When you recycle your toner cartridge, you preserve the environment while lessening the toll of printing costs on your pocketbook as well.

Reusing, Recycling, and Using Self-Refill Kits

These days, throwing your toner cartridge in the trash is not just a waste; it’s like throwing money away while unnecessarily filling landfills at the same time.

The best alternative to throwing your toner cartridges out is to recharge them with new toner.

Manufacturers can also replace the drums and other important parts of the cartridge.

Some retail shops accept trade-ins for spent toner cartridges, when you purchase a new one from them. These cartridges are then refilled so that they can be sold at discounted prices. Self-refill kits are also available.

Depending on the type of toner cartridge you use, there are many different refill kits available. These kits make recycling toner cartridges simple and cheap.

Most refill kits come with instructions, and the toner is contained inside a plastic bottle. You won’t need any special tools other than a smoldering iron.

How to Recycle Your Own Toner Cartridge

Here are four basic steps you can take to recycle your own toner cartridge:

1. Remove the toner cartridge from the printer.
2. Using the soldering iron, carefully burn a small hole into the cartridge casing, without damaging the casing. Do not employ a drill to create the hole, as it can cause miniscule pieces of plastic to fall inside the cartridge’s chamber.
3. Pour the toner in through the fill-hole. Note that manufacturers recommend not filling the chamber completely, especially if a cartridge has been used multiple times.
4. Seal the hole with tape once you’ve poured the appropriate amount of toner into the cartridge.
5. Take care when handling the toner, as it can damage clothing, furniture, the carpet, etc. Further, many toners are hazardous; take necessary precautions by wearing gloves, and keep the toner out of reach of children.

Due to their non-biodegradable nature, most toner cartridges end up in landfills.  But if you recycle your toner cartridges, or buy re-manufactured ones, you can help eliminate waste and save on landfill space.  And that saves on disposal costs as well. Purchasing re-manufactured toner cartridges, on the other hand, allows you to avoid messes. These are available from your local office supply, and at specialty stores.

Additionally, some retailers, upon delivering your newly purchased re-manufactured cartridges, will pick up your old toner cartridges. Over the last few years, toner cartridge re-manufacturers have improved their technology to the extent that their quality can meet the manufacturer’s OEM standards. And what’s more, most re-manufactured cartridges provide good quality prints, coupled with a low occurrence of malfunction and leakage.

A DIY Recycling Project

This simple DIY recycling project can be used for educational purposes, as a school or class activity for kids, or when you really do want to recycle your own paper.

It serves as a good demonstration of how recycling works, and anyone who has gone through with this process is likely to think twice in the future, before discarding waste paper into the wrong basket.

While I doubt that any resources were really saved in this video (the energy and materials consumed by the process probably far outweigh the value of a couple of sheets of paper), it serves an educational purpose.

It also demonstrates another important fact – recycling itself, as a process, consumes energy and resources.  The fact that one is going to recycle certain waste doesn’t mean that no waste management is necessary at all.

Recycling may be better than filling a landfill, but when all is said and done, the less excessive garbage produced, the better.

There is no need for old, replaced, or even obsolete electronics to go to waste.  It can be reused, repurposed, or recycled, and in more ways than one.

This very amusing video will make you think twice the next time you’re about to toss your 1980s walkman or you 2007 computer; and will give you some ideas on how to better approach the issue.

When we think of pumpkins, we think of Halloween, Jack-O-Lanterns, pumpkin pie, and maybe Thanksgiving.

But, truth be told, there are plenty of ways to use a pumpkin!

During October, pumpkins are abundant.  Sometimes, too abundant.  And it’s not uncommon to see excess pumpkins cast aside or left to rot after Halloween, but there’s really no need to let the extras go to waste.

The following are just a few of the great uses for pumpkins:

1. Pumpkins in Recipes

As food, pumpkins are low in calories, yet high in Vitamin A, Vitamin C, protein, and potassium.  Dig out your favorite cookbook and search for recipes containing pumpkin.

Pumpkin bread, pies, and muffins are favorites, but you can probably find plenty of others.  As an impromptu house guest in Paris, I was once served an incredible pumpkin soup (though I never completed my search for that recipe).  There are more exotic recipes to try as well – pumpkin juice, pumpkin ice cream, and even fried pumpkin.

