Serving Eastern Pennsylvania, Central and Southern New Jersey, and Delaware
Serving Eastern Pennsylvania, Central and Southern New Jersey, and Delaware
Recently, as I was sitting in my office, I heard a loud thunk on my front porch. When I went to investigate, I saw that I had two new phonebooks (of the paper kind). When was the last time I had used an actual phonebook? It got me to thinking.
Usually, when I am in my office, I have access to the internet, and it is easier to just search on-line for the information that I want. If I am out of my office, I have my handy cellphone with all the bells and whistles that allows me to search for almost anything I want, anywhere I am, at anytime I wish. But…
Last week, I was in need of a personal phone number. I knew the person’s name and where they lived (or at least I thought I did). Easy, I thought. I pulled up “white pages” on Google and searched for the phone number of the person. I got all sorts of information and numerous listings but no phone numbers. If I wanted more information, I had to pay a nominal fee. NO WAY! I tried several different sites and still came up empty handed. Then a light bulb went off in my head. If memory served me correctly, I had an old phonebook sitting in the buffet drawer. Granted, it was four years out of date, but maybe… Down to the dining room I raced, opened the buffet drawer and EUREAKA! There it was. Let’s see… D…. Do… Down… yes, there is was – “Martha Downing” on Pine Street with a phone number! Twenty minutes searching the internet. Less than three minutes looking in the phonebook. Hmmmm. The expediency of technology? Not always.
It is different if you are seeking the number for a business but, even then, you should weigh all your options and determine if you truly need a paper phonebook or if the internet serves you just as well. For a great article read 5 Things You Need to Know to Avoid Wasting Phone Books and then decide. Just remember, if you do opt for the paper phonebook, when the new one arrives, be sure to recycle the old. Happy searching!
The magical holiday season has come and gone and now it’s time to face the reality of the New Year…and the inevitable task of taking decorations down and cleaning up. You can just toss your tree to the curb, but what if you want a more meaningful way to lay your tree to rest? Read on for some great ways to tackle your clean up list and do some good for the planet at the same time!
Recycle Your Christmas Tree: Yes, you can recycle your tree! Just make sure that you take all the light strands, tinsel, and ornaments off before doing so. Earth 911 (earth911.com) offers a great link for anyone to be able to recycle their tree and turn it into mulch. Type in your zip code and find the closest drop off spot near you.
Recycle Your Shipping Boxes: Of course you can break them down and put them into the recycling bin, or pass them along to a friend who will be moving soon. Note to my colleagues — as Professional Organizers, you can also offer them to clients who are moving, for their belongings and/or for taking away any donations.
Recycle Your Wrapping Paper: If you were careful to unwrap your presents because you love the paper — hang onto it for another gift. Or if it’s a larger piece, create a placemat (by simply cutting the sheet into a small rectangle) or a pretty tray liner. Another fun idea is to use a hole puncher on your wrap scraps to create confetti for your next party!
Recycle Your Gift Bags: Keep your holiday spirit going throughout the New Year! Use them as a lunch bag to bring to work or as a catchall for coupons and sale ads when you’re headed out shopping.
Recycle Your Greeting Cards: Treat your favorite cards to a frame and use them for your décor next year, or keep them up year round. You can “re-gift” them by cutting off the back of the card, which has the writing on it and give it a postcard look, writing on the flipside of the front of the card.
Recycle Your Gift Boxes: Smaller cardboard jewelry boxes work well as organizers in your catchall drawer, while shirt size cardboard boxes can be used to separate stacks of items in drawers and keep them vertical.
I hope you learned some fun tips to make recycling fun. Here’s wishing you a very Happy New Year full of special times ahead with your family and friends, and of course…a clutter-free home!
Back in September, I attended my monthly meeting with the Environmentally Conscious Organizers which is a special interest group with the National Association of Professional Organizers. Our guest speaker was Beth Terry, who is the author of “My Plastic Free Life.” In 2007, Beth began an experiment to see if she could live without plastic and began blogging her experience after seeing a picture of a sea bird carcass whose belly was full of plastic.
She explained how recycling is a business and if there is no market for certain plastics they add them to our landfills or ship them to China just as our e-waste gets shipped to Africa. The best thing we can do is put very little into our recycling buckets as well as our landfill cans.
