recycling

Donate Plastics and Make a Bench!

| strausbaugh.76

 

Throughout June, Chadwick Arboretum is partnering with the Green Team Employee Resource Group at OSU to create a locally-made bench from recycled plastics! This bench will be placed at Earth Day Park near the Medical Center Campus.

If you would like to contribute to the construction of the bench, sort through your plastic pots, trays, and other hard-to-recycle items to find ONLY #6 plastics; clean them, and drop them off ANYTIME to the barn compound behind the 4-H Center.

*Note: There will be a horticulture plastics recycling event in July, so save your other pots for later!

What: #6 Plastic Recycling Drop Off

When: June 1-30, 2024, anytime

Where: Chadwick Arboretum Hoop House

2201 Fred Taylor Drive (behind the 4-H center)

*signage should be posted at this location soon to help direct you to the gaylord boxes where the plastic can be donated.

Recycle Right with SWACO

| strausbaugh.76

April is Earth Month, and to help you celebrate Solid Waste Authority of Central Ohio (SWACO) curated an impressive lineup of educational webinars and home recycling tips to help you go green and stay green all year long.

Don’t Waste This Earth Day – Commit to Recycling More! April 22nd at 12:30 p.m.  Webinar.

Take the guess out of recycling and start recycling with confidence! SWACO is here to provide you with answers. Whether it’s about hard-to-recycle items such as appliances or Styrofoam, we’ll help you determine the best method for reusing or recycling. Register!

Recycle Right at Home with these Tips

  • Packaging is Key – Purchase products with minimal or recyclable packaging to reduce the amount of material sent to the landfill.  
  • How Clean Should They Be? Don’t obsess over how clean your recyclables are. The main goal is to make sure they’re empty and give them a quick rinse if needed.
  • Go Paperless – Opt for an e-receipt when at the store and consider digital subscriptions for your favorite magazines.  
  • Size Matters – Items such as bottle and jug caps and metal can tabs are too small to be recycled alone. Either leave them on bottles and cans and recycle them together or discard individual caps and tabs in the trash.  
  • Recycle Solar Eclipse Glasses – Drop off your gently used eclipse glasses at one of these participating locations and help make the future brighter and safer for young stargazers.   

https://recycleright.org/

Recycle Your Used Eclipse Glasses

| strausbaugh.76

The Solid Waste Authority of Central Ohio (SWACO) and partners including the city of Columbus, Columbus and Franklin County Metro Parks, and the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium are partnering to collect these used but undamaged eclipse glasses for reuse. Through a partnership with Solar Eclipse USA the glasses collected from central Ohio will be sent to schools in Latin America and distributed to school-aged children so they can view the October 2024 Annular Eclipse. You can make a difference.

Drop off your gently used solar eclipse glasses at one of the following locations before April 30, 2024 and help make the future brighter and safer for young stargazers. Collection locations include:

SWACO Recycling Convenience Center, 2566 Jackson Pike, Columbus
Columbus Waste & Reuse Center, 2100 Alum Creek, Columbus
Participating Columbus & Franklin County Metro Parks at: 

  • Battelle Darby Creek, 1775 Darby Creek Drive, Galloway
  • Blacklick Woods, 6975 E. Livingston Avenue, Reynoldsburg
  • Blendon Woods, 4265 E. Dublin Granville Road, Columbus
  • Glacier Ridge, 9801 Hyland-Cory, Plain City
  • Highbanks, 9466 Columbus Pike, Lewis Center
  • Homestead, 4675 Cosgray Rd., Hilliard
  • Prairie Oaks, 3225 NW Plain City – Georgesville Rd., West Jefferson
  • Sharon Woods, 6911 Cleveland Ave., Westerville

 Together, we can make a difference for central Ohio’s environment and the lives of children around the world.

Spread the word!!

SWACO.org

Donate # 6 Plastics Today!

| strausbaugh.76

We have broken ground in Earth Day Park! This park is located on the medical campus on 8th Ave (near Michigan Ave) behind 9th Ave East Garage and next to 9th Ave Garage West.

The Green Team Employee Resource Group (ERG) has been working to develop this plot of land for over 2 years to create a peaceful oasis for the both the Ohio State community and the neighborhood that we border. In May 2023, the Green Team ERG celebrated a ribbon cutting ceremony with the promise to plant at least 1 native pollinator garden in the space.

In addition to multiple pollinator gardens, the park will have an ADA accessible sidewalk, a sensory garden and 2 benches.

The benches will be made by local company Marble Plastics using 100% recycled plastic! That’s where YOU come in!

