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An eco-friendly summer is not less fun; it is just better for the planet. And when we all take steps to make summer eco-friendly, we also help by doing our bit to protect nature for future generations to enjoy.

Picnics and cookouts are regular occurrences in summer. However, eating outdoors or ordering meals can generate a lot of avoidable waste if you allow it. Don’t use disposable paper or plastic plates, cutleries, napkins, or cups. Instead, take reusable alternatives when you go out to eat. 

Related: Can you recycle paper plates?

Disposables consume resources like trees and fossil fuels, but you can only use them once. Single usage does not quite do justice to the environmental costs. Using reusable eating utensils can make a massive dent in your carbon footprint. In addition, it helps cut down on waste and natural resource consumption.

And when it comes to washing up those plates when you get them home, opt for zero-waste dish soap or zero-waste dishwasher detergents for perfectly sparkly clean dishes without the plastic bottles and environmental harm.

 Shop food locally

Want to eat healthily, save on emissions and help to boost the local economy? These are some of the many reasons to eat locally-produced food. You will probably eat more meals in the summer as part of the eco-friendly activities you have planned.

A sustainable holiday meal plan starts with shopping for vegetables and other food ingredients at the local farmers’ market. Because of the short food supply chain, it has a lesser carbon footprint compared to imported processed foods. Buying locally grown food also helps your local community save food from going to waste.

Additionally, eating less meat has positive impacts on the health of you and the environment. Research has linked meat production with deforestation1, water shortages, and dangerous levels of CO2 emissions. 

Outdoor cooking is one great thing about the holidays; it brings friends together. However, outdoor cooking can pollute fresh air if you don’t use environmentally friendly methods. Instead of charcoal or wood grills, use an electric or propane grill. You can also use pellet grills that use compressed wood scrap and emit less carbon.

Eco-friendly activities will generate

some waste. Don’t just throw everything you no longer need into the trash. Look for opportunities to recycle them instead. You can use food waste as compost for your garden, and check out our recycling tips to maximize what actually does, in fact, get recycled.

Learn more about EvCC Sustainability!  www.everettcc.edu/green

Mariya Zelenskyy – Media and Outreach Coordinator  sustainability@everettcc.edu

Have you ever wondered about what happens to your recycling after it leaves the house? Each item put out for recycling only starts its journey once thrown in the bin. After it’s picked up curbside, it begins the laborious process of being turned into something else.

Recycling is the process of converting waste materials into new materials and objects. To do this, recycling often requires both machinery and employees to correctly sort recyclable items based on the material they’re made of. This includes paper, plastic, glass, metal, and more.

While the recycling process often differs by commodity and locality, there are essentially three main steps: collection, processing, and remanufacturing into a new product.

1. Collection: Recyclable materials are generated by a consumer or business and then collected by a private hauler or government entity.
    
2. Processing: The materials are transported by the collector to a processing facility, such as a materials recovery facility or paper processor. At the processing facility, the recyclables are sorted, cleaned of contaminants, and prepared for transport to a milling facility or directly to a manufacturing facility. Some commodities may require more processing for additional sorting and decontamination. For example, glass and plastic are often sent to glass beneficiation plants and plastics reclaimers, respectively, where they are processed into mill-ready forms.
    
3. Remanufacturing: After all necessary processing is completed, recyclables are made into new products at recycling plants or other facilities, such as paper mills or bottle manufacturing facilities.

E-waste is a separate category that requires its own set of rules. Electronic wastecan’t mix with typical recyclables because it not only contains plastic but also possesses toxins like mercury and lead. Therefore, e-waste must be properly disposed of. Otherwise, you risk harming the employees who handle it, as well as contaminating the environment.

To Learn more about recycling click here: https://www.seattle.gov/utilities/your-services/collection-and-disposal/recycling/recycle-right

https://www.epa.gov/circulareconomy/us-recycling-system#:~:text=Reduces%20the%20amount%20of%20waste,and%20process%20new%20raw%20materials.

Students for Enviromental Action (SEA) invites you to be an environmental hero! Bring clean styrofoam, packing peanuts in bags or boxes, bubble wrap and plastic film to be recycled–for FREE!  

May 31 from 10am-2pm  in parking lot F

Here is a list of items accepted:  https://docs.google.com/document/d/1d7sVx0BNARgqt_Tj0aOTvitlW7hiTihpoy4ecG_fMw4/edit?usp=sharing

More information about event :https://www.everettcc.edu/calendar/2023/05/styrofoam-recycling-event

Learn more about EvCC Sustainability!  www.everettcc.edu/green

Mariya Zelenskyy – Media and Outreach Coordinator  sustainability@everettcc.edu

The global cosmetics industry produces 120 billion units of packaging every year,including the cardboard that envelops perfumes, serums, and moisturizers that contributes to the loss of 18 million acres of forest each year.

