In the updating mood?
At the internet cafe. Downloading songs. Not studying for my test tomorrow. Being a REBEL!
not pictured PO PO. Call the PO PO HO
And for all you environmentally concerned folk who didn't read yesterday's newspaper:
Recycle your trash, incentives attached
By Katie Worth
Pacific Daily News
kworth@guampdn.com
For years, green-minded Guam residents have had the best intentions, but no outlet for their environmentally friendly urges.
Though a few recycling companies accepted aluminum cans, there was nowhere for civilians to dispose of glass or paper except for the mountainous Ordot dump. And if you wanted to get rid of your car batteries legally, you'd have to pay someone to take them.
But in recent months, all that has changed:
The new recycling options have long-time recyclers like Paul Tobiason near ecstatic. Tobiason, founding member of RAG -- the Recycling Association of Guam -- has for years been waiting for someplace the island can conveniently recycle its paper and glass.
The new recycling options have also made him a few bucks: he's recently taken six batteries and two old VCRs to Triple Star Recycling and received a total of $8.
"If there's a little bit of economic incentive, people will cooperate to a large extent. In fact, what I heard from my friend was people were bringing in batteries by the truckload, and that means the island was getting cleaned up," Tobiason said.
Glass bottles
Those who enjoy a glass of wine will also have an incentive to recycle: Stanley Miller, owner of Stanlee's Liquor & Deli, said he will be giving a dollar discount on wine to those who bring in empty wine bottles for recycling.
"What we're doing is to offer a trade-in on wine bottles," he said. "If you bring them in to be crushed, we'll give you a dollar discount on a new bottle of wine. That's the easiest way we see to get them in."
He said that once he gets enough crushed glass, he will ship it to China where it can be recycled into more bottles.
He said that many bars and hotels in Australia use bottle breaking machines in order to save space and lessen the mess.
Tobiason said it's exactly this kind of incentive that can really make a difference when it comes to recycling.
If waste is worthless, he said, then people just toss it out without a thought. But once trash -- such as glass bottles, car batteries or aluminum cans -- has some value, even if it's just a nickel apiece, then people will be motivated to recycle, he said.
"With a little incentive and a little convenience, things will get started and people will do the right thing," he said.
NEW RECYCLING OPTIONS
To recycle newspaper, office paper, cardboard, and other paper products:
Guam Transport and Warehouse, Harmon
Phone: 647-7873
To recycle glass bottles ($1 discount offered on a bottle of wine when a used bottle of wine is recycled):
Stanlee's Liquor & Deli in Tumon, next to Acanta Mall
Phone: 646-1328
To recycle car batteries, televisions, typewriters, copy machines, fax machines, air conditioners, and computer monitors, towers, keyboards and printers ($1 dollar offered on most items):
Triple Star Recycling, Harmon
Phone: 648-2910
Guam Environmental Protection Agency; Stanley Miller; and Pacific Daily News files.
MAKE RECYCLING WORK
There are ways to help reduce paper trash from piling up.
In the office:
Set up and maintain convenient recycling areas. Post clear instructions as to what is recyclable on or near each container.
Train staff in the proper procedures. Make such training a part of new staff orientation.
Establish an expectation of compliance on the part of all staff, for example, through the issuance of a statement from your senior management.
Look for ways to reward exemplary recycling behavior on the part of staff. Identify instances of non-compliance, and take appropriate steps to correct/discourage it.
Purchase or lease copiers and printers that have two-sided printing capability and the ability to set this as the default mode.
Purchase or lease copiers and printers that work with a broad range of plain office papers; avoid "finicky" machine models that limit your paper choices and require frequent maintenance.
Purchase or lease copiers and printers that offer recycled toner cartridges and provide for recycling of spent cartridges.
Dealing with mail:
Keep a stock of used envelopes handy for use in sending inter-office mail and, whenever possible, outside organizations and individuals.
Write to or call senders of unwanted mail or mail sent to past staff members, and ask to be removed from their mailing lists.
Notify staff who receive unwanted mail at the office or at home that they can contact the association below to be removed from mailing lists: Mail Reference Service, Direct Marketing Association, PO Box 3861, New York, NY 10163-3861.