Posts Tagged ‘recycling news’

It’s sunny, warm, clear sky, and a mostly wind-free day. What could be better for a day outside in the sunshine? But before you pack a picnic lunch and head for the park or plan that bike trip with kids, there is an important health check to make. And it’s one that can impact whether young children can play outdoors or whether alternative inside activities should be planned.

The downer to summertime fun? Poor air quality, which can aggravate asthma and affect those with any type of respiratory weakness–especially the very young and our senior population. And the culprits are typically ground-level ozone and airborne particles, two pollutants that pose the greatest threat to human health in the United States, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Packaging serves many purposes. Its primary purpose is to protect and contain a product. It also can prevent tampering, provide information, and preserve hygienic integrity and freshness. Some packaging, however, is designed largely to enhance a product’s attractiveness or prominence on the store shelf. Since packaging materials account for a large volume of the trash we generate, they provide a good opportunity for reducing waste. In addition, keep in mind that as the amount of product in a container increases, the packaging waste per serving or use usually decreases.

Composting is the natural process of decomposition of organic waste like grass, leaves, paper, and some types of food, that yields manure or compost, which is very rich in nutrients. Compost, also called humus, is a soil conditioner and a very good fertilizer. The product you end up with is a rich, odorless, soil-like substance that can be added to gardens to help plants grow.

When you compost as home, you reduce the amount of waste you throw away and create this tremendous resource. It’s also fun and easy!

Making a Compost Bin