March is the greenest month of the year thanks to St. Patrick’s Day, but Carolina Fibre knows how to turn the holiday into our own “green” celebration. Make St. Patrick’s Day one of the most eco-friendly holidays and check out some of our fun, go-green ideas.
Home Decor
Recycled paper is key when it comes to decorating. Grab some stencils and cut out shamrocks, leprechauns and pots of gold to hang from the ceiling or tape to your windows. Instead of buying a themed wreath, make your own using old materials like green t-shirts, denim, curtains or tablecloths. The wireframe can be recycled after the holiday is over. The only tool you need to create your wreath is a pair of fabric shears. Simply cut up the fabric of your choice in strips, tie them to the wireframe and cover every last inch. The best part is that once the fabric is cut up, the project becomes kid-friendly as there is no hassle or mess from glue and paints. You can also brighten up a room by inserting lights into green beverage bottles or vases. Don’t have anything green? Use an eco-friendly spray paint to add a green tint your bottles or vases. Great Green Goods has some great ideas for fun and creative ways to make eco-friendly and recyclable wreaths for any occasion.
Festive Apparel
Who says you have to buy what’s popular at the party supply and craft stores? Get in the spirit of St. Patrick’s Day by creating your own holiday wardrobe. Shop at local thrift stores and other retailers in which used items are sold. Create your own handmade bow ties or spray paint an old pair of shoes. Scan your closet for green t-shirts, dresses, socks and accessories. You can even take it a step further and wear eco-friendly clothing like 100% cotton shirts. Complete your festive look by making leprechaun-themed hats using recycled paper or fabrics. When it comes to dressing up, your eco-friendly options are unlimited!
Themed Foods and Beverages
Bake your favorite St. Patrick’s Day dishes by cooking with locally-grown produce. Aside from the benefit of fresher ingredients, you’ll be supporting your local economy instead of corporate chain stores. Make baking fun for the entire family and use green food dye made from natural ingredients. Green Living Ideas provides step-by-step instructions on how to make any color dye for all holidays and events. If you plan on drinking beer, stick to locally-brewed beer or even organic beer. And always choose draft over a bottle if given the option. Not all bars and restaurants recycle glass!
Do you have any green tips for St. Patrick’s Day? Share your ideas below in the comment section or on the Carolina Fibre Facebook page.
Posts Tagged ‘carolina fibre’
Five Tips for Giving Love Back to Mother Nature
February may be classified as the month of love, but it doesn’t have to be limited to your significant other. As a supporter of sustainability and an enhanced ecosystem, Carolina Fibre looks for ways in everyday life to protect the environment. We’ve made Mother Nature our valentine this year, and have laid out these five easy tips for “greening” the Earth.
1. Replace Home Appliances with Energy Efficient Models
A significant portion of homes’ energy is dedicated to running appliances. Replacing them with energy efficient models can reduce emissions by up to 3,000 pounds per year. Today’s major appliances don’t use the same level of power as older models because they’re required to meet federal energy efficiency standards. Look for the Energy Star® label when choosing which appliances save the most money on your power bill. These models are the most energy efficient in any product category.
2. Purchase a Vehicle With At Least 30 Miles Per Gallon
Specific brands and types of cars may be visually appealing, but lacking in fuel efficiency. Luckily car manufacturers realize the shift in consumers’ green views and are steadily producing and promoting high performing miles-per-gallon automobiles. A vehicle that gets at least 30 miles per gallon reduces carbon dioxide by approximately 2,500 pounds a year over a car that gets 10 miles less. Review the Environmental Protection Agency approval guidelines to find the best eco-friendly, affordable car for you.
3. Walk, Bike, Carpool or Use Mass Transit When Possible
It’s more common than ever to see single riders driving to and from work. This may improve our self-sufficiency and independence, but the major increase in CO2 emissions from vehicles does not benefit the environment. Every gallon of gasoline saved diverts 22 pounds of CO2 emissions, and driving 10 miles less per week eliminates about 500 pounds of carbon dioxide emissions per year. If walking is an option, take advantage of the health benefits associated with it. Every mile walked burns about 100 calories—improve the ecosystem and energize your body for long-term gains.
