“Sustainability is one of the core areas that Fast Company focuses on, so in order to practice what we preach, we need to use recycled paper,” says Fast Company Managing Editor Allegra Lagani. Not only are readers appreciative of the publication’s choice, but even advertisers are looking for recycled paper in the publication in which they choose to advertise.

Too Many Mags? Dive into 10 Funky Ways to Reuse Old Magazines

What can a magazine switching to recycled paper really do for the environment? According to Green America’s Better Paper Project and the Environmental Paper Network’s Paper Calculator, if the entire North American magazine industry included just 30% post-consumer recycled paper in their publications, we’d save:

• 10 million+ trees
• 7 billion gallons of wastewater
• More than 1.5 billion pounds of CO2 (the equivalent of removing over 160,000 cars from the road)

With 97% of the magazine industry still using virgin fiber paper, Fast Company’s initiatives should help an entire industry rethink its sourcing.

According to Steve Glenn, CEO of LivingHomes, “The C6 is not only our lowest cost LivingHome – it’s half the cost of current models – but it’s also the first to achieve our most important Z6 Environmental Goals, and, we believe it’s the first production home to feature Cradle to Cradle inspired materials and a LEED Platinum level environmental program.”

Trashasaurus Rex, the Imagination Factory's mascot made of solid waste. Photo: Marilyn Brackney, The Imagination Factory

Willie Wonka invited a whole generation to be part of “a world of pure imagination.”

Lovers of this ’80s movie-must grew up knowing that imagination could bring you wonderful things, including edible flowers and rivers of chocolate. The Imagination Factory, the brainchild of artist and teacher Marilyn Brackney, has been teaching the youth of today that very same message but adding in a new twist – recycling.

In 1996, Brackney expanded her classroom teachings by launching The Imagination Factory online. As stated on the website, “The purpose of the site is to teach reuse and recycling concepts through art activities using solid waste as a source of free materials.”

More Expertise: Weekend Craft Ideas for Kids

While reuse is not new in the world of teaching, especially art, purposefully connecting the two can create some powerful results. “While most people think that collecting solid waste is recycling, it’s only the first step in the process,” Brackney says. “Using solid waste to make art teaches kids that recycling results in the manufacture of a new product.”

The site is loaded with projects, information about landfills and other resources that provide great outlets for kids to flex their imaginations while learning more about reusing and recycling. Users can also become members for a small fee and access more projects, receive tip-focused newsletters and even discounts on art and crafts from other artists.

Imagination Factory collage was created from souvenirs such as ticket stubs, brochures and postage stamps. Photo: The Imagination Factory

Brackney’s mission goes beyond just making art; to understanding the real-world effects a recycling mindset can have. “Recycling to make art encourages the collection of solid waste at home, and it can help change attitudes and perceptions about the quality of recycled products, in general,” Brackney says.

Both Brackney and Wonka make the idea seem rather easy. “Anything you want to, do it. Want to change the world? There’s nothing to it.”

More Awesome Craft Ideas:

7 Reuse Ideas for Old Jeans

10 Reuse Ideas for CDs and DVDs

7 DIY Recycled Bird Feeders

15 Reuse Projects to Try in 2012

Raquel Fagan, Executive Editor for Earth911

It’s 5 a.m. and I’m sitting in an airport, but I’m happy. As I wait to board a plane to celebrate Earth Day in the Big Apple, I have a few moments to reflect back to last Earth Day and all the progress we have made.

Since last Earth Day, the Earth911 Editorial Team has written nearly 1,000 articles, secured exciting new partnerships, grown our team and helped gain more than 14 million pageviews.

We’ve stepped up our efforts on the social media front, acquiring more than 16,000 new Facebook fans and Twitter followers, to help our content reach more people.

For more than 19 years, we have been providing recycling information services to consumers – free of charge. We believe that with this undertaking comes responsibility. Based on that principle, we invested numerous resources to ensure our information is as accurate as possible. This is something we diligently work for and are grateful to the thousands of local experts and coordinators who help us meet our goals.

In addition to focusing on accuracy, we have pushed forward with a number of partnerships, from Call2Recycle to SunChips, to maintain our status as experts.