2. Pumpkin Seeds

Pumpkin seeds (also called “pepitas”) are also known to be highly nutritious, and are used in weight-loss diets.  They provide fiber, healthy fats, and protein, as well as minerals such as magnesium, manganese, zinc, iron, and copper.  They are also known to strengthen the immune system, and to be good for people with high cholesterol.

Roasted pumpkin seeds make excellent between-meals snacks, can be sprinkled over a holiday squash soup, and are a favorite in Mexican cooking.  Candied pumpkin seeds are great for parties as well – and even the children might accept them among their Halloween candy.

3. Pumpkin for Pets

Mashed pumpkin is a great remedy for digestive trouble in dogs.  It can be used to combat weight gain or diarrhea, and for resistance to infections.  It is also said to be good for a dog’s night vision and general health.

Simply add a few spoons of cooked, mashed pumpkin to the dog’s food.  (Important: it must be pure mashed pumpkin, not a mix!)  For instructions on how to create your own mashed pumpkin, see #4 below.

Cats may like pumpkin as well, and it can be given to help cats with similar digestive troubles, as well as hairballs.

Remember, if your pet is sick, take him to the vet!  And ask your vet about using pumpkin as a home remedy.

4. Saving Pumpkins for Later

If you have more pumpkin than you know what to do with, you can save it for later use in recipes and for winter holidays.

There are several ways to create pumpkin puree which can be frozen for later use.  The following are three preparation methods:

1.  Baking – Cut the pumpkin in half, place it on a baking sheet with the flat side down, and bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit, for about an hour, or until it is tender when tested with a fork.

2.  Microwave – Follow the same procedure as above, but instead of placing the pumpkin in an oven, microwave it on high for about 15 minutes, or until it is tender.

3.  Boiling – Cut the pumpkin into large chunks and rinse.  Then, place the chunks in a large pot, cover with water (fully immersing the pumpkins, plus one inch of water on top), and boil until tender.

Once you have utilized one of the above methods to soften the pumpkin, cool it off, peel it, and mash it in a food processor.  You can also use a potato masher or similar device.

Then, simply seal the puree into zip lock bags, or whatever is convenient, and freeze it for for the winter.  The puree can be used as a substitute for canned pumpkin, in any recipe.

5. Pumpkins as Dishes

You can clean a pumpkin well, cut it in half, and dry it for use as a serving bowl or flower vase. You can also use a halved pumpkin to cook or bake other foods in.  For more information, see How to Carve a Pumpkin Bowl.

6. Pumpkins for the Skin

Pumpkins contain anti-oxidants and alpha-hydroxy, which are said to be good for the skin.  You can use pumpkin peels as a facial, to combat aging or other skin problems.

7. Pumpkins for Children and Games

You can use pumpkins for children’s drawing or carving contests.  If your kids are too little to start carving yet, they can also decorate pumpkins with markers or paint – or even a pumpkin collage.  Another use of pumpkins is as targets for archery practice.

But we definitely don’t recommend any games that involve throwing pumpkins, nor using them as substitutes for soccer balls.

And, possibly even better, how about a cross between a Jack-O-Lantern, a Snow Man, and a Scare Crow?  Your kids might have a great time making a pumpkin man – and it’s much better for them than watching TV.

8. Pumpkins as Ornaments

Pumpkins, gourds, and squash can be used to create candle holders, Thanksgiving centerpieces, and other ornaments.

9. Musical Pumpkins

Yes, that’s right, pumpkins make great musical instruments as well.  Or, at least they can if you know how to make (and play) them.  You can see and hear a variety of ideas for instruments that can be made from gourds, squashes, and pumpkins. Although many instruments are made from gourds, one can easily imagine how a large or small pumpkin would do just as well in several cases.

10. Pumpkins for Crafts

If you are an experienced craftsman or devout hobbyist, you might try some more advanced and creative uses of pumpkins.  You can make pumpkin leather like the American Indians did, or settle witih a simple pumpkin bird house.

As you can see, there’s really no need for pumpkins to go to waste, either before Halloween or afterwards.

