create a showcase for your plants by using a roller skate as a base for the plant container.  Plant summer grasses in galoshes or an old boot. An old child’s wagon or wheelbarrow makes a great mobile plant container, and a vintage bird cage can be planted and hung from a front porch for a wonderful old-fashioned look.

Buckets, soda bottles and plastic containers make excellent potting sources for small plants. Make sure the containers have proper drainage and adequate amounts of sunlight and water. Old wooden boxes, metal buckets, washtubs and hollowed-out gourds all make unique planters, and are a great way to reuse and recycle items. Cut into short pieces, metal and vinyl mini-blinds make great plant markers. Clean nylon hose is useful for tying plants to trellises or fences. Cut the bottom off a milk jug and use to protect small plants from frost.

Tires were banned from Missouri landfills in 1990. However, there are still thousands of tires that end up in illegal dumps – these dumps provide a breeding ground for mosquitoes and other vermin. One creative use for old tires is as planters in your garden. After very carefully cutting off one side wall on a large tire, gardeners can place the tire in their garden and fill it with soil, manure or compost. The tires retain a bit more heat to aid in growing, and when used as a raised bed they warm faster. Raised gardens can increase spring soil temperatures by 8 to 13° F over nearby soil temperatures at ground level.

Composting information can be found in the Solid Waste Management Program’s Homeowners’ Composting Guide. For additional environmentally-friendly tips, please visit Green Tips.

 

Posted on Apr 09, 2012

Pot recycling resumes

When it comes to recycling plastic pots, the Missouri Botanical Garden helps lead the way. In 2011, the Garden’s Plastic Pot Recycling program collected a record 140,000 pounds of horticultural waste and since the program’s inception has saved more than 1 million pounds of plastic garden pots, cell packs and trays from landfills. A significant portion of this program is funded by the Department of Natural Resources and Regionl L, St. Louis-Jefferson Solid Waste Management District.

The main collection site will be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., April through October at the Monsanto Center, Missouri Botanical Garden, 4500 Shaw Blvd., St. Louis, MO. Recycling plastic garden pots, polystyrene cell packs and trays at the Garden and other locations throughout St. Louis City and County will help reduce the amount of waste going to landfills.

  1. Household plastic, food plastic, clay pots and plastic bags are not accepted.
  2. Hanging baskets, cell packs, trays and pots of all sizes are accepted, as long as they are made of plastic.
  3. Sort the plastic gardening containers into cell packs, pots, and trays. Remove metal hangers, rings or other materials. Please shake rocks and soil from the containers.
  4. Bring the pots and trays to the Garden’s Monsanto Center or contact local nursery and garden centers in St. Louis County to see if they accept pots for recycling.
  5. The Botanical Garden grinds up the pots and markets the chips to manufacturers who produce plastic lumber, retaining wall ties, or other recycled products.
  6. Plastic timbers are water and pest resistant. The timber can be cut and drilled similar to wooden lumber. Plastic timber outlasts traditional wooden railroad ties that have a life span of only ten to 15 years. For ordering information, visit Landscape Timbers.

For more information, visit Solid Waste Management Districts, Reduce, Reuse and Recycle, Green Tips  or Homeowners’ Composting Guide.

Posted on Mar 21, 2012

Green Tips – St. Patrick’s Day

You don’t have to be Irish to enjoy St. Patrick’s Day, which is traditionally the “greenest” day of the year. For a truly green St. Patrick’s Day gift, give friends and family a potted shamrock. They make a wonderful indoor houseplant and are believed to bring good luck. 

Missourians planning to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with a party can leave a green stamp on their event by purchasing reusable decorations, rather than ones that are designed to be thrown away at the end of the day. If planning a traditional meal of corned beef and cabbage and a steaming bowl of potatoes, be sure to compost the leftover cabbage and potato peels and purchase locally grown and packaged beef when possible. For more information about composting and recycling, visit Reduce, Reuse and Recycle.

If you prefer to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day at one of the many parades or events held throughout Missouri, consider walking or bicycling if nearby, taking a bus or picking up friends along the way.  Carpooling and using mass transit are great ways to go green by reducing energy use and saving green in your wallet.

For additional environmentally-friendly tips, please visit the department’s Green Tips.  