Editorial is constantly striving to bring the latest and greatest recycling information to our readers, all while remaining fact-based and user-friendly.

To assist in this effort, we continue to grow our department and now have writers from coast to coast, including New York City, San Francisco, Chicago and Phoenix.

So, what’s to come? We will continue to expand our platforms, starting with our new iRecycle®Android app and content widget, both of which are included in the newest Sprint Green ID pack. We also just launched the first phase of our new homepage project and plan on creating a more seamless experience for our users.

Our successes are only possible due to your continued interest and dedication to environmental issues, so thank you and Happy Earth Day!

You may also like…
Earth Day Ideas From Local Writers
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The plant-based lifestyle has many environmental benefits. Photo: Alex Vietti, Earth911

I decided to write this article for our partner Silk, because I’m vegan.

Vegan – the word comes with a lot of baggage. You get the instant concept of “rabbit food” or perhaps various radical stylings, but rarely do you get the whole truth.

Before I delve too deeply, let me make a little disclaimer. Vegan is a label, one used to easily identify a set of choices, but still, a label, and nothing more. My definition of vegan may be different than yours, so for the purpose of clarity, let’s get on the same page.

Vegan is most commonly defined as a person who does not consume, purchase or use animal products. As an example, I don’t wear leather, wool or silk, I don’t eat whey or honey, and I don’t buy products that test on animals.

The reasons behind being vegan vary as much as the acts themselves. Some are about animal rights, others about the environment, while a vast number do it for weight control.

From Oprah to Ellen, celebs have recently been talking about, exploring and even encouraging people to pick up the plant-based way of life, which includes veganism and vegetarianism, for a variety of reasons. For our purposes, I’ll focus on the environment.

Get More: 8 Ways Vegetarian is Good for the Environment

Soy, almond and coconut milks are all staples of the plant-based diet. According to SwitchtoSilk.com, “one carton of milk requires four times more water than producing one carton of Silk Soymilk.” That’s up to 14,000 gallons of water per year if one U.S. household switched from milk to Silk.

Plant-based diets also tend to have a smaller CO2 footprint than meat-centric diets. A University of Chicago study found that the typical U.S. diet produces almost 1.5 more tons of CO2 per year than a strictly vegetarian diet, mostly due to the burning of fossil fuels during food production.

Producing a half-gallon of Silk generates 65 percent fewer greenhouse gases than the production of the average half-gallon of milk.

Continue: More Environmental Reasons, Plus How to Get Started

]]> http://earth911.com/news/2011/04/17/why-plant-based-diets-work-feel-healthy-lose-weight/feed/ 13 http://earth911.com/news/2011/04/01/8-ways-to-not-get-tricked-while-going-green-2/ http://earth911.com/news/2011/04/01/8-ways-to-not-get-tricked-while-going-green-2/#comments Fri, 01 Apr 2011 15:41:28 +0000 Raquel Fagan http://earth911.com/?p=53679

Editor’s Note: This story was updated on April 1, 2011. You can read it in its original version from May 30, 2009 here.

Just like the game of Telephone has taught us, information filtered through multiple sources starts to get a little less reliable. The same concept can be applied to environmentalism. In celebration of April Fools Day, we thought we would shed some light on common eco-myths.

1. Just throw it out, it’s biodegradable!

“I can just throw this ‘biodegradable’ bottle out, because it will break down.” That would be true if we kept our landfills open to the elements such as light, air and water.

This, however, is not the case. Throwing a biodegradable bottle into a landfill means it’s not going to break down (at least in a time frame that counts). Landfills are meant to keep the elements out, and it is precisely these elements that need to be present in order for a material to successfully biodegrade.

Read: Cheat Sheet on Biodegradable

Biodegradable packaging is great, but the most important factor is disposal. Composting is the best option, but bioplastics may need a more advanced system than your at-home compost. Try your city’s composting program or check out local stores or garden centers that utilize composting.

