What's New for December 2007:

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WasteCap News

WasteCap Welcomes New Members

WasteCap Nebraska would like to welcome new members, LifeSpan Technology Recycling, Lincoln Tent and OPPD.

LifeSpan Technology Recycling

LifeSpan Technology Recycling is a national computer recycling and data destruction company providing turnkey management of unwanted or end-of-life IT, voice, and data networking equipment. Rather than using scarce IT resources to manage the disposal process - companies choose LifeSpan to facilitate the logistics, recycling, and resale of equipment while minimizing the environmental and data security risks.

Key benefits of utilizing LifeSpan include:

Lincoln Tent

Lincoln Tent was started in 1905 and was purchased by the Miller family in 1971. They design and manufacture tents in their local shop, which allows them to customize any item upon request.  Lincoln Tent travels throughout the United States and all over the state of Nebraska with tents that cover a football field to those for small graduation parties.  On its third generation, Lincoln Tent is continuously growing and adapting to the changing world and is excited for all their new endeavors, which includes going “green.”

OPPD

OPPD has earned a growing reputation for protecting and improving the quality of the environment. OPPD operates a number of projects as part of its ongoing efforts to partner with the community in the conservation of resources.

New Division: Sustainable Energy and Environmental Stewardship - In June 2007, OPPD launched a new energy initiative aimed at increasing its emphasis on renewable energy, conservation and concern for the environment. The Sustainable Energy and Environmental Stewardship division has been created to focus on these areas.  OPPD President and CEO Gary Gates said the new division will be focusing their efforts in several key areas: 1) incorporation of environmentally-friendly generating resources into OPPD’s power generation mix, 2) promotion of energy efficiency efforts for residential and commercial customers, 3) the potential for internal energy efficiency within OPPD facilities, and 4) the overall environmental impact of all OPPD business operations, which will include continuing ongoing assessments of such activities as recycling, our supply chain, and use of biofuels.

A Leader in Recycling - OPPD continues to be a leader in the area of recycling.  OPPD annually recycles approximately 135 thousand tons of fly ash from coal combustion that can be used in road construction projects. In addition, the utility recycles more than 225 tons of paper products annually, as well as discarded lamps and streetlights. From 1999 through 2006, OPPD will have used nearly 64,000 gallons of 100-percent soy diesel in its fleet of trucks.

Additional Efforts - These efforts represent only a part of OPPD's commitment to operate in an environmentally responsible manner, while providing affordable and reliable service. OPPD also uses low-sulfur coal at its two coal-fired generating plants, partners with other utilities to voluntarily reduce carbon monoxide emissions, promotes tree planting and prairie and wetland restoration projects, and continues to explore opportunities to expand their capability through solar, wind, and landfill methane gas electrical power generation. For more information on OPPD's environmental projects, please visit OPPD's web site.

Upcoming Events

Lincoln Green Drinks

December’s Green Drinks will be held on the third Wednesday, the 19th, of December, at Lazlo’s Brewery and Grill in the Haymarket, 210 N 7th St. Lincoln, NE. Green Drinks is a wonderful opportunity to meet and network with others interested in the quality of our environment. Green Drinks is scheduled from 5:30 p.m. until late. Walk, cycle, or carpool to the meeting and ask anyone, “Are you green?” and you’ll be welcomed! For more information, please view the Green Drinks Lincoln flyer.

WasteCap Across Nebraska

Midland Recycling’s Environmental Education Center Reaches Out to Largest Number of People Yet

This was the best year ever for the Environmental Education Center (EEC).  Since its conception in 2005, the number of events attended and visitors received has risen each year, but 2007 had the highest numbers yet.  In comparison to 2006, there were 6 more events and 5,150 more visitors in 2007.

The EEC went to 21 events including venues such as the Nebraska Wesleyan Earth Day Celebration, two elementary schools, the Groundwater Festival, and the 4th of July Celebration in Seward.  There were 13,827 visitors total including tours that were given to Cub Scout groups and school children as part of Midland Recycling facility tours. 

The EEC was designed to educate Nebraska residents about the importance of environmental stewardship.  It is the first of its kind in Nebraska and uses state of the art technology including audio and visual displays to convey messages to the public in regards to environmental issues.  Education is a key component to successful environmental stewardship programs and is the strongest tool to help create the behavioral and social changes necessary to improve and protect our environment.  The EEC is owned and operated by Midland Recycling with assistance from the Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality.  If you are interested in utilizing the EEC for an event, please contact Tonya Bernadt at (402)476-8502.

