Environmentally Aware Company Checklist

Posted by: Mark Walters  /  Category: Recycling

Being an environmentally aware company not only looks good to customers and the community, it can also significantly reduce costs. So, what can be done to make a company greener and cleaner?

Reduce wastage – Practically every company produces waste of some sort, whether it be paper or left over raw products, and where there is waste, there is a way of reducing it. Being more careful and precise when creating products, using less packaging, and sending invoices electronically, are just a few examples of ways that wastage can be reduced.

Re-Use Paper – Paper is the most wasted item in most companies, despite it being relatively easy to re-use, or to not use at all. A few ideas to consider are printing on both sides of a piece of paper, keeping scrap paper next to the printer for use for internal / test documents, and sending emails rather than letters.

Buy Recycled Paper – Producing one tonne of recycled paper saves 3000 liters of water and 78% energy use. Air emissions of gases such as CO2 are cut by 95% and there is less pollution because recycled paper is not bleached with chlorine. As for purchasing recycled paper, it is no more expensive than virgin paper, and nowadays the quality is as good.

Recycle Printer Cartridges – Around 2 million printer cartridges are discarded every year. Recycling cartridges is easy as many suppliers offer a return scheme for used cartridges. Using recycled toner cartridges reduces demand for raw materials and they can be purchased for as little as half the price of non-recycled cartridges.

Re-Use Plastic Cups – Around 8% of global annual oil production is currently used in the manufacturing of plastics and the process of production uses harmful chemicals. (Waste Online, 2008) Plastics are non-biodegradable and may take hundreds of years to decompose. So, if an office has a vending machine, employees can re-use a plastic cup throughout the day or perhaps keep their own mug at their desk.

Recycle Aluminum – Aluminum is the most valuable and cost-effective waste stream to recycle. Metals can be recycled indefinitely and production from recycled metals requires just 5% of the energy required for primary production, whilst cutting CO2 emissions by a staggering 95%. So, why not set up a collection point next to vending machines or in canteen area?

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Buying Used Computers Versus New

Posted by: Adriana Noton  /  Category: Recycling

There are many reasons to buy used computers rather than new ones. While it is true than in many cases you should buy new electronics, this does not always apply to computers. Computers are a species all their own and you should keep that in mind while shopping. Before you buy a new computer read my reasons for buying a used computer.

Refurbished is another term for used. The difference is that these have at least been tested by professionals and possibly redone as well. You can usually count on them at least having a fresh installation of the operating system when you receive them. With these you can usually be sure they will be in good working condition when you receive them. A lot of these also come with at least a limited warranty.

If possible, always test before renting computers. If you are buying online then read the description carefully and you should ask questions if you are unsure of something. You should also know what all you will be getting. If you have a monitor then you may be able to buy a tower alone much cheaper. If you need the monitor then you can usually buy it with the tower cheaper than you can if you buy them separately.

You may want to get a computer that comes with a restore disk. If you don’t have this and you ever have the need to reformat your computer then you may have to spend a lot of money to buy an operating system. The restore disk will restore the computer to the original setting but anything you have downloaded or saved may be erased.

Warranties on new computers really aren’t as great as most people think. Most stores won’t accept a returned computer for any reason after 15 days. Past that time you have to call the company that made the computer and they will send you parts or ask you to send the unit in for repair. This can be a headache and take forever to get your computer back to running even if the company does as promised.

While I have known several people who have had no problems with companies honoring the warranties, I have had quiet a bit of problems in this area. In fact, I have had so many problems that I would prefer to buy used computers and then fix them myself if anything goes wrong. To me, this is just easier and cheaper in the long run.

If you look around you can find used computers that offer everything the new computers do. You can buy them with just as much memory and hard drive space, which are 2 of the main things I usually look at. There isn’t necessarily anything wrong with these computers. People find that they either don’t need them or they have upgraded because they want a newer model.

If you are looking for a computer then you should at least think about used computers. This can save you a lot of money and you can still be just as happy with these.

At low prices and with such convenient access, computer recycling Toronto is an economically viable option for those seeking quality technology. Another recommended alternative is renting computers, which allows users to conserve money and test the platform first-hand.

Recycling in the City is Good for Everyone Around the Globe

Posted by: Adriana Noton  /  Category: Recycling

Recycling in the city is nothing new, there is now just more of a focus on it. Remember the first time the blue buckets were handed out and everyone was laughing about them? Well people aren’t laughing now as every city in America and every country around the globe is looking for better ways to make use of recycling.

A lot of city dwellers do not understand that if they recycle, they will directly benefit from it. The trash has to be put somewhere and if it is not recycled, it has to go into a landfill. The worst part about all of this is that the cities get charged a ton of cash to do this. Where does that money come from? Taxes, of course!

Landfills are not cheap to use and the costs of this far exceed those of recycling. A great example of how important junk removal is to cities is the program that Philadelphia recently unveiled. They are actually offering incentives to neighborhood residents that can pay as much as $240/yr if they hit their numbers. That is the equivalent of an insurance payment or filling the fridge for a month.

While tax benefits are one benefit, there is also usually significant federal money that can be lost if recycling numbers are not met by cities. The federal government continues to put restrictions on certain funding that will only be releases if cities and states use a certain amount or renewable energy and have effective garbage removal plans.

When it comes to the individual homeowner, they are very instrumental in making these plans work. One of the most important things is for the parents to get the kids into the habit of recycling. Use clearly marked containers and give them a reason to recycle. The more fun it is, the more likely they are to do it.

Once the kids are involved, it is time to look at the products that are coming into the home. Not only should people be buying things that can be recycled, but they should also be buying things that come from recycled goods. The more people buy these types of goods, the more likely the corporate world will fall into line.

Don’t get the misconception that all companies are doing their part. There are plenty of industries that use recyclables in every aspect that they can, but there are still far too many televisions and computer companies that are not using these programs to the best of their abilities.

Recycling should be a part of everyone’s life, but this is particularly true when it comes to city living. Because the amount of trash that is generated is so significant in cities such as Philadelphia, an aggressive recycling plan can make a huge impact on the environment. If you haven’t started to take part in recycling yet, it is time to get on the bandwagon and get both the financial and economical benefits that can result from a successful program.

Rejuvenate the environment in your local city with junk removal Toronto! Your municipal surroundings deserve to be clean, fresh, and environmentally friendly through Toronto garbage removal.