2. All paper should be recycled

Though we would be the first to promote recycling as a fantastic option, it isn’t always the right thing to do. You can actually do some damage if you just throw everything into your recycling bin. Enter the pizza box. Though there are some obvious recycling bin no-nos, paper is usually a perfect participant in the recycling game.

Read: The Pizza Box Mystery

Unlike plastic or glass, where the recycling process includes heat, paper is broken down using water. And as the old adage clearly states, water and oil don’t mix. That’s right, throwing a used paper plate, napkin or stained pizza box in with the rest of the paper for recycling can actually do more harm than good. In fact, we’re talking about 700 million dollars in contamination each year.

3. Organic food is always better for the planet

An organic banana from Chile that had to travel more than 5,000 miles to reach your table in Los Angeles, is not overall better than a conventional banana that was grown at a farm five miles from your home. It just doesn’t add up. Buying locally has a huge impact on a product’s overall footprint.

If local options are abundant and you have to make a decision between the two, make sure to weigh the pros and cons of each.

Read: How Organic is Organic Food?

For more delicate skins, the levels of pesticides that can be absorbed is much greater. In fact, according to studies by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Consumer Reports and the Environmental Working Group, 97.3 percent of nectarines sampled were found to contain pesticides. The below list can help be used as a shopping guide:

When you should buy organic	When you can pass on organic
Celery	Papaya
Bell peppers	Pineapples
Potatoes	Asparagus
Spinach	Bananas
Apples	Kiwi
Cherries	Avocado
Grapes	Broccoli
Nectarines	Cauliflower
Peaches	Corn
Raspberries	Onions
Strawberries	Peas
Pears	Mangos

4. But the label said Eco!

According to the Natural Products Association, which represents more than 10,000 natural product companies and retailers, Americans spent $7.5 billion in 2006 on personal care products that claimed to be all-natural but often were not.

Thankfully there are some major regulations in place for some products. Organic, for example, is a statement that is regulated by state and federal agencies.

Read: Top 10 Green Labels Guide

5. Adjusting my thermostat wastes energy

Many people come from the school of thought that maintaining a temperature uses less energy than dropping the thermostat while gone and adjusting when you return. It isn’t that crazy of a notion. In fact, we can recall some similar theories around florescent lights and computers.

According to the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy, it is better to turn down the thermostat while not in the the house. In fact, “If you are out for a good stretch of time (say 8 hours or so), this temperature ‘set-back’ will save more energy than it will take to bring your home back to the desired temperature.” There, it’s settled!

Read: Where Your Home is Losing Money

6. I have to spend a lot of money to go green

If you have ever checked out the price of a hybrid, or taken a stroll through a natural market, you know that green can add some extra numbers to most price tags. But don’t let those higher priced items dictate your level of commitment because this isn’t the only way to go green.

Read: 8 Ways to Go Green and Save Hundreds

7. I’ll just plant a tree – that’ll fix it!

The issue at hand is not so much about the what (planting) but the where (benefit). According to writer Maria Colenso, “Recent scientific studies show those benefits depend on where those trees are planted. Plant in the wrong part of the world and you may be wasting time and money.”

Don’t give up on the planting, just make sure you have a plan. If you are planning to donate to a company or support a cause, do a little research to make sure they are putting their resources to the best use. Here are some things to keep in mind:

• Forests that are located in the tropical belt that surrounds the equator have a large benefit on the planet.
• These forests absorb CO2­ (a process called carbon sequestering) which helps lower temperatures.
• Forests located outside of the this belt could have little or no impact on climate change.
• In fact, the farther away from the equator forests are, the more harm they can do.
• Known as the albedo effect, forests outside this belt are more likely to trap in heat, in turn, raising temperatures.

8. If I can’t do it all, I might as well do nothing

The overwhelming number of factors involved with the act of changing can leave even the most steadfast individual discouraged and on the verge of giving up. It is usually around this time that a little voice pops in with the final blow, “What difference does it make anyway?”

Though you may not see the results of your actions in one day, over time, all those actions add up. Take for example our curbside recycling rate.

In 1960, U.S. curbside recycling processed 5.6 million tons of waste. In 2006, we recycled 81.8 million tons, an increase of more than 1,300 percent! Though not everyone who recycled an item between the 60s and today knew about it, they were part of a huge movement that helped change the way we approach waste disposal. What movement are you a part of?

