Yesterday I highlighted the fact that the City of Chicago is going to use Free Green Can at summer festivals. I think Free Green Can is such an amazing idea that I wanted to share more info with you. I personally would love to see them have one of these at every other corner on major streets. Chicago is a clean city but there is always room for improvement. I am always picking up trash from in front of my house but I would imagine that if there was a recycle bin/trash bin every couple or few blocks people would be more inclined to use them rather than tossing their things on the ground.
Here’s a little info I grabbed from their site but be sure to click on their logo above to be directed directly to them for all of the information.
The Birth of the Free Green Can
In the summer of 2008 Steve Holland the Founder of the free green can, attended his 11-year-old son’s baseball game at a local park. Like most parents, he was prepared with water bottles. As he finished the water he asked his son to throw the plastic bottle in a recycling bin. His son ran past many over flowing garbage cans (which were filled with plastic bottles and paper cups) and reached one recycling bin which was also over flowing. He returned and asked his father, “Why are there more garbage cans then recycling bins?” Mr. Holland thought his son had a great question. Later that month, Mr. Holland attended a local city meeting and asked why there was a lack of recycling bins and so many garbage cans at the baseball park. He was told that the city couldn’t afford the recycling bins. As the meeting continued Mr. Holland sketched the first dual purpose recycle/trash bin with panels for environmentally responsible companies to support a recycling program. Thus the free green can was born.
About the Free Green Can
The purpose of the free green can is always to provide a recycling opportunity where there is a trash opportunity. This gives the public the option to help the environment with very little effort on their part. There is no need to walk an additional couple feet to find a stand alone recycling bin. The free green can is a dual purpose recycle/trash container. The free green can:
- has two separate and easy to remove 30+ gallon insert liners. One for recyclables (plastic, aluminum, paper, and glass) and the other for trash.
- is easy to install by using four grass or concrete anchors.
- is very durable and built to stand up to the environment.
- has a lifetime guarantee.
- has a specially designed top to keep weather elements from entering and/or filling the free green can.
- has a unique design that compliments both modern and historical settings.
Free Green Can and the Environment
In one year the free green can, will help the environment by potentially collecting:
7,280 9 FL. Oz. Plastic Bottles = 43,680 hours of lights for a 60 watt light bulb
11,180 12 FL. Oz. Aluminum Cans = 33,540 hours of energy to run a T.V.
5,512 16 FL. Oz. Glass Bottles = 22,048 hours of light for a 100 watt light bulb
5,668 1/2″ thick Newspapers = 57 trees spared
Free Green Can and the Public
On the Go Recycling…..
- With consumers spending less time at home, 40% of waste is generated OUTSIDE of the home.
- 77% of the US population recycles at home
- Only 32.5% of total waste is recycled
United States Environmental Protection Agency Recycle Data
The free green can gives the public an opportunity to do the environmentally responsible thing. It is important to give the public the opportunity to recycle as often as possible and with little effort. The free green can also conditions our youth at any early age to recycle outside of the home. With a recycling opportunity being so available by using the free green can it creates a natural public peer pressure to recycle.
[...] a few new recycling programs that are launching in the city of Chicago – most notably ‘Free Green Can‘ – and what their expected impact could and should be. Ginger had met previously with [...]