4. Use Environmentally-Friendly Cleaning Supplies
There was a time when our world didn’t think twice about toxic chemicals found in cleaning products. As long as kitchen counters and floors shined, we were happy. But with evidence that older cleaning supplies negatively affect on our health, people are extremely cautious about what they buy. Seek out more natural cleaning products that contain organic ingredients like beeswax, coconut oil, baking soda, citrus oil, vinegar and cleaning salt. Make sure to dispose of any harmful cleaning supplies properly following the Cleaning Institute® guidelines.
5. Request a Home Energy Audit to Pinpoint Energy Wasters
An energy audit provides information about how much energy homes consume and suggests what can be corrected to improve energy savings. The average family in the United States pays over $3,000 in utility bills per year and a thorough audit can cut that price in half. Energy assessments include checking insulation, leaks, ductwork and appliances. Request an audit from a professional technician to maximize energy efficiency and start saving money!
Sustainability is all about changing our everyday habits we often don’t think twice about, whether it’s running the air conditioning 24/7 or avoiding taking the bus because we feel more secure in our cars. Carolina Fibre Corporation is a Greensboro, NC recycler, and we operate our facilities with a primary focus on sustainability.
Save Energy and Stay Green Over the Holidays
Tis the season for sharing special time with family and friends—the indulgent and festive holiday parties, the gift-giving shopping frenzy and the sweet school plays and musicals. It’s also a time to reflect on decisions you’ve made throughout 2014—both business and personal—and regroup as you look ahead toward another great year. But more often times than not there is more rushing than relaxing, and with so much on your plate it can be hard maintaining that level of dedication to the environment. Let’s close the year on a good note and think green, together, throughout the holiday season.
When it comes to wrapping those white elephant gifts at work, consider natural, renewable materials over the glossy and metallic gift-wrap. Cotton, hemp, silk and wood are all excellent options that add character and a personal touch. Sift through your Sunday paper and find stories that resonate with each recipient: comics for the office personality, a sports story for the sports enthusiast. Grab pages from old, worn-out or damaged books for the writer in your group and various advertisements from an old magazine for the marketer. You can even take it one step further by adding some vibrancy and depth to packages with patterns and colors from old magazines. Old greeting cards also work exceptionally well for gift tags. If every American family wrapped just 3 presents in reused materials, it would save enough paper to cover 45,000 football fields.
According to one U.S. Department of Energy study, if everyone replaced their conventional holiday light strings with LEDs, at least two billion kilowatt-hours of electricity could be saved in a month. So it goes without saying: at home and in the office, make it a point to use LED holiday lights. They’re more energy-efficient and will save you money on your electricity bill.
Having a holiday party can be stressful in itself, and you want your guests to be as comfortable as possible. And while temperatures may dip down this holiday season, there are still ways to be conscious of your carbon footprint. Lower your energy consumption by lowering the heat a few degrees at night, and forego plans to up the thermostat during holiday get-togethers. More people in the area means more body warmth! Serve food in large containers and, if you can, provide bulk water, coffee and drink dispensers instead of individually packaged products.
When the holiday seasons is over, Marketing and Operations manager Aimee Chellew suggests composting your pine garlands, dried up wreaths and other flower arrangements. “You can compost anything that has lived or grown recently, and it has a huge positive impact on the environment. Tis the season for giving, after all!”
What steps has your office taken to green the holiday season? We’d love to hear!
Carolina Fibre Featured in Recycling Today
Recycling builds more competitive manufacturing industries by converting waste into raw materials and adds significantly to the U.S. economy. Among many benefits, the recycling industry makes a vital contribution to job creation as well in their efforts to reduce the amount of waste sent to landfills.