Most of us at the meeting had heard about the large amount of plastic floating in our ocean. According to Greenpeace.org “The trash vortex is an area the size of Texas in the North Pacific in which an estimated six kilos of plastic for every kilo of natural plankton, along with other slow degrading garbage, swirls slowly around like a clock, choked with dead fish, marine mammals, and birds who get snared. Some plastics in the gyre will not break down in the lifetimes of the grandchildren of the people who threw them away.”
You may be asking, “What does this have to do with organizing?” Well, this knowledge allows us the chance to train our clients on the many ways we can live in an environmentally conscious home.
Here are some tips from Beth’s list of 99 ways to live a plastic free life from her plastic free living guide.
1. Carry reusable shopping bags
Say no to plastic produce bags. If you have a car, keep your grocery bags in it and remember to bring them into the store with you! And one more thing: reusable bags are not just for groceries! Carry them for all your purchases, from electronics to clothing.
2. Give up bottled water
Not only does it come in a plastic bottle, but tremendous resources are used to extract, bottle, and ship it. And many brands of bottled water are simply filtered tap water. Instead, carry a stainless steel travel mug or water bottle at all times for coffee and other beverages while out and about.
3. Choose reusable glass or stainless steel containers for leftovers
We save nearly all glass jars and bottles for purchasing bulk foods and for storing leftovers in the refrigerator or even the freezer. When we run out of jars, we store leftovers in bowls with saucers on top instead of plastic wrap. Bowls with saucers are great for stacking as well.
For more information on how to live a plastic free life, go to www.myplasticfreelife.com
Recycling… wouldn’t it be lovely if all the cities, counties, boroughs and towns were all on the same recycling page? Then we would know what, when and where to recycle. Instead most of us walk around in a recycle fog looking for locations, dates and times to finally unload those outdated computers and piles of shredding. In an effort to make your recycling search a bit easier we have compiled a list of events and programs available in southeastern Pennsylvania and surrounding areas.
Collection Events
2013 Southeastern Pennsylvania Household Hazardous Waste and Old Electronics Collection Program
ELECTRONICS ONLY Collection Event
Saturday, September 28, 2013
Lower Bucks Area, Lower Makefield Township
Lower Makefield Corporate Center
770 Township Line Road
Hazardous Waste and E-Waste Recycling Event October 19
Delaware County will host a Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) Recycling Event from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. on Saturday, October 19, 2013 at the Upper Chichester Township Municipal Building at 8500 Furey Road, Upper Chichester, PA 19061.
Delaware County has expanded what can be accepted at this Household Hazardous Waste Collection Events to include most small E-Waste. Simply stated, if it has a cord, does not contain Freon (air conditioners, dehumidifiers, small refrigerators), and is not considered a large appliance, they will accept it. Visit http://www.co.delaware.pa.us/recycle/hhw.html for more information.
Delaware County 2013 E-Waste Recycling Events
Saturday, October 19, 2013
8500 Furey Road
Upper Chichester, PA 19061
Upper Chichester Township Municipal Building
2013 Montgomery County Household Hazardous Waste Collection Program
Lower Merion Transfer Station
Sunday, October 20, 2013
1300 N. Woodbine Ave.
Penn Valley, PA 19072
http://www.montcopa.org/DocumentCenter/View/4551
2013 Montgomery County Electronics Collection Program
Upper Merion Middle School – Electronics
Saturday, October 12, 2013
Enter near 435 Crossfield Rd.
King of Prussia, PA 19406
http://www.montcopa.org/DocumentCenter/View/4550
Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs (CFLs)
Compact Fluorescent Lightbulbs or CFL’s are a great way to reduce your electricity bill while lessening your carbon footprint. However, these types of bulbs contain a small amount of mercury and should be handled carefully and disposed of properly at all times.
Intact CFL bulbs can be taken to any Home Depot, Lowes, or Ikea stores for free proper disposal and recycling. CFL bulbs can also be taken to any county-sponsored household hazardous waste event for free disposal and recycling.
Please DO NOT throw them in the trash. Nationwide, over 670 million mercury-containing bulbs are discarded improperly each year. In Montgomery County most of these bulbs are ultimately land filled or incinerated. These disposal methods can lead to a release of mercury into the environment through breakage and leakage and ultimately contaminate the food chain.
