The Evolution of Earth Day: Recycling Becomes the Focus for April 22

In 1970, Earth Day was originated to help save the environment from air and water pollution, but today, the celebration takes on a new meaning. Forty-seven percent of Americans associate Earth Day with recycling, while only 23 percent associate it with cleaning up local parks or beaches – which most resembles the day's original purpose – according to a survey from ecoATM, Inc., the nationwide network of automated electronics recycling kiosks. 

Recycling options have increased since the first Earth Day, and companies such as ecoATM are giving consumers an incentive to do so; ecoATM offers instant cash at the 1,890 kiosks nationwide for cell phones, tablets and MP3 players. Despite growth and widespread accessibility of recycling programs, there are recyclable items still being thrown away. Forty-four percent of Americans admitted to trashing batteries, in addition to:  

• Clothes (38 percent)
• Ink Cartridges (24 percent)
• Coins (six percent)

While 62 percent of Americans admitted to trashing recyclable items, a relatively low number of those have tossed small electronics: only eight percent have thrown away a cell phone, and four percent an MP3 player.

"Thankfully, recycling gadgets has become more common than trashing them; however lack of convenience and the potential of using the device again were two main reasons cited from respondents who choose not to recycle their devices," said Randy Erman, director of product marketing at ecoATM. "Making recycling easier is one of the main reasons we introduced ecoATM; we offer a safe and convenient place to recycle small electronic devices that could otherwise contribute to e-waste in our nation's landfills."

ecoATM® kiosks accept over 5,500 types of tablets, phones and MP3 players, and have already collected more than four million devices. To further incentivize device recycling, ecoATM is increasing its payouts beginning April 7 to coincide with the Samsung Galaxy S6 and S6 edge availability, offering even more instant cash and guaranteed price minimums for Samsung Galaxy S5 and iPhone 6 devices.

For more information on pricing or to locate a kiosk, please visit http://www.ecoatm.com/

4 in 5 Consumers Think Eco-Friendly Products Cost More "Green"

As Earth Day approaches and consumers look for opportunities to lessen their impact on the environment, they may be asking themselves "at what cost?" RetailMeNot (www.retailmenot.com), a leading digital offers destination that helps consumers save money, recently conducted a survey that found more than 4 in 5 (81%) consumers think environmentally friendly items are more expensive than non-green products.

The perception that eco-friendly products are cost-prohibitive could explain why fewer people consider their lifestyles to be at least a little bit green compared to the prior year. According to this year's survey, nearly 9 in 10 (89%) respondents do what they can to live an environmentally friendly lifestyle, including recycling, reusing products or buying "green" products. This is down slightly from 2014, when 94 percent* of respondents indicated they practice these eco-friendly behaviors.

The good news? A vast majority (89%) of the nation is willing to purchase at least one kind of product that has a positive impact on the environment. Of those who would purchase green products, 3 in 4 (75%) respondents would buy energy-efficient light bulbs and close to 2 in 3 would purchase energy-efficient appliances (65%) or electronics (61%). Bigger ticket items, such as solar panels (38%), hybrid vehicles (34%) or electric vehicles (24%) are far less popular eco-friendly investments.

Despite the nation's willingness to spend money on some form of a green product, more than 3 in 5 (61%) of these respondents would only consider purchasing an environmentally friendly product if it cost the same or less than a non-green product.

"To motivate shoppers to purchase eco-friendly products, many retailers offer discounts in April surrounding Earth Day," says Trae Bodge, senior lifestyle editor for The Real Deal by RetailMeNot. "We typically see offers for sustainable products, green cleaning supplies and organic health and beauty products."

"It's not easy being green"

When it comes to practicing environmentally friendly behaviors, a majority of people are willing to make small changes in their day-to-day lives, such as turn off lights when they leave a room (78%), turn off the water when it's not in use (72%), recycle plastic/paper/metal (65%), reuse towels more than once before washing (59%) and reuse plastic bottles/containers (58%).

However, work and transportation may be where many people draw the line on taking steps toward living a more environmentally friendly life. More than 3 in 4 (76%) working Americans would be unwilling to carpool to work. Additionally, more than 2 in 3 (69%) consumers would be unwilling to forgo their car and use an alternate method of transportation, like public transit or biking.

What's in it for me?

Although purchasing eco-friendly products may benefit the environment, that has little to do with why most people make the decision to buy them. Consumers would be most effectively convinced to purchase a green product if a cost savings were involved. Close to 1 in 3 (32%) would most likely be prompted to buy a green product if it were guaranteed to save them money over time, and nearly as many (28%) would be more likely to make the purchase if it were on sale. The opportunity to save money far outweighed other factors like the product being guaranteed to be of a higher quality (16%) or if the product being linked to a good cause (7%).

And just what would people do with the extra money they gained from purchasing an energy-efficient or eco-friendly product? Half (50%) of consumers surveyed would put that money into savings and nearly as many (40%) would put it toward bills or pay off debt (35%). 

