Beginning in mid-July, it will be easier than ever for members of a university community to recycle.

Virginia Tech, in conjunction with Radford University and surrounding towns will be converting to single-stream recycling. This will make it much easier for students and staff to recycle on campus. It will no longer be necessary to sort recyclable materials — all paper, plastic bottles, metal cans, and glass items can be placed into a single recycling bin together.

The items that can be recycled will not change significantly. Virginia Tech will continue to accept all plastic containers; glass bottles and jars; all mixed paper, newspaper, and magazines; cardboard; aluminum, steel, and tin cans. It will just be easier on visitors, staff and students.

Over the next several weeks, the lids on the existing recycling containers will be replaced in the academic and administration buildings. In addition, recycling containers along sidewalks on campuses will be adapted to allow for both paper and container recycling. Additionally, new recycling containers will also be purchased to make recycling easier everywhere on these college campuses.

Every year, officials with Virginia Tech say the school collects more than 2,000 tons of recyclable material and 3,600 tons of trash. The university’s recycling rate has steadily grown since 2008 and was at 40.47% in 2014. Virginia Tech says they’re committed to reaching a 50% recycling rate by 2020.

For more information on recycling containers for college and university campuses, contact the Fibrex Group.

WSLS

While summer is in full swing, some schools may be taking the opportunity to do a little off-season cleaning.

With that in mind, Middlesex County’s Recycling Division  in New Jersey is announcing openings for its School Book Recycling Program.

The Middlesex County Improvement Authority (MCIA), which oversees the division, is recruiting participants to fill in the program’s remaining slates for 2015.

Interested schools must contact the MCIA’s recycling office, book a date, designate a space on their grounds for a single stream recycling container and begin disposing of old and unwanted hardcover and softcover books, files and mixed paper.

Fibrex Group suggests the Revolve recyclers which house a 95-gallon cart which can collect the recycled textbooks. This recycling container and is great for single stream recycling needs.

“After some stockpiling of these recyclables and a period of time, which can range from one to three months, we pick up the materials,” said MCIA Recycling Manager. “In turn, the school will receive compensation, depending on what they’ve accrued.”

Typically, these materials are recycled into anything from tissues to newer books.

The county first kicked off its Book Recycling Program in 2006. In that first year, this pilot program limited its sights solely to hard cover books.

By 2007, more than 16 tons of recyclable goods had poured in and the program expanded its scope of acceptable collection items.

As of 2014, the School Book Recycling Program is credited with more than 130 tons of recyclables.

Adding a new chapter to the process, the recycling collector no longer requires covers to be stripped from books.

For more information on the MCIA’s School Book Recycling Program, contact 1-800-488-6242. For more information on Revolve recyclers from the Fibrex Group, contact us.

mycentraljersey.com

Yes, it’s only July, but when it comes time to prepare your children for another year of schooling, you’ll probably find yourself on the hook for a multitude of expenditures, not all of them monetary. Certainly you’ll have to lay out some cash for new clothing and school supplies, but the cost to the planet is something to consider, as well. For every item of clothing you purchase, there are chemicals entering our water supply in order to grow fibers, which are then manufactured with – you guessed it – more chemicals (plus pollution and waste). Finally, these products are shipped all over the globe, creating massive amounts of greenhouse gas emissions in the process. And the same goes for school supplies, many of which also denude forests. Ouch. But there are ways to cut your carbon footprint even as you outfit your kids for another school year. Here are a few to try.

