Monthly Blog

Composting is an inexpensive, convenient way to handle your organic waste and to help the environment at the same time. Yard trimmings and food residuals constitute around 30% of the U.S. solid waste stream. Most of this could be diverted from landfills by composting, saving considerable money and energy. In addition, composting aids the environment by decontaminating soil, suppressing plant disease, and leading to less need for pesticides and water.

Composting helps you, the homeowner, by improving soil and creating protective mulch for trees and shrubs. It saves you money on soil and fertilizer, reduces the need for watering, and creates less waste that needs to be bagged and dragged to the curb for collection.

While composting may seem mysterious or complicated, it really is a very simple process. It can be done indoors or out. Some predict it will become as commonplace as recycling in the next ten years. (In California it is already mandated in some areas.) All you need is a bin, organic waste, air, moisture, and a turning tool or turning option (included as part of your bin). In fact, composting is regularly done in the Temple Shalom Nursery School! The children begin composting at Rosh Hashanah (as a birthday present to the world), depositing their fruit and vegetable scraps from snack and lunch. Throughout the year, they periodically examine the process in the composter and eventually are able to plant in their garden with their own newly created soil.

How to compost:

1. Some common things that you can compost are: grass, garden clippings/weeds, vegetables and fruit scraps, bread and grains, eggshells, teabags, coffee grounds, dead house plants, leaves, twigs, woodchips pine needles, corn stalks, shredded newspapers, paper towels, tissues and napkins.
2. Helpful directions, including how to buy a compost bin, are available on the Newton DPW website: http://www.newtonma.gov/DPW/recycling/Composting/compost_bin.htm, and on the MA Dept. of Environmental Protection website: http://www.mass.gov/dep/recycle/reduce/composti.htm.

It’s April, and finally our thoughts can turn to yards and gardens.   As we dream of budding trees and verdant lawns, the Environmental Action Group would like you to know about environmentally-friendly choices to consider.  Most importantly, we would like to inform you about the dangers of chemicals that are routinely used for lawn care, and to offer some alternatives. 

In Newton we are very lucky to have Green Decade/Newton, an organization of volunteers working together for a healthy and sustainable environment.  In addition to the many lectures, programs, and committees they sponsor, you can find a wealth of “green friendly” information (including much about pesticides) on their website www.greendecade.org. 

What are the dangers of pesticides?

1.       Pesticides are poisons that can be inhaled, ingested or absorbed through the skin after application. They can have these effects for many days after application - endangering your family, neighbors, pets, wildlife, and generations to come.

2.       Pesticides contaminate our drinking water, food, soil and air, and also kill off beneficial weeds and insects. 

3.       Pesticides can cause serious adverse health risks even at low doses. They are believed to contribute to cancer, and to damage the central nervous system, the endocrine and immune system, and the respiratory system.

4.       They are especially hazardous to children, the elderly, pregnant women, and people with chronic health conditions.

5.       Don’t be misled if someone says that just an “herbicide” is being used, and that it is registered by the Environmental Protection Agency.  An “herbicide” is a generic term for a type of pesticide that is used to destroy or inhibit plant growth. Agent Orange was an herbicide. All pesticides are registered by the EPA, and it is against the law to market them as “safe.” 

What alternatives do we have?

1.       Go to the Green Decade Website and educate yourself about the advantages of a more natural “Integrated Pest Management” system.

2.       Find out about GreenCAP - the Green Decade’s Committee on Alternatives to Pesticides.

3.       Avoid taking walks or exercising where you see landscapers have applied chemicals, even after the signs are gone. Teach your children to stay away from areas where pesticide warning signs are posted.

4.       Talk with your lawn services provider, if you have one, about options, as early in the season as possible, or switch to a provider who is more “green” savvy. 

5.       See the list of Local Organic Lawn Care Services, and Organic Gardening and Landscaping Suppliers on the Green Decade Website.

See the Green Decade website for other tips about having a “naturally” beautiful lawn, including:

1.       How to deal with lawn grubs, crabgrass, poison ivy and other lawn problems.

2.       How to improve and aerate your soil, and how to deal with sun and shade.

3.       Mow “high,” and water slowly and deeply, in early morning and only when the lawn needs it.

4.       A healthy lawn is a dynamic eco-system - it may have some weeds and insects. Have realistic goals, and be patient while you transition from chemical to natural methods.

By now, the recycling of paper, plastic, glass, and tin/steel/aluminum is becoming more routine in our households.  It’s time to turn our attention to the many other things that can also be recycled.  The list is very long!  Did you know, for example,  that you can recycle crayons, wine corks, and Tyvek envelopes?  