You’ve no doubt heard of Sonoco and Pratt Industries—both world leaders in recycling. But you’ll find Carolina Fibre headquartered in the same region as those leaders, doing well and serving its community by creating new revenue streams and sustainability plans; greening supply chains; optimizing product lifestyles; and minimizing environmental footprints. Services include paper recycling, plastic recycling, aluminum recycling, consulting services and confidential shredding. Carolina Fibre can even help you set up a Corporate Recycling Program.
But the thing that sets Carolina Fibre apart from the rest is their commitment to quality customer service, paying customers quickly and adhering to ethical business practices. Ayscue points out, “When you call our office, you will not get voicemail; you will get a live voice to help you with your questions.
“Our niche is customer service and timely payment,” Ayscue continues. “In a big company, turnover may be very high. People get lost in the system. For us, we make sure we provide one-on-one service. Our customers want their places serviced quickly and to get paid fast.”
The U.S., Europe, Japan and Hong Kong have been exporting raw materials internationally for many years. When it comes to China in particular, the U.S. would receive many shipping containers of imported goods and then ship them back empty. It made sense for China to capitalize on the higher quality of cardboard to make better, more environmentally friendly packaging, as well as make money reprocessing and selling the raw materials. It was also a sustainability win for the U.S.
Operation Green Fence, implemented by China in February of 2013 placed restrictions on the waste in allowed into the country. Any shipment that has a single contaminant can be turned away. And according to the International Solid Waste Association, about 7,600 tons of material from the U.S. was rejected during the first three months of the initiative.
When it comes to Green Fence and China’s current economic climate, Ayscue said that Carolina Fibre has explored more overseas markets to “fill the void we are experiencing with the downturn in China.” He also mentions that they have been much more meticulous with “allowing export buyers on site to inspect material before taking orders for overseas shipments.”
The Recycling Today Media Group is the go-to publisher in the recycling industry, giving suppliers and companies the tools, resources and insight necessary to help sustain the environment for future generations. Suffice it to say, Carolina Fibre was thrilled to be featured as Recycling Today’s cover story earlier this month.
You can read the entire feature at Recycling Today.
Carolina Fibre: Plastic Recycling
Building a reputation as an eco-conscious company carries a great deal of weight with today’s green-minded consumers. Carolina Fibre offers paper recycling, aluminum recycling, consulting services, confidential shredding and plastic recycling to help businesses become more sustainable. Plastic recycling is a budget-friendly, responsible way to dispose of post-industrial waste. Plastics are known as the largest contributor of waste in the world and take hundreds of years to biodegrade.
Plastics are sorted according to their resin identification, a method of categorization of polymer types, before recycling. We accept the following plastics at our facility:
Polythylene terephthalate (PET, PETE) – PET is used in synthetic fibers like beverage, food and other liquid containers.
High-density polyethylene (HDPE) – HDPE is made from petroleum and commonly used in the production of plastic bottles. Some of its many common applications include folding chairs and tables, hard hats, plastic bags, plastic lumber and wood plastic composites.
Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) – Just about half of the world’s polyvinyl chloride resin manufactured annually is used for producing pipes for municipal and industrial applications.
Low-density polyethylene (LDPE) – LDPE is widely used for parts that need to be weldable and machinable, and for manufacturing various containers, tubing, plastic bags for computer components, and molded laboratory equipment.
Polypropylene (PP) – You’ll find PP in packaging and labeling, and things like textiles, carpets, stationary, and lab equipment.
Polystyrene (PS) – PS is unfortunately very slow to biodegrade and is often abundant as a form of littler in the outdoor environment. It’s the most widely us plastics and includes protective packaging, containers, lids, bottles, trays and disposable utensils. Discarded PS does not biodegrade for hundreds of years.
Other (often polycarbonate or ABS) – Polycarbonate is used for electronic applications, data storage, construction materials and eye protection. Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) is used for medical devices for blood access, enclosures for electrical and electronic assemblies, protective headgear. ABS can be recycled, but it is not accepted by all recycling facilities.