The benches need #6 plastic (no styrofoam). These are RIGID plastics as seen in the picture. Items made from rigid plastic #6 include disposable plastic cups, lids for paper coffee cups, CD and DVD cases, clothes hangers and plastic utensils.

Drop off any #6 plastics at any Green Team Earth Day event happening this month.

Don’t be a Fool! Join the Green Team for the EcoChallenge

| strausbaugh.76

This is no April Fool’s joke! In celebration of Earth Day April 22nd, the Green Team ERG will be hosting a variety events all month including webinars, plant giveaways, and a cooking demo.

 Find the list of events here

To kick off the month, we invite you to participate in the events below!

Fill out the Green Team survey and be entered to win a prize!

April 1-30: Join the medical center team on the One Healthcare EcoChallenge. We have been invited by Cleveland Clinic, Mayo Clinic and Peace Health to participate in a new EcoChallenge designed just for health care employees – the One Healthcare EcoChallenge. During this month-long challenge during April, health care organizations will come together to support our caregivers in taking actions that promote individual, community and environmental health. By signing up for this free challenge, you can select which actions you want to take during the challenge in the following categories: at work, at home, in our communities, health & well-being and for one health care. You can sign up for up to 6 actions, or just do 1!

Yard Waste Tips for Spring

| strausbaugh.76

Spring Cleaning means sprucing up those yards for the warmer months. Fortunately, the Green Team ERG is here to help provide tips and resources on Yard Waste.

1. Curbside Pick-up

Most Columbus addresses have yard waste curbside pickup. This is probably the most convenient form of disposal. Use the Collection Day Lookup to see if and when your address is eligible for curbside yard waste pickup.

The City of Columbus also provides information on yard waste collection such as what is accepted, what is not accepted and how to prepare your yard waste for collection.

Be sure to avoid plastic bags, food waste, rocks and dirt.

2. Yard Waste Drop-Off

Solid Waste Authority of Central Ohio (SWACO) subsidizes the cost for Franklin County residents to be able to drop off their yard waste materials for FREE at processors who turn yard waste materials into compost and mulch. Visit swaco.org/yardwaste for a list of those drop-off locations as well as a list of the materials accepted and hours of operations.

3. Food Waste and Compost

Only stems, roots and leaves can be collected for the above mentioned collections, so what to do if you have food waste such as fallen fruit? The most sustainable solution is to compost. Compost bins can also include many particles that are also seen in yard waste such as leaves, grass clippings, and sticks.

Want to learn more or become more active in Sustainability? Check out OSUMC’s Green Team ERG.

Or sign up to be a member!

Reusable sharps container program diverts 70 tons of plastic annually at medical center

A hand dropping a syringe into a Stericycle reusable sharps container
| Susannah Kistler

The Stericycle reusable sharps container program started in 2021 at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, and since the full implementation, it has been diverting over 70 tons of plastic away from the landfill each year!

How does this work? 

Every reusable container from Stericycle replaces the use of up to 600 containers. This significantly reduces plastic and cardboard going to landfills, which supports our zero waste and carbon footprint reduction goals.

Tips for sustainable holiday celebrations

| Susannah Kistler

‘Tis the season for giving, counting your blessings, family, miracles, remembrance and new beginnings. I encourage everyone to find a way to incorporate the Earth in their holiday traditions – giving back to the Earth and counting the blessings the Earth provides us year-round; taking care of the Earth as we take care of our loved ones.

Unfortunately, alongside the season of wonder and light there is also a season of waste in America. Practice being a Green Citizen this holiday season with some of these tips as you practice your holiday traditions. Whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukah, Kwanzaa, Los Posadas, Krampus or none of the above, there is always an opportunity to celebrate sustainability.

Try vegan or plant-based menu options

Cows and lamb are the top two protein contributors to greenhouse gas emissions. Plant-based diets conserve water, preserve forests, and protect biodiversity. Benefits of a plant-based diet are not just for the environment, but your health too! It provides a healthy variety of nutrients to your gut, lowers risk of diabetes, high cholesterol, and heart disease. It’s okay to start with small changes as you become more aware of your health and the environment.

Sustainable gifts

Whether gifting to kids, a spouse, a parent or a stranger, it’s never too late to give mindfully. Here are some tips to giving sustainable gifts this season.

