BEING PART OF THE SOLUTION AT BOCES

1. BOCES REDUCE, REUSE & RECYCLE BEING PART OF THE SOLUTION AT BOCES

2. PAPER PAPER • REDUCE:Save documents and emails to the network. Print only when necessary. In Page Set Up, • reduce the margin size from 1.5 to .5. () () • REUSE:When printing, use the Two Sided Printing option which is found under Properties in the Print • box. ()When printing drafts, use the back side of a used piece of paper. Reuse file folders. • RECYCLE:We recycle all office paper, newspaper, magazines and paperboard. • HOW:Put a box in your classroom or under your desk to collect paper during the day. At the • end of the day, empty your box into the central blue paper recycle bin. The building • custodian will not empty your personal box. • WE DON’T RECYCLE: Envelopes lined with bubble wrap or styrofoam • and paperboard with waxy coating. • By recycling 1 ton of paper you save: • 17 trees • 6,953 gallons of water • 463 gallons of oil • 587 pounds of air pollution • 3.06 cubic yards of landfill space • 4,077 kilowatt hours of energy • The US is the top consumers of paper and paperboard, at a rate of 850 pounds • per person. Most other developed countries average in the 600’s. BEING PART OF THE SOLUTION AT BOCES

3. Look how much more you can fit on a page when you expand the margins! 1.5 .5

4. PAPER PAPER • REDUCE:Save documents and emails to the network. Print only when necessary. In Page Set Up, • reduce the margin size from 1.5 to .5. () () • REUSE:When printing, use the Two Sided Printing option which is found under Properties in the Print • box. ()When printing drafts, use the back side of a used piece of paper. Reuse file folders. • RECYCLE:We recycle all office paper, newspaper, magazines and paperboard. • HOW:Put a box in your classroom or under your desk to collect paper during the day. At the • end of the day, empty your box into the central blue paper recycle bin. The building • custodian will not empty your personal box. • WE DON’T RECYCLE: Envelopes lined with bubble wrap or styrofoam • and paperboard with waxy coating. • By recycling 1 ton of paper you save: • 17 trees • 6,953 gallons of water • 463 gallons of oil • 587 pounds of air pollution • 3.06 cubic yards of landfill space • 4,077 kilowatt hours of energy • The US is the top consumers of paper and paperboard, at a rate of 850 pounds • per person. Most other developed countries average in the 600’s. BEING PART OF THE SOLUTION AT BOCES

5. CARDBOARD REDUCE & REUSE:Reuse boxes whenever possible. RECYCLE:All corrugated cardboard can be recycled. HOW:Flatten box and place outside your office/classroom. Your building custodian will take the cardboard and place it in the cardboard recycle dumpster. BEING PART OF THE SOLUTION AT BOCES

6. CONTAINERS Plastic Bottles REDUCE & REUSE:Fill up a large, reusable bottle at home and bring it to work. If you are concerned about mold, each night fill the reusable bottle with very hot water and add 1 TBSP of white vinegar. Let it sit for 15 minutes; then empty and rinse. RECYCLE:Plastic containers such as water bottles and food containers coded 1 or 2 on the bottom. HOW:Look for the code on the bottom of the plastic container. All water bottles and most beverage containers are coded 1 or 2. Rinse container and discard plastic cap. Place empty container/ bottle in the gray comingle receptacle with the green lid that is located in your building. Labels need not be removed. WE DON’T RECYCLE:Plastic containers coded 3 - 7 on the bottom and all bottle covers and caps. Only about 12% of water bottles get recycled! That means that 88% end up in our landfills! IS BOTTLED WATER BETTER THAN TAP WATER? No! While tap water is highly monitored and regulated, bottled water is not. Some bottled water comes from tap water, so it could be safe, but not always! BEING PART OF THE SOLUTION AT BOCES

7. WHAT HAPPENS BEYOND THE RECYCLE BIN? Liquid soap bottles, strapping, fiberfill for winter coats, surfboards, paint brushes, fuzz on tennis balls, egg cartons, skis, carpets, and boats. Soft drink bottle bases, flower pots, drain pipes, signs, stadium seats, trash cans, recycling bins, traffic barrier cones, golf bags liners, detergent bottles, and toys. THE FINAL STEPS Once the bin is full the blue bag containing the co-mingles will be removed. The bag will be put into the garbage truck together with the black garbage bags. At the transfer station the blue recycle bags will be separated from the black garbage bags and sent to a recycle center. There, the plastic is separated by type, melted down into pellets and sold to be made into new items such as: BEING PART OF THE SOLUTION AT BOCES

8. CONTAINERS Food Containers REDUCE & REUSE:Buy food in bulk and bring to work in small, reusable containers. RECYCLE:Plastic containers coded 1 or 2 on the bottom and all glass and metal containers. HOW:Look for the #1 or 2 code on the bottom of the plastic container. Rinse container and discard plastic caps. Place contain in the gray comingle receptacle with the green lid that is located in the designated area in your building. Labels need not be removed. WE DON’T RECYCLE:Plastic containers coded 3 - 7 on the bottom and covers and caps. REDUCE & REUSE:Bring a reusable mug from home that you can rinse out at the end of each day. Instead of using 2 cups to protect your hands from the heat, use a reusable sleeve. RECYCLE:Styrofoam & paper cups are not recyclable. Coffee Cups BEING PART OF THE SOLUTION AT BOCES

