Minimize the hassle (and your credit card bills) by planning a staycation instead. Stuck for ideas? Check out Earth911′s handy guide to planning the perfect Valentine’s Day staycation and start saving on cash (without skimping on the holiday fun).

Staycation Tip: Stave off cabin fever on your staycation by spending some time in the great outdoors. Enjoy a picnic in the park, bike an uncharted path or take a walk through a local pop-up park or community garden. Photo: Stock Photo

1. Plan ahead

The best way to plan a satisfying staycation is to duplicate your dream getaway at home. Sit down and think about your ideal Valentine’s Day plans and figure out a way to create alternatives on the cheap.

If you can’t quite afford a five-course meal at the Chateau Marmont, check out our recipe library and prepare a tasty dinner right in your own kitchen. If your Valentine’s Day fantasy involves a pricey spa, try one of our DIY pampering treatments to escape into at-home bliss.

Once you have your plans in line, clear your work schedule, find a sitter for the kids and take a moment to truly enjoy your home with your partner. Turn off the cell phones and don’t check your email for the duration of your at-home vacation to make you feel “away from it all.”

Still craving a real vacay? Cut back on transportation-related emissions (and vacation costs) by choosing a staycation at an inn, lodge or hotel in your area. Check out your region’s tourism website to find lodging near you and use our guide to make sure your pick is eco-friendly. Not sure where to start? A simple Web search with the word “tourism” and your town or region’s name should point you in the right direction.

2. Stay green

Like on any vacation, it may be tempting to let your green habits slip for a long weekend. But resist the urge and keep being green no matter where you go. Whether you stay at a local hotel or your own house, remember to help save water and energy and continue to recycle.

To up the green ante of your staycation, visit green businesses in your neighborhood, or grab a snack at an eco-friendly eatery. If you’re planning a picnic in the park, package your food in reusable containers instead of plastic bags and dine on portable reusable plates, like these from Preserve.

And you can never go wrong with getting outside for an hour or two. Enjoying the outdoors helps you remember why protecting the planet is so important; and you’ll save on energy, too! Instead of setting the thermostat to the perfect temperature and turning on the lights in every room, plan some fun outdoor activities to feel at one with Mother Nature.

Super Bowl decorations, temporary structures and signage are being removed from the streets of Indianapolis and recovered for reuse and recycling. Photo: Flickr/AngieSix

Everything Super Bowl is coming down in Indianapolis, but it isn’t being thrown away. It’s being recycled into wallets, purses, messenger bags and other accessories to benefit a local nonprofit, according to recent news reports.

This week, workers at Lucas Oil Stadium began the arduous task of removing layers of plastic and vinyl sheeting used as decoration, reports local news affiliate WTHR-TV. The Super Bowl numerals on Monument Circle came down on Tuesday, along with dozens of banners and tents downtown, reports RTV6 Indianapolis.

Some items, including NFL Experience equipment, stages and scaffolding used to build a zip line, will be disassembled and reused by the NFL as part of its Environmental Program, RTV 6 reports.

READ: Packers To Recycle Lambeau Field Scoreboards

Other materials, including banner fabric and durable vinyl sheeting, will be donated to People For Urban Progress, a local transit, environmental awareness and urban planning nonprofit, reports the Indianapolis Star.

The nonprofit focuses on employing local artisans while raising funds for better city infrastructure. In 2008, it salvaged roofing materials from the RCA Dome and turned them into memory-making accessories available for purchase.

Accessories made from Super Bowl XLVI decorations will be available online in about a month, WTHR reports. So, keep your eye on the People For Urban Progress online store to snag your own little piece of the Super Bowl!

INFOGRPAHIC: Green Impact of Super Bowl XLVI

Show your Valentine (and the planet) a little love by choosing a gift that gives back. Photo: Flickr/Valdiney Pimenta

As you’re browsing the Web for that perfect Valentine’s Day gift this week, why not choose a gift that gives back? Here are three fun ways to help the environment and your community while showing your honey you care.

1. Shop for a cause

A growing number of online retailers allow shoppers to donate to charitable causes. So, why not check them out for your Valentine’s Day giving?

Gifts that Give offers more than 100 top brands and donates 20 percent of all proceeds to your charity of choice. Select from national groups like Habitat for Humanity and Save the Whales or local organizations like parks departments, neighborhood PTAs and community groups.