Demographic differences

• Gender influences eco behaviors: More men than women identify themselves as living a mostly or completely green lifestyle (42% vs. 36%); however, women are more likely than men to purchase environmentally friendly housekeeping products (56% vs. 36%)
• Women are more cost-conscious: Females are more likely than males (66% vs. 55%) to only consider buying green products if they cost the same or less compared to other products. More females than males (85% vs. 76%) consider green products to be more expensive than other items.
• Leaving behind a sustainable legacy: Living a green lifestyle is more common among parents than non-parents (93% vs. 87%) and more parents than non-parents (92% vs. 87%) would buy environmentally friendly products.

Tis the Season to Cut Back on Waste: 20 Percent of Americans Will Forgo Wrapping Holiday Gifts

The most wonderful time of the year can often be one of the most wasteful as well. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)1, household waste increases more than 25 percent from Thanksgivingto New Year's Day. Despite all the excess, almost three quarters of Americans (74 percent) plan to do something this season to reduce their waste, according to a survey from ecoATM, the nationwide network of device recycling kiosks. In addition to not wrapping gifts and reusing wrapping paper, gift bags and ribbons from previous holidays, 17 percent plan to use newspaper or other recycled paper to wrap gifts.

Some truly take these waste-cutting measures to heart, with eight percent of respondents not planning to fill any bags of trash with holiday excess: wrapping paper, ribbon, gift bags and product packaging. Nineteen percent are on the opposite end of the spectrum – saying they fill four or more bags, contributing to the additional one million tons of waste a week in U.S. landfills during the holidays, as reported by the EPA.

In addition to gift wrapping and ribbon waste, the holidays can also be a time when e-waste increases as many consumers unwrap new gadgets. According to the National Retail Federation2, 30 percent of consumers plan to buy electronic items as gifts this holiday, adding to the growing number of discarded devices.

"ecoATM is a solution for e-waste this holiday season and into the new year," said Maria Stipp, president of ecoATM. "After opening new gadgets this holiday, consumers can bring their old gadgets to an ecoATM kiosk for instant cash, and the assurance that hazardous materials will not end up in landfills."

ecoATM has collected more than three million devices (tablets, MP3 players and cell phones) since 2010, and is able to find a second life for the majority of those devices. For the remaining devices, ecoATM partners with certified eWaste reclamation facilities to ensure those materials are responsibly reused and recycled.

Four Ways to Keep Homes Safer and More Energy Efficient While Owners Are on Vacation

Energy Education Council provides practical tips to cut electrical costs this summer

SPRINGFIELD, Ill., July 17, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Summer months are a popular time for many families to take a vacation. If you plan on spending time away from your home yet this summer, remember to prepare it for your absence. With the proper preparations you can cut electrical costs and keep your home and electronics safe while you are away.

"We want people to enjoy their vacations and keep their homes as safe and efficient as possible when they are away," said Molly Hall, executive director of the Energy Education Council and its Safe Electricity program.

The Council offers tips to help you prepare your home for vacation:

• Change thermostat settings before you leave. When temperatures are warm outside, it is unnecessary to keep your home as cool as you normally would since you will not be in it. Turn the thermostat up to a warmer temperature or turn it off entirely. If you have a programmable thermostat, you can adjust it to cool down the house just in time for your return home.
• Unplug appliances and electronics. You will not use your computer, television, or toaster while you are away, but they will use continue to use energy and waste money if you do not unplug them. Even when appliances are turned off, many of them go into standby mode and continue to draw power. Unplug appliances and electronics to prevent phantom power draw. This also protects your electronics if there is a power surge in your absence.
• Adjust the water heater. The water heater can account for 15 to 25 percent of the average energy bill. Water heaters continue to use energy to keep the stored water warm. Since you are not using this water while on vacation, either adjust the water heater temperature to the lowest setting, or turn it off if you will be gone for more than three days.
• If you plan on leaving lights on to deter burglars, put the lights on a timer. You can save money by not having lights on constantly and make it appear that people are home by varying the times the lights are on.

There are other ways to make your home more efficient throughout the summer, not just while on vacation:

• Clean your air conditioning unit. Blocked or dirty air filters and coils can reduce your system's ability to push and pull air through vents, so make sure to wash or replace filters. Also remove debris from around the outside unit.
• For inside lighting, use CFL or LED bulbs. Not only do they save energy, but they also give off less heat than regular incandescent bulbs, keeping your home cooler.
• Make sure all air leaks are sealed. Inspect caulking around windows, doors, and any openings into the home. Weather stripping and caulking will help maintain your home's temperature.
• Close your drapes or curtains during sunny or hot days. This helps prevent the summer sun from warming up your home through the windows.
• Clean off ceiling fans, and make sure they are circulating air in the correct direction for the season. During warm months, ceiling fans should operate in a counter-clockwise direction. This creates a cooling effect at less cost than air conditioning. For more tips on keeping your home safe and efficient year-round, visit http://EnergyEdCouncil.org/.

