Planning a Zero- Waste Year Presented by Kay McKeen
Environmental Education School Programs Teacher trainings Classroom programs Assemblies Lunchroom Waste Audits Community Programs Libraries, clubs, organizations Community Events Recycling Events Eco- Certification Schools & Libraries Businesses Houses of Worship
Reduce use less, save Reuse use what you have 2018 SCARCE Inc Recycle save money
Make a zero-waste New Year s resolution Begin by integrating small changes over time focused on reducing single-use plastics in your life. Water bottles, Ziploc bags, shopping bags, produce bags, straws, and so much more
Tikkun Olam (teekoon-ohlahm) A traditional Jewish teaching based on performing acts of kindness to repair the world.
Reduce: Avoid waste in the first place
Extend recycling collections beyond your home Start collection drives for recyclable items that can t go to municipal recycling programs. Place small collection bins in your office, church, schools, community centers, etc. Then, contact SCARCE for how to recycle. Books Bread tags Art supplies School & office supplies Keys LP Records Musical instruments DVDs and CDs Brita and Pur filters and accessories Crayons Corks (ReCork) Holiday lights and cords Cell phones Eyeglasses & hearing aids
January Upcycle your holiday cards next year! Compost your poinsettias or keep alive for next year
January Donate gently used items with Give Back Box givebackbox.com/amazon Cancel unwanted catalogs at home and work https://www.catalogchoice.org/
February Start a scrap metal bin in garage
March Check your smoke detector Recycle the batteries before you mail it back If it is out of date, you can mail them back for recycling scarce.org/smoke-detectors/ Test your toilets for leaks Recycling Extravaganza season begins (spring & fall)
Recycling Events (Lisle, March 26th)
April Clean out your medicine cabinet to safely dispose of medicines! April 27 th, 2019 Connect rain barrels to your downspouts. Car pool with friends to earth events! Earth Day April 22 nd Arbor Day April 26 th Many police stations and Select Walgreens have medicine disposal drop offs National Take-back each April and October
Medicine Disposal Bins at Local Police Stations Sponsored by Illinois EPA Prescription & Over-the-counter meds for People & Pets Put pills in baggies with no personal identification; liquids left in bottles х NO sharps 2018 SCARCE Inc Select Walgreens have medicine disposal drop offs www.scarce.org/medicine-disposal National Take-back each April and October
May Switch to Green Cleaning Green Cleaning? Simple, inexpensive products Reduce Asthma triggers Improve Indoor Air Quality Reuse sponges, towels, rags instead of buying disposables Dryer balls
Green up your garden Plant native Northeastern Illinois species Green Cleaning? Purchase food scrap amended compost for your garden beds Donate unwanted gardening tools to community gardens First Saturday in June, bring your plastic gardening containers for recycling at Chicago Botanic Gardens or the Morton Arboretum Join us at SCARCE for the annual Garden Market Saturday, May 4 th, 2019
June Bring your extra home-grown veggies to a food pantry Grow from seed to avoid plastic seedling pots. DIY newspaper seed pots can be planted directly in the garden Reminder! Flag Day is June 14 th. Be sure to respectfully retire your American Flags with local American Legions or VFWs.
Party Season in Full Swing Gifting: wooden or bamboo gifts are compostable after you have worn them out Hosting: Borrow or invest in reusable party dish sets, if you have one, lend them out to friends
July Join the Plastic-Free July Challenge Cover your swimming pool when not in use Reduces evaporation Prevents chlorine burns on surrounding vegetation Consider a chlorine-free pool https://www.plasticfreejuly.org/
August Swap don t shop for schools supplies and back-toschool clothing National Thrift Shop Day August 17 th, 2019 Hand-Me-Ups Oyster Day is August 5 th! Mail back your shells to help restore the Chesapeake Bay.
If every American picked up 5 pieces of litter, once a year, we d keep over 1.6 BILLION pieces of litter from harming wildlife and water quality. September
September Many options to start composting! https://www.scarce.org/downloads/diy-outdoor-compost-bin/ Outdoor backyard bin Vermicomposting Municipal Curbside Pick-Up Programs
October Remove toxic chemicals from your home and properly dispose at local Household Hazardous Waste collections Naperville and Rockford National Drug Take Back Day October 26 th, 2019 Prepare your rain barrel for winter Detach it from your downspouts, empty, open all spigots, and store upside down or indoors National Take-back each April and October Many organizations like Humane Societies and Doctors Without Borders collect empty, clean pill bottles.
Too Toxic to Trash Properly Dispose of all Household Hazardous Waste Household Hazardous Waste Drop-Off No dumping into storm drains Rockford Public Works 3333 Kishwaukee St. Saturdays 8 am 4 pm Sundays Noon 4 pm & Naperville Hazardous Waste 156 Fort Hill Drive Sat Sun 9am-2pm All Car Fluids 2018 SCARCE Inc Household chemicals Liquid Vegetable Cooking Oil
Fluorescent Bulbs Fluorescent Tubes and bulbs contain Mercury do not go in trash Place each CFL bulb in a separate plastic bag Locations to recycle: Home Depot (CFL bulbs only) 2018 SCARCE Inc Rockford & Naperville HHW (tubes + bulbs) Lowes (CFLs) Look for these stations near entrance/exit of Home Depot
November Participate in local pumpkin composting events First Saturday after Halloween Scarce.org/pumpkins Recycle your cooking oil into biofuel Many year round drop-offs, special collection pop-ups on the Saturday after Thanksgiving Recycle your holiday lights SCARCE collects year-round Local pop-ups: scarce.org/holiday-light-recycling-18-19/
Annual Pumpkin Smash 2018 SCARCE Inc Over 254 tons composted since 2014
Recycling Cooking Oil Cooking oil clogs popes and drains, causing costly back-ups. SCARCE helped establish 9 permanent residential collection sites in DuPage. They are open to all people, not restricted by towns, and no fee!
December Holiday light recycling most collections run all winter Compost or mulch your Christmas Tree Turn your old tree into bird habitat Rent trees and send them back Get a plantable tree
Tikkun Olam (teekoon-ohlahm) A traditional Jewish teaching based on performing acts of kindness to repair the world.
Questions? You can always call our office or email us with questions! info@scarce.org and (630) 545-9710 Social media: @ScarceEcoEd
Stay Informed General green info for families, businesses, churches and more Geared for Schools green info for teachers, administrators, eco-club sponsors, scout leaders 2018 SCARCE Inc Visit www.scarce.org to sign up