While we’re all for turning the Indiana Statehouse green, we know not everyone is keen on going door-to-door with a clipboard or writing concerned citizen letters until your eyes glaze over. Just sayin’.

Piece out,
Renee & Meghan

For years, you dutifully separated aluminum cans from office paper and cardboard from electronics, then loaded it into your car on separate days, to make separate trips to separate drop-off centers, all in the name of recycling. We listed patiently as you inquired about an all-inclusive place that accepts every kind of can, bottle, box, and television set under the sun, then sighed because such a place just didn’t exist.

While the folks in Washington are busy with comprehensive healthcare reform, our pals at Workforce, Inc. have been busy with comprehensive recycling reform. That is, creating a one-stop shop where you can recycle glass, metal, plastics #1-#7, paper, cardboard, electronics, and batteries in one fell swoop. Bring it all to their new Chancellor A. Keesling Community Recycling Center (3518 E. Michigan St.), named after Workforce CEO Gregg Keesling’s son who died in June while serving in Iraq. The Indianapolis Star ran a wonderful article about Gregg and his business on Sunday.

Stop by the center tomorrow (Wednesday) morning from 7-9 a.m. for our eastside Rush Hour Recycling event. Drop off cardboard and electronics, and check out the new center while you’re there.

What was once junk in your trunk is now money in the bank for our community’s newest recycling center.

Piece out,
Renee & Meghan

P.S. Sometimes we get stuff wrong. Last week, we mentioned that Republic Services now takes #6 plastics. To clarify, they will accept #6 clear plastic containers, but not #6 styrofoam. (Stay tuned for a styrofoam recycling tip.) Also, Ray’s Curbside Recycling also accepts plastics #1-#7.

P.P.S. Also, Bill McKibben will be speaking at IUPUI Monday, Nov. 9, and at the Indiana State Museum Tuesday, Nov. 10.

No one likes being lectured. Or taking lecture notes in an overcrowded college classroom. But give us a hearty discussion on an environmental topic, and you can call it a lecture all you want. We simply call it “fun.” Catch one of the following discussions coming in November.

Piece out,
Renee & Meghan

Hollywood gave us plastic surgery. Radiohead gave us “Fake Plastic Trees.” And now Republic Services is giving us curbside recycling for plastics #1 through #7! What’s all the fuss about? Well, manufacturing plastic uses tons of energy and natural resources, releases toxic chemicals into the environment, and is mostly derived from petroleum. And, until recently, most area curbside services only accepted #1 and #2 plastics (the easiest varieties to recycle). Fortunately for Republic customers, all 7 varieties will now be accepted so long as they fall into one of the following categories. To be sure, flip over your container and look for the triangular arrows with a number inside to figure out which kind of plastic it is.

#1 (PET or PETE): Used in disposable water bottles and soda bottles

#2 (HDPE): Used in milk jugs, detergent bottles, shampoo bottles, and many plastic shopping bags (though we know you only carry reusable bags now, right?)

#3 (vinyl or PVC): Used in pipes, shower curtains, some flip-flops, some food wrap, toys, wallpaper, many yoga mats, and more

#4 (LDPE): Used in plastic wrap and some grocery bags

#5 (PP): Used in tubs that contain things like yogurt, hummus, and sour cream, as well as many clear plastic takeout boxes.

#6 (PS): Often referred to as Styrofoam. Look for it in coffee cups and takeout containers.

#7 (Other): This category encompasses everything from polycarbonate bottles to bagged lettuce packaging.

Not a Republic customer? Drop off #1-#7 plastics at Rock-Tenn Recycling (1775 S. West St., near downtown Indy), the soon-to-open Chancellor A. Keesling Community Recycling Center (watch for details in a future piece) or the Hamilton County Household Hazardous Waste Center in Noblesville.

Of course, it’s always great to reduce your dependence on plastics, too, by selecting reusable or consumable packaging. Yes, we said consumable. Think ice cream cones, tortillas, and all other edibles that require no packaging at all!

Piece out,
Renee & Meghan

It’s official: You can finally stop using your old Yellow Pages as a giant coaster. Central Indiana residents now have multiple locations for recycling phone books. Old directories are used to create home insulation, animal bedding, and even roofing shingles.

DROP-OFF
Now through December 15, recycle old phone books at:

• BroadRipplePark, 450 Broad Ripple Avenue
• CircleCity Recycling, 3617 Southeastern Avenue
• Langsdale Recycling, 832 Langsdale Avenue
• Perry Park, 415 E. Stop 11 Road
• Product Development Corp Warehouse, 3000 S. Shelby Street (1 block south of Troy St., on the west side of Shelby St., where Perry St. ends at Shelby St.)
• Republic Services, 96th Street Transfer Station
• SahmPark, 6801 E. 91st Street

SCHOOLS
Through Project ReDirectory, a phone book recycling drive taking place Oct. 29 through Dec. 7, the following area schools can earn $50 for each ton (up to $250) of outdated directories collected. The school that collects the most (minimum of two tons) will win an additional $250.

• ColdSpringAcademy, 3650 Cold Spring Road
• CraigMiddle School, 6501 Sunnyside Road
• GreenbrierElementary School, 8201 Ditch Road
• SouthportHigh School, 971 E. Banta Road

Of course, if you’d rather not receive phone books in the first place, visit Yellow Pages Goes Green, a site aimed at starting a national movement to solicit the White/Yellow Pages industry to proactively stop the delivery of unwanted phonebooks.

Piece out,
Renee & Meghan

There’s never a bad time for popcorn. Just don’t be the guy at the office who burns it in the microwave, much to the aggravation of all his co-workers. October is National Popcorn Popping Month and, in celebration, we’re dishing out tips on our favorite local popping corn companies as well as a few hints on how to keep your popcorn bowl green.

Piece out,
Renee & Meghan

There was a time when we made excuses for our city’s lack of environmental friendliness. “We’re Indianapolis,” we’d say. “People here don’t use public transportation. They’re not used to recycling. It’s not like we’re Boulder.”

Highlights of the report include:

• The construction of the Fall Creek Pilot Project, a bioretention area being planted this week. The project helps reduce raw sewage overflows into Fall Creek and improve the quality of stormwater entering it by removing pollutants.
• 26 green infrastructure projects recorded in the city.
• 17 new pedestrian recycling bins (mostly in Broad Ripple and on Mass Ave) added.
• 89 hybrid vehicles added to city fleet.
• 29 private sector (customer-owned) renewable energy projects recorded.
• Decrease in Knozone Air Quality Action days, from 9 days in 2007-2008 to only 3 days in 2008-2009.
• 6 LEED-certified buildings and 23 Energy Star-rated buildings in the city.
• More than 14 miles of on-street bike lanes added.

Wish your project had been included in the report? Contact SustainIndy@indy.gov. Whenever you think we have a long way to go, just look how far we’ve come.

Piece out,
Renee & Meghan