The next time you unwrap a candy bar or rip open a bag of chips, think about saving those crinkly wrappers. Recycle boxes are now available for those items at all three schools in the Denali Borough.   The wrappers will be sent to a company called TerraCycle and made into durable plastic products like picnic tables and benches. The company is located in New Jersey and is a global leader in recycling hard-to-recycle materials.   Kesslyn Tench, Tri-Valley School’s technology manager and technology teacher, launched this particular recycling, which falls right in line with the school district’s dedication to the boroughwide Zero Landfill Initiative.   Subaru spearheads this initiative, which seeks to divert solid waste from the landfill. Subaru partners with local agencies and Denali National Park to improve recycling options and helps educate consumers and visitors. Local student ambassadors have been promoting the program since it began a few years ago. Visitors to Denali now find recycling bins throughout the park for aluminum, glass and plastic Nos. 1, 2 and 5.   Denali Education Center was recently awarded the Alaska Tourism Industry Association’s Stan Stephen’s Stewardship Award for the key role they play in managing the program.   In past years, candy wrappers and chip bags were never specifically included as acceptable recycling products and Tench always wondered why.   “I saw an article about this in Illinois or one of the Midwest areas, and I was like, ‘Okay, I wonder if we can do that here,’” she said.   She discovered that a bus tour operator in Denali National Park, collects those items from its bus snack boxes. Doyon/Aramark Joint Venture Concession provides a 100% recyclable snack box, thanks to a partnership with TerraCycle, according to Dawn Adams with Denali National Park. In 2019, Doyon/Aramark Joint Venture Concession collected and shipped 6,815 pounds of crinkly wrappers from snack boxes, to TerraCycle, according to Adams.   Students from the Denali Borough had the opportunity to visit the TerraCycle facility last year, according to Tench. The group attended the national service learning conference in Philadelphia, toured the Subaru headquarters (because of their Zero Landfill Initiative connection) and then traveled to Trenton, New Jersey, to tour the TerraCycle facility. Later, that same group of students participated in a Skype conversation with officials at TerraCycle.   Collection boxes are available now at Anderson School, Tri-Valley School and Cantwell School. There are also collection boxes at McKinley Community Center, Tri-Valley Community Center and In His Shadows Church.   Reach columnist/community editor Kris Capps at kcapps@newsminer.com. Call her at the office 459-7546. Follow her on Twitter: @FDNMKris.  

 

Bridge to the future

Two governors joined forces Monday to say it is time to talk about a new bridge across the Columbia River. Oregon Gov. Kate Brown and her counterpart across the river Washington Gov. Jay Inslee appeared together in Vancouver to say the time has come to replace the interstate bridge. A proposal to do so failed in 2014, but the duo said a new span that accommodates high-speed rail and is earthquake-ready needs to be built. “This joint effort to replace the interstate bridge is critical to the safety and economies of both Oregon and Washington," Brown said, according to the Oregonian's report on the meeting.

TRENTON, N.J. — Gerber, the early childhood nutrition leader, has partnered with international recycling company TerraCycle to help give hard-to-recycle baby food packaging a new life. This partnership is rooted in Gerber and TerraCycle®’s shared values around eliminating waste and supports the recovery of hard-to-recycle baby food packaging on a national scale.   Participation in the program is easy — parents can simply sign up on the Gerber Recycling Program page at https://www.terracycle.com/en-US/brigades/gerber and mail in packaging that is not municipally recyclable using a prepaid shipping label. Once collected, the packaging is cleaned and melted into hard plastic that can be remolded to make new recycled products.   “Through this free recycling program, Gerber is offering parents an easy way to divert waste from landfills by providing a responsible way to dispose of certain hard-to-recycle baby food packaging,” said TerraCycle CEO and Founder, Tom Szaky. “By collecting and recycling these items, families can demonstrate their respect for the environment not only through the products that they choose for their children, but also with how they dispose of the packaging.”   As an added incentive, for every pound of packaging waste sent to TerraCycle through the Gerber Recycling Program, collectors can earn $1 to donate to a non-profit, school or charitable organization of their choice.   Gerber believes the baby food industry should help create a world where babies thrive, and this partnership is one of many steps toward its goal to achieve 100% recyclable or reusable packaging by 2025. “We’re thrilled to partner with TerraCycle as part of our broader sustainable packaging efforts,” said Gerber President and CEO Bill Partyka. “We know every parent’s top priority is to ensure a healthy, happy future for their baby. Our commitment to sustainability is rooted in giving parents a hand in making their baby’s future that much brighter.”   Gerber was founded on the ambition to give babies the best start in life. That’s why their work doesn’t stop at nutrition. As the world’s largest baby food company, Gerber has upheld some of the industry’s strongest agricultural standards through its Clean Field Farming™ practices, and is committed to reducing energy use, water use and carbon emissions in its factories.   The Gerber Recycling Program is open to any interested individual, school, office, or community organization. For information on TerraCycle’s recycling programs, visit www.TerraCycle.com.  

It kicks off around the beginning of November: the not-so-subtle holiday gift inquiries. The incoming texts from family members, asking which perfume you wore that one time — and oh, do you happen to own it? The Instagram posts, forwarded via DM by significant others, gauging your interest in whichever products are lining the picture's virtual shelf. This timing can be tricky for anyone interested in unwrapping eco-friendly beauty gifts once the holidays arrive; scouting out products that center style and sustainability is more time consuming than simply clicking over to a beauty retailer's top-sellers page.   And in case you are already receiving demands to email over a wishlist, keep on reading. Ahead are 10 fan-favorite, eco-friendly beauty products that you'll definitely want to add to your list — ranging from under-$20 stocking stuffers to a $145 body and massage oil that's almost too pretty to use. Each one approaches being environmentally friendly in a unique way, as well, allowing you to opt for the technique that resonates with you; like Lush's recycling program, PYT Beauty's microplastic-free glitter, or Aether Beauty's almost completely recyclable eyeshadow palette — which is made primarily from paper.   So, the next time someone in your family asks which perfumes you like — no reason, just asking! — you'll be prepared. Below, 10 beauty products that are as environmentally friendly as they are chic.    

“Our host is so big that she won Big Brother Canada,” said Matei Olaru, CEO of Toronto-based tech company Lift & Co, as he introduced host Sarah Hanlon to a room full of “best buds” at Toronto’s Fairmont Royal York on Friday night.   It was also a very big night — the 6th Annual Canadian Cannabis Awards, an annual event that this year was estimated to bring together nearly 900 cannabis industry leaders. The glittering award night was dedicated to the movers and shakers of the Canadian industry. Recognizing top people, products and companies, the award ceremony was hosted by Sarah Hanlon, winner of Big Brother Canada 3, and The GrowthOp (TGO) contributor. “The awards a year before were hosted by Rick Campanelli, of ET Canada fame, so I clearly have some big shoes to fill,” she wrote in TGO’s Pot Culture column late in October. Kevin Anderson from Broken Coast Cannabis Ltd. was awarded the Top Master Grower award, who in his acceptance speech had only one thing to say: “Thank you, everyone, that loves weed.”   The top cannabis flower and oil products were chosen with a record-setting over 31,000 votes by consumers, Lift&Co. confirmed in a press statement. Select top products of the year included:  

• Top High THC Bottle Oil: Rossignol by Organigram;
• Top Capsule: Argyle Softgels by Tweed;
• Top Sativa Preroll: Jean Guy by Good Supply;
• Top Sativa Flower: Tangerine Dream by San Rafael ’71;
• Top Hybrid Flower: Ruxton (Sour OG) by Broken Coast Cannabis.

  “And that was it, we did,” said Hanlon as all the winners were announced, and in some cases displayed on the screen.   As the celebration came to a close, attendees were encouraged to give to a choice of four Canadian charities as part of the campaign, Trec With Purpose, to Dress for Success Toronto, HXOUSE, Evergreen, and Cannabis Amnesty. Donations are open here until the end of the year.

