Go Green America

26 Ways to Go Green for the Holidays

12/12/2019 by WsiProjects Leave a Comment

Waste Masters Solutions is a commercial waste management company. While we deal mostly with businesses, we strive to be a leader in environmental stewardship with in our community.

The holidays are a magical time. However, for some they are a time of excess and waste. That is why each December we share some tips on how to go green for the holidays.

This year we compiled a list of 26 ideas that can help your family and friends reflect on the true meaning of this time of year. A time to share valuable lessons on reducing, reusing, and recycling. We hope that you will join us in making a difference.

26 Ways to Go Green for the Holidays:

Buy Local: Support your local community and reduce your carbon footprint by buying local.
Buy Less: Do you really need to buy that much? Consider reducing the amount of gifts and spend more time with family.
Reduce Travel: Plan out shopping trips strategically to reduce your energy consumption and stay local when possible.
Give Recycled Gifts: One man’s junk is another man’s treasure. Shop resale and thrift shops for unique and lovingly used items.
Re-Gift: This is always acceptable! Especially when you know someone that will appreciate something that has been lying around unused.
Give Battery-Free Gifts: Buy gifts that do not need batteries in order to reduce the toxins that batteries cause our environment.
Give to a Charity: Donate to the recipient’s favorite cause. It will make you both feel good!
Make Eco-Donations: Donate to local conservation groups or eco-friendly organizations.
Give Gift Certificates: Lessen the chances of getting something that is not to the taste of the recipient by giving a gift card to their favorite store.
Send E-Cards: Reduce the carbon footprint that paper card cause by delivering an e-card right into loved one’s email box.
Reuse Wrapping & Trimmings: Reuse save bows, ribbons and wrapping paper saved from the year before. Another great way to reduce waste is to buy reusable decorative boxes that to use for years to come!
Use Eco-Friendly Gift Wrap: If you have to use new wrapping, buy gift wrap made from recycled materials, make your own from newspaper, paper bags, cloth etc …
Use LED Lights in Displays: Us energy saving LED lights on the tree and in displays. They last longer and use less electricity.
Reduce Holiday Lighting: Keep lighting to a minimal. No need to outdo the Jones.
Turn Lights Off at Bedtime: Holiday lights left on are a waste of electricity and annoying to neighbors. Shut them off at bedtime.
Give Homemade Gifts: Homemade gifts are more personal and treasured. It tells the recipient you care enough to give a homemade gift.
Give Book of Beloved Recipes: My favorite type of gift is great recipes that will last a lifetime!
Give Gift of Time: Instead of giving a store bought gift, take your family member or friend out on a special outing, have a game night, or help them with a home improvement project. The gift of time is a rare thing.
Stuff Stockings with Sentiments: Stuff family member’s stockings with pictures, memories or your favorite thing about them.
Give Homemade Body Care Items: Make a sugar scrub, bath bomb or scented soap for friends and family.
Thermostat Downtime: Schedule the thermostat to lower when family members are warm and toasty in bed.
Give Digitally: Send e-certificates, e-tickets and e-cards to reduce the need for transporting gifts, lessening the carbon footprint.
Cancel the Catalogs: Cancel your catalogs and shop online. Most end up unopened in the recycling bin.
Cut Down Local Tree: Start a family tradition of cutting down your own tree from a local Christmas tree farm, lessening the carbon footprint from trucking in trees from across the country.
Buy a Live Tree: Buy a live tree to be later planted or donated after the holidays are over.
Decorate a Tree for Birds: Instead of using plastic balls and other store bought decorations for outdoor trees, decorate a tree with suet bells, pinecones dipped in peanut butter, birdseed, etc …

10 Holiday Tips for Going Green this Holiday Season

Sustainable Holidays | 10 Green Holiday Tips for the Home and Office

You Too Can Go Green in 2016 With These 10 Eco-Friendly Steps

At Waste Masters Solutions, we believe environmental stewardship is in everyone’s best interest. Call us at 302-824-0909

At WasteMasters Solutions, a commercial waste management company, we believe environmental stewardship is in everyone’s best interest. Want to find out more? Contact the commercial recycling solutions experts of Delaware and share on our Facebook page some of the ways your business meets or excel at commercial sustainability and minimizing waste. Waste Masters Solutions is a commercial waste solution and recycling company serving Delaware, making it our mission to increase community awareness of the importance of reducing, recycling, reusing as much as possible.

