New Perennial Toys Products Address Fragile Arctic Environment 

Perennial Toys now floats two new polar bear bath toys, a narwhal gift pail set, and their complementary coloring books alongside the existing King Eider series. The eco-friendly manufacturer introduced “Perennial Pails” in late December; each pail includes one Arctic animal, a collectable magnet, a mini coloring book, crayons and a surprise gift housed in a reusable galvanized pail with lid that stacks and ships easily. See the products at www.perennialtoys.com. 

Fresh, fun, and phthalate-free, Perennial Toys offers a sustainable yet affordable, safe bath toy design that connects children to Earth’s habitats. Holly Hitzemann, founder, emphasizes that her products offer educational information on the fragile northern aquatic environment and help children comprehend environmental impact. For example, Perennial’s first large-format animal species coloring and activity book “Your River Otter Coloring and Activity Book” is packed with information about the otter and activities like puzzles and match games for youngsters aged 3-8 years.

“The river otter habitat extends far north,” states Hitzemann, “and is therefore also affected by climate change.” The river otter activity book, first in the Perennial series of single-species coloring books, was edited by River Otter Restoration Coalition Members and pre-sold more than 1,000 copies.  Fifty percent of the proceeds from books ordered directly from Amigos Bravos (www.amigosbravos.org) go to the purchase of otter pairs for the re-introduction project in New Mexico.  Daryl Tom, a New Mexico Navajo, provided illustrations for the toys as well as “Your River Otter Coloring and Activity Book.”

 All of Perennial’s toys feature endangered animals that depend on sensitive aquatic environments.  The firm launched with its Arctic series due to the immediate and ongoing degradation of this climate-sensitive ecosystem.   “Throughout 2008, we will continue to introduce and expand our Arctic line and affiliation with customers and distributors who share our vision,” states Hitzemann.  She adds that buyers can feel good about purchasing Perennial products. The plastic bath toys are designed and modeled in the U.S. and then cast with phthalate-free resin which includes recycled content. The animal bath sponges contain sisal and also resemble Arctic species. Perennial’s packaging features “Nothing to Throw Away,” a concept that reduces landfill waste.  A percent of all sales supports wildlife conservation. 

Wholesale orders can be placed by calling toll-free 877-344-0102. Small minimums are available. In Albuquerque, Perennial Toys can be found at Page One Bookstore Café and Winebar, Juan Tabo and Montgomery, NE.

Acoma Pueblo Gets a Green Track Surface

By Will Kie, Beacon senior sportswriter

Aided by a $150,000 grant from the New Mexico Environmental Department, the Pueblo of Acoma will renovate a dirt running track next the Sky City School with recycled materials from used automobile tires. The department's Solid Waste Bureau awarded the Recycling and Illegal Dumping grant to the pueblo's Environmental Protection office to construct a walking and running track from at least 95 percent shredded scrap tires from New Mexico.

“It's great for Acoma and especially for its youth. We've had a track but it has been in disrepair for sometime. By having this renovation done, it is going to be really good for our younger kids but also for our community,” said Chandler Sanchez, Governor for Acoma Pueblo. Sanchez said in recent years, the Pueblo has focused on the health of its members, and this is another way the tribe can assist the community in become healthier individuals.

New Mexico Environment Department Secretary Ron Curry said projects like this work twofold. “The illegal dumping of tires is a problem in our state that mars the landscape and sometimes clogs rivers and streams. The grant not only enables Acoma to dispose of tires, but it also promotes physical fitness in the pueblo.”

Arvind Patel of the Acoma Environment Protection office said construction is expected to begin in early April and should be completed in the summer. Acoma will match the funds in form of site preparation before the track surface is applied.
 

RECHARGEABLE BATTERY RECYCLING CORPORATION (RBRC) EXPANDS EFFORTS WITH SONY TO ENCOURAGE CONSUMER PARTICIPATION IN RECYCLING PROGRAM

Call2Recycle™ rechargeable battery collection bags now distributed with custom VAIO notebooks

The Rechargeable Battery Recycling Corporation (RBRC), a non-profit public service organization dedicated to recycling rechargeable batteries and cell phones, and Sony Electronics Inc. have partnered on a new initiative aimed at increasing consumer participation in RBRC’s recycling program, Call2Recycle™.  

