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September has been a busy month for The S.A.V.E. Foundation. After baling and recycling many dumpsters full of plastics, S.A.V.E. headed off to Erase your E*Waste this past weekend. The annual event ran Friday, September 12th from 3-7pm and again Saturday morning, September 13th from 8am-1pm in the Kmart parking lot. The S.A.V.E. Foundation partnered with Montana Department of Environmental Quality, Pacific Steel and Recycling, Lewis and Clark City-County Health Department, Lewis and Clark Water Quality Protection District, Lewis and Clark Landfill, The City of Helena Transfer Station, and City-County Sanitation to make this event possible.
This event drew nearly 400 cars plus several businesses that pre-registered from surrounding areas including a Uhaul that showed up with more than 200 electronic waste items to recycle. Some items are free to recycle such as computer towers and laptops, but many were recycled with a fee to pay for labor to disassemble the components properly. Recycling electronics keeps toxic materials out of landfills, which reduces the potential of substances such as lead and mercury from leaching into our land and water.
Electronics recycling has been an increasingly important issue with technology changing daily, and the consequential desire to obtain the latest and greatest. Television sets were one of the most common recycled items at this event because of the signal change coming up later this year. Unfortunately, electronics recycling may not be affordable to everyone as television sets are one of the most costly items to recycle. This leads to incorrect disposal of these materials.
The S.A.V.E. Foundation will be working on policies to make electronics recycling more practical this upcoming session, but also work to ban these materials from landfills. Many states already have regulations on electronic waste including fines for tossing electronics into the garbage.


Coming up next, The S.A.V.E. Foundation will be working with the Growing Friends of Helena to recycle at Trash for Trees September 27th at Northgate Plaza from 9am-4pm. This event will collect newspapers, glass, corrugated cardboard, steel and aluminum cans, office paper, and some rechargeable batteries (from laptops or power tools). This will also be another opportunity to recycle your type 1 and type 2 plastics! Recycle to raise money for planting trees and support expanded recycling! Volunteers are need for this event. To sign up visit savemobile.org or dial 449.6008. Volunteering makes expanded recycling possible in your community!


Pictured below: Volunteers help to make this event possible. Thanks to all those who came out to help!

Labels: electronic waste recycling, erase your e-waste, Helena electronic recycling

Upcoming Recycling Events in Helena:

September 7-14: S.A.V.E. Plastics Recycling Drive near the Y.M.C.A.
- collection for Type 1, Type 2 plastics, please click here for details

September 29: Trash for Trees with S.A.V.E. & Growing Friends
- recycling drive for all standard recyclable (glass, plastic, cans, tin cans, newspaper, magazine, office paper,..) Click here for more details.

October 12 & 13: Erase your E-waste electronics recycling
- Collection of electronic waste will be on Friday (Oct 12) from 3pm to 7pm and http://www.blogger.com/img/gl.link.gifSaturday (Oct 13) from 8am to 1pm. Collection includes old computers, television, microwaves, laptops, stereos, power supplies and more. Many items cost money to recycle (labor cost of separation). Price list will be posted soon. Click here to visit our e-waste page.


Other upcoming green events in Helena:
Sept 11-14: Big Sky Greening Conference (Full recycling and compost by SAVE)
Oct 26: Eco-fest by Peak 10:30-1pm (SAVE Table)
Nov. 15: S.A.V.E. America Recycles Day Celebration/Fund Raiser, Exploration Works Building

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Labels: electronic waste recycling, electronics recycling, recycling helena montana

Click here to see Daily Habits: Summer 2007 by the S.A.V.E. Foundation.




Click here to see Daily Habits: Summer 2007 by the S.A.V.E.

Labels: alternative energy, Daily Habits Summer 2007, electronic waste recycling, Energy Conservation, pedi-cabs, recycling helena montana

S.A.V.E. Update: $5,000 Matching Grant / Gray Water Raffle / Recycling Info & more


Note: S.A.V.E. will be giving a presentation on Biodiesel this Saturday at the Sustainability Fair this in Livingston at 2:30p.m. We will have a display on biodiesel, gray water, and conservation all day. We still have room for a volunteer or two to join our biodiesel crew for the day.

Your Donation Matched!

