Archive for June, 2008

CDM-eCycling is short for Computer Donation Management which specializes in recycling and refurbishing electronic equipment. The company occupies a 104,000 square foot warehouse in southwest Baltimore and recycled 9.5 million pounds of trash just last year. Bob Donald, who is an engineer by training and Co-Founder of eCycling remarks, ” We’ll take anything that has a cord or a battery,” hesitates and then says, “except cars”.  With 10 years strong in electronic recycling Bob, also mentions that the only part of an electronic device that couldn’t be recycled is the particleboard used in some older TV models. This waste is then sent down the street to the Bresco plant.            eCycle has 6 facilities, all of which partner with non-profits in providing a percentage of their refurbished electronics to small communities in less developed countries. The facility has 97 employees, ninety percent have disabilities or are ex-offenders. Each employee is paid well above minimum wage with benefits and after having visited the warehouse myself each is placed with great care by a professional industrial psychologist to best match their strongest skill with a corresponding task. Most of eCycles product comes from federal and state run organization in Maryland, including parts of Delaware, Pennsylvania, Virginia and North Carolina. They also have relationships with McCormick Spice who supply them with sorting boxes which, would other wise get thrown out. While walking passed one on my tour I caught a whiff of what smelled like fresh garlic! 

The Sustainable Design Group is largely influenced by the concepts of permaculture and biomimicry. They work to help make their client’s homes more harmonious with nature and energy and economically efficient. Using place as an influence, they utilize self-sufficient systems modeled after nature’s own life cycles. Based in the Chesapeake region, the Sustainable Design Group is run by experts with over 30 years of domestic and international experience in creating integrative and sustainable design. A great group to contact if interested in retrofitting your home or office.

Melaleuca was originally founded in 1985 and now has a line of over 350 different environmentally safe consumer products. They believe that “the products we use everyday should make a significant difference for our health, our families and the earth. The name Melaleuca comes from a plant of the same name which is used as an essential oil for most all of their products.

“The Baltimore Shambhala Meditation Center is a place where people can learn mindfulness awareness meditation in order to conduct the activities of their everyday life with wisdom, compassion, and a sense of humor.” Located in charles village the center offers classes at beginner, intermediate and advanced levels.

The Baltimore Free Store is a non-for-profit all volunteer organization founded on principles of social justice. It encourages recycling and reuse in hopes of decreasing poverty and fostering cooperation in achieving a community’s needs. They ask "take what you want, and give what you can" with the goal of empowering communities to organize and meet their needs independently. Beyond this wonderful community oriented concept of recycling and reuse, The Free Store is beginning an initiative to encourage residents to go greener. So take what you want and be sure to give what you can.

The vision of the Coalition is “to end childhood lead poisoning and create healthy homes so that every child may grow up to reach his or her full potential.” They work to create resources, programs, and policies for the purpose of eradicating childhood health hazards in the home and create environmentally safe environments for children. The Coalition, formerly Parents Against Lead, is a volunteer, grassroots non-profit group, nationally recognized for its advocacy work based out of Baltimore since 1986. Lend your support by getting involved, giving, or attending a meeting or event.

Green Floors is located in Fairfax, Va and has been specializing in recycled flooring since 1991. Many of the their carpet styles are made from recycled plastic bottles or old car tires. Other flooring options include cork, bamboo, linoleum, and natural fiber. In addition to providing extensive information on the production and life cycle of their products Green Floors is “dedicated to keeping as much carpet out of landfills.” Send then a sample of your old carpet, it’s possible they’ll be able to have it recycled.