Welcome to the August 2008 Edition of the City of Fort Wayne’s Green City email newsletter.

Upcoming events:

Excellence in Recycling Awards

Thursday, August 21, 2008, 11:30am to 1:30pm

Memorial Coliseum Blue Room

This program recognizes and supports recycling efforts in our community made by businesses, industries, and institutions. Cost is $5 and includes lunch. For more information, and to RSVP, please call 260-449-7878

Tox-Away Day – Household Hazardous Waste Collection

Saturday, September 6, 2008, 9am to 2:30pm

On this day, Allen County residents can dispose of unwanted household hazardous waste such as oil-based paint, paint thinner, pesticides and more. Minimal fees apply. Location to be announced two weeks prior to event. For more information, please contact the District at 260-449-7878.

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This edition of the Green City email newsletter contains:

*Green Tip of the Month

*E-Waste Recycling

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*Green Tip of the Month

Be Part of the Recycling Loop

The recycling loop includes three steps: collecting recyclable materials, physically recycling the materials, and purchasing items made from recycled materials. As a first step, utilize the City’s curbside recycling program by recycling paper, cardboard, #1 and #2 plastics, glass, and aluminum.

Keep the recycling containers in a convenient location. You may not be consistent early on, but eventually, recycling will become a habit that you incorporate into everyday tasks.

This tip comes from the book 365 Ways to Live Green by Diane Gow McDilda

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Electronics: Waste Prevention, Reuse, and Recycling

In 2005, used or unwanted electronics amounted to approximately 2 million tons. Of that, about 1.7 million tons were discarded in landfills, and only 345,000 tons were recycled.

Computer monitors and older TV picture tubes contain an average of four pounds of lead and require special handling at the end of their lives. In addition to lead, electronics can contain chromium, cadmium, mercury, beryllium, nickel, zinc, and brominated flame retardants.

When electronics are not disposed of or recycled properly, these toxic materials can present problems. EPA reported that in 1998, over 112 million pounds of materials were recovered from electronics, including steel, glass, and plastic, as well as precious metals. Reusing and recycling the raw materials from end-of-life electronics conserves natural resources and avoids the air and water pollution, as well as greenhouse gas emissions that are caused by manufacturing new products.

You can recycle your electronics at the following locations:

OmniSource
1143 Fairview Avenue, Gate #7, Fort Wayne, IN 46803
Phone: (260) 449-7878
Hours: Monday-Friday: 8am until 5pm and Saturday: 8am until 12 noon
Small fee applies based on type of electronics recycled

A Plus Computers - Parnell
4730 Parnell Ave., Fort Wayne, IN 46825
Phone: 260-482-7899
$5 for monitors, no cost for all other computer components

A Plus Computers - Pine Valley
10250 Coldwater Rd., Fort Wayne, IN 46825
Phone: 260-489-7711
$5 for monitors, no cost for all other computer components

The worldwide Freecycle Network™ (www.freecycle.org) is made up of many individual groups across the globe. It's a grassroots movement of people who are giving (& getting) stuff for free in their own towns. Membership is free. One person's trash can truly be another's treasure! You can sign up for the network at:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FtWayneFreecycle/

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Thank you very much for being a subscriber to our Green City email newsletter. We hope this has been helpful and informative to you.

We will contact you once per month with the email newsletter, as well as on Air Quality Action Days to alert you when air conditions indicate you need to take action.

If you would like to suggest topics or articles to include in monthly email newsletters, please email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Please pass this email newsletter on to your friends and family, so that everyone can share in the knowledge and have an impact on reducing energy consumption.

Sincerely,

Nicholas Harter

Program Manager

Energy & Environmental Services

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