10 Ways Your Business Can Celebrate Earth Day

04/09/2019 by DeniseB Leave a Comment

Most Americans realize that our environment needs protecting, now more than ever. Earth Day is a perfect opportunity to raise environmental awareness and support initiatives for reducing, reusing and recycling the world’s limited assets. Cities around the world have extended Earth Day celebrations to last a week or more to increase community awareness of green initiatives.

Businesses that make an effort towards environmental stewardship often enjoy a positive brand image. Companies such a Patagonia whose mission statement is ‘We’re in business to save our home planet’ have used their platform to raise advocacy for environmental issues.

Earth Day Network works year round to solve climate change, to end plastic pollution, to protect endangered species, and to broaden, educate, and activate the environmental movement across the globe.

Earth Day will be celebrated on Monday, April 22, 2019 by millions of people around the world. This will mark the 49th year for this celebration and this year’s theme is ‘Save Species’. Since the conception of Earth Day in 1970, there’s been a loss of over 40% of the world’s wild animal population. Climate change threatens 75% of the world’s coral reefs, while the bee and other pollinating insects continue to be decimated by use of insecticides.

Those of us at Waste Masters Solutions thought it might be helpful to share a few ideas with our commercial customers on how to celebrate Earth Day and protect our environment for future generations to come.

10 Ways Your Business Can Celebrate Earth Day:

1) Teleconference instead of traveling. If you fly five times per year, those trips are likely to account for 75% of your personal carbon footprint

2) Reduce and recycle paper in the office, plus purchase 100% post-consumer recycled paper

3) Encourage employees to pack their lunch in a reusable bag

4) Conserve water outdoors by only watering landscaping in the early morning or late at night. Use drought-resistant plants in dry areas.

5) Form a “green team” at your office to find cost-effective ways to conserve resources and promote sustainability.

6) Advise employees to turn off and unplug electronics and lights when not in use. This includes turning off your computer before leaving for the night.

7) Coordinate and/or encourage employees to carpool to work

8) Create a ‘Ride Your Bike’ to work club that encourages employees to reduce carbon emissions

9) Make incentive programs that educate employees about using public transportation or driving an electric or hybrid car.

Your carbon footprint is reduced by one pound for every mile you do not drive.

10) Replace inefficient incandescent light bulbs with efficient CFLs or LEDs – Reduce your carbon footprint by 450 pounds a year

SOME HELPFUL LINKS:

EARTH DAY PHILLY

EARTH DAY 2019

FARMER’S ALMANAC EARTH DAY 2019

10 ACTIVITY IDEAS FOR YOUR BUSINESS

4 WAYS TO CELEBRATE EARTH DAY

EARTH DAY WEBSITE

10 Holiday Tips for Going Green this Holiday Season

12/11/2018 by DeniseB 1 Comment

Updated from previous post
10 Green Holiday Tips for the Office and Home

The holidays brighten an otherwise dormant season by bringing festivities and good will. They also bring on a season of excess that often results in extra waste. Household waste increases by a whopping 25% from Thanksgiving to New Year’s Day.This is not sustainable or responsible stewardship.

That is why those of us at Waste Masters Solutions would like to make you aware of all the holiday trimmings, packaging, and other compostable waste that goes directly into a landfill. We all could make a difference if we look for ways to reduce, reuse and recycle holiday wrappings and gifts.

Sustainable Holidays are a Blessing

Try something really thoughtful this holiday season – rethink how you shop, wrap and celebrate. Identify ways to reduce, reuse and recycle. Make this your gift to the generations to come.