During economic recessions, it’s not uncommon that people have more time on their hands than they have money.  Instead of letting extra pumpkins go to waste, these are a few ways you can stretch your grocery budget a bit further, invest some time in your health, get your kids away from the screen, and have some fun at the same time.

The standard news from the business world is not always encouraging. Scandals seem to be more common than not and the current climate of Madoff’s and Exxon Mobil’s isn’t helping. But as we all know, honest businesses do exist, especially in the green sector and many of them are great examples of how to grow your business while staying true to social responsibility and environmental values.

One of these companies is Seventh Generation. The company describes themselves as “the world’s most trusted brand of authentic, safe, and environmentally-responsible products for a healthy home.” When you learn more about the company, it’s hard to argue with this claim. The company’s name and philosophy is derived from the Great Law of the Iroquois that states, “In our every deliberation, we must consider the impact of our decisions on the next seven generations.”

Transparency is the first sign that a company is genuinely invested in and concerned about their social responsibility and environmental impacts. If a company produces an annual social responsibility report (SRR) and sustainable report (SR) then you know they have at least taken the time to think about the issues. It does not guarantee they genuinely care about environmental issues, but it is generally a sign they are headed in the right direction.

Seventh Generation writes a yearly “Corporate Consciousness Report,” an in-depth and honest look into all of the activities of the company. The report outlines sales, giving, employees, carbon footprint, transportation-related GHG emissions, packaging, manufacturing partners, sourcing, product design, and green workplace. The report also provides a section at the beginning outlining the achievements (environmental or not) of the previous year. One of 2008’s biggest successes was Seventh Generation’s purchase of sustainable palm oil credits and participation in the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil. Palm oil is a major component in many of their most popular cleaning products.

So you are probably wondering, what is so great about Seventh Generation’s products?

According to their website, Seventh Generation name-brand products include non-chlorine bleached, 100% recycled paper towels, bathroom and facial tissues, and napkins; non-toxic, phosphate-free cleaning, dish and laundry products; plastic trash bags made from recycled plastic; chlorine-free baby diapers, training pants, and baby wipes; and chlorine-free feminine care products, including organic cotton tampons.

Unlike nearly all other companies in the cleaning products business, Seventh Generation discloses all of their ingredients and explains what each does on all the products they sell. There are no laws requiring them to do so, but they are working hard to turn those laws into reality by lobbying.

In the last couple of years, Seventh Generation has not only made their own business more sustainable, but assisted manufacturers in their supply chain. In 2008 they held Manufacturing Partner Sustainability Summit, one of the first of its kind, which helps businesses in their supply chain become more socially responsible and environmentally-friendly.

They also donate 10% of their pre-tax profits to non-profit community, environmental, health, and responsible business organizations working for positive change. This is a huge percentage compared to most other companies, even those in the green sector.

On top of all that, Seventh Generation also has a climate action plan, which the company says will reduce their GHG emissions by 80% by 2050 (normalized to sales). They adopted this before many countries had even considered it.

I have really only scratched the service of Seventh Generation’s commitment to sustainability and social responsibility, but it is clear that they are a model for businesses of all sizes. They are not perfect, but they are making progress and are genuinely concerned about their environmental and social impact. In 30 years, if I had to bet, Seventh Generation will be one of largest household products companies, beating out Clorox by a long shot.

The relationship between small businesses and the government is not always ideal. There is a constant tug-and-pull concerning taxes and regulations at the federal, state, and local levels and both sides never seem to be satisfied. However, the government does provide some excellent resources for small business owners, especially those focused on sustainability. Business.gov’s green section offers a plethora of advice, guides, and general resources for all types of green issues. Before delving into those details though, let me tell you a little about what Business.gov does.

According to their mission statement:

Business.gov saves small businesses time and money by providing access to Federal, state and local resources from a single website, making government more transparent and accessible. Small business owners no longer need to visit multiple websites to find government programs, forms, contacts, and guidance with laws and regulations.

If you have yet to start a business, but are leaning towards starting one in the green business sector, check out “Starting a Green Business” section. The section includes a number of brief, yet informative tips for new green businesses, as well as links to other important areas of the guide.

