Archive for February, 2009

Five reasons why Detroit Shoreway may be the best neighborhood in Cleveland!

Friday, February 27th, 2009

b_web_home_kotowski_10
We went to the annual Detroit Shoreway Community Development Organization meeting and spaghetti feed last night. Mayor Jackson was there, along with Matt Zone and various other officials.  Located in Ward 17, the Detroit Shoreway may be the best neighborhood in the entire city. When we were looking for a place to buy a building, we spent a long time deciding where we wanted to end up. We had hoped to stay a tiny bit closer to home near Metro Health, as we wanted to walk to work every day. When we came across the building on 58th and Lorain, somehow we knew it was the one. Yes it is busted up. Yes, it is old. Yes it is about a 45 minute walk from the house. Still, we knew it was going to be the new home of Great Lakes Design Collaborative. We talked to the folks at DSCDO and began to get involved in the community. The more I see, the more impressed I am with the area. If you have been wondering where is the best neighborhood in the city, I think this is it. Here are some simple reasons why:

1. New business investment in the area. In 2001/2002, the revitalization of Detroit Ave and 65th was beginning to show. Little by little buildings were being renovated and the corner was getting cleaner. Less than a decade later, the Gordon Square District is a jewel in the crown of Cleveland. There are numerous new businesses in the neighborhood. There are restaurants from down home good food like Latitude 41 to nicer spots like Luxe. There is the Duo Home for furniture and design services. Great shops like Room Service and Kitsch City offer unique shopping experiences. Pubs and bars like Stone Mad are great hangouts. Gypsy Bean offers excellent coffee and pastry (as well as lunch items) in a friendly atmosphere. We have meetings there often and usually run into someone we know. The city can do a lot, but it is through private investment that neighborhoods really achieve growth. I believe Matt Zone mentioned there were 24 new business in the area in the last 18 months. All this private investment is just adding to the selction of business that are already established like Minh Anh and the Lorain Ave Antiques District.  The staff members at DSCDO, like  Jeff Ramsey or Marilyn Mosinsky, are incredible at working with local business and is tireless in attracting new investment.

2. Commitment to sustainability. Of all the areas in the city, this neighborhood takes sustainability and being green very seriously. Once again, the city can only do so much. The true leadership is coming from other sources. Gang Green is a neighborhood group that works to help achieve sustainability goals. The area sports numerous community gardens and there is even a local “Urban Farmers Market” in the summer. Talk about buying local! Nothing is more local than buying food that was grown in just down the street in your neighbor’s garden. Eco Village and the Green Cottages are examples of architecture that is sustainable and conservationist in nature. When the housing market turns around, I am sure we will see many more projects like them!  Talk to Lilah Zautner at the DSCDO to find out how these projects are changing the West Side.  Last year they distributed rain barrels to capture rain water.

3. Gordon Square Arts District. The newest arts area in town is building on the already established reputation of the Cleveland Public Theater and Near West Theater. The old Capitol Cinema is being remodeled and will show artsy and independent films (think Cedar Lee). There are numerous new galleries in the area, like 1.618 Gallery. The 78th St Studios has both display and live/work space for artists. They have established their own Art Walk and although we are a going to be a little farther away, we hope to join them in showing local artists at our new offices. Arts spurs growth and attracts new residents. Enough said!

4. Involved Citizens. I have been to numerous City Council meetings and ward meetings around the city. I often sit through a lot of complaining by residents and a lot of “what are you gonna do about…” directed at the Councilpersons. In the Detroit Shoreway, residents seem to want to know what THEY can do to make the area better. One man took an abandoned empty lot and worked with area kids to plant flowers and clean it up. Now a pleasant space instead of a eyesore. The bike tunnel is kept from graffiti by watchful and active citizens. Residents here are leading the charge, be it clean up, neighborhood watch or simply volunteering. The people in this area seem to all know each other and look out for one another-now that is what a neighborhood is all about! The block clubs in this area are some of the most involved I have seen anywhere.

