Green Team Opportunities

The following items are opportunities that you have to to help be a better steward of God's Earth. These are generally events with specific dates. Click here for general tips and suggestions that can be accomplished anytime.

Index

• Electronics Recycling, April 25, 2008
• Earth Hour, March 28, 2009
• GIPL Training, March 17, 2009
• Electronics Recycling, October 25, 2008
• EnergyStar & Georgia's Tax-Free Holiday, October 2-5, 2008
• Georgia Tech & Emory Commmended, August 2008
• Make Your Mark - Green Day, July 26, 2008
• Electronics Recycling, March 29, 2008
• Christmas Tree & Electronics Recycling, Janury 5, 2008
• Greywater for Saint Mark Poinsettias, December 15 & 22, 2007
• Electronics Recycling, October 27, 2007
• Free Screening of Kilowatt Ours, October 6, 2007
• Electronics Recycling, March 24, 2007
• Free Screening of An Inconvenient Truth, October 5 & 7, 2006

Articles

Decatur Electronics Recycling, April 25
The Remarks, April 22, 2009

Electronics Recycling Day, Saturday, April 25, 9 am - 1 pm in the Decatur High School parking lot. More information ...

Earth Hour, March 28, 8:30-9:30 pm
The Remarks, March 24, 2009

All you need to do is turn off your lights for ONE HOUR to participate in this worldwide demonstration for action on climate change. Spread the word to encourage others to turn their lights out as well. More information ...

Georgia Interfaith Power & Light training
The Remarks, March 17, 2009

Saint Mark will host Georgia Interfaith Power & Light's Congregational Representative Training on Sunday, March 22, 2-5 pm, Room 206. GIPL helped Saint Mark create our Green Team several years ago. This training session will teach the participants how to get a green team started in their congregations and/or how to move their congregation to the next level of creation care. More information and registration ...

Time to Recycle Your Old Electronics
The Remarks, October 7, 2008

Don't throw away that old cell phone, camera or PC component! Save and recycle it on Saturday October 25, at Decatur's fall `08 Electronics Recycling event. This event has been hugely successful at diverting electronic equipment from landfills, where they may contaminate soil and water.

Electronic Recycling Day takes place October 25, 9 am to 1 pm, in the Decatur High School Parking lot (on the corner of N. McDonough Street and Howard Avenue). Electronics dropped off that day will be sorted and disassembled into raw materials or cleaned for re-use. The Decatur Waste Management Advisory Council investigates the recyclers involved to be sure the items are responsibly disassembled and not land filled.

Items include electronics, batteries of any type, Styrofoam peanuts & blocks, mercury thermometers/ thermostats, and televisions ($10 charge per TV set). Volunteers will assist in unloading items. To volunteer, contact Scott Thompson. Early drop offs are not possible. More information ...

Make Strides Toward Energy and Water Efficiency
With Georgia’s Tax-Free Holiday
The Remarks, September 30, 2008

Georgians can take steps to save energy and water by participating in Georgia’s tax-free holiday this weekend, October 2-5, 2008. Thanks to legislation passed in 2008 by the Georgia General Assembly, this tax-free holiday exempts purchases of specific water- and energy-efficient products from state and local sales and use taxes. The exemptions are limited to products with a purchase price of $1,500 or less that have been designated as meeting the requirements of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s WaterSense program and the U.S. Department of Energy’s ENERGYSTAR program. Tax exemptions are available for items such as air conditioners, refrigerators, dishwashers, ceiling fans, fluorescent light bulbs, programmable thermostats, WaterSense fixtures and faucets, and high-efficiency toilets.

For a complete list or for more information on Georgia’s tax-free holiday, please visit the Georgia Department of Revenue’s Web site.

Congratulations to our neighbor Georgia Tech and to Emory
The Remarks, August 5, 2008

Georgia Tech & Emory University are two of the eleven universities to receive a top score of 99 for green efforts from Princeton Review. The “Green Honor Roll” included six public universities and five private schools.

The criteria for the rating cover three broad areas: 1) whether the school’s students have a campus quality of life that is healthy and sustainable, 2) how well the school is preparing students for employment and citizenship in a world defined by environmental challenges, and 3) the school’s overall commitment to environmental issues. The institutional survey included questions on everything from energy use, recycling, food, buildings and transportation to academic offerings (availability of environmental studies degrees and courses) and action plans and goals concerning greenhouse gas emission reductions.

Georgia Tech emphasizes sustainability throughout its campus with 21 endowed chairs and 23 research centers that include significant sustainability components. The Institute has also set a goal that every student take at least one of more than the 100 courses with a sustainability emphasis. Georgia Tech has several institutional environmental sustainability programs that embrace green cleaning, solid waste recycling, drought-tolerant vegetation and storm water capture and reuse. (Georgia Tech received the 2008 American Forest & Paper Association College and University Recycling Award. AF&PA’s awards program recognizes outstanding school, business and community recycling efforts.) The Institute is also implementing a Sustainable Food Project encouraging environmentally responsible dining habits, like trayless dining to conserve.

Electronics Recycling Day Saturday, March 29
at Decatur High School Parking Lot
The Remarks, March 11, 2008

Be a part of this fast-growing, twice-annual event where, in March 2007, on ONE DAY, we diverted from landfill waste over 50 tons of electronics, styrofoam, and batteries. Volunteers are needed for a two hour shift where they direct traffic, unload recyclables from cars, and sort items. Sign up yourself or get a team together!! Perfect for a service project or a plain old good deed. Choose a shift from 8:30 - 11 am or 11 am - 1:30 pm.