9. E-WASTE Unlike paper, plastic, metal and glass, these items currently require special handling. Some items, like cell phones and certain electronic components, contain materials that render them hazardous. REDUCE: Save documents to the network. If you must transport them, use a memory stick. RECYCLE: IT is currently collecting discarded CDs.   HOW: Establish a central collection site in your building. At the end of each month, put what you have collected into a manila envelope, address it to IT CD Recycle in Building A. If you are concerned about security, IT has a machine that will render the CD unreadable. Send that CD to Carlos Maldonado with a note stating: high security CD for recycling. REDUCE:Save documents to the network. If you must transport them, use a memory stick. WE DON’T RECYCLE:We currently do not recycle computer diskettes. REDUCE: 1. Don’t get a new cell phone every year. 2. The battery will last longer if you let it drain completely before recharging. RECYCLE: Cell phones can be recycled two ways: turned in to an agency that will reconfigure them and give them to individuals or taken apart so the valuable components can be captured. HOW: Return it to the company from which you purchased it or go to: http://www.shelteralliance.net/. CDs Computer Diskettes Cell Phones BEING PART OF THE SOLUTION AT BOCES

10. E-WASTE Copy & Fax Cartridges REDUCE: Print only what you have to. Save the rest to your network files. RECYCLE: Two items can be recycled, the Laser Jet Print Cartridges and the #2 plastic toner bottles. HOW: The Laser Jet Print Cartridges are sent back to the company for recycling. When you replace a cartridge, remove the new one from its bag and place the used one in the bag. Seal up the box and ship it back to the company. () Most of the toner bottles are #2 plastic. They can be placed in the comingle recycle bins. RECYCLE: Used HP black and color cartridges. HOW: Printer cartridges are sent back to the manufacturer. Save the box the cartridge came in and use it to ship the cartridge back to the manufacturer for recycling. Printer Cartridges Computers RECYCLE:Computer monitors, computer towers, accessories. HOW:Currently BOCES brings the monitors to the Yorktown Police Station where they are collected by a company that takes them apart to remove any material of value. The computer towers are brought to the transfer station where another company collects them to remove any material of value. BEING PART OF THE SOLUTION AT BOCES

11. This label comes in the box and should be used to ship the used cartridge back to the company for recycling.

12. E-WASTE Copy & Fax Cartridges REDUCE: Print only what you have to. Save the rest to your network files. RECYCLE: Two items can be recycled, the Laser Jet Print Cartridges and the #2 plastic toner bottles. HOW: The Laser Jet Print Cartridges are sent back to the company for recycling. When you replace a cartridge, remove the new one from its bag and place the used one in the bag. Seal up the box and ship it back to the company. () Most of the toner bottles are #2 plastic. They can be placed in the comingle recycle bins. RECYCLE: Used HP black and color cartridges. HOW: Printer cartridges are sent back to the manufacturer. Save the box the cartridge came in and use it to ship the cartridge back to the manufacturer for recycling. Computers Printer Cartridges RECYCLE:Computer monitors, computer towers, accessories. HOW:Currently BOCES brings the monitors to the Yorktown Police Station where they are collected by a company that takes them apart to remove any material of value. The computer towers are brought to the transfer station where another company collects them to remove any material of value. BEING PART OF THE SOLUTION AT BOCES

13. ENERGY USE When you leave a room, even for a short time, turn out the light. It is a myth that you use more energy to turn lights on and off. If you see an empty room with the lights on, stop in and turn them off! At the end of the day, turn off both your computer and the screen, as well as all other electrical equipment. Even in sleep mode, these items continue to use electricity. On the weekends, turn off all printers and copiers. Even in sleep mode, these items continue to use electricity. Unplug your cell phone & blackberry chargers when they are not being used as they continue to draw electricity. BEING PART OF THE SOLUTION AT BOCES

14. ENERGY USE Computer screens use such little energy, it doesn’t matter if you leave it on all the time. It takes more electricity to turn your computer on, so it is better to leave it on all day. FALSE, Turn off your computer when not in use for more than two hours. Computer with 17” LCD monitor 6 HOURS DAY x 5 DAYS A WEEK $3.10/MONTH $37.20/YEAR 24 HOURS DAY x 5 DAYS A WEEK $12.30/MONTH $147.60/YEAR $228.00/YEAR 24 HOURS DAY x 7 DAYS A WEEK $19.00/MONTH How many computers in our agency are left on 24 hours a day? FALSE! Turn off your computer monitor when not in use for more than 20 minutes. BEING PART OF THE SOLUTION AT BOCES

16. This program was developed by the BOCES Center for Environmental Education. BEING PART OF THE SOLUTION AT BOCES