5. An involved Councilman. Matt Zone is a hard working individual. He is committed to the city, to his ward, and to his constituency. Cleveland City Council has members that range from very poor to excellent, and from what I have seen of Matt Zone-he is exceptional. He knows the people in his ward-many by name. He talks to them and meets with them. He tries to address their concerns, while being pragmatic and never losing sight of the big picture-a ward that is thriving economically and residents who are glad to live there.

I could go on, but if you want to see what i am talking about, make a visit. Check out an art walk or just the latest exhibit at local galleries. Stop for a coffee with Nicki at the Gypsy Bean. Have a nosh at Latitude 41. If you are thinking about relocating this is the right area. If you have been downsized and are thinking now may be the time to start your own business, there are great spaces to do that. Maybe you want to take the tax advantage and buy your first home-the housing stock in the area is so diverse, you are sure to find just the right place to meet your needs. The addition of the Battery Park project only further enhances what is already available. Yes, Detroit Shoreway may very well be the best neighborhood in Cleveland. That is why we chose it, and why you should think about it too!

Tags: , , ,
Posted in Arts & Culture, Cleveland, Green | No Comments »

11 Common Foods for Natural Remedies

Tuesday, February 24th, 2009

This is not my original content! I read this article and thought it was so interesting, that I had to post it and add a link. I love to travel and there are plenty of travel sites. But I am watching how much energy I use just to travel to the store, so when I found the site Go Green Travel Green, I was thrilled. The article I am linking to was about how to naturally relieve common health issues while traveling. It is good, because other countries do not always have the same regulations regarding medications. But for those of us who prefer a healthier lifestyle, why wait for a trip? Some of the ideas in this article are great for common ailments. Check out this article. It is a good read, and besides there is probably some honey or turmeric in your cabinet!

Tags: ,
Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Comment »

Money, money, money

Friday, February 20th, 2009

We have managed to make a few steps forward in the last week or so. I managed to get started on the clean up of all the garbage. The previous owners have come by and picked up some of the stuff that was left behind. We also had a few days of snow free weather and managed to meet with various contractors. We want to get started as soon as the weather begins to warm up, but first we need all the bids that we can, so we can get a handle on the construction budget. Doing the cleaning and getting rid of the garbage, however, has made a huge difference in the look and feel of the place. Once we get the big construction things done, it won’t be long or difficult to finish the interiors or fix the plumbing. I think that we will have our construction budget finished soon. Just in time, too as we have begun meeting with the people who have cash.

We met with the city of Cleveland this week. We are going to apply for funds through a new Cleveland program called the Vacant Property Initiative. It is a great program that was just started last year for helping develop under utilized properties, create jobs and spur on economic development within the city. While we look at the lease space, we are hoping to attract a retailer and a new office that will create some new jobs between them. While there are plenty of lease spaces out there, we are going to be offering space in a green building with the Eco Park behind, on one of the busiest bus lines in the city, blocks from the rapid station and set in a destination neighborhood. What could be better? We are working now on what incentives we can provide for energy and leasing considerations to ensure quality tenants. The meeting went well, but really only explained the program more and got us moving in the right direction. The Vacant Property Initiative is a great program, but has significant restrictions. While some requirements may be difficult to meet, they will were created to ensure the employment of Cleveland businesses and pay proper wages. In the end, this project may not work for us, as the scope of work is just to small to make it reasonable to meet all the requirements. That being said, there is a 30-45% forgiveness built into the funding. Will it help us to jump through the hoops? That really remains to be seen.

