12th Annual Lupus LA Orange Ball A Success

Boro-Wide Recycling Corp. 

Maspeth, NY 718-416-1656 

www.BoroWideRecycling.com

 

A star-studded crowd was on hand for the 12^th Annual Lupus LA Orange Ball and it helped raise over $550,000 for research and support for patients living with the incurable autoimmune disease.

The evening’s entertainer was Natasha Bedingfield, whose friend has lupus, and introducing the nonprofit founder was Paula Abdul, who had lupus but is now in remission. Abdul said she feels great and has never been healthier. She also mentioned that she’s a big fan of organics, but it’s hard to adhere to (http://goo.gl/xvj7J).

Earth, Wind & Fire bassist Verdine White doesn’t have lupus, but attended because his doctor, Soram Khalsa, was an honoree, recognized for his efforts in treating patients with eastern and western medicine. EWF begins a US tour June 7^th in Chicago and will release a double album in September called Now, Then and Forever. White stays green by recycling and conserving water. “Don’t use so much water when you brush your teeth and recycle your trash,” he advised.

Red Tails actor Kevin Phillips was also in attendance to support a friend whose mother succumbed to lupus. “I’m always recycling, not leaving the water running, and having my bills emailed to me. Anything I can do to contribute,” he said.

We can help you with all of your recycling needs. Call us at 718-416-1656 or visit www.borowiderecycling.com for more information!

Coca-Cola Using Olympic Torch To Promote Recycling

Boro-Wide Recycling Corp. 

Maspeth, NY 718-416-1656 

www.BoroWideRecycling.com

Over the next 10 weeks, Coca-Cola is doing its part to promote recycling along the Olympic Torch Relay. Recycle-Beat, a mobile recycling vehicle, is following the Olympic flame across Britain that started from Land’s End on May 19^th until it arrives in London on July 26^th.

The hybrid vehicle will be a prominent part of each city’s evening celebrations, with a dedicated recycling team working to engage local people and inspire them to make personal recycling pledges. 

Torch spectators will be invited to recycle their empty bottles and cans into the chute of their choice on the vehicle, which activates a musical remix of Mark Ronson’s London 2012 anthem, “Move to the Beat.” (http://goo.gl/wHwJR).

The environmentally-safe vehicle will also show its diesel-electric hybrid power. This was made with an advanced exhaust cleanup system and low emission auxiliary generator to greatly reduce air pollution.

All of the collected items will be transported to a brand new plastics processing facility developed by both Coca-Cola Enterprises and ECO Plastics. The new system will allow bottles collected by the vehicle to be back on store shelves in as little as six weeks. 

If you have any questions or comments about recycling your bottles and cans, or any other materials for that matter, please call us at 718-416-1656 and we will answer all of your questions.

Schoolchildren Make Attempt to Have Crayola Recycle Plastic Markers

Boro-Wide Recycling Corp. 

Maspeth, NY 718-416-1656 

www.BoroWideRecycling.com

About 40 students in the San Rafael, California elementary school called Sun Valley have been promoting an online petition to have Crayola, a subsidiary of Hallmark, develop a “take-back” program for used-up markers.

Principal Julie Harris said last Wednesday that the student group has been meeting at lunchtime for a couple of weeks to discuss the project and monitor the petition’s progress. The petition on Change.org has more than 60,000 signatures by Saturday (http://goo.gl/6z6Qb). According to Harris, the students plan to present the petition to Crayola.

Crayola has taken notice of this petition, but according to a spokesperson for the company, although the encourage children to share their ideas, the company has no plans to offer a recycling programs for its markers.

The spokesperson also mentioned that they do not have the facilities or a process to recycle these markets, but the markets can be recycled at a facility that accepts that type of plastic.

Crayola is also doing their part to be green in other ways. They use solar energy to manufacture about one billion of the three billion crayons it makes each year and their markers are used with recycled plastic.

What do you think about this petition? Is this something that you would be interested in doing? Let us know your thoughts on the Boro-Wide Recycling Facebook Wall, linked HERE.

First State To Ban Plastic Bags: Hawaii

 Boro-Wide Recycling Corp. 

Maspeth, NY 718-416-1656 

www.BoroWideRecycling.com

 

Paper or plastic – that is the question. At the supermarket of course.

Honolulu County has joined the other three counties in the state of Hawaii to join in on the banning of plastic bags. Congratulations to Hawaii, as they are deemed the first state in the United States to officially ban plastic bags.

The mayor of Honolulu, Peter Carlisle, was on the fence about supporting this decision as he wanted to collect more public input due to enforcement and cost concerns. But when the ban was signed, he was committed to take this next step.

“This is groundbreaking. By signing this environmentally-friendly bill, Honolulu joined our neighbor island counties,” Carlisle said. “Hawaii has become the only state in the US where every county has plastic bag legislation.”

The county law bans non-biodegradable plastic bags at checkout as well as paper bags that are not at least 40 percent recycled. Retailers in Honolulu County have until July 1, 2015 to make the change (http://goo.gl/pf141).

Another reason why this ban was put in place is so retailers can bring in their own bags and help support a cleaner, safer environment. This will be a challenge for shoppers as they now need to switch to reusable bags.

Borowide Recycling can handle all of your recycling needs. Give us a call at 718-416-1656 or visit www.borowiderecycling.com for more information.

NYC Department of Sanitation Names Sustainability Director

Boro-Wide Recycling Corp. 

Maspeth, NY 718-416-1656 

www.BoroWideRecycling.com

According to multiple industry sources, Ron Gonen, co-founder and former CEO of Recyclebank, will be named the first-ever sustainability director for New York City’s Department of Sanitation. This newly created position will focus on waste reduction, reuse, composting and recycling initiatives.

His official title will be Deputy Commissioner for Sustainability. He will be required to lead the Bureau of Waste Prevention, its staff of 29 workers and a $30 million annual budget.

While still in graduate school, Gonen and friend Patrick FitzGerald launched Recyclebank as a pilot program in Philadelphia in 2004, working to convince households that there were financial incentives to recycling. Recyclebank now has rewards-for-recycling programs available to more than three million members in the United States and United Kingdom (http://goo.gl/kGWDf).

New York City has a plan to double the city’s landfill diversion rate by the year 2017. Gonen will work with Mayor Bloomberg’s office and the Office of Long Term Planning and Sustainability to meet the solid waste goals of PlaNYC. He will also advise DoS Commissioner John Doherty and staff on initiatives within the department, which include reducing emissions from DSNY’s fleet, and exploring alternatives to landfills for city refuse.

Gonen stepped down as CEO of Recyclebank in June 2011 but stayed on the board of directors. 

Contact us at Boro Wide at 718-416-1656 if you have any questions about recycling or landfills. We will answer any questions you may have!