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ff12 Member 
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small things we can do such as using compact flouresent bulbs to reduce power consumption in the town hall, anything to help the mideast and Venzeuala choke on their own oil.More importantly help our own enviroment and they do not cost as much to use and every bit saved will help prevent taxes. |
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macca Member 
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Are you well-versed about solar alternatives, ff12? I think I've read that they are more expensive up front but then the payoff comes in operational savings. I think sometimes people think they aren't knowledgable enough to incorporate them into designs or that they think the costs are too prohibitive based on $$$ allocated for construction. As discussion continues about the town property and the kinds of structures on it, it would be good to see what we might be able to include in it. I think most of the new schools being built are utilizing as much natural lighting (lots of windows) as possible. |
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DToney Member 
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macca wrote: I think most of the new schools being built are utilizing as much natural lighting (lots of windows) as possible. same as Wal-Mart!!! Check out the new one in Madison... skylights! |
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DToney Member
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I'm kind of a stickler for recycling... used to do the composting thing but don't cook much no more...  |
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Vicki White-Lawrence Member 
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We are hearing from folks who want to know how they can volunteer to help with the tree planting (now caring for the trees) in downtown Stokesdale. I have contacted Jim Flynt, who says his small group welcomes the help! He will let me know when they've determined the most efficient way to help facilitate that. One group has already expressed an interest in donating a bench.... These men have still been spending days watering and pruning the trees, mowing and picking up trash. Our town is indeed fortunate to have such dedicated volunteers! Oops... I guess I should've posted this on "arboretum."  Last edited on Aug 5th, 2006 06:54 pm by Vicki White-Lawrence |
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macca Member
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ff12: That OTHER newspaper features an article on its front page today about the "green features" of the new Northern middle and high schools.... |
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ff12 Member
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Which other paper,I usually read USAToday and nwo. I do the recycling thing that our garbage service allows,even though Republic seems more restrictive on what they will take. There is aplace in Mayodan that I can't remember the name of , anyway they take electronics and appliciances(even vacum cleaners) and recycle everything that they can.(will try to remember to post the name )To answer the other question I am not wellversed in enviromental concerns completely and do not agree with some that are extreme but we should do what is possible for us. Just another idea: how about a hybrib patrol car next time ie Ford Escape or Toyota Highlander or Camry.(American car companies for some reason are not to willing to go hybrid) |
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macca Member
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Ha! Ha! I was trying to avoid posting that it was the News & Record! |
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ff12 Member
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Tip of the week: cfl's compact flourescent light bulbs. Use 66% less energy last longer and do not put out much heat. They do cost more but I got mine at Costco for 12.50 for 8 bulbs,much cheaper than Wal mart at 2 for 3 dollars. If eveyone in America changed just one bulb to cfl's it would b the equivalent of removing 1 million cars from the road in lower pollution.( Quoted from Blue Ridge Outdoors mag.July 2006) Personal experience they do lower my electric bill enough to pay the difference. |
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ff12 Member
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Even though it would involve less forum time , spend less time on the computer and shut it off completly;unplug it. your electronics use energy even when they are off they , sleep mode is what its called. Last edited on Sep 2nd, 2006 06:30 pm by ff12 |
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ff12 Member
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RECYCLE<RECYCLE<RECYCLE<RECYCLE>RECYCLE>RECYCLE>RECYCLE |
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DToney Member
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ff12 wrote: RECYCLE<RECYCLE<RECYCLE<RECYCLE>RECYCLE>RECYCLE>RECYCLEwhat is it with this new trash company... don't want our grocery bags? That surely fills up a recycling bin..... also now they dont want anything in bags, my recycling can is not as clean as it was.... |
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ff12 Member
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I can't figure it out either, maybe our trusty reporter friends can figure this out . |
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Vicki White-Lawrence Member
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What kind of grocery bags are you talking about? The other company took them but this one won't? |
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DToney Member
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the regular "wal-mart" grocery bags... they said in their hand out they did not want them! (the other company took them!) |
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Vicki White-Lawrence Member
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I never knew the other company would take them -- Missed an opportunity to get rid of them! We just always took them back to grocery stores or whatever... |
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onthefence Member 