Posted on Mar 16, 2012

Green Tips – Used Tires

Every year millions of tires find reuse in playground materials and are burned as fuel yet every year there are still thousands of tires that end up in illegal dumps.

Scrap tires are a breeding ground for mosquitoes, snakes, rats and other vermin.  

If you change your own tires, these tips may come in handy. 

Leave used tires with the dealer when buying replacement tires. Dealers are required to accept them on a one-to-one basis for a small fee.

 

Tires may be hauled to a tire processor, scrap tire site or tire hauler. Tires can only be taken to a landfill if they are cut, chipped or shredded. Rather than dumping or placing in a landfill, tires can be recycled.

There are places to legally take scrap tires in Missouri. They usually charge a fee per tire and can accept whole tires. Call 1-800-361-4827 or check Scrap Tire Processors in Missouri for a list of processors. 

If we reduce the amount of waste materials by only buying what we need or finding a way to recycle them, we’re conserving resources and saving energy.  

Each year, one scrap tire per person is generated in Missouri or approximately 6 million tires. More than 16 million tires have been cleaned up in Missouri since the department began the scrap tire cleanup program.  Please help us protect our natural resources by recycling tires in Missouri. 

For more information about disposing of used tires, contact us at 800-361-4827 or 573-751-5401.  Visit the Solid Waste Management Program, Scrap Tires and Illegal Dumping or Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.  

 

Posted on Mar 14, 2012

Green Tips – Workouts

Missouri has many parks and trails that offer options for taking a jog or ride to burn a few calories and get some fresh air.  More than 50 Missouri State Parks offer walking or hiking trails, and 21 offer some type of biking path including the Katy Trail.  Check with your community for walking and biking trails that are well lit after dark.  Be sure to dress appropriately for the weather and take all safety precautions.

If it’s just too cold to exercise outside, create your own home gym.  Swap workout DVDs with friends, or borrow them from the library to get a workout in your living room. This saves the plastic waste in buying new videos, and can keep your routine from getting boring.  If you want to purchase home gym equipment, look for used treadmills and other cardio equipment, or look for energy efficient models, or those that don’t use any electricity.

Try to purchase a reusable water bottle instead of plastic water bottles that end up in landfills.  Workout gear can be recycled by some companies and made into new clothing.  Try to buy sweats made of natural fibers that are easier to recycle, or find clothing and fleece made from recycled plastic.

You can’t get anywhere without the shoes on your feet, so look for a good quality, well-fitting pair of athletic shoes.  When they are worn out, consider recycling your athletic shoes through the Nike Grind project, which accepts athletic shoes from any company, and grinds them into rubber chips.  This rubber, much like shredded tires, can then be used in tracks, playgrounds and tennis courts.

 For additional environmentally-friendly tips, please visit the department’s Green Tips.

 

Posted on Jan 03, 2012

Save money, save the air: Reduce your idling

School’s back in session. The little students might have new shoes, backpacks and erasers. What’s an easy way to recoup some of the money spent on back-to-school essentials?

Turn off the key when waiting in line to pick up the little scholars from school.

Think about it.

You show up before the final bell rings to pick up your son, daughter, grandchild, etc. You leave the car running for 10, 20 maybe 30 minutes while you wait in a long line of cars. Idling. Wasting gas. Polluting the air.

The solution is pretty easy: turn off the car.

In the summer issue of Missouri Resources we highlighted the Springfield Public School district as they implemented Idle-Free Zones around their buildings.

Since the article ran, we have heard from other schools wanting to do the same and Missouri schools that have also implemented a no-idling policy.

One class – Kathy Nuetzel’s students from the Center for Creative Learning, a gifted program in the Rockwood School District in the St. Louis County area – started their own anti-idling campaign.

This campaign included researching, designing signs, writing proposals so the signs could be permanently placed in the school’s parking lot, creating presentations and making and selling t-shirts promoting their anti-idling message.

As if that’s not enough, they made a documentary video on their project.

Whew.

Check out their Action4Air anti-idling page. There’s lots of good info there on idling and what this group of students has done to make the air around their school cleaner.

These kids show the future is in good hands.

Reducing idling not only saves money by conserving gas, but it also lowers the amount of harmful pollution, your – or someone else’s – son, daughter, grandchild breath as they leave school.

So, the next time you’re waiting for the wave of students to pour from school doors, consider turning off the car. Your pocketbook and student might just thank you.