Plastics are not recycled as efficiently as they should be. And with the use of plastics increasing over the year—in everyday products, furniture, and appliances—it’s more important than ever for your business to conserve energy and reduce your own destructive waste output. Aside from the positive impact you’ll have on the environment, going green is good for your business. Carolina Fibre can help your organization with its sustainability efforts to lower operating costs, attract new business and reduce waste.
Confidential Shredding and Your Business
A shredding service is not just for accounting firms—it’s a priority for all industries and businesses interested in protecting themselves from the increased risks of identity theft. New privacy legislation requires all companies to take reasonable measures to protect and safeguard all information deemed confidential—financial, medical, legal and proprietary documents. They all must be destroyed in a responsible manner to ensure that privacy is protected.
The following is Carolina Fibre’s Certificate of Destruction Process:
1. The date the load was shipped
2. The source of the load (one of our suppliers)
3. The booking number if available (client’s specific ID for the transaction)
4. The number of the vehicle that shipped the load to premises for destruction.
The above information is noted and documented in a letter including the following: “This letter certifies that your shipment has been received at our plant and all acceptable materials will be destroyed through our recycling process.” A security seal is then attached to the shipping papers, and the seal number is noted.
Carolina Fibre works with Confidential Shredding to ensure that all of its clients—large and small—are aware of how important it is to properly and legally destroy sensitive material. If you’re interested in learning more about Carolina Fibre’s confidential shredding services, please contact Carolina Fibre professional today.
Going Green and Going Back to School: Tips for School Lunches
There are so many small, simple changes we can make that will have a big impact on the environment. And back-to-school season is the perfect opportunity to think about safe, non-toxic and earth-friendly lunch ware for children. Here are some tips for “greening” your child’s school lunches.
Reuse Sandwich Bags
According to the Sierra Club, an estimated 8 billion pounds of plastic bags, wraps and sacks enter the waste stream every year in the US. And unfortunately, families spend roughly $85 annually on disposable plastic baggies. Despite the water cost, savings on raw materials, emissions from shipping, and landfill space make washing incredibly worthwhile.
An even better option would be opting for reusable sandwich bags that are dishwasher-safe, certified food-safe, quick-drying, grease-proof, moisture-proof, lead-free, bpa-free, and phthalate-free. They do exist! And can be used to replace hundreds of single-use plastic baggies.
Remember Cloth Napkins
The only con of a cloth napkin? Laundry. But you have to do it anyway! Look at these fun, reusable napkins for kids from MightyNest.
Say No to Plastic and Brown Paper Bags
According to the EPA, each child who brings a brown bag lunch to school every day generates about 67 pounds of waste by the end of the school year.
ECOlunchbox analyzed the amount of waste an American family with two children and one adult packing lunch 200 times a year generates annually. They found that the total amount of lunchtime waste generated added up to 4,320 pieces a year—and the thousands of pieces of throwaways unnecessarily cost the family almost $500.
If you must use brown paper bags, they may be recycled with other paper products. Or you can get creative: cover your kid’s textbooks with old paper bags or bring them back to the grocery story for your next trip.
Snag Some Reusable Utensils
It’s estimated that over 40 billion plastic utensils end up in landfills each year in the US alone, and bamboo is an earth-friendly solution. You can find many items like these at www.reuseit.com.
Pack Goodies in Reusable Containers
There are many reusable food containers and accessories that kids find exciting. Goodbyn, for example, helps children and adults see the value in healthy eating while solving the problem of trash created by one-time-use packaging.
Grab a Fun BPA-Free Drink Container
Juice boxes have always been popular among school-age children, and are very convenient for adults. But they have significant downsides: not only do they add more waste; they contain an unhealthy amount of sugar. Consider using a BPA-free reusable bottle—it’s better for you, your family and the environment. Using a reusable, eco-friendly water bottle makes drinking water more convenient wherever you go, and it reduces your carbon footprint.
Instead of bottled sweet teas, sports drinks and sweetened juices, give kids herbal fruit teas with added fruit like raspberries and honey or maple syrup for a touch of sweetness. When they’re done, they can fill up their water bottle with water from the fountain.
