Compact Fluorescent bulbs (CFL’s) have become instantly recognizable as a symbol of the mainstream green movement. Yet after they have spent their long lives helping reduce your electricity usage, they are not easy to dispose of properly. CFL’s contain mercury, which is a very toxic element, so they need to be properly recycled.
Starting May 11, 2009, a new initiative is being offered at London Drugs in which the public can bring back Compact Fluorescent Light (CFL) Bulbs and 4-foot Fluorescent Light (FL) Tubes for safe, responsible recycling.
This is incredibly important, because it makes recycling these products as easy as buying them. Which is a huge step forward in helping busy people live a little greener.
Simply wrap your old bulbs carefully in a plastic bag (a box is even better) and drop them off at the Customer Service Counter, or preferably at the Receiving Department, of your local London Drugs store. It’s that easy. So what happens to the bulbs once they leave the store?
London Drugs has partnered with PROECO Corporation, a company that has been responsibly recycling fluorescent bulbs (and exceeding regulatory requirements) for over 10 years. Once safely packaged and transported to PROECO, fluorescent lamp tubes are inserted into a self-contained lamp crushing unit. Any emissions are controlled by a ‘High Efficiency Particle Air’ (HEPA) and carbon filtration system. The components are then separated and the residuals are sent for recycling. Mercury contaminated residuals are sent for recovery.
It’s very important to ensure mercury contamination stays out of our landfills, so please bring your old bulbs back and help support this valuable program. You may even want to pick up a few replacements in the lighting department while you’re there.
For more information, visit your local London Drugs lighting department
May 25th, 2009
London Drugs adds yet another bright recycling service – Fluorescent bulbs.
May 8th, 2009
Looking for a green Mothers Day gift? Shop with care!
Want to surprise and delight Mom with some gifts that will also please Mother Nature? There’s a right way and a wrong way to go about it. I’ve picked out some good ideas from London Drugs’ What’s The Green Deal product line, along with a few green gifting pitfalls to avoid. Hope it helps.
Good Ideas:
Burt’s Bees Almond Milk Beeswax Hand Crème
Burt’s Bees is a well-established eco-friendly line of products, featuring natural ingredients and an earthy home-style package design that makes a beautiful gift. (And also features up to 80% post-consumer waste) Extra brownie points if you include a handmade coupon for a home manicure.
Burt’s Bees Soothingly Sensitive Aloe & Buttermilk Body Lotion is another nice option.
Lavera Skin Care Products
This line of products contains organic ingredients certified by BPIH and is free from parabens, petroleum, glutene & synthetic ingredients. As a guy, I’m probably not best to advise on specifics here. Definitely talk to someone in the London Drugs cosmetics department.
Equita Dark Chocolate with Almonds
Hard to go wrong here. Some studies have even shown that eating chocolate can actually be good for your Mom. (It contains flavonoids – natural compounds with antioxidant properties – the same compounds that give berries, red wine and green tea their health benefits) Equita’s Fair Trade production and Organic certification (by Bio Inspecta) with no artificial additives or flavours mitigates a bit of the calorie-guilt also.
Macbook Computer
Hey, she’s your Mom – isn’t she worth it? The new Macbooks are touted as their greenest ever, with eco-friendlier features like arsenic-free glass, mercury-free LED-backlit display, BFR-free internal components and a highly recyclable aluminum and glass enclosure They even meet ENERGY STAR requirements.
Ideas that may get you into trouble:
Lafe’s Natural Organic Deodorant
Great product, but there’s just no good way to wrap this one up for Mom unless you sneak it into an eco-hamper hidden under the chocolate.
Method OMop
Another fine green product, with washable, reusable pads and recycled packaging. But guaranteed to put you in the doghouse if it ends up in the Mothers Day hamper. Didn’t she clean up after you enough all those years?
