RECYCLE OLD CLOTHES: Earth Day Textile Drive in Massachusetts

a NEWSFLASH from the Center for Ecological Technology

Don't miss CET's 14th annual Earth Day Textile Drive to collect old clothing and household textiles for reuse and recycling. All types of clothing will be accepted, including sweaters, shirts, skirts, pants, jackets, overcoats and raincoats. Blankets, gloves, socks, paired shoes and winter boots, sheets, towels, and curtains are also acceptable. Clothing must be clean, dry and packed in strong plastic bags, such as garbage or lawn-leaf bags. Rugs, carpeting and pillows will not be accepted. Please do not bring clothes on hangers.

This collection is open to all Berkshire county residents as well as those living in southern Vermont and eastern New York state.

Clothing collected during the drive will be resold when possible or recycled, and donations of these materials provide a way for the community to support CET's environmental programs.

WHEN: Saturday, April 25 and Sunday, April 26
10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday
10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Sunday

WHERE:
CET
112 Elm Street
Pittsfield, MA

The event is coordinated with assistance from the Southern Berkshire Solid Waste Management District. For more information, contact Jamie Cahillane at (413) 445-4556 ext. 14.

Conscious Cow's Faves #1

Let's agree that the best way to reduce trash is to stop buying stuff...

Let's also agree that sometimes, we do need new stuff.

If sandals are something you need, check out these totally Conscious, totally adorable RECYCLED sandals made from rice, detergent and storage bags with a rubber sole.

They are available at Free People online.

Talking Trash with Conscious Cow

We all generate trash, but most of us have little or no idea what happens to it once it leaves our curbside. Once it enters the dumpster, or dumptruck, trash becomes “waste”, and the process of dealing with it is called waste management.

Some of the issues related to Waste Management are:
· Food waste & methane production (and you were blaming the cow!)
· Non-biodegradable waste (plastics, etc)
· Toxic e-waste (your old TVs, computers, cell phones)
· Household Hazardous Waste (Compact Fluorescent bulbs, paints, batteries…)

Here are some of Conscious Cow’s favorite solutions:
· Residential Composting
· Commercial Composting
· Pre-Consumer Recycling
· Post-Consumer Recycling
· Refraining (yeah, that means NOT buying new stuff)
· Giving stuff away
· Re-using
· Re-thinking / Re-designing