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DToney wrote: the regular "wal-mart" grocery bags... they said in their hand out they did not want them! (the other company took them!) The local grocery stores (major chains) Lowes, Harris-Teeter & Food Lion have bag recycle bins. They do it as a public service. The material collected can't begin to pay for the labor to handle it. Environmentally, the plastic bag is a better choice, if you recycle the bag I work in the Plastic's Industry . .. Paper and other contamination really gums up the recycling process. So keep the receipts out of the shopping bag and recycle it |
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macca Member
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onthefence, I'll ask you this since you work in the industry.... I have been told by someone who wouldn't want to be identified that one of the local grocery stores doesn't end up recycling those bags b/c it is so much trouble -- that they just put them in the trash, even though they have the bin so people can put them in to be recycled. Can this be so???♥♥♥ |
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Bubba Guest
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Macca I had heard that to! Couple of years ago at the county dump, that alot of our recycling just went into the landfill because they don't have room for all the recycling. in the center.  |
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ff12 Member
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If we all used cloth bags instead we wouldn't have to worry about it as much.(I am including myself here.) |
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Bubba Guest
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I was thinking the same thing ff12 I was thinking cloth or boxes in the trunk-less trips into house |
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ff12 Member
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Have you ever noticed the baggers expression when you ask for paper at Lowes Foods. Its like they think you are some kind of freak. |
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onthefence Member
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macca wrote: onthefence, I'll ask you this since you work in the industry.... I have been told by someone who wouldn't want to be identified that one of the local grocery stores doesn't end up recycling those bags b/c it is so much trouble -- that they just put them in the trash, even though they have the bin so people can put them in to be recycled. Can this be so???♥♥♥ I don't work at any of the local grocery stores so... I can't say it doesn't happen. As my original post stated, I don't believe the stores make any profit on the recycling. If someone dumps any trash into the bin, I suppose the whole load would go to the trash since cost wise there is no value to the material. Recycle operations don't want contaminated plastic. I know as a fact, that Greensboro's recycle operation generates a lot of trash from their recycle stream because of mixed plastics and other "stuff". As a general principle, mixed materials are worthless. Pure plastic is valued, pure paper is valued, pure metal is valued, Mix it together and it's pure trash. Recycling only works if everybody keeps the materials separated. One "lazy dodoo" can ruin a lot of people's good intentioned efforts. |
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zippitydoodah Member
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That makes sence, onthefence. But that makes me wonder about my recycling. I just throw it all in a bin and it gets picked up by Waste Industries. Does that mean it just gets sent to the dump? or do they have somebody sort it? |
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S. Smith Moderator
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ff12 wrote: Have you ever noticed the baggers expression when you ask for paper at Lowes Foods. Its like they think you are some kind of freak.I think that might be because those of us who ask for paper are a rarity. Actually, if you do it all the time, the baggers kind of get used to you. Some of them have actually said to me, "You want paper, right?" |
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ff12 Member
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Can we recycle pizza boxes? |
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DToney Member
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ff12 wrote: Can we recycle pizza boxes? I do. As long as for the most part they are free of food....  There is usually none of that left after they leave my house! |
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ff12 Member
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Does any one know if the town has done any enviromentally sound practices at town hall? |
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macca Member
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At the current town hall? |
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Jim Flynt Member
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macca wrote: At the current town hall? Macca, I have heard several folks complaining that they was itching to take a broom and sweep that town hall clean out. Maybe open a few windows to shed a little light in there on them public proceedings and let a breath of fresh air in to clean out all the smoke-n-mirrors from outta that back room where all them back room deals and political shenanigans goes on. I haven't been down there but the place sure must be a real mess? Last edited on Nov 4th, 2006 11:59 pm by Jim Flynt |
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S. Smith Moderator
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ff12 wrote: Does any one know if the town has done any enviromentally sound practices at town hall?What types of things are you talking about? Using recycled materials, recycling paper and other items, and that kind of thing? Or are you talking more about what we were discussing a while back regarding the new Oak Ridge town hall -- things like using recycled building materials, installing energy-efficient appliances and windows, etc.? |
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ff12 Member
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Using Energy efficient light bulbs(cfl's) recycling etc. |
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S. Smith Moderator
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I don't know, but I can see if I can find out. |
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ff12 Member