One of more than 350 manufacturers and marketers of portable rechargeable batteries and products that supports RBRC, Sony Electronics is the first manufacturer to insert branded Call2Recycle collection bags into product packaging.  An individual Call2Recycle collection bag is now included with each custom, built-to-order Sony VAIO notebook, furthering consumer awareness of how to properly dispose of used rechargeable batteries and making it simple for customers to recycle the rechargeable batteries from their old laptop computers.

“Sony is always looking for different ways to educate consumers on how to protect and improve the environment, and recycling rechargeable batteries that power consumer electronics is a very simple and effective thing that consumers can do,” said Doug Smith, Chairman of the RBRC Board of Directors and Director of Corporate Environmental Affairs for Sony Electronics.  “As a proud member of RBRC, we are taking this commitment to a new level by encouraging environmental stewardship among our customers through participation in Call2Recycle.”

The branded collection bags include step-by-step instructions for and encourage consumers to bring used rechargeable batteries and old cell phones to participating collection sites in their area.  There are more than 50,000 collection sites across the country where consumers can drop off used rechargeable batteries and old cell phones at no cost. 

Call2Recycle is the most comprehensive rechargeable battery and cell phone recycling program available nationwide.  The program provides a convenient way to collect and recycle old cell phones and used rechargeable batteries found in cordless electronic products, such as laptop computers, cordless power tools, two-way radios, cordless and cellular phones, digital cameras and camcorders. 

For additional information on the Call2Recycle program or to find local collection sites, please visit www.call2recycle.org or call toll free 877-2-RECYCLE.  

EPA Calculator Puts Greenhouse Gas Savings in Everyday Terms

Can you picture what it means to reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by 1 million metric tons? News stories are packed with measurements of greenhouse gas reductions, but it can be difficult to understand them until now. EPA's new Greenhouse Gas Calculator helps you turn greenhouse gas savings into more easily understood everyday terms. The calculator converts greenhouse gas-related savings estimates, typically presented in "million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalents," into familiar terms such as the greenhouse gas emissions that would result from:

• Driving a particular number of cars for a year,

• Using a particular amount of gasoline or barrels of oil,

• Using a particular number of tanker trucks' worth of gasoline,

• Providing energy to a particular number of homes for a year,

• Growing trees across a particular number of acres for a year,

• Recycling a particular quantity of waste instead of sending it to the landfill, or

• Generating electricity from a particular number of coal fired power plants for a year.

Users can enter savings in emissions, electricity consumption, gallons of gasoline, or number of vehicles into the calculator and determine up to 13 different ways to express the magnitude of the savings. The calculator uses the latest emission factors, approaches and statistics available through 2007. As an example, if a typical household switched all its incandescent light bulbs to Energy Star qualified compact fluorescent light bulbs, it would save about 75 percent of the lighting electricity use, or about 1,463 kWh a year. After five years, these energy savings are equivalent to:

• Saving about 10,289 pounds of CO2 emissions,

• Conserving 530 gallons of gasoline,

• Saving 11 barrels of oil,

• Planting 120 tree seedlings, or

• Recycling 1.6 tons of waste

Information on the calculator: epa.gov/cleanenergy/energy-resources/calculator.html

Grants and Loans

Recycling and Illegal Dumping Grants

The New Mexico Environment Department announces the Recycling and Illegal Dumping Grant, due April 2, 2008. Apply for funding for these projects:  eliminating or reducing illegal dump sites; developing education and prevention programs for illegal dumping; or providing recycling infrastructure, education, or market development. Recycling program priorities include recycling motor oil, lead-acid batteries, cardboard, and newspaper.  Municipalities, counties, tribes, land grant communities, cooperative associations, and solid waste authorities may apply.  Find grant instructions and applications online at www.nmenv.state.nm.us/SWB/, or call Jill Holbert at the New Mexico Environment Department: Solid Waste Bureau at 505-827-0129.

State Loans

NMED Constructions Programs Bureau offers low-interest loans for solid waste projects: http://www.nmenv.state.nm.us/cpb/rip.html .

Regional Roundup

Albuquerque: Mayor Martin Chavez has signed an executive order barring the city from purchasing bottled water for employees, citing studies showing that up to 95 percent of all water bottles are not recycled. City firefighters will continue to carry water bottles to distribute in emergencies.