posted Apr 26, 2011, 6:24 PM by Green Starkville Admin
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updated Apr 26, 2011, 7:31 PM
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Sponsored by golden triangle regional solid waste management authority and mississippi department of environmental quality Bring your household hazardous waste items to:
Location: gtr landfill, starkville (just west of us 45a on old west point rd.)
Time: 9:00 a.m. Until 2:00 p.m. Household items to be accepted:
- Aerosols batteries paint
- Household cleaners chlorine wood finish
- Automobile fluids herbicides rodent poison
- Oil filters pesticides electronic waste
- Lighter fluid
Items not accepted
- Explosives infectious
- Munitions radioactive waste
- Asbestos
- Gas canisters/cylinders (butane,propane,freon,insulation,etc.)
- Freon devices (air conditioners, refrigerators, etc.)
For more information contact GTR Solid Waste Management Authority at 662-324-7566 |
posted Mar 30, 2011, 2:38 PM by Green Starkville Admin
From GGSIM March newsletter
 Magnolia Recycled Glass Company (MRGC) is the first community based glass recycling business in Mississippi. MRGC is owned and operated by Samuel Leggett (GGSIM BOD) and Ketan Patel, both graduate and undergraduate Mechanical Engineering students at Mississippi State University. MRGC will purchase used container glass for recycling from the Starkville community at a rate of around $0.08 cents per bottle. The glass will be weighed and a bulk rate applied. If the glass is sorted by color MRGC will pay a higher rate for some colors. MRGC will also purchase corrugated card board boxes and clean newspapers in limited quantities to use for packaging materials.Magnolia Recycled Glass Company will process this material into high end glass products and offer them for sale to the community. The initial product offering will be of glass tiles to be used in new construction and remodeling projects. The glass tiles will contain 100% post consumer recycled glass obtained from the community. This will prevent that material being introduced to the local landfills and create a beautiful architectural product that will have a virtually infinite useful life.
We will create at least 4 new jobs in the community, 2 paying $60,000 dollars annually, and 2 paying $40,000 dollars annually. MRGC will directly pay over $3000 dollars per ton directly into the community for the used glass. The process generates zero waste and reduces the amount of solid non-hazardous waste in the community waste stream. The recycled glass market is predicted to be a non-growth market for the next 15 to 20 years. However, through zero length supply chain management and intensive engineering control the community benefits from a readily available product and an economic incentive to recycle. We plan to investigate other materials and methods in an ongoing manner to offer additional 100% post consumer recycled products to the community. MRGC is a for profit company demonstrating that sustainability is inherently profitable.
MRGC hopes to open the doors to the public and begin receiving glass materials as soon as September of 2011. This is an original company and is completely dedicated to finding recycling solutions for the waste generated on the community level. This will be the ONLY glass tile product in the United States that is 100% post consumer content. |
posted Mar 29, 2011, 8:11 AM by Green Starkville Admin
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updated Mar 29, 2011, 8:55 AM
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We are offered the opportunity to participate in a cellphone recycling program that will allow us to bring 3 recycling bins into the community to collect cellphone, iPhone, Blackberry, PDA, or MP3 player. And we'd like to know where you want these bins to go? If you have a suggestion, please fill out the form below to let us know.
Almost all the materials used to manufacture a cellphone can be recovered to make a new product. Metals, plastics, and rechargeable batteries from recycled cell phones are turned into new materials and products. Cellphones contain a number of different metals that are recovered in the recycling process. The recovered metals are then used by a number of different industries. The plastics recovered from cellphones are recycled into plastic components for new electronic devices or other plastic products such as garden furniture, license plate frames, non-food containers, and replacement automotive parts. When the rechargeable battery can be longer used, the battery can be recycled into other rechargeable battery products. Upward of 140 million cellphones are replaced each year. Some of these end up in landfills because their owners aren't aware the electronics contain metals and other materials that can be hazardous to the environment if not disposed of properly. Callphone circuitry and displays can contain toxic compounds like arsenic, beryllium, cadmium, copper, and lead. The plastic shells of the cell phones have also been treated with brominated flame retardants. Compounds like these are environmental threats we want to keep out of our landfills. Why recycle cell-phones?To summarize some of the points: - Cell phone recycling is at only 1%
- Each cell phone contains at least eight toxic elements
- Each year, Americans discard 130 million cell phones
- One cell phone can contaminate 35,000 gallons of water, if it gets into the landfill
The Recycling ProgramThe program is of no cost to our organization. The company organizing the program will supply and ship the collection bins free of charge and donate $2 for each cellphone, iPhone, Blackberry, PDA, or MP3 player collect.