Greater Good donates between three and 50 percent of the retail price of purchased products to nonprofits like The Rainforest Site, The Hunger Site and Ecology Fund.

GoodShop and We-Care allow you to peruse hundreds of online merchants, like Amazon and Zappos, and donate a percentage of each purchase to the charity of your choice. Causes include the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, Environmental Working Group and Best Friends Animal Society.

READ: Facebook Game Upcycles Trash For Charity

2. Buy local, support fair trade

Support your community or a community overseas by choosing local or fair trade merchants this Valentine’s Day.

Start by browsing through a few mom-and-pop shops or farmer’s markets in your area. A leisurely stroll down your town’s main street could yield a bouquet of stunning local flowers, a found-object watch or a handmade picture frame that’s perfect for your honey.

If local shops don’t suit your fancy, consider choosing a fair trade gift instead. Fair trade refers to a system of buying and selling goods in a way that workers, farmers and communities are paid a fair wage. And you can often find loads of unique handmade gifts crafted from recycled or sustainable materials.

For a gift that benefits artisans (and makes your sweetie smile), check your town or city’s business directory for a fair trade shop in your area. Or browse one of the dozens of online fair trade retailers – like Seven Hopes United, Ten Thousand Villages and Fair Trade USA.

INFOGRAPHIC: Buying Fair Trade vs. Local

3. Go unconventional

If you’re so over those tired bouquets and candy boxes, consider a slightly more unconventional gift this year. Making a charitable donation in your loved one’s name is a great way to show you care (without adding to the pile of stuff in your junk closet).

Try adopting an endangered species for your special someone through the World Wildlife Fund, saving an acre of rainforest through CREA or giving a chicken to a hungry family through Heifer International.

Want a physical gift to exchange on the big day? The Arbor Day Foundation will plant a tree in your sweetie’s name and allow you to choose from dozens of adorable cards for your donation.

READ: Recycle Reusable Bags For Charity

Homepage Image: Flickr/sonictk

The recycling of post-consumer plastic bags and wraps reached nearly 972 million pounds in 2010, according to a recent report.

This represents a 14 percent increase over 2009 and a 50 percent increase since 2005, according to the report developed by Moore Recycling Associates Inc. on behalf of the American Chemistry Council (ACC).

While the ACC called the findings a victory for plastic bag recycling, some environmental groups disagreed.

“By every measure, the recycling of single-use plastic bags is a failure,” said Mark Murray, executive director of Californians Against Waste (CAW).

The group said the report shows promising growth in the recycling of “shrink wrap” and other plastic film – typically collected in the commercial sector – but doesn’t present ground-breaking numbers when it comes to plastic bag recovery.

However, the ACC noted that the data in the report does not support this conclusion, but rather that more plastic is being, and can be, recycled overall. “Focusing only on retail bags can have an adverse effect,” said Keith Christman, Managing Director of Plastics Markets for ACC. He suggested it is limiting to consumers and allows for missed opportunities to recycle other plastics.

“All measurable data shows strong growth in bag and film recycling,” said Christman. “It’s unfortunate that anyone would see that as a negative.”

READ: Japanese Inventor Turns Plastic Bags Into Oil

In the ACC study, plastic bags and wraps are combined into a category known as “plastic film.” According to the report, recycling of plastic bags alone increased by 27 percent between 2009 and 2010.

The ACC report estimates that bags make up 40 to 55 percent of the commingled bales collected at retail locations. But activists said that bags represent less than 6 percent of mixed plastic film from retail collection, citing a recent California study.

However, California is currently the only state that monitors plastic bag and film recycling. So, data showing the specific number of bags recycled in other states is unavailable for a comprehensive comparison. In California, the recycling rate for regulated plastic carryout bags is about 3 percent, leading many cities to explore bag bans to cut back on waste.

READ: More Cities Explore Plastic Bag Bans

The ACC does agree with the CAW about one thing: they both want to see the numbers improve.

In an effort to continue to recycle more plastics and film, the ACC formed its new Flexible Film Recycling Group (FFRG) – which includes members representing the full plastics film industry, from resin suppliers to film manufacturers, brand owners and recyclers. Founding members include Avanguard, Dow Chemical, ExxonMobil, SC Johnson, Sealed Air and Trex, the ACC said.

“The FFRG looks forward to working with all parts of the polyethylene film value chain to make it even simpler to recover and recycle this valuable plastic material,” said Steve Russell, ACC vice president of plastics. One of the ways the group will be doing this is adding more locations for consumers to recycle plastic bags and film.