top-back
After our meeting with the city, we met with a representative of Shore Bank. We love shore Bank and would prefer to work with them on all of our financing needs. While KeyBank and other institutions are viable alternatives, Shore banks programs and mission fall most completely in line with our own. We have multiple reasons for doing this project. We want to have a cool office, and we believe that real estate is a good investment at this time. We hope to attract other green business to the area, making our investment more valuable. We want to be a part of the community that we invest in, and make it a better place to live and work. We want to educate and generate excitement in the city about sustainability-not just for environmental reasons, but for the economic future of the region. In short, we believe that as a company, Great lakes Design Collaborative has a responsibility to be a good corporate steward as well as make a decent income. That is why we would love to work with Shore Bank. They work to foster education, community development and fund development in a sustainable manner. All reasons that I certainly wouldn’t hesitate to move our accounts to this company. One commitment that we made before starting this project was that we were going to work with, and promote, businessess that understood our goals and whose philosophies fell inline with ours. In this economic climate, funding may be more difficult than that, but we hope that Shore Bank will end up being our partners. They are doing good things in other cities, as well, so think about them for funding your next project.

Tags: ,
Posted in Cleveland, Our Offices | 1 Comment »

Talking Trash

Monday, February 16th, 2009

Last week kept me pretty busy and I didn’t get a chance to post much. I took advantage of the warm weather at the beginning of the week and started the cleaning work on the larger of the two buildings. I am amazed that there were once people living in that amount of garbage. The most recent denizens of the site are the feral cats. They have discovered places to sleep and have used much of the old clothes and junk lying about as their litter box. That has left me with a dilemma. I hate to see anything go into a landfill, if there is anyway to recycle it. There are, however, at least 5 or six contractor’s bags full of old clothes. I was able to separate some that were safely tucked away and kept clean, but most are soiled, and smell of animal urine. What do I do? I would like to clean them all and donate them. When push comes to shove, though, it is unclear if they are even usable if I clean them. I do not have the time to wash, fold, and evaluate so much clothing. The amount of water involved in getting them even reasonable clean is probably enough to support a third world country. Top that with the fact that there is no running water at present at the site and the logistics become impossible. I managed to fill one entire room with nothing but garbage. I took a carload or recyclables to a city drop off spot. There is a bit more. I have found a company that will recycle mattresses, and there are about three in the building. What to do with the rest? In our own home, we generate less than a bag of garbage a week. I am unable to reconcile the fact that there is enough landfill at this site to equal over two years of our personal trash. This doesn’t address the building materials or demolition stuff that cannot be recycled-that is a part of the rehab project. This is just the trail of waste left behind by former tenants. It angers me. Not only have they left a mess for me to clean up, but all this could have been reused if someone had picked up a phone and called the Salvation Army. So, we are left to pick up the slack for those who can’t be bothered to make an effort. It makes me wonder what more I could be doing in my own home. Is there something more that I could be doing to divert trash from a landfill? Is there one more thing that I could be recycling or reusing to break the chain or close the loop? What about you? If those of us who are being responsible are making up for everyone who isn’t. we have to be diligent and go that extra mile, because for everyone who is reducing, reusing, and recycling there are surely several others who are doing none of the above.

Tags: , ,
Posted in Green, Our Offices | 2 Comments »

Blue Canyon Blues

Thursday, February 12th, 2009

blue_canyon_logoLast night I was at a networking event. The host for the evening was Blue Canyon Kitchen and Tavern. They generously agreed to host us for the evening, and I haven’t been for some time. Needless to say, I was psyched. I was not disappointed either. They put out great appetizers: chicken skewers, homemade potato chips with blue cheese sauce, and gourmet pizzas. Our speaker for the event was Chef Brandt Evans. If you watch local television, read local print media, or watch the Food Network, then you know who Chef Brandt is. If you don’t know who he is, then you need to see why everyone else does. Chef Evans has that unique combination of charm and talent that explains why he has been such a success. He was joined by his partner Val Voelker, who is responsible for the great customer service. He and his partners have managed in just 6 short years, to open not just one great restaurant, but 4. They have two locations in Montana and one outside Dallas. Along the way, they have started a line of spice blends, bottled their signature salad dressing, and started a line of private label wines. What a treat to hear about the elements that have gone into their success.

