WooHoo!! We're Getting Larger Recycling Bins!!!!

A soon-to-be relic! (The small recycling bin - not the dog!)

According to a January 23rd, DC Department of Environment Press Release, DC residents will be receiving larger (supercan) recycling bins and new garbage cans as of February 2014.  Residents have long complained that the current recycling bins just can accommodate all of their recyclables and this has led to a build up of materials in alleys and on the streets. It's been more than 10 years since the current supercans were distributed.  The larger recycling bins will help DC attain its target of diverting 80 percent of the waste stream through recycling, composting, and waste conversion.

How To Start a Recycling Program

Maybe...just maybe one of your 2014 resolutions was to be greener and to recycler more. We'll January is well underway, so it's time to put that commitment into action.  So how do you do it? Most folks who read this blog are already doing a lot of household recycling, upcycling and freecycling, so what's next? Why not expand your efforts - to your neighborhood, workplace or school.  Even if your workplace/school already has a recycling program, there's always room for expansion as more and more products have a viable recycled value.  Here are a few ideas:

• Start your own mini recycling program at work for batteries, corks, Brita filters or such.  To do this, just send an email to colleagues/neighbors/students telling them that you'll be recycling these items and let them know where and

  

  My Office Door

  when to drop them off.  Leave a dedicated box on your front porch or in your office, workplace kitchen, etc for these items.  I have a bag on my office door for recycling energy bar wrappers, Brita filters and corks. (wrappers are sent to Terracycle, while Brita filters and corks are recycled at WholeFoods).
• Recruit others to commit to recycling other goods to create a "recycling circle" and spread the fun.
• Meet with the Facilities staff at your office/school to urge them to create/expand their recycling services.  The days of only recycling paper are so 1990s.  My workplace recycles all plastics, foil, paper and composts!  It's doable!

Great New Tool to Help You go Solar in DC!

If one of your 2014 resolutions is to go solar, DC now has a tool to help you assess how much a system might cost you for your house. MapDwell allows you to estimate the cost of a solar system on your house by simply inputting your address. It's REALLY easy to use..and will provide you estimates for the total cost of the system, your estimated Fed rebate, SREC income and the number of years it should take you to pay off the system.  Thank you DDOE for making going solar in DC even easier!