And while it isn’t necessarily the easiest to recycle empty beauty and skincare packaging, it is very much necessary for a sustainable future. 

While shopping sustainable beauty is the ultimate goal, it’s still essential to recycle all empty beauty containers to avoid waste. In fact, 50% of people don’t even try to recycle their empty containers as it is deemed “inconvenient”. 

The so-called incommodity contributes to the 400 million tons of plastic waste generated per year.

But here’s the thing: Beauty product packaging is especially confusing and tricky to recycle (think: mirrored glass, cardboard sleeves, paper inserts, etc). 

First and foremost, you should always follow your local recycling laws to ensure that you are following the rules. You can also use resources like Recycle Coach,How2Recycle, and EARTH911 to check what recyclables are accepted.

Some eco-conscious brands also offer internal recycling programs within their own facilities.

TerraCycle, a private recycling business, actually works with Nordstrom for BEAUTYCYCLE, a free program that invites consumers to drop off their beauty and skincare product packaging (regardless of brand) at in-store collection points for recycling, including items that are typically unrecyclable. Other brands that have individual in-house recycling include Garnier, Burt’s Bees, eos, Herbal Essences, L’Occitane, Josie Maran, and Paula’s Choice, to name a few. These brands generally work with programs like TerraCycle to properly process waste.

Small products can actually halt the recycling process and therefore aren’t widely accepted at recycling plants. This means anything under 2 inches, think: all travel and portable beauty products. Additionally, products with dark packaging also cannot be recycled as they can’t be identified by MRF machines. Also unrecyclable: products that contain mirrors, magnets, makeup brushes, sheet masks and packets, and squeezable tubes.

The ideal goal is to use less packaging, hence producing less waste. Many brands like Brazilian NATURA, French Diptyque, and Los Angeles-based Bathing Culture offer refillable beauty products. This means that you will be reusing the packaging several times over its intended lifetime, thus keeping it away from the landfill. Over 90 percent of an average product’s environmental impact comes from extracting and refining the raw materials from which it is made.

Package-free haircare 

Shampoos and conditioners typically come in plastic bottles, which can be a nightmare for anyone looking to cut plastic waste out of their bathroom. 

Ditch the plastic and go naked with the solid shampoo bars and conditioners. Making haircare solid eliminates the need for plastic bottles, reducing the environmental impact enormously and saving tons of plastic from ever being produced or entering landfills. They’re easy to travel with because they are small and won’t spill in your bag, and they’re very easy to use.

Animal cruelty-free shampoo bars that last up to 80 washes. 

The zero-waste shop Package Free also has multiple options for package-free haircare. And if you’re not a fan of bar soaps for hair, the shop also carries refillable conditioners (packaged in aluminum) that are vegan and chemical free. Opt out of the pump and go for the cap for a fully plastic-free conditioner.

To Learn more about recycling click here: https://www.seattle.gov/utilities/your-services/collection-and-disposal/recycling/recycle-right

https://www.epa.gov/circulareconomy/us-recycling-system#:~:text=Reduces%20the%20amount%20of%20waste,and%20process%20new%20raw%20materials.

Students for Enviromental Action (SEA) invites you to be an environmental hero! Bring clean styrofoam, packing peanuts in bags or boxes, bubble wrap and plastic film to be recycled–for FREE!  

May 31 from 10am-2pm  in parking lot F

Here is a list of items accepted:  https://docs.google.com/document/d/1d7sVx0BNARgqt_Tj0aOTvitlW7hiTihpoy4ecG_fMw4/edit?usp=sharing

More information about event :https://www.everettcc.edu/calendar/2023/05/styrofoam-recycling-event

Learn more about EvCC Sustainability!  www.everettcc.edu/green

Mariya Zelenskyy – Media and Outreach Coordinator  sustainability@everettcc.edu

Flier for the course

If you love Adventure, hiking, nature, rivers, and the wilderness, this class is for you!