The S.A.V.E. Foundation have received a $5,000 matching grant from The Cinnabar Foundation. With this grant, your renewed support or first-time donation to S.A.V.E. will be doubled! You can make a secure online donation or download a contribution form at www.savemobile.org. You may also call 406-431-0815 for more information.


Gray Water Raffle:

S.A.V.E. will be raffling off a full size Gray Water system at Earth Day 2008 (April 22). The system, a Brac W-200, is designed for households of 5 persons or less and provides the opportunity to save water costs and help protect the environment with conservation. S.A.V.E. is working to improve public awareness about gray water, especially with the upcoming rule making process (gray water was just made legal during the 2007 Montana legislature). Entry for the raffle is free and your can sign up to win today at Savemobile.org. The item will be on display at The Real Food Store for all of July.


Recycling Update:

The June Plastics recycling week went well. Combined with our Earth Day collection, Trash for Trees, business pickups, and the collection week in March, we have recycled more than 13,000 pounds of plastic. The next week-long recycling collections will be September 7-14th and December 7-14th. We will also be at the Fall Trash for Trees collection on September 29th. We exploring ways to make this a permanent program.

Electronic waste, including computers, monitors, and other items, can now be recycled at Staples with a charge of $10 per item. S.A.V.E. and other community partners are planning to organize another e-waste event this Fall, similar to the "Erase your E-waste" event last September that collected nearly 40,000lbs of electronic waste for recycling. We are also in the process of developing a business registry that would help entities with large amounts of e-waste pool together for collection.


Volunteering:

S.A.V.E.'s busiest days are Tuesday and Friday when are recycling collection is in full gear. We also have a variety of unique recycling projects outside of those days, including recycling at the Alive @ 5s. There is ongoing office work. S.A.V.E. work does count for court mandated community service projects.


Student Opportunities:

S.A.V.E . has internships for credit, part-time positions, and exciting volunteer opportunities for environmentally-minded students. This includes making biodiesel, traveling with the Biodiesel Montana program, working to make plastics permanent, working on policy issues and public planning, and research. Schedule can be flexible and accommodate work for almost any major or interest. Call 406-431-0815 if interested.


Business Route Expanding:

S.A.V.E. is now expanding its business recycling route, which collects paper, newsprint, magazine, cardboard, cans, tin, glass, plastics, and other recyclables from a wide spectrum of businesses. Reply to this email (Recycle @ Savemobile.org) or call 406-431-0815 if your business is interested in joining the route.


Store at Savemobile.org expanded:

- A few days left to order the S.A.V.E. "Be Green" t-shirt, Earth Day Helena 2007 addition.

- Coffee mug special by S.A.V.E. (student affiliate at Carroll) and the Nursing club at Carroll to support a school library in Niger, Africa.

- S.A.V.E. support specials, including cds, t-shirts, and above mugs are various levels.

- Transactions are secure credit card, paypal, or by old fashioned mail.


Thanks!

- The S.A.V.E. Foundation/Savemobile.org

Labels: biodiesel, electronic waste recycling, gray water systems, Savemobile.org

Earth Day Helena 2007 a success! (quick link, to be expanded soon)

Huge thanks to all the volunteers, speakers, sponsors (links below), guest exhibits, and all the participants that made it Earth Day Helena 2007 a memorable success. Here are a few photo highlights, links to some of the print coverage, and tidbits from the days events. Special thanks to the City of Helena for making plastics recycling possible at the event, Montana Department of Transportation for providing a functioning exhibit to recycle mercury containing light bulbs, The Third Wheels, S.A.V.E. students of Carroll and the College for being our host, Scott Settle for providing beef for our barbecue (local organic), and, again all the volunteers who helped plan, setup, take down, run the plastics drive, and the rest.

The S.A.V.E. Awards:



Student Advocate of the Year: Tyler Evilsizer
S.A.V.E Legend (highest honor): Jason DeShaw

Sponsors:
Alternative Energy Resources Organization (AERO)
Montana Renewable Energy Association (MREA)
The Real Food Store
Saturn Resource Managemental
The S.A.V.E. Foundation, 501(c)(3)


Featured Speakers:
- Steve Loken
- Bob Raney
- George Ochenski
- Senator John Brueggeman

Activities:
- Opening Music, The Recycling Games (Youth Activity), Slack Line Competition by ClimbHelena.com, Plastics Recycling, The Third Wheels of Helena, and environmental exhibits.