]]> http://earth911.com/news/2011/04/01/8-ways-to-not-get-tricked-while-going-green-2/feed/ 0 http://earth911.com/news/2010/04/22/letter-from-the-editor/ http://earth911.com/news/2010/04/22/letter-from-the-editor/#comments Thu, 22 Apr 2010 17:41:03 +0000 Raquel Fagan http://earth911.com/?p=35453 More than 13 million people.

Happy Earth Day from our Executive Editor

Three years ago, when I first stepped foot into my office at Earth911, I had no idea what I was in for. Today, as I sit at my desk and write this letter, I really take a moment to understand what the past three years have meant. Since I’ve been at Earth911, I’ve taken over our editorial department, helped redesign the website (a few times), supported our outreach efforts and worked to create content that you, our readers, would enjoy and benefit from.

With the help of our amazing PR Manager, Jennifer Berry, our unstoppable Assistant Editor, Amanda Wills, and all our staff, freelance and intern writers nationwide, I can look at what we have accomplished and the millions of people we have reached and truly feel content. With the nation’s leading recycling database, I feel as if we provide more than just tips and tools, but actual, feet-on-the-ground resources that help you conveniently recycle and dispose of a vast majority of your goods.

As the 40th Anniversary of Earth Day splashes throughout the newspapers and TV commercials, I feel a sense of pride for our readers. Not only have you cared about the Earth today, but every other day this year, and the year before that, and the year before that. For you, it isn’t a passing day or hot topic, but rather a daily part of life – one that you try to make better in little ways all year long.

I want to personally thank everyone that has been and still is involved with Earth911, Earth911.com, 1-800-CLEANUP and iRecycle®. From every line of code that’s written, to every graphic made and listing added, this company is one that I am so excited to be a part of. I am also proud of our partners and our sales teams that make this resource a reality. Without their generosity and hard work, my team couldn’t do what we do.

Finally, readers, I am glad you have come along for the ride. Your consistent support can be seen in every article read, every link clicked and every outreach effort we do, especially our latest Earth Day Twitter Contest.

I hope to continue to provide everyone with the resources and content they want and need to keep moving towards a more sustainable future.

Happy Earth Day All!!

Sincerely,

Raquel Fagan
Executive Editor
Earth911

]]> http://earth911.com/news/2010/04/22/letter-from-the-editor/feed/ 0 http://earth911.com/news/2009/12/31/women-out-green-men-for-eco-goals/ http://earth911.com/news/2009/12/31/women-out-green-men-for-eco-goals/#comments Thu, 31 Dec 2009 07:01:47 +0000 Raquel Fagan http://earth911.com/?p=28875 Though about one-third of all Americans say they’ve recently felt a conscience pull about not greening up their lifestyles, according to a nationwide survey performed by Tiller LLC, women are carrying around most of the guilt, about 41 percent of them versus only 27 percent of men that feel the same.

“Women are clearly more focused than men on incorporating environmental responsibility into daily household activities,” says Tiller Principal James Marren.

Reusable bags are just one way that ladies plan to green up the next year. Photo: Amanda Wills, Earth911.com

Guilt wasn’t the only area where women were in the lead. The survey shows that women also plan to make some major changes in the new year.

In fact, 52 percent of women want to recycle more (compared to 33 percent of men), 51 percent want to practice the art of reuse with reusable shopping bags (versus 30 percent of men) and 48 percent want to reduce their household’s energy usage (outnumbering only 32 percent of men).

“That’s encouraging, given that women continue to carry most of the burden of household management” says Marren. “To the extent that women can bring other family members along, perhaps environmentally responsible behaviors will take root even more strongly – with some genuine, enduring benefits to the environment.”

Regardless of their gender, 53 percent of Americans believe that individuals, more so than communities, governments or businesses, can have the the most positive impact on the environment, while more than nine out of 10 Americans agree that “doing small things on a regular basis that make the world a better place is just as important as participating in a formal, organized effort.”

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