 Here is a list of some of the lesser-known things that you can recycle or donate.  Before you send something off in the trash, check with one of the helpful general resources below to see if that item could be recycled.  Also, you can try:  “Googling” (e.g. “recycling carpeting”), offering the item on Craig’s List,  Freecycle.org, or WasteNotNewton.com, or even checking with the item’s manufacturer.  Let’s see how we can prevent as much as possible from  ending up in landfills.

A few of the many lesser-known things that you can recycle/donate:

1. Sneakers:  Nike processes and recycles all brands of  sneakers and athletic shoes. Bring to Niketown stores in Wrentham or Boston, or see website - www.nikereuseashoe.com
2. Eyeglasses: www. Lionsclub.org (go to “donate eyeglasses” for drop-off locations/mail-in address.  Also:  www.neweyesfortheneedy.com, and www.onesight.org
3. Compact fluorescent light bulbs: take to Newton’s Rumford Recycling Depot, Home Depot, or IKEA
4. Crayons:  www.crazycrayons.com  (also www.earthlingcrayons.com) melts them down and makes new hand-crafted ones
5. Dry cleaner hangers and plastic: find a dry cleaner who takes them back. The plastic bags can also be recycled at many supermarkets along with soft (#2 and #4) plastic bags. (Green tip: find a dry cleaner that uses “wet cleaning,” and “reusable” bags.)
6. Packaging: Styrofoam pellets - UPS Store, Mail Boxes Etc, or www.loosefillpackaging.com.  Foam blocks - Alliance of Foam Packaging Recyclers www.epspackaging.org
7. Tyvek envelopes:  www.recycletyvek.com, or for quantities less than 25: Send to Tyvek Recycling Specialist, 5401 Jefferson Davis Hwy., Spot 197, Room 231, Richmond, VA 23234
8. Ink/toner cartridges:  bring to Temple Shalom for recycling, or to Staples
9. Rubber bands:  Collect in a bag and leave for your mail-carrier or bring to post office
10. Carpeting:  www.carpetrecovery.org or check with manufacturer
11. Building materials:  Building Materials Resource Center, 617-442-8917, www.bostonbmrc.org, Roxbury or Boston Restore, Inc., 617-288-8400, www.bostonrestore.org, Dorchester
12. Wine corks: www.yemmhart.com 
13. Aseptic packaging, aerosol cans, hard and soft cover books and telephone books:  taken in regular Newton green recycling cart.

General Resources with information about recycling/donating/reusing:

1.       www.Earth.911

2.       the “Recyclopedia” at http://www.newtonma.gov/DPW/recycling

3.       Temple Shalom’s Environment Blog: http://www.greensimchaguide.org/monthlyblog

This article was originally published in May 2009 

Using less paper is one easy way to help the environment.  Why is paper-usage a problem?  For starters, cutting down trees damages the ecosystem and contributes to global warming. The pulp and paper industry itself is the third largest consumer of energy and uses more water to produce a ton of product than any other industry.  The production of paper also creates greenhouse gas (it is one of the biggest sources of global warming pollution in the world), and many of the chemicals used in this process harm the environment.  Finally, paper becomes a massive waste problem.  It takes up a huge amount of space in landfills, and its ink there can pollute rivers and streams.

Recycling paper is important, but it too uses energy and contributes to environmental pollution. Our best bet is to use less paper in the first place.  Here are some ways to do so:    

General Household:

1. Replace paper towels and paper napkins with cloth; avoid paper cups, plates and tablecloths
2. Use erasable chalk or white board instead of note paper
3. Reuse wrapping paper
4. Reuse scrap paper for note-pads
5. Writing smaller uses less paper
6. Use the library instead of buying books
7. Bring your own bags whenever you shop – not just to the supermarket

Office and Home Office:

1. Use recycled paper products
2. Apply for electronic bills, and pay bills on line
3. Keep information digital
4. Reuse paper printed only on one side; reuse envelopes
5. Use e-mail to replace letters, fax, memos, greeting cards, newsletters
6. Take your name off mailing lists, avoid junk mail as much as possible
7. Sign up with www.yellowpagesgoesgreen.com to stop the delivery of unwanted telephone books
8. Manage e-mails electronically instead of printing them out
9. Utilize unfinished notebooks before buying new ones

Printing:

1. Think twice before you print out copies (put reminder sign on computer or printer)
2. Create a pile of scrap paper whose reverse side can be used for printing
3. Check your documents carefully before you print to avoid do-overs
4. Shrink size of document before you print
5. Make use of printer’s double-sided printing feature, or print “odd pages” first then “even pages” on other side
6. When printing web pages, use “printer-friendly” or “text only” versions
7. Use print preview and the “print range” feature to avoid printing unnecessary info
8. Print more words on each page by using smaller font, narrower margins, narrower line spacing, the “2-up” or “4-up” feature, and fonts that take up less space (e.g. Times New Roman and Ariel)
9. Send a fax of a Word document without printing first
10. Look into “Print Management Software” (like Green Print) which automatically detects unnecessary pages before printing
11. Avoid fax cover page if possible

This article was originally published in January 2010

It’s the time of year to make New Year’s resolutions, and we hope some of yours are “green!”  For practical, easy suggestions, you can see previous “Tips” articles by going to our Environment Blog at this web address: http://www.greensimchaguide.org/monthlyblog. 

Here are some of the “Tips” articles you can find on our blog, and a few suggestions from each:

1. Saving Energy/Saving Money
   1. Schedule an energy audit through your electric company, or thru MassSAVE ,  www.MassSAVE.com
   2. Use smaller kitchen appliances (e.g. microwave, slow-cooker) whenever possible instead of your oven.
   3. Wash clothes in cold water.  Clean dryer’s lint filter with each use.
   4. Set your computer to go into “sleep mode” after a few minutes without use, and turn it off at night.
2. BYOB:  Bring Your Own Bags
   1. On average, you will avoid using 500 bags a year when you bring your own with you. Remember to bring them whenever you shop, not just to the supermarket
   2. Utilize bins in grocery stores that collect and recycle plastic bags
3. Eco-Teams at Temple Shalom
   1. Join one of our temple’s Eco-Teams, for support and fun for your whole family while reducing your household’s environmental impact.
4. New Life for Old Stuff
   1. www.freecycle.org:  a grass-roots, non-profit movement of people giving and getting free stuff, supporting re-use and keeping good stuff out of landfills
   2. www.wastenotnewton.com:  Provides residents with a convenient way to sell, trade or give away used or surplus items.
5. Recycling Books
   1. Auburndale branch of Newton’s Library system has  4 yearly book sales to support Newton libraries, 617-796-1386
   2. GotBooks, Inc, 978-396-6022, free pick-up and many drop-off locations, www.gotbooks.com (GotBooks is a for-profit organization with many charitable partners)
   3. More Than Words, a second-hand bookstore that offers business training to at-risk youth.  376 Moody St. Waltham, 781-788-0035, www.morethanwordsbooks.com
6. Anti-Idling
   1. If you are idling more than 10 seconds, everyone benefits from your turning off the car and restarting when needed, including your car. 
   2. The best way to warm up a car initially is to drive it moderately for several miles within 10 seconds of starting the engine, up to 30 seconds in colder weather.
7. Stopping Junk Mail
   1. Sign up with www.yellowpagesgoesgreen.org  to stop the delivery of unwanted telephone books
   2. Use www.cataloguechoice.org to stop receiving catalogues you don’t want
   3. Sign up at www.dmachoice.org to have your name removed from many mailing lists.
8. Other articles include:
   1. Winterizing Your Home
   2. Saving Paper
   3. An Inspiring Story about our Temple’s Nursery School - includes a list of places for Charitable Donations of items that can be recycled or reused
   4. Frequently Asked Questions about Donating and Recycling
   5. Ideas for “Re-Use”
   6. Newton’s New Trash/Recycling Program 

We hope we have inspired you to add some “green” resolutions to those of the New Year.  They will benefit our environment, make you feel good, and many  will even save you money.  Remember to check out the blog for more suggestions:  http://www.greensimchaguide.org/monthlyblog.   Happy New Year from the Environmental Action Group.

This article was originally published in September of 2009

With its dual emphasis on taking stock of our lives and celebrating creation, the High Holidays are a wonderful time to turn our thoughts towards our personal roles in caring for this planet.  Just as we take time to reflect upon wrong doings and seek to change for the better, so too can we take this opportunity to recognize all the harm that has been done to the environment, and to consider how we can repair it.  What better way to celebrate the creation of the world than to recommit ourselves to preserving it.