Posted on Sep 27, 2011

Green Tips – Tailgating

Green Tips – Tailgating

Fans are encouraged to think green before the game starts.  When shopping for the pre-game, look to the local farmer’s market for fresh made buns and produce for grilling.  Shopping locally ensures the items didn’t travel as far, using up valuable energy in transport.  Purchase condiments in bulk rather than single serving sizes to reduce waste.

Carpooling to the game is a great way to cut down on gas usage and spend time with friends and family.  If fans live close to the stadium, tailgate in the yard and walk to the game.  Dress appropriately for the season to avoid using the car to warm up.  Look into solar or crank powered radios that do not require electricity.


Propane is the cleanest burning option when grilling in a parking lot. However, if charcoal is preferred, try to use a chimney starter rather than lighter fluid to reduce chemicals released into the air.  Solar powered grills are gaining popularity and will amplify the sun’s rays just enough to grill those brats and dogs.  They leave almost no environmental impact except the smell of sizzling barbecue.

Be sure to look for reusable plates, cups and silverware.  Durable plastic lasts a long time, and dishes from a second hand store are usually inexpensive in case a plate breaks.  If reusable dishes aren’t an option, opt for products made of recycled materials or that can be composted post-game. 

Look for recycling bins around the stadium to recycle your plastic, bottles and cans.  If no bins are provided, call up the stadium and ask they be provided in the future.  Provide a bag or box to tailgaters near your vehicle to recycle whatever items are accepted in that community.

For additional environmentally-friendly tips, please visit the department’s Green Tips.

Posted on Sep 13, 2011

Green Tips – Green Meetings

A typical five day conference with 2,500 attendees uses 62,500 plates, 87,500 napkins, 75,000 cups/glasses and 90,000 cans and bottles. Green meetings are a good way to save money. What makes a meeting Green?

  • Incorporating environmental considerations throughout the planning and implementation process to minimize the negative impact on the environment.

Creating a green meeting:

  • Provide recycling bins in public areas and private rooms.
  • Use cloth napkins and tablecloths.
  • Use glass or ceramic coffee mugs instead of Styrofoam or paper.
  • Use water coolers instead of bottled water. 
  • Donate extra food and refreshments to local shelters or food banks.
  • Serve locally grown or organic food if possible. (Locally grown is usually within 100 mile radius.)
  • Use online invitations or registration.
  • Collect and reuse plastic nametag holders.
  • Use reusable or recyclable signage.
  • Place exhibitor information on CD or online to cut down on handouts.

Transportation

  • Minimize travel requirements.  A shorter distance equals less environmental impact.
  • Encourage public transportation when possible, and provide incentives to guests in the form of free passes for buses, light rail, etc.
  • Schedule activities within walking distance of each other.

 

For additional environmentally-friendly tips, please visit Green Tips.

Posted on Aug 05, 2011

Green Tips – Camping

Summer time is known for warm weather, great food and family vacations.  Camping can be an environmentally friendly experience. To make your next camping trip a truly “green” experience, consider incorporating the following tips.

  • Make a list of everything you anticipate needing for the trip and go shopping only once. It is more efficient and will save you fuel and money. 
  • Look for a tent or sleeping bag made from recycled materials at your local camping supply store if you don’t already have one. 
  • Bring reusable dishes that can be used for years rather than purchasing throw-away one-use plates and plastic utensils.
  • Bring dish towels, a bucket and biodegradable soap from home instead of paper towels.
  • Bring storage containers for leftovers instead of plastic bags.
  • Look for solar-powered cook stoves and crank-powered radios and flashlights.
  • To repel insects use citronella candles instead of bug sprays that contain chemicals. 

You may want to consider camping this summer in one of the most beautiful park systems in the country. Missouri’s State Parks provide a variety of locations and activities aimed at pleasing every family member. 

  • Pick a location close to home to reduce gas consumption and save fuel money.
  • Use energy efficient lighting sources such as LED lanterns and flashlights.
  • Pick up all trash and recyclables, so you leave the campsite in the same condition it was in when you arrived.

One of the best parts of camping is the cooking.  Visit Green Tips – Backyard Barbecues.  

For additional environmentally-friendly tips, please visit the program’s Green Tips.

Posted on Jul 14, 2011