Cellphones collected as part of our program are refurbished and donated or recycled depending on the model & condition of phone.None of the material from recycled phones is shipped overseas.
To summarize: - The recycling company will donate $2.00 for each cell phone collected.
- Bins will be provided by the recycling company
- here is zero out-of-pocket expense for our organization and community
- They take any kind of cell phone, iPod, MP3 player
Our organization will use the money to sponsor recycling programs in our local schools. Currently, all our local schools have some form of a recycling program.
Suggest a Location for a Cellphone Recycling StationsCellphone recycling stations
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posted Oct 6, 2010, 7:29 AM by Green Starkville Admin
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updated Oct 6, 2010, 7:40 AM
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On Saturday October 16th, 2010 we will be hosting Karel Roger the author of "Thinking Green: Ethic for a Small Planet" at the Barnes & Nobel Bookstore on the MSU Campus. The talk is scheduled for 2:00PM followed by book signing.
About the BookAs alarming as it is compelling, Thinking Green: Ethics for a Small Planet by author-activist Karel Rogers, PhD, is not your run of the mill environmental book that offers traditional ways to save the planet. And while it promotes a green way of life, it goes deeper than the environmentalists’ mantra of recycling, conservation, and self-deprivation. What Thinking Green does is open vital dialogue on personal and environmental ethics. A fascinating user’s guide for students working to solve our current global social/environmental/economic crisis, this powerful work of nonfiction examines the underlying semantic constructs of Americans. It also illustrates mankind’s journey as a species to ultimately recognize the key to mankind’s long-term viability is promotion of diversity, a commitment to live on current solar income, the habit of renewing resources, and meeting opportunities and problems with information-rich solutions.
More at http://karelrogers.com/
Purchasing the book: You can buy the book ahead from the address: https://www.createspace.com/3407501
Use promotion code: AJX3PDNC for $3.00 off the asking price of $15.75.
You can also use http://amazon.com/ (no discount)
Sponsored by:The Golden Triangle Sierra ClubGaining Ground Sustainability Institute of MississippiGreen Starkville OrganizationHosted at the Barnes & Nobel Bookstore on the MSU Campus |
posted Sep 24, 2010, 11:50 AM by Green Starkville Admin
September 19, 2010
The Starkville School District has partnered with Starkville Recycling to begin a district-wide recycling effort.
Thanks to donations from Green Starkville, Synergetics, Starkville Counseling Association, the PTA and the SPROUTS grant, all classrooms at Ward Stewart are equipped with recycling sorting bins, and the whole district will receive recycling pick up for an entire year.
The SPOURTS grant has also been responsible for the confidence course at Henderson Ward Stewart and the learning trail around the school that is currently in the works. Grant writer and teacher Tammy Gammill explained that the grant comprises five parts, and one of those is an environmental component, which fits in nicely with PTA’s recycling efforts.
The recycling participants at Ward Stewart are calling themselves the Green Team to match their goal of helping the community limit waste and making recycling a part of everyday life.
“We just want to teach the next generation about recycling,” said Leslie Fye, PTA parent and Green Team member. “We want to teach them to be responsible with our earth because we have been mindless (about recycling) for too long.”
Ward Stewart hosted a recycling kick-off event Friday, Sept. 10 to get the students excited about recycling.
The kick-off was a success because Gammill explained the custodial staff at Ward Stewart has already reported a significant decrease in the amount of trash collected from classroom cans.
Assistant Supt. Dr. Walter Gonsoulin took notice of the PTA’s recycling efforts and began to think of ways the entire district could get involved.