Theme & Course Description:

Land Use, Natural Resource Management, and Sustainability. On three REQUIRED field trips (each up to 8 hours) to multi-use parks and public lands, students learn how land is managed for multiple user groups (hikers, mountain bikers, off-road vehicle enthusiasts, boaters, fishermen, rock climbers, and equestrians, etc.). With DNR forest managers, students learn about natural resource management in Washington state.  Volunteering for the Lord Hill Regional Park & the US Forest Service, students experience the value of citizen service in caring for our wilderness and public lands. Students then visit an unmanaged recreation campsite and are at risk of being lost to public use. In the online portion of the class, students learn to research and write a research essay to solve two location problems. (Required field trip dates: July 11, 18, and 25. An additional fee is added to this class to cover the field trip costs.)

Email cseslar@everettcc.edu to get permission to enroll in this class.

ENGL& 102 – Summer 2023

Theme: Land Use, Natural Resource Management & Sustainability

Teacher: Cobi Seslar, M.Ed.

Field Trips on Tuesdays 

July 11, 18 & 25

(Please take other courses on

M & W, field trips are required!)

While the benefits of recycling are clear, growing and strengthening the U.S. recycling system to create more jobs and enhance environmental and community benefits will require multi-entity collaboration to address the challenges currently facing the system. Current challenges include:

Most Americans want to recycle, as they believe recycling provides an opportunity for them to be responsible caretakers of the Earth. However, it can be difficult for consumers to understand what materials can be recycled, how materials can be recycled, and where to recycle different materials. This confusion often leads to placing recyclables in the trash or throwing trash in the recycling bin or cart.
 

America’s recycling infrastructure has not kept pace with today’s waste stream. Communication between the manufacturers of new materials and products and the recycling industry needs to be enhanced to prepare for and optimally manage the recycling of new materials.
 

Domestic markets for recycled materials need to be strengthened. Historically, some of the recycled materials generated in the United States have been exported internationally. However, changing international policies have limited the export of materials. We need to better integrate recycled materials and end-of-life management into product and packaging designs. We need to improve communication among the different sectors of the recycling system to strengthen existing materials markets and to develop new innovative markets.
 

Entities across the recycling system agree that more consistent measurement methodologies are needed to measure recycling system performance. These more standardized metrics can then be used to create effective goals and track progress.

EPA’s National Recycling Strategy identifies actions needed to address the challenges in the U.S. recycling system. The actions are for entities across the value chain — including federal, state, tribal and local governments, private businesses, trade associations, and nonprofit organizations. In response to some of these challenges, EPA has developed several products to assist communities in improving their recycling programs.

To Learn more about recycling click here: https://www.seattle.gov/utilities/your-services/collection-and-disposal/recycling/recycle-right

https://www.epa.gov/circulareconomy/us-recycling-system#:~:text=Reduces%20the%20amount%20of%20waste,and%20process%20new%20raw%20materials.

Students for Enviromental Action (SEA) invites you to be an environmental hero! Bring clean styrofoam, packing peanuts in bags or boxes, bubble wrap and plastic film to be recycled–for FREE!  

May 31 from 10am-2pm  in parking lot F

Here is a list of items accepted:  https://docs.google.com/document/d/1d7sVx0BNARgqt_Tj0aOTvitlW7hiTihpoy4ecG_fMw4/edit?usp=sharing

More information about event :https://www.everettcc.edu/calendar/2023/05/styrofoam-recycling-event

Learn more about EvCC Sustainability!  www.everettcc.edu/green

Mariya Zelenskyy – Media and Outreach Coordinator  sustainability@everettcc.edu

Recycling is the process of collecting and processing materials that would otherwise be thrown away as trash and turning them into new products. 

Recycling can benefit your community and the environment.

Benefits of Recycling:

1.Reduces the amount of waste sent to landfills and incinerators

2.Conserves natural resources such as timber, water and minerals

Increases economic security by tapping a domestic source of materials

3.Prevents pollution by reducing the need to collect new raw materials

4.Saves Energy

When a recycled material, rather than a raw material, is used to make a new product, natural resources and energy are conserved. This is because recycled materials have already been refined and processed once; manufacturing the second time is much cleaner and less energy-intensive than the first. For example, manufacturing with recycled aluminum cans uses 95 percent less energy than creating the same amount of aluminum with bauxite.

The paper, glass, metals, plastic, and organic material Stanford recycled in 2016 saved a total of about 70,481 million BTUs of energy; enough energy to power nearly 613 homes for one year. Or said another way, conserved 12,131 barrels of oil or 567,3014 gallons of gasoline.

6.Supports American manufacturing and conserves valuable resources

7.Helps create jobs in the recycling and manufacturing industries in the United States.

