Quarterly Newsletter
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We're still the go-to guys for all of your eco-needs. This issue of the Phoenix Recycling Quarterly Newsletter includes info on some of our new eco-business partners, the local enviro-business spotlight and a green school. |
How safe are your personal documents?How long would it take you to gather these documents in the event of an evacuation?By Phoenix Staff |
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Modern Image has a comprehensive checklist of personal and business documents that will help you be ready in the event of a disaster. Digitized documents are safer and more secure. Computer encryption and password protection capabilities are designed to preserve proprietary information from common theft. Digital data can ensure business continuity, too. New Orleanians are very familiar with the logistical nightmare caused when vital records are destroyed by a natural (or man-made!) disaster. Larger companies can store digital documents on remote servers. Smaller companies and individuals can compile all their vital information on disks for easy transportation. |
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We are now a franchisee of Modern Image - a company with years of experience scanning important documents. In previous editions of the newsletter, we described businesses who would benefit from document scanning - now it's time to make it personal. FEMA, the Red Cross, the IRS, the AMA, SPCA and scores of others recommend electronic backup of key documents. How much easier would life be if you had copies of your tax returns, your important personal papers, deeds, titles, insurance policies, etc in electronic format and at your fingertips? Having your pet's records available through your smartphone or email makes it easier to visit out of town vets and boarding facilities.
Business Spotlight: Liberty's KitchenCombining Environmental and Social EnterpriseBy Liz Shepherd, Chief Sustainability Officer at LifeCity, LLC |
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Social enterprise is becoming the norm for businesses and non- profits alike. So much so, it is becoming more difficult to distinguish between for-profit and non-profit companies. One such company, Liberty's Kitchen, who is participating in the Green Games, is transforming lives through healthy food. It's good work, and profitable, too. "It's all a joy, but the greatest joy is the young people," said Co-founder and Executive Director Janet Davas of Liberty's Kitchen, a relatively new non-profit to the area. Davas started the program after working at Cafe Reconcile. She wanted to start something similar, but with a slightly different model. She and her partner visited a successful national model, FareStart, and with some luck and networking, landed a grant from the Kellogg Foundation to get things started in 2009.
"96% of our trainees are employed upon graduation - that's better than Harvard!" said Davas with a smile. That certainly is something to smile about as one of the primary struggles of any green job training program is transitional employment. But that's not the only impressive statistic their success has produced. Liberty's Kitchen, as a non-profit, is 50% funded by the services they provide - a statistic that far exceeds a typical non-profit that is largely dependent upon grants and government funding. One of the newest projects of Liberty's Kitchen is serving breakfast, lunch, and a snack to 600 kids daily at New Orleans College Prep. "Some kids didn't like the food at first. And some children held up a baby carrot and asked what it was - they had never had carrots before," said Omar Buckner, Program Manager. Liberty's Kitchen staff and trainees serve schoolchildren fresh food with the ultimate goal of having this food come from local community farms and gardens. The food is also served on reusable ware as opposed to the disposable styrofoam used at the school previously. Also, food waste is composted on site. If you are interested in a delicious meal that is made from fresh and local food and is also making the difference in the lives of young people in our community, go to Liberty's Kitchen Cafe on 422 S. Broad St. And don't forget to follow along the Green Games to see how well they do in the competition! |
Today, Liberty's Kitchen provides at-risk youth, ages 16-21, with the opportunity to build a better future through their intensive training program that combines hands-on food service training with classroom instruction, individual case management, education programs and job placement services and/or a return to an educational setting. With green job training programs being pioneered in many settings, Liberty's Kitchen is showing to be quite successful.
Green CleanInfo from NOLA's Premiere Enviro Cleaning Co.Q & A with Barrett Wiley, Owner of Cleaning Concierge |
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What is greencleaning and why is it important?