The great thing about Business.gov’s green business guide is that it lets you delve as deep into it as you want. If you are looking for simple and general green business tips, they offer a list of ten to start you out:

1.    Comply with environmental regulations
2.    Develop an environmental management plan
3.    Build green
4.    Buy Green Products
5.    Adopt Energy Efficient Practices
6.    Reduce, Reuse, Recycle Wastes
7.    Conserve Water
8.    Prevent Pollution
9.    Create a green marketing strategy
10.    Join industry partnership and stewardship groups

Each tip has a distinct section that can be worked on entirely separate from the others. If you are focusing on building “green” and implementing energy efficiency changes, the website offers a near comprehensive guide that includes general suggestions, cost-savings calculator, and links to local and federal tax credit/grant programs that can assist you with the cost of efficiency improvements, among other things.

The green marketing guide contains a number of excellent resources as well. From green marketing regulations and ecolabel tips to certifications and market research about “environmental literacy,” this section is one of the best free resources for green marketing available.

Small green businesses are not likely to generate toxic or hazardous waste, but it is wise for all owners of small businesses to review regulations and advice about all types of waste. The ‘Pollution Prevention’ section includes a wide variety of resources about waste disposal, including a guide about conducting a waste assessment and links to useful EPA resources.

If you and your business are based in the west or southwest United States, water is likely a precious resource. The website includes an extensive ‘Water Conservation Guide’ that seems to be the best overall guide on the entire website. The guide includes resources about water saving measures inside of your business’ buildings, as well as things you can do outside of your building. There are also links to a number of more comprehensive guides, as well as a link to the Colorado Springs’ Xeriscape website, which is a great water-friendly landscaping resource for all businesses in the southwest and western United States.

If you own or work at a small business and do not know where to start or how to make sustainable changes to your business, check out Business.gov’s green business section. You will not be disappointed!

Many small businesses lack the resources to communicate and collaborate with other small businesses. There is simply not enough time or manpower to delegate to it. During a time when green innovations and ideas are sprouting up daily, small green businesses are often left in the dust with little hope of capitalizing on these new ideas.

A new network organization, The Business Alliance for Local Living Communities (BALLE), is making it easier for small businesses to do just that: access sustainability resources that would otherwise be unavailable because of their size, while at the same time exchanging ideas and experiences with similar businesses. BALLE seeks to assist sustainably-minded businesses in the United States and Canada by facilitating a resource-rich network “by catalyzing and connecting local business networks dedicated to Living Economy principles.” Unlike ever before, BALLE’s network is allowing small sustainable-minded businesses to share their best practices and sustainability initiatives with other businesses across the United States and Canada.

According to BALLE’s website:

[BALLE] is the world’s fastest growing network of sustainable businesses committed to building local economies and transforming the community economic development field. BALLE is comprised of more than 60 local networks of independent businesses in a variety of locales across the US and Canada, and represents more than 20,000 entrepreneurs.

BALLE brings together small business leaders, economic development professionals, government officials, social innovators, and community leaders to build local living economies. We provide local, state, national, and international resources to this new model of economic development.

BALLE first and foremost emphasizes networking between local businesses, community groups, etc. But as you probably know, sustainability often goes hand-in-hand with “community-based businesses.” They are currently concentrating on sustainable agriculture, green building, renewable energy and energy efficiency, and zero waste manufacturing, as well as a number of other smaller sectors. BALLE believes that the four large sectors, however, will be the most crucial for transforming to a greener economy.

Networks are available in most states and the number is currently growing. If you and your business are interested in finding a network near you, check it out.

You all secretly or visibly have the same situation—a pile in some dark corner of your office filled with old, broken, and unused computer parts, screens, VCR players, and a copier machine from 1987.   Maybe you’re waiting for the computer geek neighbor to pick them up and reassemble them into some suspicious looking contraption.  Or perhaps you simply have no idea how to dispose of them.

Fortunately there is a growing trend among communities and businesses to not only to do something with these old electronics, but to recycle them too.  Often referred to as “E-waste,” many cities now have places for you to drop off the goods so they can be taken to a recycling center.  Companies likes Best Buy are also starting to accept used electronics as part of their effort to create a greener commercial operation.  You can also set up a contract with a waste disposal company like WasteManagment, who will reliably take care of your E-Waste so you don’t even have to leave the office.  Of course, the first step is seeing if the equipment is still functioning; if so, there is usually a donation center in your community that will take the material and pass it on to an underprivileged-youth program.