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Synergy Recycling is located in Mayodan NC beside one of the old textile mill buildings "down by the river" , behind Pete Wall lumber. I took a load of electronic stuff and our old vacum cleaner with attachements, I did not include the dirt. No charge to drop off and they help unload. Phone number is 336 548 7014. |
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S. Smith Moderator
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Thanks ff12. Do they charge extra if you bring dirt? |
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ff12 Member
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Yes, the price doubles!!! |
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StewartM Member 
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ff12 wrote: Synergy Recycling is located in Mayodan NC beside one of the old textile mill buildings "down by the river" , behind Pete Wall lumber. I took a load of electronic stuff and our old vacum cleaner with attachements, I did not include the dirt. No charge to drop off and they help unload. Phone number is 336 548 7014.Thats Steve Wall Lumber on Hwy 135 at the Mayo River.....with the rain yesterday almost in the Mayo River.... |
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S. Smith Moderator
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Thought I'd post this here since it seems appropriate. It was one of the daily updates on http://www.nwobserver.com recently (which I know you all read daily  ).GUILFORD COUNTY - After Christmas, one of the chores many people face is disposing of the tree. Why not recycle it? Guilford County offers many recycling programs, and other holiday remnants, including electronics, appliances, paper, plastic bottles and more, can also be recycled. Christmas Trees – Guilford County residents can drop off their Christmas trees between December 26 and January 15 at three sites: • Piedmont Triad Farmers’ Market, off I-40 at Sandy Ridge Road. Open 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., seven days a week. (Call 605-9157 for more information.) • Guilford County Prison Farm, 7315 Howerton Road, Gibsonville. Open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. From Highway 61, take County Farm Road then turn right onto Howerton Road. The drop-off point is ¼ mile on the right. (Call 449-4720 for more information.) • Tabernacle United Methodist Church, behind the ball field at the corner of Woody Mill and Methodist Roads. Open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Please remove all lights, decorations, stands and covers from trees before dropping them off to be recycled. Wreaths, garland and artificial trees are not accepted. Guilford County will turn the trees into mulch for use at county parks and other facilities. Last year’s trees created nearly 60 tons of mulch, and more is needed in 2007 as the county’s park system continues to expand. E-Waste – Electronics, or e-waste, can be recycled, including computers, televisions, games, toys, cell phones and anything with an electronic chip. Take them to the Household Hazardous Waste Center at 2750 Patterson St. in Greensboro, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday-Friday, and 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturdays. Disposal is free to county residents. Call 373-9431 for directions or more information. Appliances – You can dispose of your old appliances for free at the Guilford County Scrap Tire/White Goods Facility at 2138 Bishop Road, Greensboro. It’s open 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday. Call 294-9431 for directions or information. Cardboard – Many gifts are shipped or packed in corrugated cardboard boxes. This corrugated cardboard is also recyclable and is made from two strips of flat cardboard on the top and bottom, and a wavy “corrugated” or fluted strip running through the center. Paper Products – Recycle your catalogs, newspapers and magazines. Remember, wrapping paper isn’t recyclable. Cans, Glass and Plastic Bottles – All of these can be recycled – just toss the caps in the trash and rinse and dry them first. For additional information, please call Susan Heim, Environmental Services Coordinator with Guilford County Community and Economic Development, at 641-3792. |
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Scott L Member 
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Unless the world and its relationship to the sun has changed, south facing windows with a storage medium (concrete, water, etc.) is a good way to save energy usage. My solar house built similarly to the NCSU solar house in Raleigh saves 60-65% of our heating costs in the winter. Skylights by themselves save little energy and leak unless extremely well built. |
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ff12 Member
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You can still get pretty good tax breaks on energy efficient home improvements. Should the US ban the incandesant light bulb and require cfls only? Australia has taken this step. |
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ff12 Member
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Will those running for council attempt an enviromentally friendly town hall? We could be the Cary of Guilford County, without Research Triangle park money it may be a little harder. Even better we could be Stokesdale. |
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CUZ Member 
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I have a suggestion for an environmentally friendly, very affordable Town Hall. Let's just throw a big "revival tent", buy some chairs, and dig a "Johhny Hole". At least they won't have to tax us to keep that one up. |
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darrelldawg Member 
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If we could harness all the hot air from the current council we could have heat and hot water. Darrell D. Dawg |
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FatPappy Member 
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I'm curious. A lot o' energy is used in the summer, too. What are some energy savin' ways to keep a home cool in the summer, besides the obvious not cutting down shade producing trees? Are solar electric panels, fer instance, efficient enough to supply a house with enough electricity to run a air conditioner? Mebbe I'll do some googlin' when I get a chance. |
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