Recycling is an important economic driver, as it helps create jobs and tax revenues. The Recycling Economic Information (REI) Report found that, in a single year, recycling and reuse activities in the United States accounted for 757,000 jobs, $36.6 billion in wages and $6.7 billion in tax revenues. This equates to 1.57 jobs, $76,000 in wages and $14,101 in tax revenues for every 1,000 tons of material recycled.

To Learn more about recycling click here: https://www.seattle.gov/utilities/your-services/collection-and-disposal/recycling/recycle-right

https://www.epa.gov/circulareconomy/us-recycling-system#:~:text=Reduces%20the%20amount%20of%20waste,and%20process%20new%20raw%20materials.

Students for Enviromental Action (SEA) invites you to be an environmental hero! Bring clean styrofoam, packing peanuts in bags or boxes, bubble wrap and plastic film to be recycled–for FREE!  

May 31 from 10am-2pm  in parking lot F

Here is a list of items accepted:  https://docs.google.com/document/d/1d7sVx0BNARgqt_Tj0aOTvitlW7hiTihpoy4ecG_fMw4/edit?usp=sharing

Learn more about EvCC Sustainability!  www.everettcc.edu/green

Mariya Zelenskyy – Media and Outreach Coordinator  sustainability@everettcc.edu

Sustainable gardening means adopting practices that preserve our natural resources so they can continue to give back to us.

Caring about yourself and nature means being less wasteful and saving money, too. Who could argue with this? If you are a gardener, here are just a few ideas:

Buy in bulk when you know that you’ll need a lot of topsoil, mulch, compost, or other materials. This cuts down on plastic bags. Many garden centers will even deliver right to your yard. Also check with your city recycling center or Department of Transportation—they might offer free compost, soil, sand, or other materials.

Reuse, recycle, or return old plastic pots and trays. See six ways to reuse pots and containers and how to repurpose common household items to use in the garden—and save money! 

Plant pots right into the ground! Here are 10 types of biodegradable pots.

Stop Pesticides and Chemicals in the Garden

Most of the beginner gardeners who we meet want to start growing without chemicals or pesticides—in a way that works and even saves money. Much of this is simply about focusing less on the plant and more on the health of the soil that supports the plant. If it’s nutrient-rich with organic matter, plants thrive. 

See how to use organic soil amendments to turn your poor garden soil into a nutrient-rich paradise in which plants will thrive.

You don’t need chemicals to get rid of pesky garden pests: Companion planting, natural remedies, and attracting predators to your garden can save you money and also save your plants. See how to control pests in the organic garden.

Some bugs are good for the garden! Here’s a list of some of the best beneficial insectsto have in your gardening space, with pictures and tips for attracting them.

It’s easy to use an organic plant fertilizer—made from just weeds and water. Does it sound strange to make plant fertilizer by using other plants? This is how nature works! Here’s a simple recipe for DIY organic fertilizer—without using chemicals or animal waste—right from your garden!

Gardening and farming methods such as not tilling the soil, growing cover crops during the off-season, and rotating crops (and grazing) help to retain organic materials in the soil.

Here are tips on organic seed-starting and our Beginner’s Guide to Vegetable Gardening to get you started.

Conserve Water!

We waste a lot of water. Avoid overwatering your plants and improve their health by knowing how much your garden really needs. Avoid watering your garden vegetables and plants from overhead, which invites fungal disease. Water at the soil level.  

See our top tips for watering wisely in the garden or our video demonstrating 10 smart watering tips. For gardens, flower beds, trees, and other non-lawn areas, consider installing a drip irrigation system or hose with irrigation holes that puts the water right into the soil, where you want it. If you must use sprinklers, put them on timers.

Harvest your rainwater from a roof, gutters, and sky with a rain barrel. If you have a low-lying area, consider planting a rain garden, which captures runoff, filters out pollutants, and provides food and shelter for butterflies, songbirds, and other wildlife. See plot plans for “sun” and “shade” rain gardens.

Learn more about EvCC Sustainability www.everettcc.edu/green or email to sustainability@everettcc.edu

Earth Day is a great opportunity to get outside and connect with nature. Whether you are planting trees, cleaning up litter, or going for a hike, spending time in nature can be a great way to relax and recharge. Numerous communities engage in Earth Day Week actions, an entire week of activities focused on the environmental issues that the world faces. Earth Day 2023 theme ‘Invest in Our Planet’ will bring over 100 million people around the world together in perhaps like the observed 50th anniversary in what is being referred to as the largest online mass mobilization in history.