Articles (more added soon):
http://www.helenair.com/articles/2007/04/19/outdoors/c02041907_02.txt

More photos of Earth Day Helena 2007 here

Labels: earth day, electronic waste recycling, plastics recycling helena montana

Celebrate Earth Day

by Charlie Speicher

In 1970, a few concerned yet passionate individuals joined forces to create the first annual Earth Day. This newly created holiday was to be set aside as a day, amongst other things, to reflect on the impact that humans have upon the earth. It’s also a day which allows us to highlight ways of ensuring that future generation’s quality of life will not be inhibited by our actions in the present. In the spirit of those original Earth Day pioneers, The S.A.V.E. Foundation will be hosting Helena’s annual Earth Day festivities on Sunday, April 22nd at the outdoor commons area of Carroll College from 12 to 4 p.m.

For the past several years, The S.A.V.E. Foundation has held similar Earth Day celebrations in Helena. This year will be no different as S.A.V.E. has gathered a remarkable lineup of speakers, musicians, exhibits, and festivities for the day’s events. This year’s speakers include Steve Loken, a nationally recognized Alternative Building Specialist from Missoula; Senator John Brueggeman, one of Montana’s strongest bio-diesel advocates; Bob Raney, a member of the Public Service Commission and tireless advocate for a clean environment; and George Ochenski, a widely published Montana writer and adventurer.

Local exhibits on conservation will be provided by groups such as the Alternative Energy Resource Organization, Montana Renewable Energy Association, NorthWestern Energy, and several other groups to display key environmental issues facing Montana today. Also, S.A.V.E. will be collecting Type1 and 2 plastics to be recycled throughout the day’s events.

Local musical talent The Third Wheels will be taking the stage at 2:30 with their eclectic blend of booty shaking soul, reggae, and Americana. The ClimbHelena organization will be in attendance as well unveiling their first annual slack-line competition for all brave attendees to participate. Prizes will be awarded to the most successful slack-liners.

While Earth Day is a time to celebrate what we can all do in terms of environmental stewardship, this year will also celebrate some of the proactive legislation that will benefit Montana's environment. Three bills in particular including Senate Bill 449, which will increase the efficiency of state-owned vehicles; SB 185, which creates a new category of electric vehicle to be used by urban residents; House Bill 259, which will legalize the use of grey water systems to conserve household water; and House Bill 555, which will create an education program to help facilitate electronic waste recycling. “These are very simple yet effective bills that allow important conservation choice to take place in Montana,” says S.A.V.E. Director Matt Elsaesser, who was S.A.V.E.'s Co-lobbyist with student intern Tyler Evilsizer of Carroll College. "Our niche this session was legislation that connected us to positive choices for the environment," said Evilsizer, a junior in political science. "This will be another great Earth Day with that same positive message and a fun time for all ages."


For more information regarding this years Earth Day events or SAVE news in general, please visit www.Savemobile.org.

Charlie Speicher is a Board Member of The Student Advocates for Valuing the Environment Foundation, a Helena based non-profit that promotes recycling and environmental stewardship. Charlie is Senior at Carroll College majoring in Environmental Studies.

Labels: earth day, electronic waste recycling, plastics recycling helena montana

HB 259, to allow gray water in Montana, passed Senate Natural Resources 9-0 this afternoon in Executive Action.

HB 555 has passed the Senate without any amendments and now head towards the Governors desk. This bill creates an education program for electronic waste in Montana.

HB 258, to create a tax credit for the proper recycling of electronic waste, remains stalled in House Taxation. S.A.V.E. and the sponsor are hoping to find support on the House floor for a successful blast motion.

E-waste is a priority item for The S.A.V.E. Foundation. Electronic items are the fastest growing part of our waste system. It contains toxic components and valuable resources that should be kept out of the environment and reused in our economy. We see an education program combined with a tax credit incentive as the best way to address the challenges (see fact sheet below) of e-waste, especially regarding the huge existing stockpiles.


Gray Water Fact Sheet: Page 1 , Page 2

E-Waste Fact Sheet: Page 1 , Page 2

- Savemobile.org

Labels: electronic waste recycling, gray water systems