Fw: Environmental Piece for North Country 350

[Heather Sullivan-Catlin]

Hello, folks.

This is an article written by a recent SUNY Potsdam grad.  She asked me to share with NC350.  If you'd like you may contact her directly at: "Kathleen Parr" <parr.ka...@gmail.com>

"Earth-Friendly Homes Getting The Most Out Of Recycled Materials"

Kathleen Parr

          When holding a piece of paper or plastic in our hands, it comes in various forms and textures. Aluminum and glass change shape and density when it changes its life form. All of these materials have had previous lives and have been reused and recycled to fit a new purpose in our lives. This is the beauty of recycling. When we find one of those big green recycling bins, inside of it is previous made and used materials that will be melted and remolded into a new product. The whole recycling and reusing concept screams innovation. This is the direction that we need to push towards and spread awareness to our fellow friends and neighbors. Recycling benefits not only us but our environment tremendously. This is just one of the many things you can do on a daily basis to help our planet and prevent the overconsumption of energy and wasted materials on this planet. On top of this, when we recycle, we are preventing polluted landfills from taking over our backyards and communities. Pollution is the act of harmful contaminations on our planet. This is the act of making our water, air and soil dirty or hazardous to humans and animals. It's time that we take action and reuse these materials before taking to the trash.

            Let's think about what we are recycling. 85% of the disposable plastic water bottles used in the United States can be found in the garbage. This number alone is alarming. When we think about what is sitting in these garbage consumed landfills, old automobile tires make up a large amount from rusted or unused vehicles. Why not turn these products into reused structures that will help benefit people and serve a purpose for years to come? Earthships are environmentally sustainable homes made out of these recycled materials as well other earth friendly, conservative systems. These Earthships are a growing phenomenon that uses recycled and reused materials in the structure of this ship. By using these tires as a retaining wall, they can be stacked and pounded with dirt to mold the foundation of this home. After this, you can find wooden beams, steel, and cement encasing these tires to help with the indestructible structure of the home. With recycling it's all about reusing something that was once used before. Plastic, glass and aluminum bottles and cans are used every day by people all over the world. Why should they only be used once? Here in an Earthship, these bottles and cans are stacked in the walls to help make them strong and use less of other materials such as cement. One of the many concepts of the Earthship is the design and detail to highlight many of the systems and features that benefit the Earth. These bottles and cans, if chosen, can take any shape and shine through the structure into the indoor planter. Here the Earth is taking another part in this home by growing inside any food or any plant that you wish. Protecting our water and how much we use is a part of heavy conversations everywhere. In the Earthship, the water is caught from the roof by rain and melted snow and used four times before it takes a rest. This water is cleaned and treated by organizing module's that make it safe for us to reuse the water once contaminated. This way we are getting the most out of our water usage.
           In an Earthship, reusing and recycling come easy. This is the natural way that the house is built and how we take part in living in this home. Earthships work in any climate with natural heating and cooling. This solar and wind-powered home eliminate the use of electricity by fossil fuels. It's all about using what you have with natural resources. The whole concept of Earthships is growing everywhere and recycling products to be used in these proactive, earth-friendly home, is the goal. Go out and recycle. Take those extra few steps to find the recycling bin near you and use some products more than once. These innovative Earthships are standing because of recycled materials. Here there is beauty around every corner. By becoming more aware of what we can recycle and where things go if we don't, that can make all the difference in where our environment is headed. Let's take a stand and protect what we have by recycling our used materials. Let's give them a new life.