Get Rid of It!

The next mobile collection of hazardous materials will be held May 17th at 2 locations in Pinellas County, (click HERE for a look at the schedule). This is a great opportunity to get rid of all that SPOOKY STUFF lingering in garage cabinets and sheds.

Pinellas County Utilities organizes this program. Speaking from personal experience, the whole thing runs like clockwork. There is usually a long line, but do not be discouraged. There are staff and volunteers available and your burden is quickly and efficiently lifted from your trunk or truck-bed.

One collection site will be the Indian Rocks Beach City Hall, 1507 Palm Bay Blvd. The other, for south-county dwellers, will be the Treasure Island Community Center, 1 Park Place, behind Walgreens.

What to Bring:
chemicals, automotive fluids, cleaners, fertilizers, fluorescent bulbs and other mercury containing devices, fungicides, herbicides, household batteries, paint (latex or oil), paint remover, paint thinner, pesticides, pool chemicals, solvents, wood preservatives. Electronics: TVs, VCRs, cell phones, computers, copiers, digital cameras, fax machines, microwave ovens, monitors, printers, printer cartridges, stereo equipment, telephones, etc.

What NOT to Bring:
appliances, biological or infectious waste, empty paint cans, explosives, fire extinguishers, garbage, propane tanks, radioactive waste, smoke detectors, vehicle batteries

To get rid of THOSE bad-boys, check out the A to Z Guide for Recycling and Disposal in Pinellas County. A comprehensive list providing resources for safely being done with them!

The Household Electronics and Chemicals Collection Center is open every day but Wednesday and Sunday (and holidays) at 2990 110th Avenue North, St. Petersburg, 727-464-7500. For more information, contact Pinellas County Utilities at http://www.pinellascounty.org/utilities or phone 727-464-4000.

Join Us This Weekend at the Pinellas Living Green Expo!

Under one roof, discover nearly all you need to green every aspect of your life. Extension experts will be on hand, providing information on composting, rain barrels, urban wildlife, green purchasing, pest management, and other Solutions for Your Life!

This year’s event will be held at the Harborview Center, 300 Cleveland Street in Downtown Clearwater. Click here for a map to the venue. Over 100 vendors will be promoting their goods and services, and educational sessions will provide informative and entertaining facts on a range of topics from gardening for wildlife to redecorating your home. For a complete list of info sessions click here.

We hope to see you there Saturday May 3rd from 9 to 5 and Sunday May 4th from 10 to 4. Admission is free. Save Money. Save the Environment.

Just One Day?

Happy Earth Day everyone!

Today we celebrate the Earth and look at ways of living a little lighter on the planet (we’ve only got one, you know!). Today, there are headlines in newspapers, specials on the television, celebrations in communities, and lots of Earth-friendly advice being shared.

But why just one day?

We hope you will join us in making habits of sustainable practices and we are here to help guide you toward that goal. Reducing energy use, eliminating pollution, existing peacefully with our wildlife, and building stronger communities are what we do here at Extension; and the advice is all free.

Whether it is landscape advice, energy conservation, health and nutrition, family living, youth development, or wildlife issues, our University of Florida faculty provide research-based information available every day at www.pinellascountyextension.org.

Make every day an Earth Day and celebrate our wonderful planet year-round!

Watch Your Child’s Wasteline at Lunch

Did you know that on average, one school-age child packing a disposable lunch generates 67 pounds of waste per school year? In fact, just one average-sized elementary school of 280 children produces 18,760 pounds or over 9 tons of lunch waste in one school year (http://www.wastefreelunches.org/) .

Amazingly, almost all of this waste can be prevented AND save you and your child's school money. According to the EPA, a child taking a prepackaged lunch to school spends an average of $4.02 a day or $723.60 per school year compared to $2.65 a day ($477.00 per school year) for a child who packs a waste-free lunch--a difference of $246.60 per person per year! And that's not all. When families pack disposable lunches, schools pay higher waste removal fees. Packing a waste-free lunch reduces the volume of trash and thus helps schools save money.

Here at Pinellas County Extension, we offer a program called the Waste-Free Lunch Challenge. This program is usually conducted following a school visit to our Outdoor Classroom. The idea is for visiting students to have their lunch in the gardens while one of our educators takes them on a tour of their lunchboxes. Concepts of food miles, organic farming, fair trade, recycling, reusing and composting are all addressed over lunch. The challenge for the students is to leave as little waste behind, and to try to have at least one waste-free lunch within the month.