Here are some action steps we could take during the High Holidays to help our environment:

• Spend time in nature and feel your connection to this planet
• Write to members of congress about important environmental issues
• Take a step you have been meaning to take: get an energy audit, start composting, get some (more!) energy efficient light bulbs, use less water for showers and less paper in general
• Be a role model for children as you challenge yourself to reduce/reuse/recycle more things than before!
• At your holiday meals:
  • Use fair trade products
  • Support local farmers
  • Consider organic, vegetarian products
  • Pick your own apples for apples/honey
  • Drink organic kosher wine
  • Create a centerpiece of fruits/potted fall flowers/gourds of the season
  • Encourage guests to discuss their “green” goals for the new year
  • Think carefully about the amount of food you provide, in order to reduce waste
  • Choose your own china and linens over disposable ones.  If you buy, consider compostable plates, et al (Google).
• Look at the Environmental Action Group’s “Greening Your Simcha: Our Guide to Environmentally Friendly Choices for Events and Parties” for more ideas. www.greensimchaguide.org
• Participate in the Yom Kippur food drive. For a double mitzvah, contribute food as well as your own extra reusable bag, for use by patrons of the Newton Food Pantry.
• Go to the COEJL website (the Coalition on the Environment and Jewish Life), www.COEJL.org. See their “what can you do” list.
• Take the “Green T’suvah Survey” (Google: COEJL Green T’suvah) to help assess how greenly you are living, and to get ideas for change.
• Join one of our temple’s Eco Teams for a similar assessment, and for support in reducing your household’s environmental impact

This article was originally published in December 2009

If you haven’t already, now is a good time to think about winterizing your home. Here are some things you could try that are money-saving as well as environmentally-friendly:

1.      Schedule a free energy audit through the utility company that provides your electricity or through MassSAVE (1-866-527-7283, www.MassSAVE.com). Other more in-depth or specialized audits are also available for a fee.

2.      Use a programmable thermostat and set it to save energy while you are sleeping or are away from home.

3.      Turn off heat supply and close doors in unused rooms. Place a towel across the bottom of the door frame to prevent leakage.  

4.      Use “zone heating” to regulate heat in different areas of the house.

5.      Wear an extra layer and turn the heat down.

6.      Inspect your home for cracks and openings and seal them. Pay particular attention to areas around windows, doors, electrical outlets and outdoor faucets, or anywhere you see a crack or feel a draft. 

7.      Use storm doors and storm windows, and make sure they are securely shut. Insulate your windows, and consider the energy benefits of purchasing new ones.

8.      Bleed radiators each season. Don’t block your radiators or heating vents with furniture or draperies.

9.      Keep shades and curtains open during the day on the south side of your home to allow for solar heating.

10.  It can make a big difference to add more insulation between walls, and especially to insulate your attic floor and basement ceiling.

11.  Keep your furnace clean, lubricated and properly adjusted. Clean or change the furnace filters regularly through out the winter.

12.  Have your chimney inspected and cleaned if necessary.  Keep chimney’s damper closed when fireplace not in use.

13.  Especially if you have high ceilings, reverse the direction of your ceiling fan from summer operation.  This will push warm air downward and force it to recirculate.

14.  If you are working with or choosing a contractor, ask about their “green” practices.

15.  When upgrading appliances and equipment, choose efficient “Energy Star certified” models.  Take advantage of rebates for these and other “green” purchases – MassSAVE (see #1) can help.

16.  Join an EcoTeam for support and fun while winterizing your home and reducing your household CO2 emissions. 

This article was originally published in November 2009

Anyone who drives through Newton can’t help but notice those large green and blue carts that have populated Newton over the last two months.  They announced Newton’s new Automated Trash/Single Stream Recycling Program.  Newton instituted this program to reduce trash (and the costs associated with its disposal), and to increase recycling and make it easier to implement.

The program was piloted for 6 months starting last November and officially began the week of October 5^th.  There have been problems, as there are with all new programs, and the city is working to rectify them. You can find answers to some common problems in the “Frequently Asked Questions” section of the city’s DPW/Recycling website:  www.newtonma.gov/DPW/recycling. Here are a few:

Why are they not picking up my trash?

• The lids on your carts must close completely
• Carts must placed within 3 ft. of the curb with handles facing the house.
• Carts must be 4 ft. from any obstruction (light poles, trees, other carts, yard waste, parked cars.)
• Trash in your blue cart must be in bags

What do I do with my old barrels and recycling bins?

• Use them for yard waste (stickers at town hall) or for storage
• Use them for composting (see DPW/recycling website for instructions)

What happens if all my trash doesn’t fit?

