Green Living
Manchester Area Recycling Opportunities
Why should I recycle???
Recycling saves trees, metal ores, petroleum (used to make plastic), landfill space and energy, reduces waste, conserves water and adds jobs.
What can I recycle???
Aluminum, glass, tin, plastic, paper (please have a look at each township’s website for specific information).
And don’t forget you can recycle organic waste (compost), too – more about that at the end of this section.
Where can I recycle???
Bridgewater Township:
The Western Washtenaw Recycling Authority (WWRA) operates a drop-off recycling station next to the Bridgewater Depot, at the corner of Austin and Boettner Roads.
Bridgewater Township information:
http://www.ewashtenaw.org/government/departments/planning_environment/dpw/bridgewa.html
Freedom Township:
Modern Waste operates a drop-off recycling station next to the Freedom Township Hall at 11508 Pleasant Lake Road (at the intersection of Lima Center Road).
Freedom Township information:
http://www.ewashtenaw.org/government/departments/planning_environment/dpw/freedomt.html
Manchester Township:
WWRA operates a drop-off station located at Manchester Market, 455 West Main Street.
Manchester Township information:
http://www.ewashtenaw.org/government/departments/planning_environment/dpw/manchester/html#recycling
Village of Manchester:
WWRA provides curbside collection in the Village. Call WWRA at 734-475-6160, or check http://www.wwrarecycles.org/ for information on collection days or if you need recycling bins.
WWRA recycling drop-off location: Manchester Market, 455 West Main Street.
Village of Manchester information:
http://vil-manchester.org/services/recycling.html
Sharon Township:
Modern Waste operates a drop-off recycling station next to GE Wacker Service Station at the corner of M-52 and Pleasant Lake Roads.
Sharon Township information:
http://www.ewashtenaw.org/government/departments/planning_environment/dpw/sharontw.html
Other recycling locations in Washtenaw County:
Western Washtenaw Recycling Authority:
8025 Werkner Road
Chelsea, MI 48118
734-475-6160
Washtenaw County Regional Drop-off Station is operated by Recycle Ann Arbor and is open to all county residents:
2950 East Ellsworth
Ann Arbor, MI 48108
(734) 971-7400
Hours: Monday-Saturday 9 a.m.-5 p.m
http://www.recycleannarbor.org/dos/dos.htm
Other items to recycle:
Packing Peanuts: Sunblossom Solar Gifts will recycle your packing peanuts. They will also take cardboard boxes. You can be drop them off at the store which is located at 131 Adrian St. in Manchester between 8:30-3:30 Monday – Thursday, and other times by appointment. Call 734-428-0703.
Electronics Recycling at the Washtenaw County Regional Drop-off Station (address above). Customers may now recycle desktop and notebook computers, printers, copiers, fax machines, VCRs, stereos, and microwave ovens at NO CHARGE.
Pharmaceutical Take-Back Program at select pharmacies throughout Washtenaw County:
Bailes Pharmacy
100 Ecorse Road
Ypsilanti, MI 48198
(734) 482-1034
Dexter Pharmacy
8059 Main Street
Dexter, MI 48130
(734) 426-4641
Dexter Pharmacy 2
7039 Dexter-Ann Arbor Road
Dexter, MI 48130
(734) 426-1600
Pharmacy Solutions, Inc.
5204 Jackson Road Suite C
Ann Arbor, MI 48103
(734) 821-8000
St. Joseph Mercy Pharmacy – Ann Arbor
5333 McAuley Drive
Ypsilanti, MI 48197
(734) 712-2222
St. Joseph Mercy Pharmacy – Saline
710 W. Russell Street
Saline, MI 48176
(734) 429-1666
ChelseaCare Pharmacy/St. Joseph Mercy – Chelsea
775 S. Main Street
Chelsea, MI 48118
(734) 475-3996
Village Pharmacy II
325 N. Maple Road
Ann Arbor, MI 48103
(734) 668-9600
Fluorescent Bulb Recycling:
A number of places in Washtenaw County accept fluorescent bulbs for recycling:
Washtenaw County Regional Drop-off Station
2950 East Ellsworth
Ann Arbor, MI 48108
(734) 971-7400
Visit http://www.recycleannarbor.org/dos/dos.htm or call for prices.
Home Depot
3300 Carpenter Road
Ypsilanti, MI 48197
(734) 975-1029
Free recycling of compact fluorescents! (Will not take long tubes.)