TV, Computer & Electronics Recycling
Computers and many electronics contain heavy metals and other materials that should be recycled if possible. Below are a few options for proper computer and electronics recycling.
Permanent Electronics Collection Programs
Berks County Recycling Center
1316 Hilltop Road, Leesport, PA
Limited hours of operation, call 610-478-6362 for details.
Links: Berks County
Chester County Solid Waste Authority accepts computers and peripherals at the Lanchester Landfill
7224 28th Division Hwy., Narvon, PA.
Telephone: 610-273-3771
South East Chester County Refuse Authority
219 Street Road
West Grove, PA 19390
Dawn Robinson (610-869-2452 ext 11)
West Chester Borough
205 Lacey Street
West Chester, PA 19382
Meghan Fogarty 610-696-5282
Delaware County Marple Township offers free electronic recycling to residents at:
Marple Township
446 Marpit Rd.
Broomall, PA 19008
Joe Romano 610-356-4040 for information.
Springfield Township offers free electronic recycling to residents at:
Springfield Delco Public Works
1258 Church Rd.
Springfield, PA 19064
Contact Jeff Bickel at 610-543-2837 for information.
Police Court Yard 24/7 or
Public Works Facility 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Lancaster County Solid Waste Management Authority (www.lcswma.org) Household Hazardous Waste Facility
Lancaster, accepts computers (including peripheral equipment), televisions and cell phones free of charge from Lancaster County residents.
1299 Harrisburg Pike,
Facility hours are Monday – Friday from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturday from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Links:Lancaster County
Lehigh County residents can recycle electronics at AERC Recycling Solutions at
1801 Union Blvd. or 2591 Mitchell Ave, Allentown, PA
Fridays between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m.
List of prices (pdf) and AERC Electronic Recycling Information
Contact information: 610-797-7608 or visit www.aercrecycling.com.
Links: Lehigh County
Montgomery County – Cheltenham Township – Residents can recycle electronics at:
Cheltenham Township Public Works Facility
8101 Old York Rd.
Elkins Park, PA 19027
William Ferrari 215-635-4600
Mon. to Fri. 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Sat. 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
East Greenville Recycling Center
620 W. Side Alley.
Pennsburg, PA 18073
215-679-5194
Mon. to Fri. 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Sat. 8 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Lower Merion Township Township – Residents can recycle electronics at:
Robert J. Koegel Public Works Complex
1300 N. Woodbine Ave.
Penn Valley, PA 19072
Joseph Przybyszewski 610-667-1952
Mon. to Fri. 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Sat. 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Northampton Borough – Residents Only
King Street Recycling Center
King Street
Northampton, PA 18067
Hours: Wed. 2:00 to 5:00 p.m.
Sat. 8:00 p.m. to Noon
Contact: Gene Zarayko (610) 262-2576
Philadelphia County – Computers, TV’s and cell phones are accepted at all HHW Events. Citizens may bring their computers and TV’s to any Sanitation Convenience Center
Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Links:Philadelphia County
Wayne County residents may drop off electronics at the Wayne County Recycling Center
66 Volunteer Dr., Honesdale, Pa.
Hours are Monday – Friday from 7:00 am to 4:30 pm or Saturday from 7:00 a.m. to1:00 p.m.
Questions can be directed to the Wayne County Recycling Center at 570-253-9727 or E-Mail: .
Links:Wayne County
Delaware County Municipal Curbside and Drop Off Programs
http://www.co.delaware.pa.us/recycle/pdf/townhsipcurb.pdf
Delaware County 2013 E-Waste Recycling Events
Saturday, October 19, 2013
8500 Furey Road
Upper Chichester, PA 19061
Upper Chichester Township Municipal Building
Shredding Events
City of Bethlehem – FREE SHREDDING SERVICE
Shredding of confidential documents is available FREE to businesses and private individuals at the Theis/Cornfeld Recycling Center. If you have 4 or more boxes, please call (610) 865-7082 to schedule an appointment.
Hours of Shredding – Monday-Saturday – 9:00a – 3:00p
We cannot shred the following:
Northampton Township has scheduled two e-waste recycling events for April 20 and Sept. 28
Northampton Township has partnered with Leck Waste Services to schedule two e-waste recycling events so residents have a place to properly dispose of computers and other electronics safely.