• Make sure that you are reducing consumption and reusing and recycling as much as you can.
• Make more room by breaking, cutting or crushing trash. Same with recyclables.
• For periodic need, you can purchase orange “overflow” bags at local supermarkets and selected other stores (see website)
• For frequent need, you can purchase an extra cart for an annual fee: 35-gallon ($150), 64-gallon ($200)

What if the cart is too big or unwieldy to maneuver?

• Call Town Hall (617-796-1000) or DPW/Environmental Affairs (617-796-1471) to discuss your particular situation and perhaps to exchange for a smaller 35-gallon cart.

What about bulky items, electronics, or appliances?

• If still in good condition, give items to charity (see website for donations listings)
• List them to give away or sell at websites such as www.wastenotnewton.com, www.freecycle.org, www.craigslist.com
• For curbside pick-up, make an appointment by calling DPW/Environmental Affairs (617-796-1471) by 3:30 p.m. the day before your collection day.

Whether or not you live in Newton, you can join in these efforts to create more recyclables and less trash. Here are some tips to help us all do that:  

• Be mindful when shopping of how much trash you will need to dispose of when you bring new things into your home, including packaging, shopping bags, etc. Be mindful in general of what you allow in!
• Review all guidelines for recycling, so that you can recycle as much as possible. (see website above). Recycling is now easier as all paper/plastic/bottle/cans, etc. go in one cart.
• Reuse things as much as possible, to avoid trash or recycling. (even though recycling is better than creating trash, recycling costs money, uses energy, and impacts the environment in other ways.)
• Learn to compost – better for the environment than creating trash or recycling. (see website)
• Make an effort to give away or sell items before having them taken away as recycled materials or trash. (Use the websites listed under “bulky items” above.) 
• Challenge yourself to create less trash, perhaps trading in for the 35 gallon cart.

   

   

   

            This article was originally published in October 2009

            Did you know that Temple Shalom’s Nursery School has gone “green”?  Johanna Perlin, the Nursery School director, told us that the nursery school parents take home the school’s paper and plastic recycling to put out with their own recycling pick-up. The school composts out in the playground.  Also, they have a small vegetable garden and have harvested tomatoes and potatoes. Last year there were enough potatoes to eat and to donate to a shelter! This year they are “going green” for snack. They will be using reusable plastic plates, metal serving tongs, and metal teaspoons instead of paper and plastic.

Johanna said that the school would appreciate donations from the congregation of the following items: paper towel tubes, toilet paper tubes, small colored plastic bottle caps, old blank computer paper, bubble wrap, small size water bottles with tops, clementine boxes, ribbon, material scraps, felt pieces, buttons, shirt cardboard, small scraps of wood….practically anything that can be used for creating art, except greeting cards or calendars (which they can’t store at this time.) Bring donations to Ellen in the Religious School Office.

And while you are de-cluttering and recycling, here is a list of charitable organizations that would appreciate your donations.  Fall is a great time to let go of stuff that you no longer use or need, creating space and helping others in the process. Call or go online to find out what each organization wants, whether or not they “pick up,” or where to drop off.

1. More Than Words Bookstore, Waltham, MA, 376 Moody St.,  781-788-0035  781-788-0035 , www.morethanwordsbooks.com
2. Discovery Shop, 308 Walnut St., Newtonville,  617-969-8882  617-969-8882 , www.cancer.org
3. Newton Senior Service Center, 345 Walnut St., Newtonville, MA, 617-796-1660
4. The Salvation Army- http://www.use.salvationarmy.org/mas, 800-958-7825
5. Massachusetts Coalition for the Homeless, http://www.mahomeless.org,   781 595 7570  781 595 7570    781 595 7570  781 595 7570
6. Vietnam Veterans Association, www.vva.org, 800-775-8387
7. Big Brother Big Sister Foundation, www.bbbs.org,   800-483-5503  800-483-5503    800-483-5503  800-483-5503
8. Cradles to Crayons, www.cradlestocrayons.org, 617-471-8417
9. Good Will Industries, www.goodwillmass.org, 617-445-1010
10. Bring your used printer, fax and copy machine cartridges to the Cartridge World box located on the shelf in the coat room by the Temple’s main entrance.  Benefits support youth programming.
11. List donations on www.freecycle.org, or www.wastenotnewton.com. You can specify that only non-profits reply.

Books, books, books – chances are you have too many!  Whether you’re downsizing, concerned about dust allergies, or inspired to do spring cleaning, there are many great resources for disposing of your extra books.

Books: Many of these places take DVD’s, CD’s and videos too.