Washtenaw County Home Toxics Reduction Center
705 N. Zeeb Road
Ann Arbor, MI 48104
(734) 222-3950
Offers a permanent drop-off site where residents can safely dispose of a wide variety of home toxics. The Center is open every Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to Noon (excluding holidays) from April through November, and by appointment all other times. Call (734) 222-3950 for an appointment. No charge although donations are accepted.
Check out the Turning Trash Into Treasure Guide at http://recycle.ewashtenaw.org for creative tips on how to reduce your waste, as well as a list of local agencies that will reuse or recycle your household items.
Home Toxics:
Washtenaw County’s Home Toxics Reduction Center offers a permanent drop-off site where residents can safely dispose of a wide variety of home toxics. It is located at the Western County Service Center, at 705 N Zeeb Road in Scio Township. The Center is open every Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to Noon (excluding holidays) from May through November, and by appointment from December through April. Call (734) 222-3950 for an appointment. All services are provided free of charge; however, donations are accepted. Check their Web site http://www.ewashtenaw.org/government/departments/planning_environment/dpw/hhw_html to get directions and see a list of what they take.
Compost:
In nature, every living thing eventually gets composted, breaking down into dirt and nourishing the new things that will grow in the place of the old ones. By setting up a compost pile you can participate in this natural process in your backyard. When composted, your yard clippings and kitchen scraps will become a healthy and rich and free natural fertilizer.
Please check out this site for local composting ideas:
http://www.ewashtenaw.org//government/departments/planning_environment/dpw/comp.html#Bins
Environmental programs:
The Waste Knot Program aims to develop relationships within the Washtenaw County business community to increase waste reduction and recycling activities. Visit http://www.ewashtenaw.org/government/departments/planning_environment/dpw/wk_html for information and an application.
Planet care tip:
Planet care tip:
Speak up! Report suspicious environmental activity, and also be conscious of how your own behavior affects the environment. County residents can be ‘eyes and ears’ for our community!
Call the Environmental Reporting Line at (734) 222-3880 if you observe:
Smells from septic systems
Suspicious discharges in drains and catch basins
Spills of petroleum, carpet cleaning waste, pesticides, fertilizers, detergents and paints (call 911 first)
‘Floatables’ or evidence of sanitary sewage
Person to meet:
Claire Hope Cummings is an environmental lawyer, journalist, and author. Claire’s stories focus on the environmental and political implications of how we eat and how food and farming reconnects us to each other and the places where we live.
Claire brings three decades of broad experience in agriculture to her work. She has farmed in California and in Vietnam, where she had an organic farm on the Mekong Delta. For four years she was an attorney for the United States Department of Agriculture’s Office of General Counsel.
Read more: http://www.yesmagazine.org/issues/food-for-everyone/the-good-food-revolution.
Know your plastics:
Plastic items are marked with a resin identification coding system (the number surrounded by arrows), which stand for:
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polyethyelene terephthalate (PETE)
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high-density polyethylene (HDPE)
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vinyl, polyvinyl chloride (PVC)
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low-density polyethylene (LDPE)
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polypropylene (PP)
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polystyrene (PS)
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other (includes polycarbonate, acrylic, polylactic acid, fiberglass)
When you need to use plastic, these are the safer choices to use with food: 1, 2, 4 and 5.
Learn to recognize, and then avoid, polycarbonate (number 7) for food usage. Polycarbonate plastics are hard and clear. Common items made from this BPA-containing plastic are food storage containers, baby bottles, water bottles, bowls and tableware. (And the lining inside food and drink cans, by the way.)
If you don’t get rid of all of your plastic, at least retire old plastic containers, especially those that are heavily worn or scratched. Older plastics tend to leach increasing amounts of toxins as they age. Use them to organize and store non-food items.
Be careful of serving and storing hot foods or foods made with fats or oils in plastic containers. These foods more readily facilitate the transfer of plastic toxins. Never microwave foods in plastic containers. “Microwave safe” means the container won’t melt or warp, but doesn’t mean it won’t leach. Heating plastics increases the potential for leaching of chemicals into your food.
Never microwave food in yogurt tubs, take-out bowls, or other one-time use containers. These containers can warp or melt, possibly causing harmful chemicals to migrate into the food.
Avoid using plastic sandwich bags or plastic wrap products.
If you must use plastic wrap, make sure it is a brand free of both BPA and PVC. Ziploc, Glad and Saran are promoted as being free of BPA and PVC–but remember that these plastics live for 1,000 years – in our landfills.