10 Green Holiday Tips for the Office and Home:

Throw a Green Holiday Party: Going Green for the holidays should be carried over to any parties or gatherings that you have at home or the office. Clearly label recycling containers for cans, bottles and other recyclables. Of course, a Green Party can be held year ‘round, check out our blog, ‘Throw a Green Party this Labor Day’ and make it your New Year’s Resolution to continue your Green Initiatives into the new year.
Reduce Food Waste: This time of year is a time of excess resulting in large amount of food waste. Why not plan for the right amount of food to save money and reduce food waste. If you over estimated, donate the leftovers to a local shelter, food bank or freeze it for later before it spoils.
Forgo the Paper Card & Costly Postage: Sending out Holiday Cards that often end up in trash heaps unread have a triple whammy on the environment – paper comes from trees, delivery costs money, delivery sends carbons into our atmosphere. Using eCards to offer holiday wishes instead. If you feel the absolutely need to send a physical card, use recycled ones & hand deliver, when possible..
Creative Gift Giving: The GIFT OF TIME will be much more appreciated than a tacky Christmas sweater or cheesy tie. Give thoughtful gifts that are more meaningful and useful. Give tickets to a show, concert or game; passes to a state or national park, gift certificates for dinner or a spa day. Make your own coupons for personal services, such as free babysitting, a home cooked meal, helping an elderly relative with everyday chores or home maintenance. Think outside the box about ways to spread goodwill and cheer throughout the year!
Opt for Eco-friendly Wrapping Alternatives: Use old posters, maps, newspapers, reusable gift bags to present your gifts this holiday season. Cookie tins, flower pots and baskets are a creative and green way to place a present in a present.
Recyclable Shopping Bags: Bring your own shopping bags to the mall or grocery stores. Using and reusing cloth bags can reduce the thousands of bags that end up in landfills. If you do use paper or plastic bags, recycle them.
Rechargeable Batteries: About 40% of battery sales occur during the holiday season. Help out the environment by buying rechargeable batteries and making sure to safely recycle any old batteries.
LED Holiday Lights & Timers: LED Lights use up to 80% less energy and last 10 times longer. Also, use a timer or turn lights off during the day and late evening.
Stop Junk Mail: This time of year, the amount of catalogs and charitable donation solicitations can fill recycle bins at lightening speed. Sometimes it feels as if charitable donations go directly into re-solicitations of donations. If you’d like to stop the endless cycle, Check Out ‘6 Steps to get off mailing lists to STOP Junk Mail’ by eco-cycle that will help your put the kibosh on junk mail.
Recycle Electronics and Cell Phones: This is the time of year when new electronics and cell phones are snatched off the shelf and presented in pretty packages and bags under the tree. PLEASE make sure to safely recycle or find a good home for your old electronics.

“A United Nations study reported that 44.7 million tons of e-waste was discarded in 2016, and only 20 percent of it was disposed of properly.” ~ Consumer Report

The more of us that set a GREEN Example, the better. Educating society and those around us on how a little thought and creativity can make for a greener more sustainable future.

Give the the gift of lowering your carbon footprint –we only have one earth and the holiday season should be a celebration of the beauty of nature, a true gift we all can appreciate!

Share on our Facebook page some of the ways you get into the Green of the Season by reducing, reusing and recycling.

Let Waste Masters Solutions Be Your Commercial Waste Management Partner

We are Strategic Partners with The Philadelphia Eagles and Dover International Speedway

Our experienced staff can develop a program that takes into consideration operational needs, environmental impact, regulatory requirements and client costs. Let us come to your facility to conduct a free and unconditional waste audit. There’s no denying that our recycling solutions in Delaware and the surrounding Tri-State area is an easy way to minimize waste production and help save you money.

If you are interested in finding out more, contact the commercial recycling solutions experts of Delaware at WasteMasters Solutions. Share on our Facebook page some of the ways your business meets or excel at commercial sustainability and minimizing waste. Waste Masters Solutions is a commercial waste solution and recycling company serving Delaware, making it our mission to increase community awareness of the importance of reducing, recycling, reusing as much as possible.

Waste Masters is Ready for the Season of Giving – Are You?

11/13/2018 by DeniseB Leave a Comment

Thanksgiving is early this year. The hustle and bustle of the holiday season will be quick to follow! At Waste Masters Solutions, our hope to inspire others, including local businesses within our community to give back to those less fortunate.

Waste Master Solutions is a commercial waste management company that has been a leading provider of eco-friendly environmental solutions in Delaware and the Tri-State area. It has long been involved in a number of community service causes championed by co-founders Brian Simmons and Steve Masterson.

Since it launch in 2009, Waste Masters Solutions has played an intrinsic part of the Delaware community. Masterson, a retired Air Force officer champions many veteran based causes as a way to thank our nation’s bravest.

‘We are very humbled and honored to receive the Delaware Warrior Friendly Business Award for 2018. This will be proudly displayed in our office, as well as the Governors office. We are proud to support our nations Warriors.’ ~ Steve Masterson

Each Holiday Season, the company participates in Wreaths Across America (WAA), an organization that has wreath-laying ceremonies at Arlington National Cemetery, as well as over 1,400 additional locations in all 50 U.S. states, at sea, and abroad. Click Here to Sponsor a Wreath.