Christmas Tree & Electronics Recycling
The Remarks, January 1, 2008

Go green by recycling at the end of the holiday season with a Christmas tree AND electronics recycling event in January. Keep Dekalb Beautiful is partnering with Home Depot and Atlanta Recycling Solutions to offer recycling at local Home Depot sites. On Saturday, January 5, 9 am to 4 pm, citizens are encouraged to recycle their Christmas trees during our 18th annual "Bring One for the Chipper" event. They will also be able to bring their old electronic items to the Home Depot site for recycling. KDB hopes citizens will " green-up" this winter and begin 2008 with a spirit of environmental stewardship!

Christmas Trees and electronics can be dropped off at any of the following Home Depot locations.

• Lawrenceville Home Depot, 2295 Lawrenceville Highway, Decatur 30030
• Wesley Chapel Home Depot, 4325 New Snapfinger Woods Drive, Decatur 30035
• Tilly Mill Home Depot, 4343 Tilly Mill Road, Atlanta 30360

You can also drop off your tree at the Christmas Tree Recycling Center in the Agnes Scott parking lot. The entrance is between 184 and 206 S. Candler St. The recycling center will be open through Saturday, January 5. Please do not leave trees anywhere else on the Agnes Scott campus.

The recycled trees will be chipped into mulch or used as wildlife habitat. Mulch is used for public beautification projects and is free to DeKalb County residents. While supplies last, all who participate in the recycling effort will receive a free dogwood seedling.

Additionally the following electronics will be accepted: Computer Monitors, Stereos, Microwave Ovens, Computer CPUs, Copiers, Telephones, Laptops, Video Machines, CB Radios, Printers, VCRs, CD Players, Disk Drives, Camcorders, Portable Radios, Floppy Drives, Cameras, Cell Phones, Test & Networking Equipment, Record Players, Keyboards, Modems, Speakers, Scanners, Circuit Boards, Typewriters, Cables, Electrical Panels, Fax Machines, UPS/Battery Back up, Projectors, CD ROMs, Computer Mouse, Televisions (*$10 Charge). Vacuum cleaners, refrigerators, washers, dryers, freezers, De-humidifiers or humidifiers, and gas-powered equipment will not be accepted.

For more information about this event, please call Keep DeKalb Beautiful at 404-371-2654.

The Remarks, November 6, 2007

The Green Team is asking for a few volunteers who will be willing to collect their greywater and then use it to water the poinsettias that decorate our sanctuary during the Advent season. If your are able and willing to water these beautiful plants with your greywater on Saturday’s December 15 and December 22, please contact the Green Team or Rev. Mandy Flemming.

2007 Fall Electronics Recycling Day
The Remarks, October 16, 2007

Saturday, October 27 • 9 am - 1 pm
Decatur High School parking lot (corner of N. McDonough Street and Howard Avenue)

Don’t throw away that old PC or printer! Save it and recycle it. This semi-annual recycling event has been hugely successful at diverting electronic equipment from landfills, where they may contaminate soil and water. Batteries, Styrofoam and mercury will also be accepted.

Electronics dropped off that day will be sorted then either shredded and recycled or tested for potential donation or sale. Items may also be disassembled into raw materials and sent to recyclers.

In addition to electronics, any metro area resident can also drop off batteries of any type, Styrofoam peanuts, clean Styrofoam blocks free of foreign objects, and mercury thermometers and thermostats.

"We added the recycling of Styrofoam because it takes up a significant amount of space in landfills and it is not easy for the average citizen to recycle it," says Richard Cohen, chair of Decatur's Waste Management Advisory Board. "Styrofoam does not break down easily in the landfill and there are a host of products today that can be made from recycled Styrofoam."

Last spring’s event diverted 50 tons of electronics from the landfill, almost matching the amount generated from two events in 2006. The event is co-sponsored by the City of Decatur, the Waste Management Advisory Board, ARC International Corp., Cartridge World, The UPS Store Decatur, Chick-Fil-A Downtown Decatur, DreamSan and Decatur High School.

Click here for more information about Dekalb County's Fall Electronics Recyling Day.

Free Screening of Kilowatt Ours
The Remarks, September 11, 2007

• Did you know that your home’s electric needs may use as much as 12,000 lbs of coal a year?
• Want to learn how to save up to $600 a year on your power bill?
• Hungry for some of Lily B’s famous popcorn?

The Green Team will be showing Kilowatt Ours on Saturday, October 6, 5 pm, in Wade Hall. The movie lasts about an hour and does a great job of exploring our country’s energy needs and challenges while keeping things pretty relevant at the personal level. Join us!

Click here to learn more about the film Kilowatt Ours.

Electronics Recycling
The Remarks, March 13, 2007

Dedicate time to eliminating one of your many communication devices or mediums. Which one takes more time than what it saves or costs? Don't throw away that old computer, printer, fax machine or other outdated electronic equipment - bring it to the Decatur High School parking lot at the corner of N. McDonough Street and W. Howard Avenue for recycling. Electronics dropped off on Saturday, March 24, 9 am - 1 pm, will be sorted and broken down into their raw materials and sent to recyclers for reuse.

The event is sponsored by the City of Decatur, Decatur High School, ART International Corp., Batteries Plus, Cartridge World, Decatur Waste Management Advisory Board, and Dreamsan.

In addition to the following acceptable items, bubble-wrap and clean Styrofoam (peanuts, packing blocks, plates, cups, trays) will be accepted: