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The state of Tennessee is changing the way we think about recycling; at least when it comes to being a visitor. By now most of the local residents are already accustomed to recycling at home and in the workplace. We’re all getting into the habit of sorting our plastics, papers and soda cans out of the regular garbage and into the designated recycling bins. But what about out of town visitors who are making stops at welcome centers along I-75 in Chattanooga? Shouldn’t they be able to recycle? Now they can thanks to the efforts of the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation, the Tennessee Department of Transportation and the state Tourist Department. Those agencies have gotten together to put out recycling bins at all those rest stops which will go a long way towards improving the state’s overall recycling goals.
“Recycling away from home is one challenge that all recyclers face,” said Environment and Conservation Commissioner Bob Martineau in a news release. “Visitors to our state will now see receptacles with blue and green lids for recycling.” The rest stops included in the program are located at I-65 near Ardmore, I-81 at Bristol, I-24 at Clarksville, I-26 at Erwin, I-40 at Hartford, I-75 at Jellico, I-65 at Mitchellville and I-40 at Smith County.
Just to give you an indication of how successful a state program can be, since 1990, state workers have managed to recycle over 18,791 tons of mixed office paper. This has resulted in a huge savings to the tune of $564,000 in landfill disposal costs plus $213,000 in recycling revenue.
All of this adds up to the simple fact that recycling matters. But you can go beyond your weekly recycling pickup and make sure the majority of everything you throw out is recycled by contracting with a company like Junk King Chattanooga for your oversized junk removal. Junk King is a local TN business that supports the goals of the state and city by making junk recycling the foundation of their services. Even without an official mandate, Junk King already diverts a large portion of everything they collect away from local landfills and to certified recycling centers. By doing so they can officially help you reduce your own carbon footprint. That means that things like old furniture, refrigerators, stoves, mattresses, tires and e-waste won’t be tossed onto a dump pile to rot away in the sun. Instead, it will be properly dismantled and have all parts put to repurposing.
Why not let Junk King become your new recycling partner? Call them today to find out how they can help clean up your home, backyard or business. Keep Chattanooga clean the Junk King way.
Fall in Chattanooga is a sight to behold. The leaves on the trees take on a life of their own. It’s as if they are screaming, “Hey look at how colorful we can be!” In fact, Chattanooga was just named by Outside Magazine as the Best Town Ever based on reader’s votes. Around Chattanooga, fall is a terrific time to enjoy many outdoor events and yes, a lot of them have a rather “spooky” vibe to them.
Let’s talk e-waste factoids. The Environmental Protection Agency put out a report in 2007 (the last time they did this) entitled “Management of Select Electronic Products in the United States.” According to the findings, there were 2.25 million tons of “televisions, cell phones and computer products” that were tossed on the scrap heap that year. Of that amount only 18% were actually recycled leaving a whopping 82% dumped into landfills. A vast majority of those e-waste items could end up leaking cadmium, lead and nickel into the top soil and water supply if they are left to rot in a landfill. That’s not a good thing.
Removing junk from your home is a lot like starting a diet: At some point, you decide enough is enough and decide to take action. On the diet side of things, you could be advised by your doctor to shed those extra pounds. Perhaps you’ve got a big reunion or wedding coming up when you want to look your best. The key factor is motivation. Most personal trainers will tell you that without motivation even the best thought out diet plans will fail. Despite what you might see on “The Biggest Loser” the best way to lose weight to take it off is slowly. Two pounds a week is a very obtainable goal that can be achieved with a sensible diet and exercise.
When you hear a tornado warning there is no telling what kind of destruction that storm might bring. It could be that the tornado loses its steam before it does any real damage. That’s what everybody hopes and prays for. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t still take precautions once the alert goes out. A recent storm that shot through the Short Tail Springs area left at least 20 homes ripped off their foundations. Several other homes had their roofs torn are completely off. Down on Highway 58 the Island Cove Marina was hit especially hard with several houseboats tossed about like soda cans and dozens of other boats were shoved underwater. This same tornado also snapped trees in half and brought down power lines knocking out electricity for several hours.
Are you suffering from empty nest syndrome? This occurs to parents when their kids grow up and move away from home. Typically, the first signs of this happen when they head off to their freshman year of college. This is when what was once a very active and bustling household becomes quiet. You suddenly find a lot more time on your hands because you’re no longer playing chauffer, cook, washer, cleaner and everything else moms and dads spend 18 years doing. So now what? First of all, embrace the fact that you’ve done an amazing job if your young one is now off to college. You’ve earned a break and it might be time to consider shaking things up a bit. You might want to think about taking on some of these back to school home improvement projects around your Chattanooga home:
It looks like it’s going to be another scorching summer in Chattanooga. In fact, those in the know are predicting record breaking heat to arrive any time now. This is such an important issue for local residents that the Chattanooga City council put out new guidelines for all city employees who work outdoors to follow. Public works employees are being asked to take more breaks and drink more water while on the job. Nobody seems to be complaining about that directive.
If you were to pick a single item from the grocery shelves and trace it back to its origins you would be amazed at the intense process that goes into delivering even the simplest of products. Take for instance a gallon of milk. You might think all you have to do is trace the milk from the grocery delivery truck back to the processing plant back to the dairy farm. In reality that is only half of the journey of that milk. You need to also include where the feed given to cattle comes from and where that dairy cow started out.
The revitalization of downtown Chattanooga has been a shining beacon all across the state. Thanks to the overhaul, businesses are returning to the area and flourishing. This has attracted new families and even more shopping and restaurant zones. All residents of Chattanooga can take pride in this project. Who knows; it might even inspire you to revitalize your own Chattanooga home. If you decide it’s time to clear that clutter from your life, then your best option would is to hire the latest addition to Chattanooga’s revival: Junk King. Junk King Chattanooga will be the newest addition to the nation’s top junk removal franchise. Because they are part of a reputable franchise you can bet they will be performing up to high standards when it comes to hauling away your unwanted clutter.
A new wave of reality television programs are tapping into the interest of finding treasures around your home. This all started with the popular series “Antique Road Show.” In that program, folks were invited to bring their heirlooms to a professional appraiser to see if they were worth anything. Today you can watch “Pawn Stars,” “Auction Hunter,” or “Hollywood Treasures.” Sometimes the participants on these shows land a big score. That painting or piece of pottery they had hanging around their home actually turned out to be worth a bundle.