COMMUNITY SERVICE IS THE CORNERSTONE OF THIS BUSINESS

JOIN WASTE MASTERS IN SUPPORTING DE STATE POLICE MOUNTED PATROL

‘TIS THE SEASON OF GIVING

STOP SOLDIER SUICIDES

Last year, Waste Masters Solutions presented its 2017 Hometown Hero Award to the Delaware State Police Mounted Patrol in a ceremony before the “Apache Warrior 400” Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series playoff race at Dover International Speedway.

JOIN THE #GREENLIGHTAVET MOVEMENT which seeks to ‘Change one light to Green’
as a visible symbol of support and appreciation for our veterans. Since 2016 the movement has seen 9,312,453 online acts of support!

According to Masterson, one of the company’s core beliefs is that ‘Actions Speak Louder Than Words’. On Veterans Day in 2015, Waste Masters Solutions announced a five year commitment to the USO of Delaware Team. “We are proud to partner with these great people and all they do for our past, current and future veterans. God Bless the USO and God Bless America!”

The commercial waste company has been involved with the Food Bank of Delaware for several years and invite others to join Delaware’s war on hunger. It’s easy to get involved by starting up your own food drive and either dropping off at one of the drop-off locations or arranging for for a pick up (for 20 or more boxes/bags of food).

Follow us on Facebook to find out about some more of our special causes and share with us some of the ways you get into the Spirit of the Season.

Waste Masters Solutions is a commercial waste solution and recycling company serving all of Delaware.

How to Safely Dispose of Almost Anything

02/13/2018 by DeniseB 1 Comment

As the world trends towards a more universal view on green living and conservation of limited resources, the way we think about garbage and recycling is evolving. Some Americans no longer thoughtlessly tossing their trash into a single bin that heads straight to a dumping station or landfill.

They are waking up to the hard facts that our waterways, lands and the air we breathe are suffering from careless disposal of hazardous or toxic unwanted items. Many items, such as batteries or unfinished cleaners contaminate our soil as their containers break down and then leach into the ground water.

At Waste Master Solutions we believe it is everyone’s responsibility to make a commitment to improve our waste reduction efforts. That is why we are happy to share the following article and infographic created by Junk ITT, a Chicago based garbage and junk removal company.

How To Get Rid Of Almost Anything

by Junk ITT

Out of sight, out of mind. That’s the method too many people take when disposing of garbage and other unwanted items. Once this rubbish is set out on the curb and hauled away, many of us simply forget it, convincing ourselves that it’s someone else’s problem. Although that’s true to some degree, it doesn’t absolve us of the responsibility of knowing how to properly dispose of things we don’t want.

In the past, there was only one way to deal with things we didn’t want — we threw them in the garbage and let the garbage men take it from there. It didn’t matter what it was — food scraps, broken glass or even an old dishwasher. Everything was loaded onto the same truck and hauled to the same incinerator or landfill.

Times have changed, however, and today we’re more aware as a society about the concerns of simply dumping everything we don’t want in the same place. Wasted materials mean wasted energy and wasted resources used to manufacture new items. Hazardous materials that are improperly disposed of allow toxins to poison the environment and people. We’re more aware than ever about the importance of disposing of things properly — but that doesn’t mean the problem is solved.

It’s up to all of us to pay attention to what we’re throwing away and how best to do it. This can be difficult because although the word has spread about how to dispose of many common types of household waste, there are some areas where there still may be confusion. For example, just about everyone should know now that the best way to dispose of glass or plastic bottles is to place them in the recycling bin so the materials from which they are made can be used again. However, less people know what to do with old car tires. Tires can be recycled, but the regular recycling bin is not the place for them to go. Likewise, empty household cleanser bottles can go into the recycling bin, but should they if they’re still half full?

Knowing how to get rid of unwanted items properly is vital given how much waste the average American household generates. In many cases, the garbage can or recycling bin is the best option. However, in some cases you may need to visit a hazardous materials disposal facility or contact a junk removal service to ensure that your unwanted items don’t harm the environment or take up space in landfills. If you are unsure of how to dispose of your household waste, the accompanying guide from furniture disposal company Junk ITT can help you determine the best way to do it.