Batteries are weighing down our landfills – with heavy metals that is

It’s post Christmas and the first wave of after-holiday trash has made its way to the landfills. Old toys, last year’s cell phone, video games, cameras, laptops–and of course, when its out with the old, the batteries goes too.

Even if you’re using rechargeable batteries –(and you’re in the minority if you do according to the CBC’s Marketplace’s show “Batteries Not Included”)

Manufacturer labels may say that it is safe to throw out lithium and alkaline batteries – but According to Adria Vasil’s book Ecoholic [when you’re addicted to the planet], 50% to 70% of heavy metals found in landfills come from our everyday batteries. 

Here in Vancouver, you can bring your dead batteries to your municipal recycling depot.  The store that you purchased your batteries from should also have a recycling program – but you may have to search to find the box they keep the recycled batteries in. Nevertheless, it never hurts to seek and find those depots. Recycling means one less burden the landfills have to hold.

Happy Holidays from AusPen

We just wanted to take a quick moment away from shoveling snow and wish all of you a very Happy Holidays. We wish you and your families all the best through the holiday season and although it can be difficult this time of year, to remember to think “green” while doing all this giving, receiving, eating, celebrating, etc.

Happy Holidays!

Green Holiday Ideas

Tis the Season….we’ve been going to a few holiday parties now that December is here and still have a few more on the schedule over the next couple of weeks, as I’m sure many of you can relate to. One of the cool things we’re seeing is the “green” shift showing up at these get-togethers.

“Zero-waste” parties aren’t easy to pull off, but we attended an event over the weekend that made an attempt to achieve just that. Some of the things they did at their eco-holiday gathering were:

 - e-invitations
 - No paper napkins (cloth only)
 - Compostable decor and table settings
 - Organic wine was served
 - Carbon offsets as small gift certificates at the end of the night
 - The sent out an email asking as many people to carpool as could and worked to coordinate the carpooling
 - They even turned down the heat throughout the party as people arrived (more people, more natural heat produced, less need for the heater to be working overtime)

If you can’t hit “zero-waste”, the goal of being as eco-friendly as possible is a great start.

Enjoy the rest of the festive season.