Whole Life Times: The Green, Green Trash of Home

August 2004 | Co-op America’s Living Green

The Green, Green Trash of Home

Dear Co-op America,
I just had a yard sale, and though I got rid of a lot, I still have a ton left. Can you give me some responsible ways to unload my junk? —Jill E., Waldo, WI

Holding a yard sale is a great way to get rid of unwanted clutter, and being responsible about unloading your leftovers after the sale not only benefits the Earth, but it can benefit nonprofits across the country, too. These organizations will help get your items into hands that need them most:
• Electronics Industries Alliance Environment Consumer Education Initiative—www.eiae.org. The EIAE Web site lists hundreds of local and national organizations that will refurbish and donate your used electronics—including computers, stereo equipment and televisions—to charities and nonprofits. The site also lists recyclers for ancient or broken equipment that is no longer useful.
•ExcessAccess.com. This online service matches business and household item donations with the wish lists of nonprofits that can provide pick-ups.
•Goodwill—www.goodwill.org. Items you donate to Goodwill are sold in one of their 1,900 stores throughout the US. Eighty-five percent of the profits fund job training programs for those in need.
•The Salvation Army—www.salvationarmyusa.org. One hundred percent of the store profits fund the Salvation Army’s substance abuse rehabili- tation centers.

Dear Co-op America,
Are there any ecologically responsible cat litters out there? —A Cat Lover in Phoenix, AZ

Absolutely! Traditional litter often contains silica dust, which can cause lung problems in pets and humans. World’s Best Cat Litter (877.367-9225, www.worldsbestcatlitter.com) is made from milled, whole-kernel corn, so it’s decomposable and safe for sewer and septic systems. Pet Care Systems offers a similar product called Swheat Scoop Wheat Litter (800.794-3287, www.swheatscoop.com), a wheat-based, chemical-free litter. Yesterday’s News (www.yesterdaysnews.com) is a chemical-free litter made from recycled newspapers. All three of these litters clump after use.

Nature’s Earth produces Feline Pine (800.749-PINE, www.felinepine.com), a chemical-free litter made from recycled pine pellets that are larger in size, so they can’t be tracked all over your home.

Dear Co-op America,
I was recently told that my 12-year-old television is irreparable. Can you advise on a green way to buy a TV?
—Charles Courtney, e-mail

Look for the Energy Star logo on your television set. Energy Star is a program run by the US Environmental Protection Agency that flags electronic appliances that are more energy-efficient than standard models. Energy Star-qualified TVs use about 25 percent less energy than standard units. You can find the Energy Star on everything from standard TVs to HD-ready TVs to flat-screen plasma TVs. For more information, visit www.energystar.gov.

When it comes to getting rid of your old TV, there are hundreds of electronics recyclers at the EIAE Web site, www.eiae.org.

Living Green is brought to you by Co-op America, a national nonprofit that provides green living, purchasing, and investing tips and resources. To join Co-op America and get a free copy of the National Green Pages™ directory of green businesses, call 800.58-GREEN, www.coopamerica.org. E-mail Living Green questions to: [click to e-mail].

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