Learning to Recyle, compost and become self-sustainable

Imagine that we live and work in a self-sustainable welcome center in the upper peninsula of the state of Michigan.

An example of how we can maintain and create a self-sustainable environment can be a base for beginning our project. "Technically, geothermal energy will be harnessed for heating and cooling systems within the building. This system will be tied to a passive ventilation system to reduce energy usage".As shared by the Sustainable Living Program"
Garbage and Recycling are important aspects to consider when trying to live a healthier, self-sustainable Greener lifestyle. Everything in our self-sustainable green building will need to be recycled and reused. How shall we achieve this?

First, we must research how we can go about recycling our supplies.  There are many governmental documents to support living a cleaner, organic, green lifestyle. Blogs are also a wonderful way to research what we need to know about recycling. Visiting educational and environmentally friendly blogs can provide excellent information:

• bestgreenblogs.
• Green Living Tips
• SB10

An additional resource for information:

• EPA's Environmental Kids Club
  Learn how to protect our environment (air, water, garbage & recycling, etc.) using interactive games such as EPA's Office of Solid waste Planet Protectors club for kids.
  
  • Earth911.org Education
    Pick grade level activities that are made just for you.
  • Where does all the trash go?
    Ever wonder where all the trash goes. Go here and find out.
  For Students:
  
  • EPA's Student Center
    Everything about the environment from A to Z
  • Earth911.org Education
    Pick grade level activities that are made just for you.
  For Teachers:
  
  • EPA's Teaching Center
    Plenty of teacher resources all environmental subjects from air to water
  • Earth911.org Education
    Teacher resources with lesson plans
  • EPA's Office of Solid Waste, Teacher Resources and Tools
  For Researchers:
  
  • EPA's Researchers and Scientist Center
    This page gives access to scientific information that may be useful in understanding and protecting our environment.
  Additional Recycling Sites:
  
  • Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
    EPA's national effort to conserve natural resources
  • National Recycling Coalition
    National Membership organization dedicated to maximizing recycling
  • SWANA
    Solid Waste Association of North America
  • Plasticsresource.com
    Information on Plastics & the Environment
  • America Recycles Day
    Your attitude, your actions, can make a world of difference
  • AmericanPlasticsCouncil.org
    Plastics and plastics recycling information
  • National Parks and Conservation Association
    Explore the National Parks and learn about conservation
  • National PET Plastic Association (NAPCOR)
    Learn about PET bottle recycling
  • Earth911.org
    Locate local recyclers by zip code
  • Curbside Value Partnership
    Learn about curbside recycling
  • Glass Recycling
    Learn about glass recycling
    
    
    For local environmental information, such as:
    • Household Hazardous Waste
    • Composting
    • Aluminum Can Recycling
    • Used Oil Recycling
    • Cellphone and Computer Recycling

Recycling and Reuse Module

Recycling and Reuse Learning Units

To h "become critical of the upstream and downstream effects of building design, construction, use, and disposal the problems of scarcity, costly extraction, and increased regulatory provisions associated with unsustainable natural resource consumption and waste disposal."
. This lengthy (100+ pp.) document, complete with more than 100 illustrations, provides an introduction (45K Acrobat file) as well as discussions, case studies, and exercises for each of the following topics:

Waste Prevention 1,291K Acrobat file

Construction and Demolition Recycling 2,261K Acrobat file

Architectural Reuse 951K Acrobat file

Design for Materials Recovery 748K Acrobat file

Recycling and Reuse Appendices, Bibliography, and Annotations

Appendices, a list of 100 books and journals specifically related to the recycling and reuse of building materials, and summaries of selected publications.
168K Acrobat file [Printed copy available for $11]

Case Studies Module

Sustainable Development Case Study

We can recycle our food consumption by running our organic waste into our custom designed water filtrating system and composting system and by catching rain water to recycle.

Capture, store, recycle, reuse rain and storm water with RainXchange

Composting: We are Learning to make a compost Bin to recycle :

We use recycle bins to organize our recycling efforts!

Recycle what is composted. We recycle the waste, paper materials and kitchen waste to sustain the welcome system and to nourish the compost bins.We use the composted material to fertilize our gardens, nourish the plant life and feed the native wildlife.

With recycling, composting and sharing of natural resources, the Welcome Center thrives. We reuse and recycle to reuse while reducing our waste materials. This helps us to be a wonderful new self sustainable welcome center!