As a folllow-up to Rev. Josh's service on water conservation, let's keep in mind the following wonderful tips:
If you're like me, those old floppy discs and unwanted CD's are collecting dust because you don't know what to do with them. Well now there is technotrash recycling. All you do is order a Technotrash box for $6.95. It holds up to 20 lbs. and the price includes shipping. You can place the box near your desk and add items (CDs, cords, mice, discs, etc.) until it is full, then ship. (Think about sharing a box with a friend!) The company guarantees that the intellectual property and all of the physical materials are disposed of in an environmentally responsible manner. You can learn more at ww.greendisk.com. They sell larger boxes too, even for big items like computers and monitors. (But please remember to recycle cell phones and ink cartridges here at UUS:E for free!)
Is bottled water better? According the the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS), tap water is held to more stringent quality standards than bottled water, and some brands of bottled water are just tap water in disguise. Our increasing consumption of bottled water fuels an unsustainable industry that takes a heavy toll on the environment. Approximately 1.5 million gallons of oil annually are used to make plastic water bottles, while transporting these bottles burns thousands more gallons of oil. In addition, the burning of fossil fuels used to generate the energy that powers the manufacturing process emits global warming pollution into the atmosphere. More bad news: Only about 10 percent of water bottles are recycled, leaving the rest in landfills where it takes thousands of years for the plastic to decompose.
The next time you feel thirsty, forgo the bottle and turn to the tap. You’ll lower your environmental impact, save money, and if you wish you can buy a pitcher or faucet filter to remove trace chemicals and bacteria. . Finally, limit your bottled water purchases for those times when you’re traveling in countries where water quality is questionable.
Now is the time to save on energy star appliances and compact flourescent bulbs. A newly-enacted state law exempts energy-star appliances from sales tax from June 1, 2007 until June 30, 2008. The law makes permanent the tax-exempt status of compact flourescent bulbs as well as home-weatherization products. For a complete listing of tax-exempt products go to http://www.ct.gov/DRS . If you purchased any exempt item after the June 1st retroactive date, and still have your receipt, you may go back to the store for a refund of the sales tax.