This economy has hit many people hard. Restaurants have been hit particularly hard, as dining out is usually done on disposable income. How does a restaurant in Twinsburg, Ohio manage to stay afloat in such difficult times? The trick has to be in the dedication of the entire staff. Katie Klonowski organized our event, and handled our service personally. When was the last time that you saw a member of the management staff handle a private event themselves? After the event was over, I could not go home without some of the world class food. Often when there is an economic downturn, restaurants have a tendency to cut corners in subtle ways that they think will not show. Not here-and that may be why there were plenty of diners on a Tuesday evening in February. Our dinner service was top notch. They didn’t even hesitate to provide separate checks for our group of 8. The house salad was tasty, and I see why Blue Canyon started bottling their maple balsamic dressing. I was not about to go home without some of Brandt’s signature calamari. Coated with just the right amount of cornmeal breading and served with the best chili butter sauce anywhere, I was happy. We also had the famous braised short ribs. Braised in beer and served with a smoked tomato spoon bread, it was difficult not to lick the plate. Continuing with the excellent customer service and fantastic food that has made them successful these past few years, Blue Canyon is a wonderful place to enjoy a night out. And make it a night, as the atmosphere is so warm and inviting that you won’t want to leave-and the view is fantastic! So why do I have the Blue Canyon Blues? Twinsburg is too far away for me to drop by for dinner and drinks every night!

On our way out, I was excited to see that Blue Canyon is hosting a Go Green Wine Event. Tuesday, March 10 they are hosting a five couse wine dinner. It will feature RIck Heartwig from Mendecino, and there will be wines from organic wineries such as Sketchbook, Parducci, Paul Dolan and Sustainable wines. The price is only $65, which is a steal! Call 330.486.2583 to make a reservation. If you are around LaGourmet Chef on March 6, be sure to stop by and say hello to Brandt. He is doing a Go Green Demo. Call for more info! I hear that there will be samples and prizes, so it’s a great way to taste what I am talking about!

Tags: ,
Posted in Arts & Culture, Cleveland, Green | 1 Comment »

PetCo Apologizes and the CPD Arrives

Monday, February 9th, 2009

So I did get a nice email from my customer relations specialist at PetCo. She apologized for not fully reading through my blog and for failing to understand the issues that I had with them. I have been assured that paper is an issue that is being addressed by the company management.

We have received several concerns of the length of the paper and it is currently being reviewd by our highest management level at our National Support Center.
One example of PETCO’s effort to GO GREEEN is, in advance of new legislation in the New York area that would require retailers to charge a 5-cent fee for plastic shopping bags – and which may eventually lead to a city or statewide ban on plastic bags, PETCO has teamed up with TerraCycle to place recycling bins in a handful of stores where customers can recycle their plastic shopping and pet food bags. The bags are then packaged up and sent to TerraCycle to be “upcycled” and turned into a variety of other usable products that could eventually be marketed and sold in our stores.
My hope is that you will understand that I in no way intended to cast aside your very real awareness of the length of receipts and the scanning process of the the associate that was applied during your transaction and purchase of your canned food.

I may not have changed my mind completely, but if I didn’t shop anywhere unless they recycled, I might be going to Chicago to buy my groceries. I must say that I was pleased and felt oddly vindicated that my concerns were addressed and that I received a reply from a faceless corporation. I also was given a private email address and phone number this time. In the end, if you are shopping at PetCo, I will stop glaring at you!

Today I went to work at the site. I removed some of the plywood and changed a lock, so that I could get in easier when I come by. After being there only a short while, I was surprised to be met with Cleveland’s Finest. Not just one police officer arrived, but 3 3 (including a supervisor) and a forth stopped by on the street to make sure that things were cool. I was taken aback, but so pleased. Not only did someone call the cops when they saw a stranger prying the doors open, but the CPD sent officers in a very timely manner. I didn’t get much done today, but I got new locks on and started bagging up the garbage. I got all the paper junk together and started to bag it for recycling. I can’t wait for some more dry, warm days so the place can dry out. Them we will be having a yard sale, better to reuse than landfill stuff! Need anything?