To start, each cafeteria in the district, along with the central office, will be recycling cardboard and aluminum cans.
Director of Child Nutrition Beverly Lowry felt the cafeterias were the perfect place to start making a difference as Sudduth alone breaks down roughly 40 boxes a day and goes through roughly 50 cans a day.
That means Sudduth has the potential to recycle 7,200 cardboard boxes during this school year. Multiply that throughout the district and the impact is profound.
This isn’t the first time the district has participated in recycling efforts. For years they have taken part in different small-scale recycling efforts, but this will be the first time the entire district is getting involved.
“It’s been sporadic for years with different types of recycling efforts,” Gonsoulin explained. “We wanted to do something that will become a part of the whole school environment.”
Ward Stewart is serving as the pilot for the individual classroom recycling. It is Gonsoulin’s hope that it will continue throughout the district with time.
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posted Sep 16, 2010, 8:04 AM by Green Starkville Admin
The Mississippi Recycling Coalition (MRC) has announced that Environmental Hero Nominations are now open. This award honors outstanding environmental efforts of organizations, businesses, schools, and local governments around the State of Mississippi. Please help us by nominating a deserving person or organization that you believe should be recognized for one of MRC’s annual “Environmental Hero” awards. A panel of judges will use the following criteria to select award winners: - Promotes recycling as a way to create a better community;
- Conducts continuous recycling and/or environmental programs rather than a one-time project;
- Practices and improves awareness of environmental stewardship; and
- Improves community waste handling and environmental
Deadline to submit a nomination is October 1, 2010.
Our city has done an outstanding job with the free curbside recycling program and we should recognize the hard work that everyone has put to make our city a little more sustainable. Please take a few minutes to fill out the form and let people now that we're nominating Starkville to be a recycling hero. Download this PDF file and put your name and email it to webmaster@msrecycles.org. Show the city that you appreciate what they're doing.
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posted Jul 28, 2010, 11:32 AM by Green Starkville Admin
TerraCycleYou've heard of recycling. Well how about Upcycling? Green Starkville has joined TerraCycle to "Outsmart Waste". Join our team today! Learn more.
VolunteerStarkville.orgIn an effort to build stronger connections between volunteers and community organizations, GS has helped sponsor and launch VolunteerStarkville.org website with the help of Kathy Jacobs and the Greater Starkville Development Partnership.
Visit VolunteerStarkville.org and sign up to be a volunteer, and get information about new opportunities and events.
Seeking New Leaders
We are currently looking for motivated, community oriented leaders to take on the role of vice-president and president at Green Starkville. If you are interested, please email us atinfo@greenstarkville.org.
Sustainability Conference This Weekend Gaining Ground Sustainability Institute of Mississippi is putting on the first annual Sustainability Conference in Mississippi. The conference will take place this Saturday and Sunday in the Bost Conference Center at Mississippi State University. The conference will showcase the best of what Mississippi has to offer in sustainable practices, research, and advances. Check this link out and click on the conference poster for more information www.ggsim.org
Mississippi Students Environmental Summit September 10-12, 2010Mark your calendars for this Fall's MS Student Environmental Summit. This will be an opportunity for Ole Miss and MSU students to get together, share ideas, participate in skills trainings, and make plans for the rest of the year! Plus, it'll be fun! When: Friday, September 10th - Sunday, September 12th
Where: Group cabins at George P. Cossar State Park, on Enid Lake Please RSVP here or on Facebook | Starkville Community Market Don't miss out on the awesome fresh produce, backed goods, music, and wonderful company at the Starkville Community Market. Every Saturday morning 8AM-11AM.
Have you read our Green Profiles in the Starkville Daily News? We're looking for new ideas, people, and projects to inspire others and tell a story. If you have something to share please email us at info@greenstarkville.org
We want to hear from you!
Send us your ideas, comments, and questions. We want to know what you'd like to see change in our community.
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posted Jun 30, 2010, 7:36 AM by Green Starkville Admin
 You've heard of recycling. Well how about Upcycling? And we're not talking about bicycling up a hill!