Why is it important to recycle obsolete electronics?  The first reason is that there are still components in broken office equipment that can be extracted and reused for other technological applications.  Copper, platinum, and even lead ought to be recycled and turned into new products instead of sitting eternally in a landfill.  According to some estimates, over 200,000 computers are thrown into a landfill every single day in the United States.  The EPA found that 2.5 million tons of computers and electronics were dumped in 2007 alone.

Landfilling old office equipment not only unnecessarily takes up space in our nation’s dumps, it is environmentally hazardous.  Lead, mercury and other nasty technological components used to maximize product performance are lethal at the end of their life cycle.  These chemicals will percolate into the ground and eventually enter our drinking water.

So, there are at least five reasons to finally reconsider downsizing that pile in your office basement:
1.    reduce unnecessary waste in landfills
2.    prevent the contamination of ground water
3.    contribute to the generation of new products from reclaimed materials
4.    create more space in your office
5.    and of course, further the goals of your business’ sustainability goals

For details about where to recycle, your best bet is to go to http://earth911.com to find the nearest recycling center.

Habitat for Humanity is known for building low-income houses, but soon they may become a national leader in low-income residential “green” housing. Habitat for Humanity International and The Home Depot Foundation announced Tuesday the national expansion of “Partners In Sustainable Building,” a successful pilot program initiated at 30 affiliates that resulted in the construction of 260 sustainable homes. Most of the houses participating in the pilot received 15-30 percent energy reduction, while some achieved LEED Platinum certification, which resulted in nearly 50 percent energy savings. Jonathan Recker, CEO of Habitat for Humanity International, called the pilot program “extremely successful.”

The national program will expand to 120 affiliates in 45 states across the nation and will provide $30 million in assistance to participating affiliates over a five-year period. According to Habitat’s press release, affiliates will be granted $3,000 for each home built to Energy Star standards and up to $5,000 for each home built to a higher green standard.  These amounts are the typical additional costs to sustainably build an average $75,000 Habitat for Humanity house. The higher costs are attributed to additional needed materials, certification, and new training.

The program is hoping to build 1,500 sustainable homes by the end of 2010 with the eventual goal of building 5,000 in the next five years. Homes can be certified by a number of green building organizations, including the National Association of Home Builders standard, LEED, EarthCraft, and Enterprise Green Communities.

Although the environmental and monetary benefits of green building are catching on in the United States, it is still difficult to convince some people to make the investment. In addition, LEED certification is not as popular with residential housing as it is with business buildings.
Habitat’s pilot program proved that upfront costs of green residential building are minor and that the initial extra costs can be easily recouped throughout the lifetime of the house. If the national program is equally successful, it will be one of the largest, if not the largest, low-income green building initiatives in the United States.

Low-income individuals and families are hardest hit during energy price fluctuations, such as spikes in natural gas prices that have occurred during the last couple of years. High energy costs often mean no heat during cold winter months for low-income families. Energy efficiency housing provides these families with a buffer between volatile energy prices and their pocketbooks.

At the core of both organizations is the belief that environmentally-sound building should be accessible to all:

“The Home Depot Foundation believes green building techniques are not a luxury—they aren’t exotic or expensive,” said Kelly Caffarelli, president of The Home Depot Foundation. “By embracing the practical principles of green building, our partnership with Habitat for Humanity International is demonstrating that these techniques can actually make homes more affordable to own, maintain and live in from day one and for the long-term. With health and economic concerns at an all-time high, this issue is more important than ever for the families who will purchase these homes.”

Money is also allotted to train employees about green building: “To inspire and educate additional affiliate participation, eight Habitat State Support Organizations, which provide services to 440 affiliates, will also receive grant money to add staff and host training sessions for Habitat affiliates to learn how to build to nationally-recognized green standards.”

The Home Depot Foundation was created in 2002 and has since granted $120 million to nonprofit organizations and supported the development of more than 65,000 affordable, healthy homes. The foundation focuses on supporting sustainable building projects for working and low-income families across the United States.