Avoid deli-wrap and similar generic packaging since you can’t ascertain the plastic type used. When sliced cheese and meats are sold in plastic bags and/or plastic deli wrap, transfer them as soon as possible to unbleached wax paper or a safe container.
Remember that if you are pregnant or nursing, BPA chemicals are passed through your bloodstream directly to your baby.
Instead of mixing petroleum (i.e. plastic) with your food, use inert alternatives such as glass and ceramic rather than plastic food storage containers. Reusing jars is a win-win; and you can often find glass storage containers at flea markets and thrift shops. Or simply store food in bowls covered with a plate.
Reference: http://www.care2.com/greenliving/kitchen-plastic-easy-greening.html
Frugal living tips:
Reuse the wax bags from cereal boxes. Use them to package items for a lunchbox or to cover something up when you put it in the fridge.
Save and reuse small paper and plastic bags to wrap used feminine products in before putting them in the wastebasket!
Reuse organizations:
Huron Valley ReStore,
Habitat for Humanity of Huron Valley
170 Aprill Drive, Suite A
Ann Arbor, MI 48103
(734) 822-1530
Jackson ReStore
Greater Jackson Habitat for Humanity
430 E Addison
Jackson, MI 49203
(517) 914-5540
Lenawee County ReStore
Habitat for Humanity of Lenawee County
2811 Treat Highway
Adrian, MI 49221
(517) 266-0746
Habitat ReStores are retail outlets where quality, used and surplus building materials are sold at a fraction of normal prices. Proceeds from ReStores help fund the construction of Habitat houses within the community. Materials sold by Habitat ReStores are usually donated from building supply stores, contractors, demolition crews or from individuals who wish to show their support for Habitat. In addition to raising funds, ReStores help the environment by rechanneling good, usable materials into use.
The ReUse Center
2420 South Industrial Highway
Ann Arbor, MI 48104
(734) 222-7880
http://www.recycleannarbor.org/reuse/reuse.htm
The ReUse Center accepts donations of reusable household goods, office supplies, and building materials that it resells to the general public at very affordable prices.
The Scrap Box
581 State Circle
Ann Arbor, MI 48108
(734) 994-4420
http://www.scrapbox.org/
The Scrap Box is a nonprofit, tax-exempt community organization providing a central resource center for industrial discards. These are available for purchase in bulk by the bagful at minimal cost to teachers, parents, children, day-care providers, scout troops, other community organizations, and individuals. Hundreds of businesses generously donate a wide variety of materials, resulting in a constantly changing inventory of “good junk.”
The store is open to the public. Groups can arrange a workshop, a shopping trip, or a birthday party in the store, often when the Scrap Box is closed to the public. They are suitable for pre-school to high school students and adults as well.
Food safety:
You are eating genetically engineered food. Is it good for you?
Do you have a choice? (From: http://www.safe-food.org/)
Genetic engineering is the largest food experiment in the history of the world. We are all the guinea pigs.
There are about 40 varieties of genetically engineered crop approved for marketing in the U.S. As a result, 60-70% of the foods on your grocery shelves contain genetically engineered (GE) components.
Genetically engineered foods contain substances that have never been a part of the human food supply. They are not subjected to rigorous pre-market safety testing. And THEY ARE NOT LABELED.
Is genetic engineering safe for you and your family? Safe for the environment? Safe for the future of mankind? No long-term studies have been done. No one can answer these questions.
Also visit these websites to learn more:
http://www.centerforfoodsafety.org/
http://www.organicconsumers.org/
Environmental Articles
Article #1: Phantom Loads
Whoa! Halloween is over, but we still have to worry about phantom loads and vampire power! These are two names for standby power, or the constant power use of most modern household electronic equipment. Appliances use energy even when they appear “off” just so they can be ready for action. For example, your television consumes between 5 and 15 watts of electricity as it sits idle and waits for you to hit the “on” button on your remote. Other examples are: CD and DVD players, microwaves, computers, printers and anything with a red “standby” light, and any appliance or charging device that has a cube shaped transformer on the end of its cord. All these devices have hidden energy costs – they account for almost 11% of all residential electricity consumption. Phantom loads are a huge problem; especially as energy costs rise and our fossil fuel reserves are depleted.
The average U.S. home has more than 25 individual phantom load culprits.
What can we do about this? Simply unplug devices not in use or invest in a power strip equipped with a power switch. Just plug in multiple electrical devices into the power strip, and with one flick of a switch you can prevent all devices from getting any power.