Tags: , ,
Posted in Cleveland, Our Offices | No Comments »

PetCo Update-they just don’t get it!

Saturday, February 7th, 2009

So I emailed PetCo and let them know that I wouldn’t be shopping with them anymore. Here is the response I got:

Thank you for contacting PETCO regarding your concern with our store at 3387 Steelyard Dr. We are sorry to hear about your recent experience. However, after reading your “blog” I am still unclear of your concern. I understand that the recall in 2007 was very difficult on all of us as pet owners. I am very concerned with the customer service you are speaking of at this store location. Please feel free to email me directly in response with detailed information in order for this to be addressed.

We seek to give all of our customers the best possible selection of pet products and customer service. When we fail, we know that we have lost your patronage until confidence in our service commitment may be restored. I would like nothing more than to continue to see you in our store again. I’m hopeful that you’ll give the staff at your local store the opportunity to delight you with excellent service. I’m hopeful that our responsiveness to you in the future helps to secure your patronage once again.

Please know that we care about our customers and what they think of us. By letting us know when we fall short of your expectations, we have the opportunity to address your concerns and to be better prepared to meet your expectations in the future. If we can be any further assistance, please feel free to reply to this email or call PETCO Customer Relations directly at 1-888-824-7257.
Thank you again for contacting PETCO.

I will leave off the name, but it was signed by a senior customer relations coordinator. I like how they didn’t understand the issue when reading my “blog.” They didn’t read it well, I guess, because I felt it was quite clear that they were wasting a ton of paper, and didn’t recycle. I am not even going to go into the fact that they have either an antiquated sales system or no one knows how to use it properly. What you can’t tell, is that she said to contact her directly, but never gave me more than a generic phone number or the generic ‘info@’ email address that this email came from. It is obvious that they just do NOT get it. She said nothing about all the wasted paper, nothing about scanning each can, nothing about recycling. I will not spend another dime there, until they implement a firm recycle policy and publicly announce it. Furthermore, every time I am at Steelyard Commons I will glare at the people who shop there. That’ll teach em. Time to check out Pet Smart.

Tags: , , ,
Posted in Cleveland, Green | No Comments »

Some Natural Tips for Healthier Living

Saturday, February 7th, 2009

Here are a few natural tips passed on to me by friends. I haven’t tried them all myself, so I cannot speak to how well they all work. Also remember, I am NOT a doctor or vet, so use these ideas at your own peril! That being said, it is often the old fashioned remedies that work the best. The fancy packed, latest things that you see in the store are often the same basic ingredients as what is in your pantry or bathroom, just repackaged with some new scent and a colorful box. The less we buy, the more money we have for things that are really important-like that upgrade to a tankless water heater.

If you are flu-ish and suffering from sore muscles, I have been told that relief can be had from this natural cure: Mix 1 tablespoon horseradish in 1 cup of olive oil. Let the mixture sit for 30 minutes, then apply it as a massage oil for instant relief for aching muscles.

Small minor burn? I have been told that Colgate toothpaste is a great salve. You can also try Preparation H (it is for swollen, burning tissues) and it can be used with a little lotion to shrink those bags under your eyes.

Many headaches are caused by dehydration. Before reaching for Tylenol or other pain reliever, try guzzling a couple of glasses of Gatorade. The electrolytes will balance the system and ease the headache quite quickly.

Chewing Altoids can bring relief to a stuffy nose-as can Chinese hot mustard.

Honey is a great treatment for many ills. It can help kill bacteria, so put some on a skin blemish and cover with a bandage for an overnight treatment. Mix equal parts with vinegar and take a tablespoon 6 times a day for sore throats.

Listerine is an antiseptic. Use it to close pores before bed. Minor cuts, broken blisters and other small injuries can be disinfected with it. It kills fungus, too-like athletes foot.