1. Organic clothing. There are now a surprising number of retailers selling clothing that is 100% chemical free. The fibers that will make the fabric are grown without the use of chemical fertilizer and pesticides. Textiles are produced free of chemical processing, and waste, pollution, and consumption are reduced in every aspect of the manufacturing process. This not only means that your children will get wardrobes full of natural-fiber clothing that won’t harm their sensitive skin or lead to allergies; they’ll also have a cleaner future to look forward to because of it.
2. Clothing trade. If you simply can’t afford to pay for new, organic clothing, at least do your part to reduce waste and minimize demand for manufacturing by hosting a clothing trade. Speak to other parents at your child’s school, or in your neighborhood, about organizing a trade event by which parents will bring like-new items that their kids have outgrown (or simply don’t like) to trade with other parents (for free!). This way, many children can benefit from new clothing while parents keep a little money for the college fund.
3. Green supplies. Notebooks, folders, binders, pens, pencils, art supplies, and virtually everything your kids need for a successful school year can be obtained in an eco-friendly manner. Recycled paper products are placed alongside the regular fare (that’s how popular they’ve become) while harder-to-find items can be purchased online.
4. Kindle books. Many classrooms provide the standard textbooks but call for parents to purchase supplementary reading for the course. By using a Kindle (or other eReader) instead of buying traditional books, you’ll help to cut back on paper consumption, and thus the deforestation that is consuming the plants of our planet.
5. Walk or bike. When it comes to getting from here to there, most people rely on the family car or the school bus. But think about what could be saved by taking the time to walk your kids to and from school (or alternately, ride bikes both ways). Not only will you cut back on gas expenses, but also on the harmful emissions spreading into our atmosphere. And it never hurts to spend a little more time with your kids, especially engaging in physical activity.
6. Reduce, Reuse & Recycle. Whether at school, home, work or play look for those recycling receptacles for plastic bottles, aluminum cans & paper. Fibrex Group always has the largest recycling container selection to ‘green’ your school or playground this year. Check us out on the web or give us a call at 1.800.346.4458.

*Originally posted by Clay Miller - ways2gogreenblog.com

Dunkin' Donuts is ending its use of Styrofoam cups in New York City. The decision is in line with a new law taking effect in the Big Apple, which bans the use of Styrofoam, including plates, cups and to-go boxes, as of July 1. The doughnut chain is replacing its Styrofoam cups with new #5 recyclable polypropylene cups, according to Christine Riley Miller, senior director of corporate social responsibility for Dunkin' Brands. Miller said: “This cup is accepted in New York City’s municipal recycling program which means, if disposed of properly, it can be diverted from local landfills. We will continue to evaluate and test all available cups until we believe we have found the best solution based on cost, performance, commercial viability and environmental impacts."

Dunkin' has said it plans to soon transition away from foam products in other markets, and establish a plan to move completely to recyclable cups by the end of this year. NYC policy makers in NYC considered the fact that Styrofoam cannot be recycled when it passed the ban on single-use polystyrene products #FoamBanNYC

Recycle properly with Fibrex Group’s line of specialized public area recycling receptacles. Check out our cart housing, smart sensor & solar technology products at www.FibrexGroup.com.

Originally posted by Jonathan Barnes | www.wastedive.com

Visitors to four of Santa Maria's most popular parks will see several new additions in the form of 95-gallon plastic recycling bins.

“These parks have special containers that are there to promote recycling," said Jeff Clarin, Utilities Manager/Deputy Director for the City of Santa Maria.

The City of Santa Maria formally launched a new recycling program. With several city officials on hand, joined by several members of the community organization CAUSE, it was announced recycling will once again be an option at city parks.

"We had recycling back in the early 90's. There was a lot of contamination and it was not worth it to pick it up as recycling," said Clarin.

Now, visitors at these Parks will have the opportunity to place recyclables in the specially marked blue-colored containers.

"It is very important to put the right items into the recycling bin," said Clarin. "The more contamination you put into the recycling bin, the less value it has where we can actually recover as recycling."

The program has actually been in operation since March, when it was launched during a test period. The City says park visitors were so successful at placing the right items in the right bins, the program has now been officially rolled out.

The lids have pictures on them so you can see what you can and cannot recycle. It's very simple, you look at the pictures and see what you can recycle; what's not in the picture, you put in the trash.

The City has been assisted with its new recycling program by the CAUSE Youth Committee, which includes several area teenagers.

