Sherborn Recycling: Changing the World One Community at a Time...

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I Need to Know...     

  How does more efficient lighting reduce pollution?

How do I donate my computer and protect myself from identity theft?

     What must I do if a fluorescent bulb breaks?

                    Who is Hap Ruane?

                                 What to Do if a Mercury Thermometer Breaks?

                     What can I do to make a better environment?

Start at home with the three R’s:       Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. 

 Reduce the amount and toxicity of trash you discard by buying durable goods, not buying packaging that is toxic, and using products that don’t deplete natural resources and do allow reuse of the product.  

   Here are ways to reduce water usage:

 Install flow-reducing shower heads and aerators, automatic shut off hose nozzles, water conservation devices for toilet tanks.  When you buy a new clothes washer, look for a front loader which uses about half the water of a top loader, and also uses less energy.

 To reduce the amount of paper in your life, donate old books and magazines to hospitals, schools and nursing homes.   

 Just say “NO” to

                            .  Get your name removed from junk mailing lists and you will lighten your annual paper load by 41 pounds or more.  Contact the Direct Marketing Association at https://www.dmachoice.org/MPS/ to learn the best way to reduce the junk mail load. New American Dream http://www.newdream.org/junkmail/form.php has partnered with an organization called 41pounds.org who promises to completely remove you from up to 95% of the junk mail lists by contacting each organization from which you receive mail and/or catalogs for a one-time fee of $41. 41 Pounds will send out forms to have your name removed from mailing lists. 

     Change your lights to change the world. 

By replacing the conventional bulbs your 5 most-used light fixtures with ENERGY STAR qualified options, you will not only help the environment, but you will save money on your energy bills as well.                      

Reuse  items so that you extend the usefulness of what you buy---and think creatively! Use resealable containers for food.  Glass jars can be great containers for nails, screws and craft items.  Give your old toothbrush a new life as a tool for cleaning grout.  Instead of putting your coffee into a paper or foam cup, keep a ceramic mug on hand for the java or tea, and use that old compact disk for a coaster.  You can even save the silica packets that come with new items, and put them into your boots and gloves to keep them fresh and dry.  And remember to take a fabric tote bag to the store with you.  It’s not only environmentally efficient, but it is quite fashionable as well!

Recycle items made of paper, cardboard, glass, steel, aluminum and plastics marked with a recycling symbol.  These items can be used over again in a different form, and this means we preserve our natural resources, save manufacturing energy, generate less pollution and cut down on the amount of trash  and dollars for disposal.

Recycling is easy---once you get the hang of it. Look for product packaging that identifies it as being recyclable or made from recycled materials.

Here are some of the symbols to look for:

   Glass            Aluminum     Steel           Recyclable

Plastics (with different numbers, depending on the plastic)

You can drop off recyclable metal, glass and paper in the marked bins at the Sherborn Transfer Station, located just south of the Natick/Sherborn Town line on Route 27.

The Sherborn Transfer station is open to all residents of the Town of Sherborn.

Pick up your transfer station sticker at Town Offices on Main Street.

         Here are some hints for recycling:

·        Keep papers clean and dry, and do not tie them with string. Rinse all cans, bottles and jars.

·        Call 508-655-2387 for information about disposing of TV’s, air conditioners, tires, car batteries, paints and computers.  For easy reference, check Earth 911 at http://earth911.org/search-recycle-details?location-id=b1b09f6c26ab39ab&what=Used+Motor+Oil&where=01770&max_distance=25

Another way to recycle is to donate the reusable household items that you no longer need.  A great place to drop off items is at Sherborn’s Swap Shop at the Transfer Station. It costs nothing to drop it or swap it, and your trash just might be another person’s sought-after treasure. 

   You can give usable old clothing toKiducation clothing donation boxes at the recycling Center,

                                                                        and make others into cleaning rags. 

You may also want to contact the local newspapers to see if they offer reduced prices for advertising free reusable items.  Online, Craig’s List is also a great way to sell or give away what you don’t need. 

Check Charity America at http://www.charityamerica.com/index1.cfm  so that your donated items can be matched with organizations that need them.  Even old computers are not obsolete for people who need them.  Look online for Computers for Schools, Goodwill Industries, National Christina Foundation or Share the Technology.

Give your old cell phone another chance.  Like other electronics,  cell phones contain heavy metals, and the batteries are also very toxic. Sherborn has a partnership with Charitable Recycling which takes our shipments of cell phones and refurbishes  the usable ones for worthy charities.  They also remove  the heavy metals from the unusable phones and recycle the rest.  There is a collection box the Sherborn Transfer Station/Hap Ruane Recycling Center on Route 27 (North Main Street) just south of the Natick town line. 

Recycle old eyeglasses.

Charities distribute them for use in third world countries.  Sherborn’s

Lion’s Club collects eyeglasses at the post office and

Town Hall.
 

Support recycling by buying products

made from recycled materials.                 

What can I do to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions?

Gases that trap heat in the atmosphere are often called greenhouse gases, Many gases exhibit “greenhouse” properties. Some of them occur in nature (water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide), while others are exclusively human-made (like gases used for aerosols).  More and more people are becoming concerned about the effects that human-activity gases will make the atmosphere so warm that it could lead to a climate change.

You can take action right now at home to help reduce greenhouse emissions. 

§                     Seal and insulate your home, especially the attic and

basement where the leaks are greatest.  If you replace your windows, choose ENERGY STAR qualified windows for

better performance.

·                    Use green power, environmentally friendly electricity that is generated from renewable energy resources such as the wind and sun.  You can either buy green power or you can take steps to create a greener home, such as installing solar panels.    

·                    Be green in the yard.  Use a push mower, or if you must use a power mower, make sure it is a mulching mower to reduce grass clippings.  Composting your food and yard waste reduces that amount of garbage you send to landfills, and also reduces your household’s greenhouse emissions.

While shopping, have a “green” mentality.

·                    Look for products with minimal or no packaging, or   recyclable packaging.

·                    Avoid individually wrapped portions and disposable products.

·                    Favor a high recycled content

·                    Choose products in reusable containers.

·                    Bring your own canvas bag so you don’t need paper or plastic.

·                    Avoid pump toothpaste which uses too much plastic.

Buy quality products that will last a lifetime.