Splinter? Apply a little Elmer’s glue and let dry. It will often take the splinter out when you peel it off.

Vinegar applied to a bruise for an hour or so will speed healing and help with discoloration, if used right away. Tomato juice or sauce applied as a compress will speed healing of boils. Apply slightly cooled cooked oatmeal to hands for relief of arthritis pain.

Lemon juice and sunshine will naturally lighten medium hair and bring our highlights.

For insects-you can get rid of ticks by covering them with butter. They suffocate and can be easily removed. Try corn or vegetable oil for ear mites on your pet. Massage it in, then clean with a cotton ball. Repeat daily for 3 days. The oil soothes the cat’s skin, smothers the mites, and accelerates healing. Formula 409 will kill wasps and hornets. Or try my favorite for all flying insects-Aqua Net extra hold. As it dries, bugs can no longer fly. Ants cannot resist sugar. Mix equal parts powdered sugar and Comet and place near ant entrances. They will take it back to the colony and will destroy them all.

Let me repeat that I am no doctor or vet. Some of these ideas are common knowledge. Some I have used myself over the years. Some i have never heard of. That being said, if you are trying to have a more natural home, some of these hints are worth a shot, and most are far less toxic than their chemical counterparts. Even better, you can wash them down the drain without the fear of old medications!

Tags:
Posted in Green | 3 Comments »

Is it Petco, or the cat that is to blame?

Thursday, February 5th, 2009

In my ongoing struggle to find the right places to spend my money, another big company falls by the wayside. I started shopping at pet stores for cat food, because I wanted to feed my adopted kitten the best food for her. Needless to say, I was thrilled when Petco opened up in steelyard Commons so close to our home. The pet food recall meant a switch of her canned food to a more generic brand, and now I fear we no longer need Petco. Fine by me. I cannot tolerate poor management or lack of responsibility when it comes to basic issues, and my money is best spent at a store that has at least some sense. Bud wrote this blog post, and you will see why PetCo is no longer on our list of shopping destinations.

Finicky Cat Causes Paper Waste
My cat has decided she only wants the grilled Fancy Feast.  When I accidentally made the terrible blunder of buying a different version (the “tender” version) she balked and refused to eat it, walking in ridiculously wide circles to avoid her food bowl.  A practiced drama queen, she even put on performances where she would walk up to the food, smell it, maybe even lick it, but then jump back, shake her head violently and run away at full speed.  Please.  So I gave in and had to return the little pallet of food to Petco in order to get the “right” kind.  My cat’s disdain wasn’t the only thing I had to put with this morning.  The poor checker at Petco had to individually scan all 36 cans of foods, one at a time.  To make matters worse, in between each scan, she had to type a code into the computer, scroll down, find the appropriate category, then choose another option and feed in the .55 cent return amount.  FOR EACH CAN!  Not only did this take a long time, but all of the cans were the same price, just different flavors.  Trust me, I understand inventory control, but a good POS system should have the flavor programmed into the bar code in the first place.  Now comes the sustainability portion of my tale.  Once everything had been scanned in and a long line of customers were patiently waiting behind me, the checker had to feed return slips into the computer.  Each slip was triplicate (white, yellow, and pink copies) and each slip could only hold about four items.  This means she had to feed in eight different slips, each made up of three pieces of paper for a total of 24 pieces of paper!  The tired checker presented me with the eight yellow copies, stapled to the original sales print out.  I shook my head and laughed, “I don’t need all this paper, please recycle it for me”.  She promptly threw it in her trash can and began to help the next customer.  I blame my cat.