In its short run, the public service announcement has already played a vital role in spreading awareness regarding the new campaign.

"It's been received well." "We have it on English and Spanish channels and we've had it shared thousands of times on Facebook."

For the teens who helped produce the clip, they feel like it's another way for older community members to understand the positive impact the younger generation is making in the area.

With the containers in place at the four City parks, Santa Maria officials are now looking to the future and hoping to bring more containers to other parks later this year.

Just like trash at City parks, the new recycling containers will be also collected by the City's Utilities Department.

For more information on park recycling programs and outdoor commercial recycling containers, contact The Fibrex Group.

keyt.com

Most of us are by now very much aware of the increasing urgency required to reduce our energy consumption and to try and protect the earth’s potentially dwindling resources. While we all need to assume some collective responsibility, we can also make a difference by assuming a degree of individual responsibility by attempting to reduce our own carbon footprint.

Here are three easy ways that you can make your contribution and lower your carbon footprint.

Recycle
There are many ways that we can look to recycle our waste and actively pursuing this goal can make a difference to your pocket at the same time too.

Reusable bags
Get into the habit of taking a reusable bag every time that you go shopping. Most supermarket bags at the checkout are made of plastic and unless they are 100% pure they are not able to be recycled efficiently and therefore could end up in landfill. Some shops already charge for bags so get a reusable bag and save money as well as protecting the environment.

Use more than once
Try to get more than one use out of as many items as possible. Glass, paper and textiles have all used energy to be created in the first place so it makes sense to find another use for an item to reduce your carbon footprint. Consider turning an old jumper that you were going to throw out into a cleaning cloth and re-use containers for other items once you have consumed or used the original contents.

Paper
Try to find another use for paper such as shredding paper for animal bedding which will also save you money and try to buy recycled toilet paper whenever you can.

Check out www.FibrexGroup.com to find the most budget-friendly, sustainable solutions for your office, home or park area. Providing attractive green design recycling receptacles, site furnishings & amenities in public spaces promotes good environmental stewardship while reducing waste and increasing recycling awareness.

Reduce your energy consumption
There are so many quick and easy ways that you can reduce your energy consumption and it makes a lot of sense when you consider that you are not only reducing your carbon footprint but also saving money on your household bills at the same time.

Low energy bulbs
The cost of the bulbs is coming down all the time as they become more commonplace and you should consider replacing all your old-fashioned bulbs with low energy versions, which will cost considerably less to run and also generally last a lot longer.

Water usage
Try to wash up by hand rather than use the dishwasher and consider fitting a new cistern for your toilet if your current one is more than 10 years old. The new dual-flush versions are much more efficient and will greatly reduce your water consumption.

Standby
Many electrical items are often left on standby mode such as TV’s and laptops and phone chargers are another common item that are left plugged in even when they are not being used. This can account for as much as 25% of your energy consumption in a typical house so switch them off and save money as well as energy.

Use local goods and services
Transportation costs are a big contributor to environmental and resource usage and if you can source goods or services locally you will be benefiting your local economy, generally eating fresher food and also reducing your carbon footprint.

Buy in season
We are so used to seeing the same food items all year round in supermarkets that it has almost been forgotten that a lot of produce is seasonal. Fresh Strawberries in the summer are a real treat but if you are buying them in the winter months, then they will have been transported from another part of the world at a considerable environmental expense before they end up in your bowl.

Grow your own vegetables
Many vegetables are quite easy to grow and don’t require a lot of space, but the benefits are that you get some tasty fresh food that you have grown yourself which is quite satisfying and you are not contributing to transportation costs that weigh so heavily on the environment.

These are just a few ideas and themes to consider but if we all make an effort in our own small way, then the overall effect will surely be a positive one on the environment and our carbon footprint.