Picture a home entertainment center with TV, VCR, DVD, stereo, cable or satellite tuner box and games all plugged into a power strip. If the equipment is actually being used only four hours a day, and you turn everything off with a single switched power strip the rest of the time, you can eliminate a phantom load of 50 watts or more for 20 hours a day.
How can you and your family reduce phantom loads in your home?
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Start by taking a walk through your home with all the lights out, paying attention to digital displays and glowing red and green indicator lights. Those are the “phantoms” increasing your energy consumption.
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Unplug devices when they aren’t being used, such as your microwave oven.
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When devices such as your weed whacker or beard trimmer are fully charged, unplug the charger.
Article #2: Precycling
The Problem
The way we shop is a major factor in our environmental problems. Food, clothing, toys, games, appliances – all of these things have an environmental past, present and future. Natural resources are used, energy is used, and pollutants are generated, at every stage in the production and disposal of any product.
What is Precycling?
Precycling is preventing waste before it happens. By reducing, reusing and buying consciously, we can minimize the amount of waste we create, conserve resources, and save money. Precycling is thinking about the products we buy and the packaging they come in, as well as where they will go when we are done with them.
Take Action!
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Reuse means buying items packaged in containers we can reuse instead of throwing away. For example, buy refillable pens vs. throwaway pens. Buy items that will last for a long time and repair broken items. Carry your own water bottle instead of buying disposable bottles of water. Buy used items when possible – it keeps stuff out of landfills and it feels good to give something a new life!
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Recycle means if we have to buy a container or package we can’t reuse, we buy containers that can be recycled instead of thrown away. This reuses natural resources and saves energy instead of filling up landfills. Avoid excess packaging. Buy your own cheese and crackers and pack them in reusable containers for lunch instead of prepackaged cheese and crackers. Buy items in cardboard, aluminum, steel, glass, and plastic containers marked 1 and 2. These containers can be recycled more easily.
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Reject means to consider do I really need this item? Can I buy it with less packaging? Refuse to buy it if you don’t need it or it wastes resources. Simply think before you buy. Am I just shopping because I am tired or lonely or sad? Is this a need or a want? Could it wait? Can I be content with what I already have at home?
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Respond means to write or call companies that put out products creating more trash than they need to produce. Many companies have reduced their packaging due to consumers calling or writing to the companies. Consumers can make a difference!
Article #3: Take A Deep Breath … Then Thank A Tree
Planting carefully-chosen trees makes sense to combat climate change. Trees clean the air, store carbon, increase wildlife habitat, provide shade, and prevent flooding. Now is the time to start thinking about planting trees this Spring!
How can you help improve our community, with lasting results?
Organize a neighborhood tree planting! For every 4 urban trees removed, only 1 is being replanted. Learn how to choose, plant, and maintain trees.
For information about how to get a tree planting project started, contact:
Be a Michigan Big Tree Hunter!
http://www.globalreleaf.org/treehunt.htm#about
Another local source for purchasing trees:
http://washtenawcd.org/ps/treeplantsale.php
Article #4: Help Our Beautiful Natural Areas – Don’t Harm Them!
To some folks, racing across the land on off-road vehicles seems like a fun pastime. They may think this is a good way to enjoy nature.
Unfortunately, off-road driving causes serious damage to the environment. A single pass with a four-wheel vehicle can cause significant soil compaction and seriously reduce the density of various plant species. Driving these vehicles in natural areas can endanger small animals that live there and damage vegetation.
Besides being dangerous to the land, off-road vehicles, such as snowmobiles, dune buggies, four wheelers and dirt bikes all produce high air pollution emissions because they have poor pollution controls.
Anyone who drives off-road for pleasure over a sensitive natural area shows a willful disregard for natural ecosystems.
Fortunately, we can use our time and talents to help our local natural areas instead. We can spend some time out of doors to enhance – not harm – the gorgeous natural areas we are fortunate to have in the Manchester area! Below are websites that list volunteer opportunities in our area:
http://www.1-800-volunteer.org/ Select ‘Environment’ for your keyword, enter your zip code and fill in your requirement for distance.
http://www.stewardshipnetworkonline.org/ Click on ‘Find an Event’ and then fill in your interests in the search form to view available events.
http://www.volunteermatch.org/ Enter your ZIP code, city or state and keywords describing the opportunity you’re looking for.
Or, on a more casual basis, why not get together with your group, non-profit, or school team and arrange a day to pick up roadside litter or take down dangerous barbed-wire fencing? What other ideas can you come up with?