Tags: , ,
Posted in Green | No Comments »

A guide to recycling in Cleveland

Thursday, February 5th, 2009

500px-recycling_symbolsvgWhen we lived in Portland, we had a comprehensive recycling program. It was a huge success. Part of the reason it was so successful, was that garbage service was not part of our taxes, it was a separate utility. In the 90′s, a resident had to pay $35 month for a single large garbage can. More garbage than that and you were charged for overages. With that can you got free curbside recycling pick up. If you wanted to get rid of a couch or clean out that storage unit, you had to take that garbage to the dump. It made one creative when it came to reuse and recycling. If you had old doors, windows, or furniture it cost to throw them away, but free to donate to charity. You could even get paid for some things at resale shops or salvage yards. This system also allowed for inexpensive ways to find building materials or used products that were of a higher quality. That is why I like Cleveland’s new garbage and recycling program, if they would just finish the roll out! As I have mentioned, they are in the process now of deciding how long it will take to roll out this program city wide. I urge you to call or email your councilperson and let them know that you support the city wide program and insist it rolls out sooner, rather than later. be sure to send a note to the mayor’s office and the waste disposal department as well.

Okay. Now that we have the politics out of the way, let’s talk about recycling and how our local program works. If you are lucky enough to already be a participant in the pilot program, then you know that you have two garbage cans. These garbage cans hold the equivalent amount of several regular garbage cans. One is for recycling and one is for trash. If you aren’t a part of this program, then you need to find a recycling dumpster near you. These dumpsters are located throughout the city.

Now, what to recycle. Cleveland recycles quite a lot, but not as much as it could (in my opinion.) Here is the lowdown:
Paper-Most normal paper and corrugated cardboard can be recycled. This means all your office paper, newspapers, magazines, junk mail, cardboard boxes, posterboard, and boxes. There are exceptions. Any box that is waxed (like the kind frozen foods often come in, or some produce boxes), boxes that are contaminated by food and grease (like pizza boxes), and detergent boxes all need to go into the garbage. Phone books need to be recycled separately. Save them for the annual phone book drive, or drop them off at the zoo. There is a phone book recycling drop off in the parking lot.
Metal-Cleveland recycles most steel, aluminum and tin. Rinse out your cans, but the label doesn’t need to come off. (I remember the old days when you had to cut off the tops and bottoms and flatten them!) Do not recycle hangers, car parts, aerosol cans, appliances or things with circuitry (like stereos and cell phones.) Things like cookware need to go to a scrap metal place. I usually leave them on the tree lawn in summer the day before garbage pick up and they are always gone before the garbage men come.
Plastic-The general rule is if it has a number on the bottom inside a recycle symbol, it can be recycled. Plastics are numbered 1-7 and do not have to be separated. Things like plastic lawn furniture, PVC pipes, and vinyl siding are purely landfill fodder though.
Glass-Bottles should be rinsed and do not have to be separated. Do NOT recycle window glass, light bulbs or glass ware.

What about some of the other more difficult items? There are answer! Motor oil, transmission fluid, oil filters, car batteries and the like are recycled at most auto parts stores or oil changing places (like lube stop). Check with your favorite auto parts stores first-you may find that will have a new favorite! If you can’t find a spot, these items and things like paints and stains, chemical cleaners and such can be disposed of via the Hazardous Waste Program. Tires can be dropped off at the dump, but try places like Goodyear first, as they are mosre likely to retread or recycle them. Compact Fluorescent Bulbs contain mercury and should be disposed of safely. Most Home Depot stores and Ace Hardware stores are recycling them now. Products with complex circuitry, like computers and cell phones, are loaded with heavy metals. They can be recycled at many electronics stores. Cleveland also has a Computer Round Up program annually. Better yet, cell phones and computers can be donated to schools and other charities. Check out your local firehouse for a drop off box for cell phones, and for computers, find your favorite program from this list.

That about covers it. But remember that recycling does little good if you do not close the loop. Look for products that you purchase that have a content of recycled materials. Reduce the amount of packaging and materials that you consume. Reuse things if you can, before throwing them out or recycling. Why buy canisters if you are recycling perfectly good jars? Why buy tupperware and throw out perfectly good plastic containers. If an item is broken, consider repairing it before replacing it.

Tags: , ,
Posted in Cleveland, Green | 7 Comments »