The leaves are changing from green to red, orange and yellow, and the new school year is in full swing. The fall season also brings many ways to continue our efforts to go green.
From shopping for school supplies and clothes at energy-efficient stores to getting fresh apples at a local farm, we can all reduce our carbon footprint even as we begin to turn up the heat and drive our children to a multitude of activities. Here are just a few ways we can continue to reduce our waste, while at the same time helping the local economy:
Take advantage of local fruits and vegetables at local farms
With apple-picking season upon us, it's the perfect time to get out and see what your local growers have to offer. Cider Hill Farm in Amesbury, for example, currently has raspberries and some varieties of apples available, as well as many of its own vegetables. Many of its fruits are pick your own, which makes for a great family outing and a way for children to see where their food really comes from. Check out the farm's website at www.ciderhill,com for special events and updates on available crops.
Tendercrop Farm in Newbury has a huge amount of fruits and vegetables that are grown on location on High Road, including celery, broccoli, tomatoes, apples and cantaloupe, as well as pick-your-own peaches. Its website, www.tendercropfarms.com, lists "What's Growing Today," which makes it easy to see what you can truly get without having to buy food shipped from other parts of the country.
Purchasing local food cuts down on fuel and other transportation costs and helps local farmers and businesspeople, plus it's more likely that the food is fresh, and there's less risk of salmonella outbreaks and other issues.
Taking recycling to the next level
In addition to our regular curbside recycling programs, there are many other items we can be recycling:
Compact fluorescent light bulbs: Home Depot in Seabrook recycles residential bulbs; no tubes are accepted.
Ink cartridges: Staples in Seabrook accepts ink and toner cartridges from businesses and residents and offers $2 in Staples Rewards for each cartridge recycled, which can be used on future purchases. There is a limit of 10 cartridges per person per month. Visit www.staples.com for details.
Old cell phones: Both Home Depot and Staples will accept old cell phones and personal digital assistants, which are then either refurbished for reuse or disposed of in an environmentally friendly manner.
Household batteries: Amesbury Town Hall Annex on School Street, next to the fire station, has a collection box for used household batteries.
Newburyport residents can also recycle those items as well as others, including fluorescent tubes, at the Crow Lane Recycling Center on the first Saturday of the month from 8 a.m. to noon. There is a fee to recycle some items.
To learn how to recycle other items, visit www.earth911.org and type in the item and your zip code. A list of area locations and any instructions will be provided.
Environmentally responsible support stores
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is encouraging students and their parents to support the environment by shopping at retail stores that have earned the Energy Star label, which saves Americans energy and helps them protect the environment by avoiding greenhouse gas emissions. Energy Star-labeled stores have features that set them apart from typical stores, such as energy-efficient lighting, registers that go to sleep when not in use and store processes for shutting off equipment during closed hours.
Stores that have earned the Energy Star perform in the top 25 percent of stores nationwide, use at least 35 percent less energy and emit at least 35 percent less greenhouse gas emissions than their peers. Energy Star partners include Kohl's Department Stores, JCPenney, Verizon Wireless, Staples and Target. Find stores nearby that have earned EPA's Energy Star by visiting www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?fuseaction=store.store_locator or www.energystar.gov/LabeledStores.
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Bill Goss is the owner of Quality Systems Consulting Group in Amesbury. His website is www.merrimackvalleygreen.com. If you have any questions regarding Going Green, send them to merrimackvalleygreen@comcast.net, and he will answer them in upcoming columns.
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