Green cleaning in its most basic form is the use of non-toxic cleaning agents and reusable equipment to cleaning any facility with the ultimate goal of improving the indoor air quality while leaving the building as clean as possible. In an advance green cleaning program, there are other factors that enter the equation in addition to just using non-toxic cleaning agents. These factors are looking at/working with building design (usually in the design stage of construction or rennovation) to limit building consumption of natural resources, introducing barriers to reduce the amount of contaminates brought into the building, using properly diluted non-toxic cleaning agents, designing and implementing an energy/water conservation program as well as introduce a recycling program. The most importa nt reason to switch to green cleaning is to improve the indoor air quality and reduce sicknesses and illnesses that may develop as a result of traditional cleaning programs. Running a close second in importance, you will be helping to reduced the amount of natural resources that are used to clean your home or office. What are the differences between traditional cleaning products and "green" cleaning products? Most traditional cleaning products are solvent or petro-based chemicals, which can rob your home or office of oxygen. Usually these products come ready to use, require additional ventilation, and safety equipment. "Green" cleaning products are usually derived from plant-based agents that are highly concentrated so they can be diluted to match your cleaning needs. "Green" cleaning products do not introduce any harmful fumes into the air. What are the most common or most eco-friendly "green" cleaning products? Vinegar is a great natural cleaning agent! When diluted with the right amount of water it is very effective. The solution can be used to clean a wide variety of surfaces including glass, mirrors, counter tops, desks, plastics, painted surfaces to name a few. If you want to improve is fragrance or germ-killing characteristics you can add drops of essential oils to boost it effectiveness. Can a company like Cleaning Concierge that uses green cleaning products and practices be able to clean with the same effectiveness as a traditional janitorial company? Yes! Through the use of properly diluted green cleaning agents, our special equipment and unique techniques, we can clean any facility regardless of the size or existing condition with little impact on the environment. What impact can an individual who chooses to switch to green cleaning have on the environment? The first thing that an individual will notice will be a cleaner, fragrance-free (low VOC) environment. It will take some time to recondition our senses of smell to accept that a clean space does not have to smell like traditional cleaners. There will be fewer allergens/contaminates in the air, so fewer asthma attacks and allergy-related sick days. Also, there is less packaging to dispose of, so less waste. What is the Pure Project? The Pure Project is Cleaning Concierge's community outreach program where we donate a gallon of cleaning product to one of the Metro New Orleans homeless shelters for every new contract we sign. After visiting a local homeless shelter, we learned that most shelters are in dire need of donations (cleaning products, laundry detergents, etc.). And we know the importance of having a clean and purified space to a person's feeling of self-worth. By donating green cleaning products and educating the staff on their correct use and giving other cleaning tips, we are helping to conserve their resources while maintaining a clean, enviro-friendly facility. As a green cleaning expert, do you have any green tips for the average household or office? Absolutely! Here are two easy tips that will start you down the path to green cleaning: 1. Have mats placed both inside and outside of your exterior doors. This will help lower the amount of soil, dirt and contaminates entering the building. You don't have to clean what doesn't get brought indoors! 2. Use microfiber towels instead of paper towels to clean up spills, dust or damp wipe surfaces. These towels can be washed and dried and used over and over. If you really want to step it up, buy different color microfiber towels and give the different colors different uses and areas. For example, we use green towels to dust, blue to clean glass, mirrors and to polish, orange for restroom use only and yellow for damp wiping. This will help to prevent cross-contamination by not using the same rag to clean every surface. |
Phoenix Friend: Ecole BilingueUn bon environnement pour l'apprentissage!By Courtney Kloor of Ecole Bilingue |
