Recycling Advocates E-Newsletter

May 2018 | www.recyclingadvocates.org | info@recyclingadvocates.org

Engaging people in creating a sustainable future through local efforts to reduce, reuse and recycle.

Contents

BYOC Campaign Update
UK Set to Ban Single-Use Plastics
Refillable Beer Bottle Program Expanding
Do Just One Thing: Grab a Growler
PlanetCon2018

BYOC Campaign Update

We're encouraged to see that many Starbucks coffee shops are being more up-front about their $2 reusable cups (they look just like their "paper" cups), and are also adding signage to remind customers about their 10c discount for bringing your own cup.

Still little progress on the recyclable cup front, though. Here's a fun video from Stand.Earth on that topic - Go Parker!

BREAKING: Parker invented a recyclable cup for Starbucks!

UK Set to Ban Single-Use Plastics

Great news from the UK - no, not about the Royal Wedding. Or Brexit.

The UK government has announced that as early as 2019 it plans to ban all sales of single-use plastics, including straws and cotton swabs. It's a dramatic step towards the goal of eliminating avoidable plastic waste, part of the country's 25 Year Environmental Plan.

The country has already made progress in reducing plastic waste by introducing a charge for plastic grocery bags. This resulted in a staggering 90% drop in their use! We hope other countries - include the US - will be inspired by these results to introduce similar measures.

Read the press release here.

Refillable Beer Bottle Program Expanding

We've been watching the progress of Double Mountain's pilot refillable bottle program with interest, now we're happy to learn that the program is expanding to seven Oregon breweries. Coordinated by OBRC, this is the first statewide refillable beer bottle program in the country.

The thick-walled half-liter bottles used for the program can be returned for deposit just the same way as other containers, but then they will be set aside to be washed and reused instead of being crushed to make new bottles. Multiple-use glass bottles use four times less carbon than recycled glass to produce and distribute, and seven times less carbon than aluminum cans.

Look out for these special bottles in stores starting in July. Participating breweries include Widmer, Buoy Beer, Rock Bottom and, of course, Double Mountain.

Read OPB's EarthFix article here.

Here's another idea for ditching the traditional six-pack of beer bottles and cans:

Do Just One Thing: Grab a Growler
By Holly Hummel, RA Treasurer

Bottle caps are my nemesis. They are everywhere and they are not recyclable, at least not in my world. Plastic bottle caps intended for the landfill often wind up in the ocean and in the stomachs of whales and turtles and other wildlife.

I love kombucha, but the kind I love most has a plastic bottle cap. So, I stopped drinking it because I couldn’t bear throwing out the caps. And, then of course, those glass bottles are recyclable, but … it takes a lot of energy to recycle them. It’s so very much better to reduce and reuse than to recycle, right?

And, then voila! I found growlers. I can go to Fred Meyer and get all the kombucha I want in refillable glass growlers. I enjoy it so much more now that I am not throwing away the cap or sending the glass bottle back to be recycled. No guilt, no waste, just wonderful kombucha. And, you know what? Humm kombucha served in Fred Meyer growlers is from Bend, Oregon, does it get better than that?

Oh BTW, local craft beer comes in growlers, too!

Note from the editor: the list of Portland area growler-fills is growing all the time, a quick Google search came up with this Yelp review of many of them. Check here to see if your local Fred Meyer has a growler station.

PlanetCon 2018 - Recycling and Swap Event

Join Recycling Advocates and many other environmental organizations on June 23rd from 11 am - 2 pm, at St. Alexander Catholic Church, 170 N. 10th Avenue, Cornelius. There will be information tables, music, food, and crafts for kids, as well as the free recycle and swap event.

Swap:

School supplies including clothes, backpacks, folders and paper products
Office and art supplies including pens, pencils and markers

Recycle:

Polystyrene #6
Plastic bags and film
Household batteries sizes AAA through D
Computers and electronics

For more details about the event and items that can be brought for recycling please see PlanetCon 2018.

For details of other events like this see the new Events Calendar on our website.

http://www.recyclingadvocates.org/calendar/

If there's an event you think we should add please drop us a line at info @ recyclingadvocates.org

Take the Pledge!

Visit http://www.recyclingadvocates.org/take-the-pledge/ and add your name - pledge to:

Bring Your Own Cup

Support Recycling Advocates

Become a member of Recycling Advocates and help us continue to spread the word about waste prevention.

Ways to Contribute:

By Mail: print and complete our Membership Form, mail it with your check to PO Box 6736, Portland, OR 97228-6736.
Visit our Website's Membership page
PayPal: use the button below to donate via PayPal using your credit card, bank account, or Paypal balance.

Membership Levels
Advocate $25 - Friend $50 - Supporter $100 - Sustainer $250
Gifts of any amount gratefully received.

Join at "Friend" level or above to be eligible to receive a Recycling Advocates/Rooster reusable coffee cup.

We thank you for your passion, support and commitment to protecting Oregon’s environment!

Other Ways to Support Recycling Advocates

Here are some ways to contribute to Recycling Advocates that won't cost you a penny.

Fred Meyer Community Rewards: shop with your Fred Meyer Rewards Card, continue to earn your rewards points, fuel points and rebates, and Fred Meyer will donate to Recycling Advocates! Sign up here, and select Recycling Advocates, nonprofit number 90398.

Amazon Smile: Amazon donates .5% of the price of your eligible purchases to RA whenever you shop at smile.amazon.com. You'll see all your usual account settings and exactly the same products and pricing as at amazon.com. Learn more and sign up here.

GoodSearch & GoodShop: Support RA and save money at Goodsearch.com and Goodshop.com. Find store coupons, coupon codes, discounts, deals and promo codes. Join here and select Recycling Advocates.

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