We all “know” that plastic bags are bad. They are made from petro-chemicals, they don’t break down in landfills and if not recycled properly they can cause a great many problems at material recovery facilities. So just how bad are they? The answers I found really surprised me.

A study done at California State University, Chico used a life cycle assessment to look at plastic bags and measure the environmental consequences associated with production, use, and end of life. Plastic bags were compared to paper grocery bags to determine the environmental impact of each product. The study found that the production of 1500 plastic bags requires 70% less energy, 35% less fossil fuel and 94% less water than the production of paper bags (which contained 30% recycled paper). The production of 1500 plastic bags produces 50% less carbon emissions and 79% less municipal waste than the production of 1500 paper bags. At end of life, assuming that 5% of plastic bags and 21% of paper bags were recycled, the overall environmental impact of plastic bag production is less than for paper bag production.

When the question is plastic or paper what is the right answer? As cities and states consider passing laws to ban plastic bags, perhaps some thought should be given to the actual environmental cost of our actions.

We learned, among other things, that Recycling must be thought of in conjunction with two more Rs – Reduce and Reuse.

There were speakers each week who engaged us with thoughtful presentations and salient facts (I was appalled at the amount of food that is wasted in the US before it even makes it to the market place).

We took two very interesting field trips. The first trip, which I have written about, showed the importance of Recycling. The second trip impressed me with the economic and social value of reuse. Although I am familiar with (and love) the Rebuilding Center, I knew nothing about Free Geek, the Community Warehouse and Scrap before our second field trip.

Now that we have been educated, it is our turn to share this information. Look for a Master Recycler at a community event near you!

The hazardous waste depot at the Metro Central facility was especially interesting. Things such as left over paint, pesticides, flammable liquids, neon light tubes even explosives can be brought here and can be disposed of for free. There is even a program for sharps which lets you buy a sharps container for $5.00.  Bring it in when it is full and receive an empty in return for free.

There is lots more to learn and I will write more as I learn more about recycling in our area. In the meantime if you have recycling questions go to http://www.metro-region.org/

We have increased the number of products available to our customers by adding compostable tableware and cutlery. We also offer Xpressnap napkin system. The system consists of a dispenser which is available in seven models and white or natural napkins which are 100% recycled and third party certified. Also newly available are compostable bags in sizes ranging from 3 gallon to 69 gallon sizes. These bags are great for those of you who utilize community compost programs.

Contnuing education plays an important part our business plan. To that end we will be taking the Master Recycler Class this Spring. Expect updates on our progress.

To get a feel for his approach to growing a successful small business click on the link below to hear Tony’s interview with Hillsboro Chamber President Deanna Palm and Julie Wilson Vice President of Member Relations.

http://hillsboro.kuik.com/production/BusinessVoice/businessvoice022111.mp3

The idea of pre-cycling is not new. This idea harkens back to my grandparents day when new purchases were not made lightly. Before bringing anthing home there had to be a real need. Maybe there are questions we should ask ourselves before we shop. How often will I use this? Can I get along without this? If I really need it, is is made of materials that can be reused and/or recycled into new products? Using criteria such as these to evaluate purchases can help reduce waste and save money.

For more information see http://www.co.washington.or.us/HHS/SWR/WastePrevention/index.cfm

For me the best part of the show was the information that was available from the organizations that participated. I got information about gardening, pesticides, bike paths, bee keeping, recycled building materials and urban chickens. Metro http://www.metro-region.org/ especially had both good information and knowledgeable staff.

I learned that going green can be as expensive or as cheap as you make it. Install those solar panels or switch to 100% recycled paper for your office. Outfit your home with energy efficent windows or purchase recycled toner cartridges. Changes big or small can reduce your carbon footprint.

If you want to do more to make your office or paper purchases green contact us – we can help.

The blinds arrived and after several calls to the product help line they were successfully installed. After a week my husband and I were once again on speaking terms. After several months I was again on the phone with the company help line with a problem which required me to ship part of the order back to them for repair. Just recently another problem occurred and I am awaiting parts for a repair I will need to make myself.

I learned several lessons from these blinds. Sometimes a “great” sale just means that things have been in the warehouse too long and NEVER under estimate the value of “ in person “ customer service. Only so much advice can be given over the phone. When the blinds won’t open or the paper won’t feed through your printer, having someone who can come out and diagnose the problem is invaluable.

That kind of “in person” customer service is what we offer you. Whether you need to purchase office products that are recyclable and sustainable or you need to identify ways to help your office go green we are ready to work with you.

Portland is a city of many festivals. One my favorites is the North American Organic Brewers Festival

http://www.naobf.org/index.htm It was there that I was introduced to green food service products. The beer tasting cups were made from corn starch. They looked and felt exactly like plastic but were compostable. The cups were sturdy and at no time did I feel in danger of having it dissolve. We did discover the one accidentally left on the dashboard in the intense direct sunlight deformed. They most certainly would not last long in a landfill!

That was several years ago and now there are even more options. Products such as Tater Ware provide plates, cups, knives, spoons, forks and takeaway containers made from potato starch. These products are suitable for both hot & cold foods, they are very strong and they are biodegradable.

Tableware made from 100% compostable sugar cane fiber is another green choice. Sugar cane is rapidly renewable and breaks down in 30 -90 days in commercial composting facilities. It is also microwave and freezer safe.

If you are planning a neighborhood block party, company picnic or family reunion keep it green. We can help.

This is especially true if ,as in my case, your computer skills are not all that good. Even though we have an extremely helpful and patient web designer http://www.mozakdesign.com/ I still find that the process can be extremely frustrating. There are some days when #*%&@+!!!! is my most commonly used phrase.

Please hang in there with us. Soon there will be pictures and descriptions of the recycable and sustainable paper products we offer. In the meantime please contact us with your questions about green paper products.