Did You Know…

…Aluminum can recycling provides many environmental, economic and community benefits to individuals, communities, organizations, companies and industries.

Aluminum cans are unique in that in 60 days a can is recycled, turned into a new can & back on store shelves.

Source: http://earth911.com/news/2007/04/02/benefits-of-aluminum-can-recycling/

How You Can Help…

Holly Springs Elementary & North Metro Waste are partnering in the Great American Can Roundup!  Please help them in their aluminum can drive!

 North Metro Waste has donated a 10-yard recycle trailer so that HSES can accept donations of used, all-aluminum beverage cans.  The container has been located in the school’s main parking lot since November 15, 2011 and will remain there until the initiative culminates on April 20, 2012.  The Great American Can Roundup initiative salutes the 75th anniversary of the beverage can and assists schools like Holly Springs Elementary in their efforts to recycle cans for cash.  The program also encourages students to join together to help fight litter, save valuable resources and conserve energy contributing to a sustainable future.  The participating school in each state that recycles the most cans wins $1,000.  The winning school nationwide wins an additional $5,000.  Remember HSES when recycling your aluminum cans!

Visit CherokeeChamber.com/green.htm for more useful links & resources.

Did You Know…

…Smart Plugs allow you to turn off power to appliances without
having to unplug chargers or other stand-alone appliances?
The U.S. spends about $4 billion annually on stand-by energy alone.

Source: http://agreenfootprint.wordpress.com

 Visit CherokeeChamber.com/green.htm for more useful links & resources.

 Did You Know…

…Regular maintenance on your current vehicle can save on gas. Replacing filters and keeping tires properly inflated are particularly important.

Source: http://agreenfootprint.wordpress.com

 Visit CherokeeChamber.com/green.htm for more useful links & resources.

 Did You Know…

…Some water heater thermostats come preset to 140 degrees, which can cost you more money?  Make sure your water heater is set to 120 degrees.  This is also recommended to help prevent accidental scalding and burns from water that is too hot – especially important with little ones around.

Source:  http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/microsites/energysavings/kitchen.htm

 Visit CherokeeChamber.com/green.htm for more useful links & resources.

 Did You Know…

Your trash stays in a lake a lot longer than you do? 
 
Look how long these items stick around…
 
Paper Towels:  2-4 weeks
Newspapers:  6 weeks
Milk Cartons:  3 months
Plastic Bags:  10-20 years
Tin Cans:  50 years
Aluminum Cans:  200 years
Fishing Line:  600 years
Glass:  More years than we can count!
 
Put trash in its place! 
Join the Great Lake Allatoona Clean-Up
Saturday, September 17^th

Visit www.greatallatoonacleanup.org for details!

Visit CherokeeChamber.com/green.htm for more useful links & resources.

Did You Know???

… that over 60% of the energy consumed in the U.S. is produced by non-renewable sources which increase carbon dioxide levels in our atmosphere?  There is an alternative!  Clean and green solar PV technologies have declined in price every year since they were introduced into the market which is driven by improved research and development.  By installing solar P.V. panels in your business or home, you could save up to 90% on your electric utility bill while improving the quality of the air we all breathe.

Source:
I-V SOLAR, Inc.
Providing Solar Energy Solutions
2472 Marietta Hwy., Canton, GA  30114
678-493-2075
i-vsolar.com

Visit CherokeeChamber.com/green.htm for more useful links & resources.

Did You Know???

Trees improve water quality by slowing and filtering rain water as well as protecting aquifers and watersheds.  So they next time you print unnecessary documents remember that one tree makes on average 16.67 reams of copy paper or 8,333 sheets and the average U.S. office worker prints 10,000 pages per year. 

Source:  www.Seed-the-Future.com/trees   

Visit CherokeeChamber.com/green.htm for more useful links & resources.

Did You Know???

Invoicing by email is one of the simplest ways of how to go green at work.  You not only save on paper, you let your customers have the option to pay online if possible. The more you can do electronically that has traditionally been done with paper, the more the planet will benefit, and your company will save money too.

To learn more about going green and saving money visit www.ecofriendlygreenearth.com.

Visit CherokeeChamber.com/green.htm for more useful links & resources.

Did You Know???

An ENERGY STAR Qualified Compact Fluorescent Light bulb (CFL):

• can save more than $40 in electricity costs over its lifetime
• uses about 75% less energy than standard incandescent bulbs and lasts up to 10 times longer
• produces about 75% less heat, so it’s safer to operate and can cut energy costs associated with home cooling

Source:  www.energystar.gov

Visit CherokeeChamber.com/green.htm for more useful links & resources

Did You Know???

It takes a normal plastic bag over 1,000 years to degrade in a landfill and less than 3% of plastic bags actually get recycled. Processing crude petroleum into virgin plastics creates many dangerous chemicals.  The 436 plastic facilities in the U.S. emit over 37 million pounds of toxic air emissions & create over 2.5 billion pounds of production related waste each year.

Recommendation: Use 100% biodegradable and compostable trash bags.  BioBags® are an excellent and easily commercially available option.

While recycled bags are better environmentally than normal trash bags, by purchasing biodegradable bags you are breaking the ‘disposable plastic cycle’. The plastic that is being recycled is better utilized by making durable items instead of disposable ones. An example is plastic resin lumber being used to make park benches and decking.

Source: Green Earth Corporate Kindness Organization (GECKO)

Visit CherokeeChamber.com/green.htm for more useful links & resources