*Originally posted on Ways2GoGreenBlog.com – By Clay Miller & Yogesh Mankani

Environmental experts and scientists from all sorts of disciplines have been loudly pushing for an increased focus on sustainability in the business world. Due to some extreme weather occurrences over the past few years the government is also finally getting seriously involved, demanding that corporations toe the line and start making it a priority. Leaders of industry and political pundits have been lukewarm about the whole thing, often pointing to the fact that environmental issues could have a wide range of causes, and the impact of sustainability efforts are hard to measure. But thanks to a study recently released through a joint effort of the Boston Consulting Group and MIT’s Sloan Management Review the debate may be coming to an end. According to their research, sustainability as a cornerstone of business practices is rewarding people on a number of levels, and well over half of all companies they polled have now shifted their entire model to take best advantage.

The bottom line is that sustainability is now not only a core philosophy for businesses, but also one of the major drivers of profit and innovations. The study culled this information from questionnaires given to over 2,600 international companies. Finally, it is clear that the business world is paying attention to what science has been saying for years. But is the answer to mankind’s environmental and resource problems just this simple? As with most things in life, the answer is a resounding “no”.

There are a lot of positives to be taken from the results. First off, it is clear that today’s business leaders are looking at sustainability efforts as a driver of innovation. Limitations and rules often lead to new thinking, as innovators must come up with ways to accomplish their goals that fit inside stricter parameters. That makes sustainability an advantage as much as it is a detriment to the corporate bottom line. The challenge businesses now face is how to differentiate themselves from other companies that focus on sustainability.

The study also found that these initiatives stick and make the largest impact when the most senior management at the company focus their attention on these efforts. More than 60% of the companies that changed business models did so because their management targeted sustainability as a profit generator. Even so, companies still struggle with showing the tangible results of this refocus to their investors and shareholders. It may be that sustainability is something of a branding buzzword. Everyone is on board with the idea that it’s a difference-maker, even though most people can’t quite say what that difference will finally be.

Ready to green up your workplace? Check out www.fibrexgroup.com to find the most innovative and budget-friendly recycling receptacles to assist your company. Or give us a call at 1.800.346.4458. Work. Play. Recycle.

Ways2GoGreenBlog – February 19, 2015

Recycling plastics, glass, cans and all kinds of paper will be much simpler for Roanoke residents soon, when the city converts to “single-stream” recycling.

That’s a process in which all recyclables are collected in a single batch and sorted by machinery later. It will mean an end to sorting in your garage or basement and trying to remember which week to put out paper and which week cans and bottles are picked up.

About 34,000 Roanoke households will receive new wheeled recycling receptacles, according to Roanoke Solid Waste Manager Skip Decker. The recycling cans will be similar to the dark blue trash totes city residents already use, but will be in a lighter shade of blue. Most will be the large, 96-gallon variety, but some will be 64 gallons to accommodate tighter spaces.

Residents can put all of their recycled materials into that recycling container, which will be picked up every other week. The city will return to an “A” week and “B” week pickup schedule, with one week for trash and recycling and the other for trash only.

The target date for using the new cans is Oct. 5, but that will depend on getting the new cans distributed in time. Roanoke will be only the second locality in the region to take on single-stream recycling.

Decker said he expects recycling in the city to double from about 250 tons per month to 500 tons, with a goal of 700 tons — the amount for which the city is paying Recycling Disposal Solutions whether it processes that much or not.

The city will pay Roanoke-based RDS to provide and distribute the cans and process the materials at a cost of $200,000 a year. But with savings in temporary labor costs and spending less on tipping fees for garbage, because less material will be going to the landfill, the program should operate at a small deficit for a few years and then begin breaking even in 2019, according to figures Decker showed the council.

As part of the change, trucks will begin picking up both bulk and brush items on a weekly basis.

For more information on recycling containers and programs, contact The Fibrex Group.

Roanoke.com

The Fibrex Group is pleased to manufacture our Mobius DS1 unit for the Unifi production facility in Brazil, South America. This facility produces the Repreve recycled fiber that is then turned into fabrics for major retailers such as North Face, Quiksilver, Volcom, Roxy and Patagonia (to name a few).