Plastic bags and wraps recovered for recycling are used to make plastic and composite lumber for outdoor decks and fencing, home building products, garden products, crates, piping and new film packaging like plastic bags, the ACC said.

“Since 2005, the recycling of plastic bags and film has increased 15 percent faster than other materials,” said ACC’s Christman. “It’s one of the most exciting areas of recycling today.”

READ: Students Help Haitians Build Homes From Plastic Waste

Editor’s Note: This article was updated to include additional quotations from the American Chemistry Council on Feb. 8.

Kraft Foods, maker of the iconic Kraft Macaroni and Cheese Dinner and other food and beverage products, announced that 36 of its manufacturing facilities in 13 countries have achieved zero waste, sending no trash to the landfill. Photo: Flickr/srboisvert

Kraft Foods, maker of the iconic Kraft Macaroni and Cheese Dinner and other food and beverage products, announced last week that 36 of its manufacturing facilities in 13 countries send no waste to landfill.

“We’re waging war on waste, one plant at a time,” said Christine McGrath, Kraft’s vice president of global sustainability, in a statement. “Our strategy is simple: Generate less waste and find new uses for the waste we do produce.”

Manufacturing waste makes up 99 percent of the company’s total trash output, which is why Kraft chose to focus on this waste stream, the company said. Kraft, which also owns such brands as Nabisco, Oreo and Maxwell House, said it now recycles or reuses 90 percent of manufacturing waste and has reduced manufacturing waste companywide by 50 percent since 2005.

Of the plants that have achieved zero waste, 12 are located in North America, while 24 are in Europe.

Kraft’s coffee plant in Vienna, Austria, is just one of the company’s many waste reduction success stories: Since last year, the facility has sent 250 tons of used coffee bean husks to a local biomass plant that generates heat and electricity for the city’s residents.

Closer to home, plants in Fresno and San Leandro, Calif., that make a variety of Kraft products including Cornnuts, Capri Sun and Kool-Aid, have collected more than 100 tons of food waste like corn skins to be used as animal feed since 2009.

READ: Office Depot Replaces Cardboard Boxes with Reusable Totes

What are Recyclebank Points?

Recyclebank Points are earned through various green actions such as pledging to use less water, taking quizzes, making eco-friendlier purchases, and learning how to live a sustainable life. Check out Recyclebank.com for a full list of ways to earn points.

These points can be redeemed at hundreds of local and national retailers for discounts on groceries, a night out, or hundreds of other perks. Check out the Get Rewards page to see where you can use your points.

Please note: You need a Recyclebank Account to earn and use points. If you do not have an account, you will have the opportunity to create one on Earth911.com. It’s free and easy to join.

How do I get Recyclebank Points?

Currently, there are two ways:

1. Registering for the Earth911 Instant Expert Newsletter.
2. Reading stories on Earth911.com, with a maximum of 3 opportunities to earn each day. Simply read an article and click the “Get My Points” button at the end of the story, or on the last page of articles that contain more than one page.

In the future, we hope to offer you more ways to get points for making better choices!

I just signed up for the newsletter or read an article. Where are my points?
Newsletter: You must fully complete the signup process by verifying your email to claim your points. When you click the link to verify your email, you will be brought to a landing page where a Recyclebank banner that features the words “Get My Points” is located.

Click “Get My Points.” (example on right)

Articles: You must read to the bottom of an article or reach the last page of an article that contains multiple pages to reach the “Get My Points” button.

You also must have pop-ups enabled for this function to work. Then, follow the instructions by logging into your current Recyclebank Account or signing up to create one for the first time.

What’s next?

Make sure to add greentips@earth911.com to your safe sender list, and stay tuned for our emails that make you an expert in one green topic each week! We’ll announce future growth in our partnership with Recyclebank via the Instant Expert Newsletter as well. ]]> http://earth911.com/recyclebank/feed/ 0 http://earth911.com/news/2012/02/03/new-led-bulbs-light-up-national-mall/ http://earth911.com/news/2012/02/03/new-led-bulbs-light-up-national-mall/#comments Fri, 03 Feb 2012 13:00:44 +0000 Alexis Petru http://earth911.com/?p=67076

The National Mall’s new LED streetlights will not only save energy and money, but will also make the park safer for nighttime visitors. Photo: Alliance to Save Energy

At a press conference on the National Mall on Jan. 30, Energy Secretary Steven Chu and Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar flipped a ceremonial light switch to reveal the park’s energy upgrades: LED light bulbs installed in the 173 streetlight posts that line the National Mall’s walkways, the Alliance to Save Energy reports.