Below are some ideas How to Celebrate Earth Day: 

Planting Trees

Planting trees is a popular way to celebrate Earth Day. Trees absorb carbon dioxide, provide habitat for wildlife, and help combat climate change. Planting trees is also a fun way to get outside and connect with nature.

Cleaning Up Litter

Cleaning up litter is another way to celebrate Earth Day. Picking up trash in your community can help prevent it from entering our oceans and waterways, where it can harm wildlife and ecosystems.

Reducing Waste

Reducing waste is an important way to protect the planet. Earth Day is a good time to start reducing your waste by using reusable bags, water bottles, and containers. You can also start composting to reduce the amount of food waste that goes into landfills.

Learn more about EvCC Sustainability www.everettcc.edu/green or email to sustainability@everettcc.edu

International Plant Appreciation Day, celebrated annually on April 13th, is a day dedicated to recognizing the incredible diversity, beauty, and importance of plants. As the building blocks of life on our planet, plants provide us with oxygen, nutrients, and a variety of essential resources. They not only sustain our ecosystems but also bring joy and inspiration to our lives with their captivating colors and forms.

On this day, plant lovers, environmentalists, and garden enthusiasts unite to raise awareness about the crucial role plants play in our lives and the need for their conservation. It is a day to reflect on our connection with nature, foster a deeper appreciation for the world’s flora, and take action to protect our planet’s green gems. 

International Plant Appreciation Day holds immense significance in today’s world, as it brings attention to the vital role plants play in our ecosystem. Plants provide the oxygen we breathe, purify the air, and serve as a habitat for countless species. They also hold cultural, medicinal, and aesthetic value, enriching our lives in numerous ways.

People across the globe celebrate this day in various ways. Some plant trees or flowers, while others visit botanical gardens or nature reserves to appreciate the beauty and diversity of plants. Educators often use this day as an opportunity to teach students about the importance of plants and their role in the environment, while environmental organizations host workshops and seminars to promote conservation and sustainable practices.

This day serves as a powerful reminder of the interconnectedness of life on Earth.

Learn more about EvCC Sustainability www.everettcc.edu/green or email to sustainability@everettcc.edu

Everett Station District Alliance will hold a volunteer spring cleanup of Smith Avenue on Saturday, April 15, 9-11 a.m

To learn more and Sign-up for the ESDA Community Spring Cleanup click here: https://www.everettstationdistrict.com/calendar

Earth Day is an annual event celebrated on April 22nd worldwide.

The Earth Day Theme 2023 is ‘Invest in Our Planet’

This year’s Earth Day theme is designed to persuade businesses, governments, and citizens around the world of the need to invest in our planet to improve our environment and give our descendants a better and safer future.

Our planet is an amazing place, but it needs our help to thrive. That’s why, this year on April 22, with the theme ‘Invest in Our Planet’, more than a billion people celebrate Earth Day to protect the planet from things like pollution and deforestation. By taking part in activities like picking up litter and planting trees, we’re making the world a happier, healthier place to live. 

Earth Day was first celebrated in 1970 in the United States, inspired by the devastating oil spill in Santa Barbara, California, in 1969. That year, at a UNESCO conference in San Francisco, peace activist John McConnell proposed a day to honor the Earth and the concept of peace, to first be observed on March 21, 1970 – the first day of spring in the northern hemisphere.  A month later, United States Senator Gaylord Nelson proposed the idea to hold a nationwide environmental teach-in on April 22, 1970.  He hired a young activist, Denis Hayes, to be the National Coordinator. Nelson and Hayed renamed the event ‘Earth Day’. Denis and his staff grew the event beyond the original idea for a teach-in to include the entire United States. More than 20 million people poured out on the streets, and the first Earth Day remains the largest single-day protest in human history. It also helped spur the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency and the passage of important environmental legislation.

In the decades since its inception, Earth Day has become a truly global event, celebrated in more than 190 countries around the world. It is a day for people of all backgrounds to come together and take action to protect the planet. Earth Day events take many different forms, from educational programs and community clean-up projects to political activism and public demonstrations. One of the key reasons for Earth Day’s global success is its ability to unite people across borders and cultures for a common cause. Environmental issues affect everyone, regardless of where they live or what their background is. By working together on Earth Day and throughout the year, people around the world can help create a sustainable future for our planet and all its inhabitants, including the beautiful plants and flowers that we love.

Learn more about The Earth day click here: https://www.earthday.org

Learn more about EvCC Sustainability www.everettcc.edu/green or email to sustainability@everettcc.edu