The first e-waste recycling event will be held April 20 from 8 a.m. to noon and the second will be held Sept. 28 , also from 8 a.m. to noon. Both events will be held at Leck, 237 Jacksonville Road, Ivyland.
According to township officials, a new state law prohibits the township’s trash hauler from taking electronics. The law, the Covered Device Recycling Act 108, prohibits computers, keyboards, televisions, printers, microwave ovens, fax machines and other electronics from disposal at Department of Environmental Protection solid waste landfills.
Acceptable e-waste recycling items include:
Monthly Community Shredding Services
Titan Mobile Shredding Service
Cost at all locations is $10 for each standard file box, copy paper box or the equivalent.
One box minimum quantity – No maximum box quality
Cash or checks only please, no credit cards are accepted at Community Shredding
No reservations required, just stop by!
First Friday of Every Month
Bailiwick Office Park
252 West Swamp Rd (Rt 313 & Rt 611 Bypass)
Doylestown, PA 18901
Time: 8:30am – 9:30am
Second Tuesday of Every Month
Upper Moreland Township Library
117 Park Ave (off Rt 611 in the Police Dept parking lot)
Willow Grove, PA 19090
Time: 8:30am – 9:30am
Third Thursday of Every Month
Shady Brook Farm
931 Stony Hill Rd
Yardley, PA 19067
Time: 12noon – 1:00am
http://www.titanshredding.com/Community-Shredding-Services.aspx
http://www.titanshredding.com/Community-Shredding-Services.aspx#calendar
Saturday, September 28, 2013
Larry Farmbry & Associates
7300 City Line Ave.
Philadelphia, PA 19151
11:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m.
215-877-4950
http://larryfarmbry.com/new/larryfarmbry/
http://www.proshred.com/all-events
Representative Rozzi
4933 Kutztown Road
Temple, PA 19560
11:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m.
610-921-8921
http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/legis/home/member_information/house_bio.cfm?id=1647
http://www.proshred.com/all-events
Bucks First Credit Union & Bucks County Planning Commission
Lower Makefield Corporate Center
770 Township Line Road
Yardley, PA 19067
9:00 a.m.-12:00 noon
215.788.5270
http://www.bucksfirstfcu.com
Saturday, October 5, 2013
Friends of Easttown Public Library
720 First Ave
Berwyn, PA 19312
9:00 a.m.–12:00 noon
http://www.proshred.com/all-events
http://www.easttownlibrary.org/friends-of-the-library
$10 for one box or two shopping bags
First National Bank & Trust of Newtown
Bucks County Community College
275 Swamp Road
Newtown, PA 18940
9:00 a.m.-11:00 a.m.
http://www.fnbn.com
http://www.titanshredding.com/Community-Shredding-Services.aspx
Saturday, October 12, 2013
Whitemarsh Township
Miles Park – Lower Parking Lot, Germantown Pike
Plymouth Meeting, PA 19444
8:00 a.m.–12:00 noon
610-825-3535
http://www.whitemarshtwp.org/services/public-works/waste.aspx
Middletown Township (Residents only)
3 Municipal Way
Langhorne, PA 19047
9:00 a.m.-11:00 a.m.
http://www.middletowntwpbucks.org
http://www.titanshredding.com/Community-Shredding-Services.aspx
Upper Macungie Township
Public Works Garage
8550 Schantz Rd.
Breinigsville, PA 18031
9:00 a.m.-12:00 noon
610-395-4892
http://www.uppermac.org
http://www.titanshredding.com/Community-Shredding-Services.aspx
Saturday, October 19, 2013
Penn Liberty Bank Trooper
2724 Ridge Pike
9:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m.
610-535-4860
https://www.pennlibertybank.com/UserFiles/File/2013Shred_Event_flyer.pdf
Schuylkill Township
1580 Charlestown Road
Phoenixville, PA
610-933-5843
http://www.schuylkilltwp.com
http://www.proshred.com/all-events
Saturday, October 26, 2013
Montgomery County
Lower Merion High School
Montgomery Avenue
Ardmore, PA
9:00 a.m.-12:00 noon
http://www.montcopa.org/index.aspx?NID=1588
Representative Briggs
554 Shoemaker Road
King of Prussia, PA 19406
11:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m.
610-768-3135
http://www.pahouse.com/briggs/
http://www.proshred.com/philadelphia/events