Recently Green Starkville has looked for new and clever ways to promote more recycling in the community. With residential and commercial curbside pick-up off and running, Green Starkville has initiated the next step of earth-saving measures through upcycling! What is upcycling? Well simply put - it is using those items that cannot be "recycled" and "remaking" them into "reusable" items!
Green Starkville has a team with the company that does this - called TerraCycle - and for each specific item we send in to be upcycled, Green Starkville will receive $.02 in donations! So obviously we can see the brilliant functionality of this program.
The team is a part of 16 "brigades" of specific items that can be upcycled. Within each brigade of items, a specific type of product is to be collected for reuse. Each brigade is unique to how much of has to be saved before it can be mailed in for processing to TerraCycle.
Here are the brief details to the brigades Green Starkville is apart of: - Drink Pouch - Capri Sun & Honest Kids pouches (unlimited send in per shipment)
- Candy Wrapper - Mars/Wrigley & Cadbury wrappers (unlimited send in per shipment)
- Cookie Wrapper - All plastic cookie wrappers (50 per bag)
- Chip Bag - Any chip bag (unlimited send in per shipment)
- Energy Bar Wrapper- All energy, granola, nutrition, cereal and protein bars with an inner foil lining are acceptable (roughly 200 wrappers per shipment bag)
- Bear Naked - All Bear Naked wrappers or bags (75 per shipment bag)
- Kashi Package - All Kashi products (unknown per shipment)
- Scott Brand - All SCOTT brand packaging not single rolls (unlimited per shipment)
- Huggies Brand - All HUGGIES brand plastic packaging (must not weigh more than 10oz, 2-3 average wrappings per shipment)
- AVEENO Brand - Cosmetic tubes (unlimited send in per shipment)
- Scotch Tape - Cores and tape dispensers (unlimited send in per shipment)
- Starbucks Coffee Bag - All STARBUCKS coffee bags (unlimited per shipment box/bag)
- Lunch Kit - Lunchables Kits: Basic, Fun Packs, Completes, Twin packs (unlimited per shipment)
- Colgate Oral Health Brand - Colgate toothbrushes, empty tubes, packaging (50 per box/toothbrushes in small plastic baggie)
- Spreads (Margarine/Butter) - UNILEVER spread products (unlimited per shipment box/bag)
 What can you do?! If you use any of these products and would like to start upcycling them, then sign up for our team! Follow this link - http://www.terracycle.net/signup - enter this code "001-50972"to join an our team.
We ask that you collect as much as you can within one to three months. After a maximum of three months, you can email nick@greenstarkville.org for pickup details if you do not have enough to ship on your own. If you do have enough to ship on your own before that deadline, you can easily sign into your account page and find out how to get shipping labels!
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posted Jun 21, 2010, 1:38 PM by Green Starkville Admin
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updated Jun 30, 2010, 7:36 AM
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| Monday, 21 June 2010 | By Janice Childers
jlchilders@gmail.com
Jessica Tegt has many irons in many fires.
Originally from Wisconsin, Tegt is a doctoral student in the Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Aquaculture at Mississippi State University who sites “outreach to children and adults” as a major interest, as well as the somewhat less expected “carnivore research, including wolves (grey and red) and coyotes.”
Her interests in outreach and sustainability have led to active participation in several initiatives.
Tegt is Vice President of Education for Starkville Downtown Toastmasters, serves on the Board of Directors for Green Starkville, co-directs the Starkville Science Club, serves as interim outreach coordinator for the Berryman Institute, as an instructor for the Science Enrichment Program through MUW, and teaches environmental education occasionally at the Plymouth Bluff Environmental Learning Center.
Along with co-director Heidi Puckett, Tegt started the Starkville Science Club to teach children about natural resources while emphasizing our role as stewards of the environment.
“We often underestimate the impact of youth education, especially in regards to being responsible consumers,” says Tegt. “I believe in teaching kids the basics about ecosystems and human impacts on sustainability. I have found that having kids actively participate in understanding their role in the environment empowers them to be responsible and accountable.”