The super-efficient, brighter bulbs will reduce the streetlights’ energy use by at least 60 percent, according to the Trust for the National Mall, as well as make the park, which attracts 24 million visitors a year, safer for nighttime sightseers.

The National Park Service estimates that the LEDs will last for more than two decades, compared to the old bulbs which needed replacement every few years.

Lighting manufacturer Osram Sylvania donated the LEDs to the Trust for the National Mall, while local utility Pepco contributed the installation services, which started in November.

READ: An $18 LED Bulb That Lasts 5 Years?

The Packers and Waste Management will recycle more than 90 percent of the old scoreboard from Lambeau Field. Photo: Flickr/compujeramey

Off-season renovations are underway at Lambeau Field, the home of the Green Bay Packers. But old materials aren’t headed for the landfill. They’re being recovered for recycling, according to recent news reports.

This week, work crews began taking down the scoreboard in the south end zone to make way for a brand new 100 foot wide video screen, which will be installed in time for the 2012 season, local news affiliate WBAY-TV reported.

INFOGRAPHIC: Green Impact of Super Bowl XLVI

Scoreboard recycling is rare, the Packers told The Green Bay Press Gazette. But the organization hopes to recover valuable materials – including steel, aluminum, vinyl, ad panels, wiring, circuit boards, LED displays and lighting fixtures – by disassembling the old board piece by piece, the paper reported.

“Much bigger scale than your 27-inch TV that you’re going to take to get recycled,” Packers Facility Operations Director Ted Eisenreich told WBAY-TV. “So, we break every component apart, and it goes to different facilities to be recycled.”

READ: Quick Green Tips for Super Bowl Sunday

The board will be partially dismantled at the stadium before Waste Management ships the pieces off for recycling. An estimated 90 percent of the scoreboard will be recycled, Dan Roddan, account manager for Waste Management, told local news affiliate WGBA-TV.

The scoreboard replacement is part of a $143 million project at Lambaeu Field, which also includes 6,700 new seats in the south end zone, the station reported.

READ: 8 Ways to Green Your Super Bowl

1. Upcycled bike chain bracelets

The average bicycle shop produces 25-40 pounds of waste bike chains per month, according to Ben Gould, industrial designer and inventor. But Gould has found a stylish new use for this leftover material, degreasing the chains with biodegradable agents and upcycling them into colorful, accordion-like bracelets.

Gould launched a fundraising campaign on Kickstarter to take his local project to the national level. First, he plans to set up a network of bike shops across the country that will commit to sending him their unwanted bike chains; a portion of Kickstarter donations will be used to pay the cost of shipping this material to Gould.

He’ll also use contributions to build better forging tools so he can process a large volume of bike chains and to electroplate some bracelets in chrome, silver and gold for customers who want “unparalleled bling.”

LEARN MORE HERE

SEE: PHOTOS: Couture Jewelry Made From LEGOs

Chevy’s new Ecologic labels, set to debut in the 2012 Sonic in March, will provide consumers with information on the environmental impact of the car, from assembly and production to disposal. Photo: Mark Finkenstaedt for General Motors

When shopping for a new car, its fuel economy label will tell you estimated miles per gallon, but you’re left in the dark about the environmental impact of the vehicle over its lifetime, from production to disposal.

Now Chevrolet is going beyond the average fuel economy window sticker with its new Ecologic labels, which will provide information to consumers about the car’s environmental features, the automaker announced last week.

Located on the rear driver-side window, the labels will display any eco-friendly manufacturing and assembly techniques used to make the car, as well as fuel-saving features including advanced engine technologies, aerodynamics, lightweight parts or low-rolling resistance tires. The window sticker will also explain how 85 percent of the car by weight can be recycled at the end of its useful life.

The Ecologic labels are set to debut in the 2012 Chevrolet Sonic in March and in 2013 Chevy vehicles later this year, the company said.

Two Tomorrows, an independent third-party sustainability company, will audit each claim on the new decals to assure accuracy.

READ: New Fuel Economy Labels to Rate Cars’ Impact