I walked to my local convenience store the other day because I had a “sweet tooth”. This time, it was chocolate.

When I approached the checkout counter I noticed that a person (or people) had recently checked their lottery numbers and had discarded the tickets in the trash. There were at least 40 ticket stubs in the trash!

Is this a recycling opportunity? Yes. I have confirmed this a few times in the past for my own benefit and for other folks too. Thought you would like to know.

Lottery tickets printed on paper can be recycled (the ones printed on thermal paper or laminated film cannot).

I normally wouldn’t recommend digging through trash bins. I reached in and grabbed the ones resting on top of a piece of “clean” trash, walked them home, and placed them in my recycling bin.

This message more, or less, gets at the process of opening our minds to recycling opportunities – from sugar sachets/packets, to lottery tickets and everywhere in between.

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No matter what season you are in around this glorious planet, there are always opportunities to give something back to Mother Nature. We often dedicate month’s to focus on specific celebrations or important themes. No reason they can’t carry over into our daily lives…right!

A fiend of mine recently said to her children “…there are enough of your diapers in landfills that it’s time to balance things out a bit!” Way to go!

So, pick up that litter, reuse that paper, plant a tree, adopt a pet. Certainly feel good about the tremendous choice you have to do so. Thanks in advance for helping the planet out folks. You rock!

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In fact, I think he’s brilliant. If you are in the Chicago area tomorrow don’t miss the opportunity to see him speak. Vice President Al Gore will be at the Chicago Theater. There are still a few tickets left.

The conversation will likely be centered around important themes embedded in his next book, due out November 3rd, called Our Choice. This event should not disappoint those thirsty for more about fresh solutions and plans that can vastly influence a “greener” planet.

“An Inconvenient Truth reached millions of people with the message that the climate crisis is threatening the future of human civilization and that it must and can be solved. Now that the need for urgent action is even clearer with the alarming new findings of the last three years, it is time for a comprehensive global plan that actually solves the climate crisis.
Our Choice will answer that call.”

-Vice President Al Gore

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The business of reclaiming wood from a number of sources is not a new concept. It is really gaining popularity as folks start to realize how beautiful reclaimed wood can be.

Bonus: Using reclaimed wood reduces waste and conserves natural resources.

The most common wood in the reclaiming process originated from “old-growth” forests that were likely several centuries old at the time of their harvest. Although it varies by species, the older reclaimed woods often have a rich color and strength (tighter growth rings) that you can’t find with newer woods taken from younger forests. That is a huge benefit to many people looking to use wood as building material or decoration.

Reclaimed woods have a number of obvious uses including support beams, flooring, siding or shingles. People also use reclaimed wood to make walls, doors, furniture, and countertops. We can reclaim wood from a number of sources. Popular salvage comes from old barns and buildings, old docks, and even old logs found submerged in lakes and rivers. It is a great opportunity to reuse hundreds of different species of soft and hard woods especially those that are extinct or near extinct like the American Chestnut and Longleaf Heart Pine.

What a fantastic way to extend the life of a tree that had life taken away from it prematurely.

Check the internet for a lumber company that specializes in reclaimed woods. I recommend one that sources 100% of their product from the reclaiming process.

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March 20th welcomes the “official Spring” for those of us in the Northern Hemisphere of our beautiful blue planet. Depending on where you live, this can coincide with warming temperatures and a bit of flooding.

There are several places in my area where the snow piles have melted and the floodwaters receded. Both are popular places for trash to collect (both naturally and/or through human influence). Has your keen eye noticed locations like these in your area?

It is a great opportunity to go out with a pair of gloves and pick up the litter. I recently scoured my neighborhood in two 10-minute sessions. I dedicate the first wave to gathering trash and the next for any recycle worthy items. I even got a nod from a family in the area and they started their own little clean up too. Nice!

When I finished got exercise and helped the environment. I encourage you to look for ways of taking your Spring cleaning to the next level.

Hope the rest of your week is great!

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