Crafting with Epsom Salt

While Epsom salt is hundreds of years old, now there's a new way to use it: making crafts.

The Epsom Salt Council has added a new page to its website (http://epsomsaltcouncil.org/salt-crafts/#) with instructions for a variety of craft projects. Frost your windows, decorate champagne glasses or make sparkly Easter eggs. Whether it's Valentine's Day, Mother's Day, Halloween, the Holidays or just an uneventful day at home, Epsom salt can help you celebrate and have fun.

"Using Epsom salt as a craft medium is becoming more and more popular," said Amanda Formaro, a former craft expert for Disney's Kaboose.com who now runs the websiteCrafts by Amanda, which offers easy tutorials for kids and adults. Formaro offered guidance to the Council as it created its new web page.

"Epsom salt is perfect for creating pretty textures for all sorts of projects," Formaro said. "And it's an inexpensive material that's readily available at discount stores, dollar stores, pharmacies and groceries."

Among the projects featured on the Epsom Salt Council's new web page:

• Shimmering luminaries – Add sparkle to candleholders at a party or even a wedding. 
• Greeting cards – Customize a homemade card for someone you love. 
• Early frost fall decor – Coat your pumpkins and gourds, making an attractive fall display. 
• Holiday jars – Paint them red, white and blue on the Fourth of July or choose different colors for other holidays. These are great for holding napkins, straws and utensils, dressing up your celebration. 
• Snowballs – You can hang them as ornaments or place them in a basket or vase for a winter-themed centerpiece. 

"There are so many fun crafts you can do with Epsom salt, and this is another reason why it's always been one of the most versatile household products," said Epsom Salt Council Vice President Mark Vincent. "Whether it's creating a craft, relaxing with an at-home spa treatment, soothing aching muscles, boosting your garden, or nurturing your health, we are pleased that people keep finding new benefits of Epsom salt."

About Epsom salt
Epsom salt – actually magnesium sulfate – is one of the most versatile household products, with uses ranging from creating at-home spa treatments to soothing aching muscles to helping start or improve gardens to nurturing your health. It's been used therapeutically for hundreds of years, and it's gaining a new generation of fans looking for a safe, economical alternative in a sea of expensive, over-the-counter remedies. Epsom salt is easy to use, easy to find in your local pharmacy or grocery store and it costs about the same per use as a cup of coffee. For more information, please visit either www.epsomsaltcouncil.org or www.facebook.com/epsomsalt,

PR Newswire (http://s.tt/1p3hz)

How to Recycle Old Batteries

Got lots of old batteries and cell phones laying and round and don’t know what to do with them? Take ‘em to a Call2Recycle® center, located at many common retailers. Call2Recycle is the only no cost rechargeable battery and cell phone collection program in North America.
Since 1996, over 70 million pounds of rechargeable batteries have been collected through Call2Recycle. It has established a network of 30,000 collection sites throughout the U.S. and Canada. Click here to find a collection site near you.

Various federal, state and provincial regulations govern the proper disposal of rechargeable batteries and cellphones, naming Call2Recycle in official legislation as the collection method for eco-safe rechargeable battery and cell phone reclamation and recycling. Call2Recycle is the first battery program to obtain Responsible Recycling® (R2) certification and e-Steward recognition by the Basel Action Network (BAN) and upholds strict third-party standards for environmental safety and social responsibility.

Trash to Treasure

When my parents moved from the old homestead some years ago, I found myself rummaging around in their barn. Barns are great places to find amazing treasures. Slated for the dumpster was an old Eight O’clock Coffee tin. There’s no telling how old the tin is, but it’s price, still marked on the bottom was 99 cents. Eight O'Clock Coffee is the brand name of the light roast of coffee introduced by the American supermarket chain A&P in 1859. I’m guessing that it came from paternal grandparents homestead since A&P was the only grocery store near Sulphur Springs for years. The brand still exists, but it’s no longer sold in a tin, nor is anywhere near 99 cents. However, the tin itself is worth what I pound of Eight O'Clock Coffee sells for today – about $25.


I also found a vintage wooden canister set with two red, yellow and green roosters on the front. I seem to recall my dad telling that it they were dug up on a job site somewhere in America years ago. At any rate they were dirty, but otherwise in good shape. After reaching the find, I discovered that they three canister set was made in Japan circa 1950. The complete four piece set – which I have – is worth about $50.

Not one to let such treasures hide away, I used them as pots to create greenery arrangements: Silk greenery with red, white and blue flowers, garnished with a few seasonal picks. Every year, I trot them out as part of my summer decorating scheme. This year, they’re going on my free standing wine rack.

Yup, somebody else’s trash is my treasure.