Snacks In Bulk = Parents’ Best Friend
Did you know that packaging accounts for approximately 8% of the cost of food? And when you really sit down and think about it, most of your recycling is food packaging. Buying bulk, very aptly put by Earth911, “takes into account how the food gets to the store, how often you have to buy it and ease of disposal.”
Green Foods = Healthy Foods
The lunch you pack can be as sustainable as the box you pack it in—and what you pack is likely to be more nutritious than hot lunch served in the cafeteria. The Environmental Working Group has great tips and tricks for packing healthy lunches on a budget, including healthy snacking tips and kid-approved recipes.
Here at Carolina Fibre, we understand that recycling is about sustainability. And sustainability is about doing simple things we often take for granted—like thinking differently about our consumption habits, and how they impact our children’s decisions. Carolina Fibre Corporation is a Greensboro NC recycler, and we operate our facilities with sustainability as our main objective.
Carolina Fibre: Strategic Sustainability Consulting
Companies that invest in sustainability are the ones that effectively withstand resource limitations. Earlier this month we discussed the vast and various benefits of integrating green habits and practices into your business. From reducing company costs, reducing waste and positioning your organization in the best light, maximizing your sustainability initiatives enable your organization to be profitable while helping people and the environment.
You understand the benefits: sustainable initiatives create fulfilling jobs, promote accountability and reduce natural resource dependence and pollution. But with so many different avenues to take and practices to implement, how do you decide which is the best, most effective route for your business long term?
Carolina Fibre guides organizations to actively manage their social and environmental impacts for a clear return on investment and profitable growth. The Carolina Fibre Strategic Sustainability Consulting approach is thorough and yields an in-depth understanding of how solid waste and recyclables are being managed in your business environment. We analyze and identify your impact, make recommendations within an extensive plan for your leadership team, and begin implementation upon approval. We perform monthly monitoring and report your savings and constantly adapt to make the most difference.
Some of the solutions we provide include:
- A sustainability plan to align your bottom line
- Green your supply chain and optimize your product life cycle
- Calculate and minimize your carbon footprint
- Plastic recycling, paper recycling, aluminum recycling and solid waste collection programs for hundreds of categories of materials
- Hands on staff reporting
At Carolina Fibre, we are the drivers of change. Our sustainability consultants research cost-saving strategies and embrace and foster innovation and adaptation. We will provide you with the strategic insight and technical skills needed to improve your organization’s resource use and increase savings and performance through your new custom recycling program.
Carolina Fibre Attends the Carolina Recycling Association’s 24th Annual Conference and Tradeshow
Members of our team attended the Carolina Recycling Association’s (CRA) 24th Annual Conference and Trade Show last week at the Omni Grove Park Inn in Asheville, North Carolina. The CRA has been in the business of advancing waste reduction and recycling in the Carolinas since 1989 and is maintained by multi-national corporations, small businesses, local government, state government agencies, and individuals.
And what a grand success it was! “Zeroing in on Waste Reduction” drew in over 700 attendees, 24 sponsorships, and 89 exhibitors – the largest, most well attended conference to date.
The CRA conference was a means to meet and discuss material supply and other technical and market issues related to recycling in our region. The conference runs for three days, and had hundreds of attendees in the recycling and waste industries. The conference featured breakout sections, roundtable discussions, and meetings, as well as receptions and mixers in the evenings. Because our services have grown to include paper recycling, plastic recycling, aluminum recycling, consulting services, and confidential shredding, topics such as commercial recycling, source reduction and reuse, and non-traditional materials were of particular interest to us at Carolina Fibre.
Carolina Fibre was among many fine organizations present at this year’s conference. We’re pleased with the current trend toward green initiatives, and that companies around the world are seeking easy, efficient ways to offset their impact on the environment. Carolina Fibre has been advocating sustainability, reducing negative impact, and enhancing the ecosystem since its inception. To this day, Carolina Fibre remains committed to developing innovative solutions for recycling waste.
Our time at the Carolina Recycling Association’s Conference and Trade Show was both informative and fun. We look forward to attending the event in 2015!