Electronics Update

Television Recycling Looks to Manufacturers for Support

With the fast paced change of technology, and the high level of consumers purchasing new televisions in the U.S., the amount of e-waste is growing at massive proportions. In an attempt to boost television recycling and possibly start a trend, Sony is announcing its “TV Take-Bake Program”. Television manufacturers currently do not play a role in dealing with the waste of old and used television sets. To join the cause by personally asking CEOs of major television manufacturers, or to find out more about the “TV Take-Back Program”, please visit http://takebackmytv.com/.
Source: E-Scrap News

Veolia Environmental Services Develops Recycling Program

Fluorescent lamp recycler, Veolia Environmental Services, has recently announced that customers may participate in a “consistent, convenient, and cost-effective recycling program”. Recyclebulb.com will bring together a wide variety of organizations, from retailers to businesses to manufacturers, into one network to assist in properly and consistently recycling fluorescent bulbs. “We are attempting to bring together the fragmented network of return programs and facilities to create a consistent, cost-effective and national program for recycling compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFL’s),” John McShane, general manager at Veolia ES Technical Solutions, L.L.C. said. The program was implemented due to a lack of steady, proper disposal of bulbs. To learn more about the program, please visit http://www.recyclebulb.com.
Source: Recycling Today

Japan Testing New Ethanol Market

The Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) is intending to introduce a new form of technology that would make production of cellulosic ethanol, from products such as wood chips and wood fiber, more cost-efficient. The technology, which has a projected date of 2015, will reduce demand of oil, while dramatically reducing the cost of producing ethanol from cellulosic biomass, which is currently more energy efficient than ethanol produced from corn, but much more costly. In addition to the efforts of making this form of ethanol production more cost-efficient, METI hopes to open up the doorway to other cellulosic materials.
Source: Environmental News Network

In the News

Have a Very Green Holiday

Wondering how you can celebrate the season in “green” style? The Nature Conservancy has come out with a list to help you do just that. From holiday dinner, to gift giving, The Nature Conservancy has covered every aspect to make this holiday season a sustainable one!

Tip 1: Think global, eat local, and get outside

Tip 2: Give a meaningful gift

Tip 3: Avoid automobiles, and maybe planes and trains too

The additional traffic on the roads and in the air can be a nightmare for not just travelers, but for the climate as well. Figure out your carbon footprint or that of someone you love, and make adjustments where you can.

Tip 4: To tree or not to tree?

Many people wonder what's better (or worse) for the environment: real or fake trees. The truth is that both have their downsides: fake trees can be loaded with chemicals, shipped from China and will "live" in landfills for many holidays to come. Real trees can be grown with pesticides on tree farms before they were chopped down and driven across the country to get to your community.

Tip 5: Deck the halls with LED (light-emitting diode)

LEDs rely on the same technology that illuminates calculators and watches to emit that holiday glow. Though they cost a bit more than traditional holiday lights, LED lights last much longer and consume a fraction of the energy, which leads to greater savings for years to come.

Tip 6: Wrapping it up

Ever wonder how many trees died for the mountains of wrapping paper left after the Christmas morning frenzy? Wrapping paper costs you money and generates tons of extra trash. You can recycle the paper or get even more creative:

For more "green" Christmas ideas, visit http://www.nature.org.

Anheuser-Busch Closing the Loop

Anheuser-Busch Company has recently launched a series of videos, featuring employees and explaining the company’s efforts in reducing, reusing, and recycling. The videos, which can be viewed at http://www.ourpledge.com, were launched on America Recycles Day, and highlight key points in the Anheuser-Busch program. The videos share information on the amount of recycling that Anheuser-Busch subsidiary, Anheuser-Busch Recycling Corp., recycles annually, what they are remade into, accomplishments in water conservation, and renewable energy, just to name a few. The St. Louis based company is hoping to get the word out on their strong efforts in sustainability.
Source: Recycling Today

Recycling Made Easy

The British Retail Consortium and the Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) are currently developing a new standard on recycling logos, making them more user friendly for consumers. The new system would consist of three symbols, one for widely recyclable, one for check locally, and one for not currently recycled. WRAP in proposing the system in hopes to end frustration, and promote everyday recycling to consumers. The labels are expected to be put into use in 2008.
Source: Environmental News Network

Market Corner

 

December – Chicago Region

Mixed Paper

$80-85 (0)

Boxboard Cuttings

$90-95 (0)

News

$$70-75 (0)

OCC

$100-110 (0)

SOP

$185-195 (+20)

Sorted White Ledger

$290-300 (0)
Material Abbreviations
OCC: Old Corrugated Cardboard
SOP: Sorted Office Paper		 Source: Official Board Markets