  • Make a list and plan your gifts prior to shopping. Having a plan and a budget before you enter the store will help prevent overspending, wasteful/unnecessary gifts and can keep you thoughtful and organized in your gifting.
  • Try this Vegan Gift Guide from Veganuary
  • Make Your Own! DIY gifts are appreciated because they mean that the gifter put some thought into their gift. Whether it’s homemade cocoa mixes, a knitted sweater or handmade ornaments and candles, gifts made from the heart go a long way. You can find inspiration and many ideas for DIY gifts online or at your local library.
  • Sustainable business to buy gifts from:
  1. Gift Guide from One Tree Planted
  2. Ethical Online Shopping from Sustainable Jungle
  3. Top 10 Sustainable Clothes Companies according to Sustainability Magazine.
  • Do your research! As you shop in store or online research the products and businesses you are purchasing from. Do they practice sustainability? Does your Amazon order provide packaging that reduces the carbon footprint?
  • Gifts of experience. This might sound cheesy, but experiences are truly great—and sustainable—gifts. This could be a promise to watch a movie together; a membership to a museum, park or zoo; entertainment tickets or a trip to see local Christmas Lights.
  • Gifts that keep giving. This year, consider making a donation in someone’s name. Many organizations like World Wildlife Fund, Greater Good, Packed with Purpose, Sierra Club or conservation groups offer products where a portion of the proceeds go toward a good cause, or you can adopt an animal or choose a purpose. Also check out local non-profit organizations or national and state parks for gifts or ways to donate (such as the Ohio Department of Natural Resources online store!)
  • Do a gift swap! Not only is this a good idea if you are part of a group that has a tight budget, but it’s a great way to re-purpose and re-use some items that we don’t utilize much anymore.
  • Ditch cheap stocking stuffers. Traditional “stocking stuffers” are often cheap, break easily, hardly used and end up in a landfill within the year. Rethink your trinkets and make sure they are really worth it.
  • Buy Vintage or Secondhand. Waste comes in many forms, and clothing trends lead to environmental waste. Buying vintage or secondhand offers a way to reuse items that still have life before they get tossed.

Shop Local. There are many opportunities to shop locally. Check out some ideas below!

Rethink your gift wrap

“Most mass-produced wrapping paper and gift bags are printed using unsustainable inks and coated with shiny foils — which are not recyclable. Get creative and wrap gifts with materials that you have around the house, like old maps, comics, or paper shopping bags. You can also use any pretty, clean fabric like scarves, bandannas, or dish towels for a reusable wrapping. Create your own bows from strips of colorful paper and accessorize with twine, pressed leaves, and pinecones.” – One Tree Planted

  • Save and reuse wrapping paper, tissue paper, gift bags and boxes.
  • Avoid bows and stick on ribbons which are not recyclable.
  • Use tulle instead of gift wrap, or a reusable bag/box/basket instead of a traditional gift bag
  • Be creative! Use magazines or newspapers. Or coloring pages that would normally get thrown out. Or forgo the wrap altogether!

Real Christmas Trees

Yes, plastic and artificial trees can be used year after year, but not only do they wear down fairly quicky, the plastic used to create them takes years to break down whereas real Christmas trees are more environmentally friendly. Be sure when shopping for fresh-cut trees that you ask the grower and vendor about pesticides or other added chemical colorants that you want to avoid.

Decorations and lighting

  • Switch to LED energy efficient lights.
  • Use solar lighting for the outdoors.
  • Use natural decorations.
  • Make your own.
  • Ditch the tinsel.
  • Repurpose burnt out Christmas bulbs (you can find lots of ideas online!)
  • Use sustainable candles such as beeswax, soy and sustainable palm oil
  • Look for compostable pinatas (Instructions for a DIY eco-friendly pinata here.)

Efficient Energy

  • Keep your thermostats low, wrap up in blankets, long-johns, or fleece pajamas to save heating energy
  • Weatherproof your windows

Sustainable Christmas Cards

  • Buy recycled or recyclable
  • Go digital
  • Make a phone call instead!

Responsible Travel

  • Carpool
  • Take public transit
  • Pack less. Think “what can I use multiple times?”
  • Avoid single-use plastics. Use travel bottles that you can refill every time you travel instead of buying new travel size items. Look into solid toiletries like shampoo bars and bite toothpaste bits.
  • Take reusable bottles, cutlery, and straws instead of buying plastic bottled drink beverages.
  • Pack a shopping bag to avoid plastic shopping bags.
  • Research your hotels and flights eco-ratings (skyscanner.net – greener choices) and look into carbon offset programs
  • Buy local at your destination
  • Beginner’s Gude to Sustainable Travel from National Geographic
  • A View Outside article on Eco-friendly travel tips

Prep your house with eco-friendly cleaners

Volunteer, donate and give back

Remember those tips from Thanksgiving!

Compost, leftovers, meal planning, ditch the disposable cutlery and dishes, reusable food storage and more are still relevant for December holidays too.