Christ Church, Uniting Disciples and Presbyterians Kailua, Hawaii

CCU Thinks Green

Go to CCU's Green Webpage  

Being “Green” and Showing Compassion

Recycling HI-5 containers (plastic, glass and aluminum) at redemption centers is an excellent way of being "green." However, if you want to add an expres-sion of compassion to your practice of eco-justice, you are in-vited to join Marian and John Heidel in giving your containers to IHS (Institute for Human Services).

On the first Sunday of each month (beginning March 6), the Heidel's white Ford Ranger pick-up will be parked in the CCU parking lot. Simply place your donation in the back; it would be helpful (but not required) if the containers are sorted into separate bags—plastic, glass and aluminum cans. They will be delivered to IHS within a couple days.

Since Reynold's Recycling has announced they will be re-ceiving other glass containers (wine, food, cosmetics) that are CLEAN and paying 4 cents per pound for them, we will give that a try also. Please make sure they are in separate bags.

And, please: ONLY HI-5 CONTAINERS AND GLASS - not other recycling.

Please call John at 261-4585 if you have any questions or concerns.

From this month's CCU Newsletter Think Green article:

Toilet Paper

According to the Natural Resource Defense Council (NRDC), Americans use an average of 741 pounds of paper per person each year. Forests are logged for virgin timber, and in the process water is polluted and wildlife habitat is destroyed. The pulp and paper industry generates dioxins and other cancer-causing chemicals and is the third largest industrial source of global warming pollution.

Some of this paper produced is tissues, paper towels and, yes, toilet paper. Check your package of toilet paper . . . most likely it is made from felled trees. Millions of trees are cut down to make toilet paper. To quote a NRDC scientist, “Using toilet paper made from virgin trees is the paper industry equivalent of driving a Hummer.” Most of us don’t drive Hummers, but we have the toilet paper equivalent in our bathrooms. Time magazine re-ported in 2009 that toilet paper made from 100% recycled fiber makes up less than 2% of the U.S. market.

Fast Facts:  

If each U.S. family replaced just one 500-sheet roll of virgin fiber toilet paper with 100% recycled, we could save over 400,000 trees!

  If each family replaced just one 70-sheet roll of virgin fiber paper towels with 100% recycled, we could save 544,000 trees.

  If each replaced just one 250-count package of virgin fiber paper napkins, we could save 1,000,000 trees.

 (Of course we have the even better option of replacing paper towels, tissues and napkins with reusable cloth rags, handkerchiefs and napkins.)

TP Tips:

 Buy 100% recycled TP with at least 80% post-consumer con-tent.

  Buy TP made with clean, safe processes—labeled totally chlorine-free (TCF) or processed chlorine-free (PCF).

  If the brand you are using does not meet the above criteria, write to the manufacturer and let your green voice be heard.

Resources:

Both Greenpeace (www.greenpeace.org/usa/en/campaigns/forests/tissue-guide) and the NRDC (www.nrdc.org/land/forests/gtissue.asp) have guides recommending which products to buy and which to avoid.

Some good TP choices available locally:

  Whole Foods 365, 100 % recycled content, 80% post-consumer, PCF

  Seventh Generation, 100% recycled content, 80% post-consumer, PCF

  Safeway’s Bright Green, 100% recycled content, 80% post-consumer

Our choice: Softness or Forests???????

CCU is a member of Hawaii Interfaith Power & Light (HIPL)

 

Watch HIPL on youtube