Damm Music Center in Wichita will hold its annual Restring for Food food drive on Saturday, November 23 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. When you bring in a can of food, you will get your guitar re-stringed for FREE. All food received during the drive will be donated to Our Daily Bread Food Pantry, which benefits families right here in Wichita. The drive is sponsored by D’Addario. Musicians can bring in their electric or acoustic guitars and Damm employees will install a new set of D’Addario strings. There is a limit of two instruments per household or person. To add to the fun, they’re also holding a raffle. You’ll earn one raffle entry for every five food items donated. Raffle prizes include a Kala Bocote Butterfly ukulele, four free guitar lessons, plus other great prizes. To be eligible for the raffle, food items must be unopened, not expired, labeled, and similar to items on the “Most Needed Items” list. (Of course!!) Most needed items include canned vegetables, fruit, soup, peanut butter, cereal and other breakfast items, macaroni & cheese, rice, beans, tuna, pasta and pasta sauce, large diapers, can openers, t.p. and more… (To see the full list, click here to go to the food pantry website and scroll down until you see the Wish List section.) It’s a Damm nice thing to do. Please visit the Damm Music Center website for all the details and share this post with all your musician friends.

“We take our responsibility to protect our planet very seriously,” said Fred Penny, president, Bimbo Bakeries USA. “For years, we have taken steps to reduce the plastic used in our packaging and we are now committing to ensuring that packaging we have in the market does not make it to landfill or our oceans.”   This sustainable packaging pledge is part of a greater global commitment by Grupo Bimbo, the company of which Bimbo Bakeries USA is a part. Last year, Grupo Bimbo committed to sustainable packaging across its entire portfolio around the globe by 2025.   “To make immediate progress in this commitment, we are expanding our partnership with TerraCycle to make all bread, bun, bagel, and English muffin packaging easily recyclable starting Jan. 1, 2020,” said Penny. “We have already diverted more than 5 million Little Bites pouches from landfill through TerraCycle and look forward to including the rest of our portfolio in this important program.”   TerraCycle is a private U.S. recycling business that recycles items not typically collected in municipal pickup of plastics, glass, and paper—including most commercial bread packaging, which is currently recyclable as a “4.” Through the TerraCycle program, individuals can save their Bimbo Bakeries USA product packaging, print out a free shipping label and send it to be recycled.  

  Henkel has partnered with TerraCycle to launch the free Schwarzkopf Recycling Program in the United States. The program, which is slated to begin January 1, 2020, will allow U.S. consumers to recycle all Schwarzkopf retail hair care, color and styling products, through TerraCycle’s recycling platform. By recycling products through this program, U.S. consumers can earn points which can be redeemed for charitable gifts or converted to cash and donated to a non-profit, school or charitable organization of their choice. How It Works When the program launches, consumers will be able to collect used packaging from purchased Schwarzkopf products, and when ready, download a shipping label from the TerraCycle website to mail in for recycling. Once received, the packaging will be cleaned and melted into hard plastic that can be remolded to make new recycled products. “Until now, the recyclability of hair color and styling products was difficult due to product packaging needs and the requirements of curb-side recycling programs. Through the TerraCycle program, we’re proud that Schwarzkopf retail products will now be 100% recyclable,” explained Manuela Emmrich, marketing director, Hair U.S., Henkel Beauty Care. Henkel has been partnering with TerraCycle since 2016. Earlier this year, Henkel and TerraCycle teamed up to create a free recycling program throughout Canada for Henkel’s Sunlight and Purex brand plastic detergent pouches. Henkel’s Adhesive Technologies business unit also launched a partnership with TerraCycle for customers in the U.S., making it possible for them to recycle their used adhesives packaging instead of sending them to a landfill or incinerator. The Schwarzkopf and Henkel Adhesive Technologies Recycling Programs are available to any interested individual, school, office, or community organization in the United States.