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Ecole Bilingue de la Nouvelle-Orléans is a beautiful French school located in the uptown area. Not only does the school focus on sustaining the French culture in Louisiana, but while doing so, it also places high importance on leaving a smaller footprint environmentally. In class, students learn how to recycle paper and cardboard and they are encouraged to use water bottles throughout the day rather than using disposable paper cups. The school hosts Fête Française every Spring, where they sell wine glasses and cups for drinks (again to cut down on the wasteful disposable cups). Each year the school has a class of students that participates in the T.R.E.E. program to teach about the importance of the environment and how everything we do has an effect, either good or bad, on the world around us. With the weather as lovely as it has been lately, many classrooms open their windows to let in the wind and the light rather than relying on air conditioning and light bulbs. The school has many large windows so that it is often not noticeable that the lights are not turned on. Of course, as summer approaches, Ecole Bilingue will shut the windows and use a little more electricity because the safety and health of the students is of trés importance! Equipment (such as printers, computers, and fax machines) go into a sleep mode if not used within a minute, the school uses energy saving settings on machines such as the window units. They have changed their light-bulbs over to the compact fluorescent bulbs wherever possible. Most of the correspondence between the school and the parents is through e-mail so as to cut down on the amount of paper used. The school hosts a biannual uniform exchange, which provides an opportunity to recycle clothing items that might otherwise be trashed. The children also take great pride in their gardens. There is a butterfly garden where there is constant monitoring to find caterpillars and chrysalises. These are often captured and let go once they become butterflies. There is an herb garden which is used during the cooking parts of their curriculum and then every few months the school hosts an herb sale. There are several vegetable and fruit gardens which have grown snap beans, strawberries, lettuce, onions, tomatoes, and more. The students have made salads, crêpes, and breads from the things they have grown. These foods are often divided amongst the class for a snack. The efforts to be environmentally friendly continue into the classroom where much of the work is done on white boards rather than paper. (Each student has their own!) This year the school was able to take up recycling of plastics, cans, paper and carton through Phoenix Recycling, thanks to a gift from the family of three of our students. As Ecole Bilingue continues to grow, they hope to find new and creative ways to stay green. After all, how do you let the world in if you do not open the door? Culturally speaking, of course! Bonne école ~ Belle enfance!
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The Green Project CornerCreative Recycling: Bio Diesel |
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You know about recycling. You probably know a little bit about composting. But have you ever thought about recycling your old cooking oil and grease for biodiesel? The Green Project just started collecting used cooking oil and cooking grease at its warehouse to be used for biodiesel. The oil and grease is given to Operation REACH to be converted into biodiesel through its Gulf South Youth Biodiesel Project green job training program. In partnership with
In the MoviesTurn Your Junk into A Movie StarBy Jack Leslie |
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Generous tax credits have created a burgeoning film industry in Louisiana, a state which has become known as “Hollywood South.” By the end of this summer, more than a dozen movies and TV shows will have been filmed in the New Orleans area alone. Besides generating a lot of income for local businesses and governments, the movie industry’s hectic schedules, inflated budgets and unpredictable success/failure generates a lot of waste. Excessive waste is one reason why New Orleans film industry vets Cassie Catalanotto and husband Carl started Big Show Rents. They wanted to offer movie crews the opportunity to rent props instead of buying items and then trashing them after a single use as is often the case. The other amazingly “eco” thing about Big Show Rents’ business model is that their prop collection is made up of recovered, recycled and reworked waste. Their warehouse is filled with items that might otherwise be considered trash. A stack of old ledger books are a great way to fill up space on a shelf in a 19th Century study. A ripped up lounge chair helps create the atmosphere of a post-apocalyptic America. A pile of junk mail adds a sense of realism young couple’s living room. These green warriors never buy boxes for storage in their warehouse, they reuse existing boxes. And anything that they are not able to rent out doesn’t wind up in a landfill either, they find other uses or they pass the items on to someone who can use them. Big Show Rents is truly a great example of an alternative recycling opportunity. If you have something that can’t be recycled by a traditional residential recycler like Phoenix, consider the alternatives! Big Show Rents does accept tips from the public. But due to storage constraints and the fickleness of their niche market, they aren’t able to take everything. Here are a few examples to give you idea of the breadth of items that they are looking for: (the older and used looking, the better) desks, file cabinets, boxes of manila files and papers, lockers, shelving, vintage lamps and furniture, electrical panel boxes and mannequins.
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