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Contact us
PO Box 82391
Fairbanks, Alaska
99708
(907) 452-4152
www.iagreenstar.org
info@iagreenstar.org
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Electronics Recycling Depot
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FREE Recycling in January!
IAGS is excited to announce some BIG NEWS for our Electronics Recycling Depot. ALL electronics will be FREE to recycle in January, thanks to a generous grant from the Fairbanks North Star Borough (FNSB) Recycling Commission.
This means that you can save any of your old electronics that might soon be upgraded by to those presents waiting under the tree, and bring them to us at our next collection in January! The normal fees that apply to some items will be covered by the FNSB Recycling Commission grant, and you will feel great knowing that those old devices are being recycled rather than ending up in our landfill.
Due to the nature of the materials we are collecting, as well as the importance of tracking the amounts and types of items that are brought in, we still need to check in your electronics as you unload them and ensure that they are handled properly. So, please continue to allow our helpful volunteers to assist you when you bring your recyclables to us next month.
The next collection dates for the Electronics Recycling Depot are January 20th and 21st. We hope to see you all there!
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Fairbanks Businesses Recycle Electronics
IAGS would like to thank all of the local businesses and organizations that brought in their electronics for recycling during our November and December collection. These environmentally-minded organizations are leading the way in working towards a more sustainable Fairbanks. Would you like to see your business or organization listed here next month? Contact us today to find out how we can help your business recycle all its old electronics – and keep valuable resources and toxic materials out of our landfills. Did you recycle with us but don’t see your business listed here? Be sure to mention your business name when you are checking out next time, so that we can recognize your efforts!
• ABR, Inc.
• Adult Learning Programs of Alaska
• Big Ray's
• Colorado State University
• Denali Raft Adventures Corporation
• Design Alaska, Inc.
• Meyeres Real Estate
• Peterson Technologies Solutions
• Princess Tours
• Schneider & Shilling, CPAs
• URS Corporation
• Usibelli Coal Mine
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Fairbanks Recycling Scene
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Christmas Tree Recycling
K&K Recycling will be offering an opportunity to recycle your Christmas tree after the holidays this year! Working in partnership with the University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF) Office of Sustainability and the Watershed School, K&K will collect your real Christmas trees at a drop-off site located at the UAF Recycling Center at 410 Tanana Loop Road (across from the Patty Center). The drop-off will be open 24-hours a day starting on Monday, December 26th and running through Saturday, January 7th. Just look for the designated "Christmas Tree Corral” staging area, marked by a construction road sign.
On January 7th, from 11am to 3pm, all three organizations partnering on this recycling project will be on hand to watch the trees get chipped and prepared for reuse – come drop off your tree and watch the fun while enjoying refreshments! Once the trees are chipped, a portion of the materials will be used for trail maintenance and a new compost pile at the Watershed School, and the remainder will be converted to electricity and heat through the Chena Power Biomass Power Plant project.
Visit their websites for more information about K&K Recycling, Chena Power, The Watershed School and the UAF Office of Sustainability.
This program is co-sponsored by KTVF Channel 11, K-WOLF & X-ROCK, and the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner.
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Volunteer Spotlight
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Would you like to help IAGS, but don’t have time to volunteer at our monthly Electronics Recycling Depot collections? Now there is a way you might be able to contribute a much-needed resource for our program!
IAGS needs plastic containers for packaging the batteries we collect as part of our electronics recycling program. All the batteries we collect must be sorted and packaged according to type – this is just one of the many tasks our volunteers help with each month. The ideal battery packaging containers are 5-gallon buckets with screw-top lids, as they can accommodate all sizes of batteries. However, we will accept almost any type of sturdy plastic container with screw-top lids for this purpose. Some examples include cat litter containers or large food containers (think Sam’s club-sized jars, NOT regular-sized peanut-butter jars).
If you would be able to supply an ongoing source of these types of containers – or even just a one-time donation – please contact us at info@iagreenstar.org or 452-4152.
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Thank You for your Pick.Click.Give. Donations!
