tree

Drop and drag time will be here before you know it! The City of Ann Arbor's curbside collection of holiday trees will be held Monday, Jan. 18 - Friday, Jan 22, 2010. If Mother Nature delivers a snowstorm, just leave them buried and the City will pick them up when things thaw out. Be sure and get those ornaments off your holiday tree -- metal, glass or plastic can ruin the recycling machinery and spoil the mulch. Wreaths and roping have wire/plastic backing so put those in the trash cart. If you'd like to drop off your undecorated holiday tree, head to parking lot adjacent to the Drop-Off Station through Jan. 30, 2010.

Old Computer

Dig out your old computer systems, monitors, speakers, printers, cell phones, televisions and modems and take them to the Ann Arbor Pioneer High School Parking lot (Map) this Saturday, May 9th, from 9am-2pm.

The Ann Arbor Public Schools and the Climate Savers Computing Initiative at the U of M are co-sponsoring a free e-waste recycling event in cooperation with Apple Computers.

For a complete list of accepted materials go to ClimateSavers@M.

All equipment collected will be destroyed and recycled in the U.S. in accordance with all local, state and federal guidelines, regulations and laws pertaining to the collection, transportation and recycling of electronics equipment.

When I grew up, my family had a vegetable garden behind our house and we kept a compost bin for all of our food trash. After I got my own place, I felt guilty for throwing food into the trash, but the bins that I saw in stores were kind of pricey. So, when this past weekend turned out to be so warm and sunny, I went into the backyard and dug a pit for a compost heap. There are lots of variations on the compost bin, and all of them are very easy to do. Whether you are a gardener or just want to cut down on your trash output, here are some books to check out.
The Compost Heap
Backyard Composting: Your Complete Guide to Recycling Yard Clippings
The Complete Compost Gardening Guide

But be sure to remember one thing that I forgot; if you dig a hole near a tree, you’re going to run into roots. Oops.

compost

Prices so low you won't believe your eyes! The City of Ann Arbor has slashed prices on bulk compost 50 to 75 percent from last year. That's right folks, they've got to clear out the Compost Center for the 2009 growing season. Your gardens and lawns are crying out for nutrients so head on over to the Wheeler Service Center and get going on a great deal.

tree

Our holiday greenery may be buried under a foot of snow by next week, but if you can find it and dig it out, drag it to the curbside and Monday, January 19 ~ Friday, January 23, the city will pick up the trees on your normal trash collection day. If the snow buries them again at the curb, the City will reschedule pickup after a thaw. You can also dispose of undecorated holiday trees at the Drop Off Station through Jan. 31st.

compost cart

Turkey Time Trash tips: if your regular trash/recycling day is Thursdays, it will be Friday, Nov. 28, this week. If trash/recycling day is normally Fridays, it will be Saturday, Nov. 29. Get that last bit of yard cleanup done soon because curbside compost pickups end Saturday, Nov. 29. And a final FYI: City Hall offices will be closed Thanksgiving Day and Friday, Nov. 28.

If you are like me, you are interested in being more socially responsible, like going beyond simple recycling and doing your part to help save our planet for future generations, but you don't have lots of money and time to devote to "going green". Sound familiar? If so, then you need to get yourself a copy of Renee Loux's Easy green living : the ultimate guide to simple, eco-friendly choices for you and your home. This lifestyle guide is PACKED with information about the simple, affordable choices we can make to avoid toxins, conserve natural resources and generally be more eco-smart. Whether you choose to take tiny baby steps or completely overhaul your wasteful self, you will find the answers you need. One of my favorite easy eco-tips is the following: "About 100 million trees and 28 billion gallons of water are used annually to produce the 5.8 million tons of catalogs and unsolicited wads of preapproved credit card offers and other junk that arrive at our homes - 44 percent of which are thrown away unopened....Stop credit card offers. Go to www.optoutprescreen.com, where the consumer credit report industry lets you opt out of receiving preapproved and prescreened credit card offers." Now imagine if we all did that!

pool

You know the A2 Holiday drill: roll your trash carts out one day later next week. Friday routes will be handled on Saturday. City Hall, the Drop-Off Station and MRF will be closed on Memorial Day, Monday, May 26 too. But the pools will be OPEN starting Saturday, May 24th! And since it's Curb Your Car Month, you can walk to the nearest pool. After all, we are the 3rd most Walkable City in America.

compost cart

Compost cart that is. The City of Ann Arbor is now selling three sizes of curbside compost carts: 96, 64 and 35-gallons, all for the low, low price of $25. But wait, there's more! If you already bought a 96 gallon curbside cart you can trade it in for a smaller one. Now that's a deal. Don't forget you can purchase curbside carts online or by phone at 734.994.2807. Operators are standing by ...

rainbarrel

We'll get the rain, it won't run (away.) It's time for the Huron Rivers Watershed Council's annual Spring Rain Barrel Sale. Buy your rain barrel online from HRWC and pick it up on Sunday, May 4, 2008, between 1 -4 p.m. at Huron High School. You'll get a credit on your storm water bills, water for your gardens and help reduce the overflow into the storm sewers.