Plastic bags raise questions for the environmentally concerned consumer.  First, we are trying to reduce using plastic bags. However, when we don’t have a choice we need to understand the finer points for recycling them.  The basic rule is that plastic bags made of high-density polyethylene (HDPE) or 2 plastic or low-density polyethylene (LDPE) or 4 plastic are recyclable when they are empty, clean and dry with all receipts removed.  These include the bags shown above, plastic dry cleaning bags with the staples and receipts removed, case wrapping from juice or canned dog food cases, stretch wrap from furniture or electronics and cereal or cracker bags that are opaque, but not silver.  These bags are recyclable in grocery or retail stores and here they are made into TREX composite lumber. If put into general recyclables, the bags can damage machinery used to process other recyclables.  
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Some plastic bags are not recyclable.  These include pet food bags, chip bags, prepackaged food or salad bags, garbage bags, saran or cling wrap, other retail bags, cat litter bags, potting soil or mulch bags and other plastic food packaging unless labelled 2 or 4.  Cling wraps have added chemicals to make them cling that would contaminate the recyclable batch.  
Interestingly, some manufacturers are developing recycling programs for their plastic packaging.  See the Terracycle website https://www.terracycle.com/en-US .  Terracycle develops and promotes programs with manufacturers to collect and reuse their specific packaging.  For example, I just bought Open Farm dog food at the Greenfield Farmers Cooperative Exchange and checking on Terracycle found that Open Farm has a bag recycling program. 
We’ve all seen plastic bags polluting our neighborhoods, rivers and ultimately the ocean.  Greenfield’s ban on plastic grocery bags is a positive step to reduce this pollution. Our efforts to further reduce using plastic packaging and recycling packaging whenever possible will also help reduce pollution.  As Presiding Bishop Michael Curry said in his videotalk last year: “Love the world that God loves. ... Help God love God’s world.”   
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-Ella Ingraham, for the Green Team

How can we incorporate Creation Care into our celebrations of Christ’s birth?  There is so much packaging involved in our cultural celebration of Christmas - plastic and cardboard, decorative papers and many types of ribbon and decorations for packages.  At this point in our preparations, we’re getting ready for our families to unwrap presents. If we set up bags or boxes to separate recyclables from trash when we’re unwrapping presents, we can make the process easier.  A container for recyclable plastic, one for recyclable paper and cardboard and one for trash. Some of the better papers and ribbons are really good for reuse.  If a present with a good paper is opened carefully, the paper may be folded or rolled on a cardboard tube and used next Christmas.  So add provision for reusable wrappings.    
Regular and glossy wrapping paper is recyclable unless it has non-paper additives like metallic flakes, colored shapes, glitter and plastics. Foil, metallic and heavily laminated wrapping paper should also be thrown away instead of recycled.  Please do not recycle foil, plastic coating, ribbon, bows and glitter. They go into the trash. Prior years’ Christmas cards make great labels for presents. Cut off the front of the card, use tape and put it on a package. If you’re a rabid declutterer, cards may be donated.  If you don’t have a local place to give them, St. Jude’s Ranch for Children accepts most greeting cards. The address for their Recycled Cards Program is available online.  

May the light of Christmas and the love for God’s creation be with us throughout the year.

Is zero waste a new idea and how does reducing trash relate to our climate crisis?  Zero waste means reducing our final trash as much as possible. All the things we consume and then throw out as trash such as disposable straws, to-go coffee cups or, in this Christmas season, plastic packaging materials and sparkling papers are generally made with plastics made from fossil fuels.  They are not recyclable. According to the Plastics Ocean Foundation, we are producing over 300 million tons of plastic every year.  Fifty percent (50%) or 150 million tons is for single-use purposes, used for just a few moments, but on the planet for at least several hundred years. Even when burned plastics leave a toxic ash that has to be stored in our environment.  Reducing trash is good for our environment and also good for our wallets. It may mean less direct cost to put out our trash and/or less cost for our towns for trash disposal.  WIn Win!
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Kathryn Kellogg in her book 101 Ways to Go Zero Waste recommends a simple process for reducing waste.  The process is useful no matter where we are in our environmental journey.  She says “Get to know your trash.” How often do you throw away single-use containers, paper towels, straws, cups, plastic food packaging?  Say NO to plastic straws or paper straws coated with plastic, plastic cup lids for coffee or soda and plastic water bottles. Get reusable grocery bags and use them for other purchases, something we are very familiar with.  When we evaluate what we throw away, we can look for alternatives that help our environment. Then before buying, evaluate whether you need it and will use it or perhaps just want it. Consider how and where its made and the resources required to make it.  And the idea of reducing waste is not new. Calvin Coolidge, born in Vermont, Governor of Massachusetts and President of the United States, had a saying that is applicable now: “Eat it up, wear it out, make it do, do without!” 

-Ella Ingraham, for the Green Team

Most of the time I live day-to-day, thinking about what must be done or where I have to be.  Setting aside time to think about the bigger picture is difficult and, in periods of uncertainty, really anxiety producing. My favored response has been to make trips to the library to check out several English style mysteries that I read back-to-back.  However, in the face of our climate crisis, I am moved to action. As part of making changes I am reading Andrea Cohen-Kiener’s book Claiming Earth as Common Ground published in 2009.  Andrea Cohen-Kiener is currently rabbi of Temple Israel in Greenfield.  She is an environmental activist and her book is about addressing the climate crisis by working together through our faith traditions.  In the introduction she writes:

“Humanity is facing a collective brush with mortality.  It is time for us to reflect, as Noah did before the cataclysm in his time, on what we truly need.  In the face of this sobering challenge, we must look toward a new beginning and make it a reality.

Environmental problem solving usually encompasses some element of self-denial, of less.  I believe that if we rebalance our spiritual and material hungers, our environmental repair may yield a time of more--much more: more connections, more wisdom, and more abundance.  I invite all hands on deck to steer the ship around this iceberg and set sail for a safer harbor.” 
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The Green Team is grateful to share the voyage toward a more sustainable environment with you and proud of the changes we are making as individuals and as a parish.  We are at the beginning; grant us strength and courage to love and serve God with gladness and singleness of heart; through Christ our Lord.   
-Ella Ingraham, for the Green Team

The Green Team: Let’s look more closely at paper recycling. In an earlier newsletter we wrote that China formerly processed many recyclables, but they now require recycled material to be 99.5% free of contaminants.  We can meet those standards if we are more careful in our recycling.  

So what contaminates paper for recycling?  This is a list of things not to include in paper for recycling.
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• Anything like paper cups, paper napkins, paper straws or pizza boxes that has been in contact with food, even if clean.  Paper napkins, straws and pizza boxes may be composted, but many paper cups are coated on the inside with plastic. Ask whether paper items are compostable.  
• Receipts on heat treated paper that may be BPA coated such as gas station receipts.  The best idea with these is not to get them at all because BPA is transferred by contact with the skin.  BPA interferes with hormonal functions. Refuse receipts or get them electronically.
• Tissues even clean ones because the fibers are too short.  However, these can go into the compost. Cloth handkerchiefs are a great alternative.
• Photos.  Photos on cardstock are recyclable, but when on photo paper they are not.  Photo paper has a plastic layer to protect the print that will contaminate paper recycling.    
• Wax paper.  The waxes may be soy-based or paraffin-based.  Soybean wax is difficult for microbes to digest and paraffin is a petroleum product and you don’t want it in your soil. 
• Paper towels.  Like paper napkins, paper towels have fibers that are too short to recycle and they are used for cleanup.  They may be composted.
• Shredded paper.  Like paper towels and tissues the fibers in shredded paper are too short for recycling.  However, it may be composted.
• Foil backed paper.  Paper with foil backing like the inner wrapping of some chocolate bars that I like to eat.
• Sparkle and bling on greeting cards.  Paper greeting cards are recyclable, however, any foil, sparkle, ribbons or bling makes them not recyclable.  

The exclusions may seem impossible to remember, but they are reasonable when we look more closely at how things in our environment are made and think about their impact when they are no longer usable.
-Ella Ingraham, for the Green Team

Green Team: Have you been considering composting to contribute to improving the environment?  If you don’t have space in your yard or business site, you have another choice if you live or have a business in downtown Greenfield.  The Compost Coop is a local business that will develop an individualized plan for you. They provide a collection container and pick-up it up weekly or biweekly.  The Coop partners with Just Roots and Martin’s Farm to actually compost your compostables. Saints James and Andrew uses the Coop’s service.
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The Coop was developed in the Think Tank at the Greenfield Jail to provide work experience, democratic control of their workplace and a living wage for people coming out of jail and prison.  They have support from local foundations, businesses and consumers as they build their business. If you are interested in more information, their website is www.thecompostcooperative.com.  What a useful service for the community and an exciting way to help people rebuilding their lives! 

-Ella Ingraham, for the Green Team