“Green the Linc” is a blog about efforts to green Lincoln County, Missouri. It is a place to educate its citizens about our place in the green movement, learn why it is important to protect our county’s precious resources, and provide a platform for individuals to discuss environmental concerns and share ideas for improvements.
There is now recycling drop off site in Lincoln County where you aren’t required to separate paper, plastic, & glass. Christian Environmental Services located north of Winfield now offers single stream recycling drop off services at their transfer station on Highway 79. All plastics (with the exception of #6), glass, paper, etc. can be put in one container. For more information visit there website at www.christianenvironmentalservices.com. Below is information regarding accepted recyclable material.
Container Criteria
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All containers are to be empty and rinsed.
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No motor oil, insecticide, herbicide or hazardous chemical containers.
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Return plastic bags to grocery or department store.
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No plastic film (no plastic sheets, tarps, or wrap)
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No expanded foam or clear polystyrene
Items Accepted for Recycling:
- Aluminum Cans, Trays & Foil (Trays and foil must be cleaned)
- Aseptic Packaging & Gable Top Containers (milk and juice cartons)
- Steel Cans and Tins (including aerosol cans)
- Glass Bottles and Jars (clear, brown, and green)
- NO Window glass, dinnerware, or ceramics.
Accepted Paper Fiber List:
If the paper tears recycle it
- Newspaper, including inserts (remove plastic sleeves)
- Cardboard
- Kraft (brown paper) bags
- Magazines, Catalogs, & Telephone Books
- Office & Computer paper, notebook, school papers (no metal clips, spirals, ring binders)
- Chipboard (cereal, cake & food, gift boxes, etc.)
- Carrier Stock (soda, beer can carrying cases)
- Mail and Junk Mail with Envelopes
- (no plastic cards, stick on labels or unused stamps)
- Paperback Books (no hard cover books.)
- Gift wrapping paper
PLASTICS:
- #1 PET Soda, Water, & Flavored Beverage Bottles (#1 clear and green)
- #2 HDPE Milk & Juice Jugs (clear)
- #2 HDPE Detergent & Fabric Softener
- Containers (colored)
- #3 PVC Narrow Neck Containers Only
- (health & beauty aid products, household cleaners)
- #4 LDPE Grocery Containers
- (Margarine tubs, frozen desert cups, six and twelve pack rings.)
- #5 PP Grocery Containers (yogurt cups and narrow neck syrup and ketchup bottles)
- #7 Plastic Narrow Neck Containers Only.
- Plastic buckets, such as kitty litter buckets.
- (5 gallon maximum size)
The number above is found in chasing arrows on bottom of plastic containers.
If the number in the chasing arrows is #1, #2, #3, #4, #5, #7, and it fits the criteria you may recycle the container. PS Polystyrene expanded foam, commonly called Styrofoam (#6 Plastic is not recyclable at this time.) Do not put #6 plastic containers in recycle bin.
While compiling my list of “Recycling Facts to Ponder” I learned that recycling one three foot stack of newspapers saves one tree from being cut down. I was stunned by this fact and immediatedly began calculating how many trees I save by recycling our Lincoln County Journal each week which is approximately two trees a year. I then called the Lincoln County Journal and learned they print 18,500 papers each week. That is a lot of newspaper for a rural county. After doing a little math I learned that if each of those 18,5000 newspapers, including the inserts, were recycled we could save approximately 26,722 trees in one year. Isn’t that amazing that Lincoln County alone could make that big of an impact? So I encourage ALL of you to recycle your Lincoln County Journals each week as well as any other newsprint, office paper, junk mail, and paper/cardboard packaging. If you don’t know where to recycle or have other questions or comments please leave a comment here or contact me at reller@centurytel.net. Remember, our actions in Lincoln County does make a difference both here and on a global scale.
Here are a few recycling facts to ponder. If we, as a county, begin thinking about the bigger picture we could truly make a positive impact on our environment both locally and globally.
- Recycling a stack of newspaper just 3 feet high saves one tree. If all of the 18,500 Lincoln County Journals (and inserts) printed each week were recycled it would save approximately 26,722 trees in one year.
- Each ton of recycled paper can save 17 trees, 380 gallons of oil, 3 cubic yards of landfill space, 4,000 kilowatts of energy, and 7,000 gallons of water.
- Americans throw away enough office paper each year to build a 12 foot high wall of paper from New York to Seattle.
- Making paper from recycled paper reduces contributions to air pollution by 95% and think of all of the trees it would save.
- Every three months, Americans landfill enough aluminum to rebuild our entire commericial fleet of airplanes.
- The average person has the opportunity to recycle 25,000 aluminum cans in a lifetime.
- Recycling a single aluminum can saves enough energy to power a TV for three hours.
- Glass can be recycled an infinite number of times and never wears out.
- Making glass from recycled material cuts related water pollution by 50%.
- Recycling one glass jar saves enough electricity to light a conventional 60 watt bulb for 4 hours.
- Recycling one glass jar saves enough electricity to light an 11 watt CFL bulb for 20 hours.
- Five PET (plastic soda bottles) yeild enough fiber for one extra large t-shirt, one square foot of carpet, or enough fiber fill to fill one ski jacket.
- One tree can filter up to 60 pounds of pollutants from the air each year.
For more information on recycling visit the National Recycling Coalition or the Missouri Recycling Association.
Due to scheduling conflicts I was unable to attend the meeting held at the Elsberry Legion Post on Tuesday regarding the Habitat for Humanity Lincoln County affiliate. There I was hoping to address the HFH Environmental Initiative which, according the www.habitat.org promotes:
“…cost-effective, best-practice construction methods to its U.S. affiliates, raising awareness of the environmental impacts of house building. As a result, partner families may enjoy healthier, more energy-efficient and durable housing at the lowest possible cost. Over time…affiliates are encouraged to be good house builders and good stewards of natural resources.”
BINGO! This is what going green is about; educating others about our environmental impact and learning how to be kinder to our Earth. After all it is the only life sustaining planet we know of. Similar non-profit organizations hoping to eliminate poverty & homelessness around the U.S. are working with their partner families (those in need) to install solar panels, tankless & solar powered water heaters, energy efficient appliances, and other sustainable products all in an effort to reduce their carbon footprint and ultimately reduce the cost of owning a home (electric & gas bills, etc). It is my hope that the HFH Lincoln County affiliate takes the Environmental Initiative seriously and makes it an integral part of the program.
The question is can it be done in Lincoln County? Absolutely without a doubt! For those who attended the meeting please feel free to leave comments about the meeting, concerns that were addressed, and any contact information for those who are directly involved in this movement. Even if you are not involved in HFH please feel free to leave comments, concerns, & questions. I personally would like to get involved and encourage all of you to do the same. It is a win-win situation for the county as it addresses poverty housing & homelessness as well as the protection of our county’s natural resources.
I have a dream of making Lincoln County the first green county in Missouri. I’m thrilled to say that tomorrow I will take the first steps in making this happen. I am meeting with middle and high school students from the Troy R-3 school district who exude leadership skills and a genuine interest in making our community a better place to live. We will discuss the importance of recycling, what we can do to educate others about it, and brainstorm ways to get the community involved.
I am passionate about education and truly believe that it is the key to solving many of the environmental issues we face. In an effort to educate others and provide a place for discussion on environmental issues both locally and globally, I have started this blog. Feel free to post comments, concerns about local & global environmental issues, and ideas about ways we can tread lightly on our precious planet.