The interactive club will begin its third year this fall, and there are hopes to expand the program in coming years. Each year, families of students in the fourth and fifth grades are sent letters inviting application to the club. Tegt says, “In our first year, we had thirty student spots which were filled within the first afternoon of advertising. We maintained a waiting list of about sixty students throughout the year. In our second year, we accepted forty students and still maintained a waiting list. We are thrilled with the response and are trying to raise money to sustain the club’s growth.”
The Starkville Science Club receives support from the Starkville School Board, as well as transportation support from Superintendent of Schools, Judy Couey. Volunteers from the College of Forest Resources assist in teaching classes, and Tegt names Dean George Hopper as “an integral part of [the club’s] success.”
Tegt firmly believes that for all the outreach efforts and classroom education, “the best education starts at home.” At Tegt’s home, goats serve as a lesson in sustainability. She has been raising goats since 1999, and at one point, she owned and operated a 200 goat dairy in Utah. “Right now, the five goats that I have are pets and I am only currently milking one,” she says. “I think goats are one of the most useful domesticated livestock animals available to us. They are useful for milk, fiber, meat, packing, clearing brush, landscaping, fire-control, companionship, and composting. They don’t require a ton of space, can use less palatable brush for feed, don’t require much veterinary care, and are quite clean. They also keep life interesting, as each one has a unique personality. They are very gregarious so you always need more than one.”
More information on the Starkville Science Club can be found at: starkvillescienceclub.wordpress.com. |
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posted May 24, 2010, 6:06 PM by Green Starkville Admin
Monday, 24 May 2010
By Janice Childers
For the Daily News
Ali Fratesi doesn’t mind waking up a little bit earlier to ride her bike instead of driving.
“When you bike you can smell the flowers as you go by, and you see things that you might not have seen if you were just flying by in a car,” Fratesi said. “When I bike, it is time to myself; it is time to think and relax – almost a form of meditation.”
A recent graduate from Mississippi State University’s Landscape Architecture program, Ali is active in Green Starkville and other organizations focused on environmental responsibility. She’s also the inaugural summer intern at Gaining Ground Sustainability Institute of Mississippi, where she will be working with Starkville Community Market manager Alyson Karges this summer, assisting vendors and overseeing the market.
Fratesi sees sustainable living as a responsibility to future generations. “Everything you do effects something else, so you must live in a way that will not only meet the needs of the present, but will improve the future,” she says.
She accomplishes this by incorporating conservation and sustainable practices into daily life and encourages others to start with simple adjustments that can have a big impact.
“There are several easy ways that everyone can reduce their energy use,” says Fratesi. Things like “biking instead of driving, keeping air conditioning and heat off when no one is home, using energy efficient light bulbs and appliances, harvesting rainwater to irrigate the lawn, turning the hot water heater temperature down, hanging clothes to dry, recycling, and buying local foods.” She points out the cost savings realized by using less electricity, water, gas, and petroleum – a benefit most anyone can appreciate right now.
It’s no surprise that Fratesi sees buying local foods as a key component of sustainable living.
“The biggest impact we can make is [through] the vote we cast each day with the foods that we eat. Food is one of the main energy consumers. Most of the food we eat consumes more energy than we get from eating it,” Ali said.
Ali points to Steven L. Hopp’s claims in Barbara Kingsolver’s 2007 book Animal, Vegetable, Miracle, that “each item in a typical U.S. meal has traveled an average of 1,500 miles,” and she stresses that buying local food both contributes to energy reduction and supports your local economy.
Buying local can also be fun. “Instead of going to your local big box store to buy groceries, go to your local farmers market and buy vegetables that were grown right here in town. While you’re there, talk to your local farmer, let your children dance and listen to local musicians play, watch your local chefs demonstrate how to cook the food they found at the market, and experience real community,” Ali suggests.
For more information on Gaining Ground Sustainability Institute of Mississippi, see www.ggsim.org.
The Starkville Community Market is open Saturdays, 8-11, on the corner of Lampkin and Jackson Streets. More information is available at www.starkvillecommunitymarket.org. |
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