Repreve helps turn recycled plastic bottles into cool things we can wear and use every day. Toss your plastic bottles in the recycle bin, NOT the trash. Recycled bottles are cleaned, chopped, melted and turned into little plastic chips. Chips are transformed into Repreve recycled fiber, and then into fabrics. Look for brands that are made with Repreve when you shop.

In 2013, Repreve turned more than 740 million recycled bottles into fiber, allowing the brands you love to #TURNITGREEN.

About Unifi: Unifi Manufacturing, Inc. is a leading producer of multi-filament polyester and nylon textured yarns and related raw materials. They provide innovative, global textile solutions and unique branded yarns for customers at every level of the supply chain.

Unifi is driven by innovation and committed to global product commercialization. Our goal is to provide both customers and consumers with products that enhance the value of everyday products; from hosiery and apparel to contract furnishings and from industrial applications to automotive upholstery.

Since their founding in 1971, Unifi has remained committed to excellence. They take pride in the manufacturing of their products and strive to provide customers with exceptional quality and service around the world. These are the common threads that unite everything we do.

For more information about the Fibrex Group’s Mobius line of recycling/waste receptacles please give us a call at 1.800.346.4458.

Work. Play. Recycle.

#FibrexGroup
#TurnItGreen
#repreve

Nestlé USA announced on May 22, 2015 that all of its 23 factories – spanning confections, dairy, frozen and refrigerated meals, ice cream, baking ingredients, and beverages – are now landfill-free, contributing zero waste for disposal. This important milestone supports Nestlé USA's commitment to environmentally sustainable business practices to protect future generations.

"We are incredibly proud of the effort it took to accomplish this goal," said Paul Grimwood, Chairman and CEO Nestlé USA. "This is an especially noteworthy achievement given the breadth and complexity of our manufacturing operations across a variety of categories. We are committed to working with our employees to ensure our factories remain landfill-free and are striving for new ways to reduce our environmental impact at each stage of the product lifecycle."

As part of this effort, Nestlé USA is continually looking for new ways to reuse, recycle and recover energy when disposing of manufacturing by-products. The company's current efforts include composting, recycling, energy production, and the provision of safe products for animal feed.

Employees also take actions to minimize by-products, and engage in robust recycling programs and partnerships with credible waste vendors that dispose of manufacturing by-products in line with Nestlé's environmental sustainability guidelines and standards. All of Nestlé USA's factories employ ISO 14001 certified environmental management systems to help manage their environmental impact, including waste elimination.

"Environmental sustainability is part of Nestlé's commitment to Creating Shared Value in society," added Grimwood.  "Our goal is for our products to not only be tastier and healthier, but also better for the environment."

Globally, Nestlé has committed to improving resource efficiency in its operations. Fifteen percent of all of Nestlé's factories worldwide (72 in total) achieved zero waste for disposal for all of 2014. This achievement exceeds Nestlé's goal of having 10 percent of its global factories at this stage by 2015.  More information is available at www.nestle.com/csv/environmental-sustainability.

As part of this effort, Nestle has worked closely with the Fibrex Group, Inc. in Suffolk, Virginia to develop a custom triple stream indoor recycling cabinet to continue their zero waste to landfill efforts. The new rust resistant, 18 gauge galvannealed steel unit has the ability to collect a triple stream of 21, 40 & 21 gallons respectively (82 gallons total). With no exposed fasteners and an architectural powder coated finish inside and out, this new cabinet is functional as well as attractive for any indoor setting. Lid openings & color selections can even be changed-out depending on the needs of any facility at any time. The smart design recycling cabinet can also be shipped unassembled to reduce freight costs and is easily assembled with standard tools.

Please check out www.fibrexgroup.com to see how we can help you reach your recycling initiatives. Or give us a call at 1.800.346.4458.

**Original info provided by/PRNewswire-USNewswire on April 22, 2015