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We would like to thank everyone who donated a portion of their Permanent Fund Dividend to IAGS through the 2011 Pick.Click.Give. Program. A total of 39 donors contributed $1,900 to our organization through this program. These funds will provide much-needed operational support and allow us to continue our programs and events for the coming year.
At the end of the PFD filing period on March 31, 2011, data showed that 18,726 Alaskans made 27,829 charitable gifts to Alaska nonprofits. The total pledged amount as of that date was $1,570,900 for this third year of the Pick.Click.Give. program.
Please consider supporting Interior Alaska Green Star and our mission as you are filing for your 2012 PFD beginning in January. The Pick.Click.Give. program is an easy way to support IAGS and any other Alaskan organizations that are important to you. IAGS thanks you for your support!!
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Holiday Tips to Reduce Waste
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The holiday season is here, and during this time the spirit of giving is at its peak. Unfortunately, so is our environmental impact. Between Thanksgiving and New Year's Eve, we generate 25% more landfill waste than during the rest of the year. For this holiday season, here are just a few ways you can "green up" and help to reduce waste.
BYOB
While you are out doing that last-minute shopping, remember to BYOB – Bring Your Own Bag! Bringing your own shopping bag to carry out your purchases from the store will help to avoid the waste of paper and plastic bags. In addition, if you are travelling to visit friends or family for gift exchanges, remember to always have a large tote bag, basket, or box along to carry away any presents or treats you may be taking home.
Gift Wrapping
You can rack up some green points quickly simple by just by reducing the amount of gift wrap you purchase and/or throw away. If each American household wrapped just three gifts in reused materials, enough paper would be saved to cover 45,000 football fields! There are so many ways to green up your gift wraps. If you know how to sew, find a pattern to make your own reusable cloth gift bags – or if you aren’t crafty, purchase pre-made cloth or paper reusable gift bags that can be rescued from the unwrapping frenzy and reused for future gifting. Make the wrapping part of the gift by presenting items in a container that goes with the theme – for example, a bucket for gardening supplies, a mixing bowl or pot for cooking items. Fabric is another great option for a unique gift wrap alternative – wrap your present in a scarf, blanket, or beautiful cloth hanging – you could even learn the Japanese art of Furoshiki (“Wrapping In Fabric”) to make your package truly unique. Create your own paper gift boxes, bags, or wrapping by pasting together old calendar pictures, colorful magazine pages, newspaper pages, or even old maps! At gift exchanges, encourage reuse and recycling of all paper wrap and boxes by setting out recycling boxes to capture the paper once the unwrapping is done.
In with New Electronic Devices? Recycle the Old Ones!
Now more than ever, many of the most popular gift items are electronics such as computers, video games, and music devices. Unfortunately, the manufacturing and disposal of these items creates significant human health and environmental hazards. Recycling even small items like cell phones prevents hazardous elements like mercury, cadmium and lead from ending up in our landfills. Hang on to your replaced electronics and recycle them FOR FREE at the next IAGS Electronics Recycling Depot collection – on January 20th and 21st! See our webpage for more details.
Party Recycling
Remember – the more the merrier when it comes to recycling! At your office party or family gathering, set up boxes to collect recyclable material, and let the guest know that you encourage them to sort their waste accordingly. Wrapping paper, cardboard boxes, aluminum cans, plastic beverage bottles, and non-meat/non-dairy food items (for composting) should all be placed in their appropriate containers for easy recycling when doing your party cleanup. Did you end up with too much food after your party? Don’t forget that the Fairbanks Community Food Bank accepts food donations (725 26th Ave, 457-4273).
Post-Holiday RECYCLING
No matter how much you try to rethink, reduce, and reuse during your holiday festivities, you will probably still have a certain amount of waste to deal with when they are all over. At this point, it is time to look at what you can recycle! Fairbanks now has many options for recycling a wide range of materials – some of the top recycling locations include: Alaska Waste (two locations), Fairbanks Rescue Mission, K&K Recycling, and the UAF Recycling Center. View our Fairbanks Recycling Guide online to find the complete list of recycling centers – including locations, hours, and what materials are accepted at each site; pages 4-5 have all the details!
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