Easy Ways to Help the Earth

Monday April 22 marks the 49th anniversary of Earth Day, the day to inspire awareness and appreciation for the earth’s environment. This important day has become so popular that many people observe and celebrate Earth Month. Here are some easy things we can all do in consideration of our planet.

Reduce the mail – Most of us receive more mail than we want or need. This tends to accumulate and pile up creating just one more “To Do.” There are ways to reduce the amount of junk mail sent to our homes. ‘Visit the Direct Marketing Association’s DMA choice website www.dmachoice.org for info on how to manage your mail including catalogs, credit offers, promotional mailings and more. Another source for catalog management is www.catalogchoice.org where you can set your preferences for how you would like to receive (or not receive) catalogs that seem to show up every other day. 

Pick up after your pet – In addition to it being un-neighborly, unsanitary, and in some cases illegal, pet waste can create storm water pollution. Pet waste should be disposed of in the trash. Eco-friendly waste bags are available. You can also research the proper way to bury or compost pet waste.

Properly Dispose of Household Hazardous waste, and U-waste –

Most people know that products labeled poison, flammable, combustible, etc. should not be put in the trash. These include products that are for lawn and garden care, painting, automotive use, and cleaning supplies. But Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) also includes beauty products such as nail polish and miscellaneous items like shoe polish, moth balls and some glue. Some county and state information sources refer to another division of hazardous waste, U-Waste which consists of batteries, compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) and items containing mercury. Check with your sanitation company, but in most jurisdictions, these items should not be placed in the regular trash. Instead they should go to a drop off location where they can be properly disposed of.

Minimize flushing of medications – Unused medication is household hazardous waste and should be properly disposed whenever possible since they can negatively affect the water supply and soil. It used to be recommended to flush unused or expired medications, or to mix unused medicines with coffee grounds or kitty litter and place them in the trash. A better option is proper disposal. Many local pharmacies and sheriff stations will accept medication. Check the website or phone ahead for the most current information. (Most sheriff stations have removed their drop off boxes due to inappropiate use.) The S.A.F.E centers noted below will also accept medication, (except controlled substances). The National Prescription Drug Take Back Day will be on April 27, 2019 and many options will be available to conveniently and safely dispose of prescription drugs. NOTE: Current recommendations suggest flushing certain pain medications and other controlled substances which are dangerous if improperly or illegally taken. Visit www.fda.gov (search for disposal of unused medicines) for a list of medicines recommended to immediately flush if takeback options are not readily available.

Reuse or recycle electrical equipment and e-waste – If you upgrade your equipment such as a printer, consider donating the gently used still working device to an agency that can still use it. Or take it to a facility that will recycle it. A tool to locate innovative reuse and recycling companies can be found at the CalRecycle website, www.calrecycle.ca.gov under E-waste. E-waste is the term used for electronic products near or at the end of their useful life. This includes televisions, computers, cables, fax machines, telephones, etc. Of course, you should remove any sensitive data from the device prior to recycling. Some local shredding services will remove and destroy your hard drive, and then properly recycle it. The small investment required is well worth it in exchange for the closet space you will get back by safely disposing that old technology.

Where to dispose – There are many collection locations around town to drop off your items. Watch for free events offered by real estate agents and other businesses that will be promoted on sites like Facebook and NextDoor. Check the official sites for the city or county where you reside or work. The City of Los Angeles offers 7 S.A.F.E (Solvents/Automotive/Flammables/Electronics) collection centers for residents including one at UCLA. And… when you go to the S.A.F.E collection center, you won’t even have to get out of your car. The associates there will remove it from your trunk.

Now wasn’t that easy?

Mishele Vieira, CPO® has a deep passion for working with people with brain related conditions including ADD, addiction, depression, anxiety, and other behavioral health conditions which make it harder to get and stay organized. And her popular Get It Done Day is helping busy people finally get their own stuff done. Learn more at www.AwayWithChaos.com.