CFLs: Recycling and Disposal

I have heard that Ikea and Home Depot have programs to take old CFLs. Earth 911 can also tell you other options in your area.

In case you're wondering why we should recycle these bulbs, it is said that one teaspoon of mercury can contaminate a 100-acre body of water.

Now, because CFLs (Compact Fluorescent Lightbulbs) do contain a small amount of mercury, it is important to know how to dispose of them properly when broken. Here are Earth 911's tips:

1. Before you clean-up: air out
Make sure all people and pets leave the room.
Don’t allow anyone to walk through the area where the break occurred.
Open a window.
Exit the room and stay out for a minimum of 15 minutes or more.
Shut off any centralized heating or cooling systems in the building.

2. Clean-up steps: hard surfaces
Do not use a vacuum or broom to clean up.
Carefully scoop up the broken glass and powder using stiff paper such as cardstock, cardboard or paperboard.
Place the broken pieces and powder into a glass jar with metal lid or in a plastic bag that can be sealed.
Use duct tape to pick up any leftover glass fragments and/or powder.
Wipe the area clean with disposable wet wipes. Place the used wipes into the glass jar or plastic bag.

3. Clean-up steps: carpeting or rug
Carefully scoop up the broken glass and place the pieces into a glass jar with metal lid or in a plastic bag that can be sealed.
Use duct tape to pick up any leftover glass fragments and/or powder.
Once you have picked up as much material as possible, a vacuum may be used to collect the remaining debris.
Remove the vacuum bag (or empty and clean the canister).
Place the bag or vacuum debris in a plastic bag that can be sealed.

4. Clean-up steps: clothing, bedding and other material
If the debris from the broken bulb is unable to be cleaned from the fabric, discard the clothing bedding or other material.
Do not wash the material. Mercury from the broken bulb can contaminate the washing machine and the water.
You can, however, wash clothing or other materials that did not come into direct contact with the broken bulb. This includes any clothing being worn at the time the bulb broke, as long as direct contact wasn’t made.
If shoes come into direct contact with powder from the bulb or broken glass, wipe them off with disposable wet wipes. Place the used wipes in a glass jar or plastic bag for disposal.

5. Disposal of clean-up materials
Immediately place all materials used for clean up in an outdoor trash container. These can be disposed of with your normal trash pickup.
Wash your hands after disposing of all clean-up materials and containers.
The EPA advises, “Check with your local or state government about disposal requirements in your specific area. Some states do not allow such trash disposal. Instead, they require that broken and unbroken mercury-containing bulbs be taken to a local recycling center.”

6. Future cleaning of carpeting or rug:
Air out the room during and after vacuuming.
The next few times you vacuum, shut off any centralized heating or cooling systems and open a window before beginning.
Keep the air system off and the window open for at least 15 minutes after vacuuming.

Eco chic by Matilda Lee

I've read a few times now about Matilda Lee´s book, Eco chic - the savvy shopper´s guide to ethical fashion. I haven't read the book myself, but according to Outsapop, one of the things the book talks about is how a very small percentage of clothing donated to thrift stores is actually sold. Apparently, of the things donated,

less than 8% of all donated clothes actually ended up being resold in charity shops

7% are not even worth being recycled or further donated, so they end up in landfills. And this is just the clothes people bother to donate to charity.

If things continue the way they have for the last ten years, the business of recycling clothes will eventually go OUT OF BUSINESS.

That's a huge deal! I'm afraid I've seen this happen with people I know. Rather than donate items, I'll hear that they've just thrown them away. Oh, that kills me when that happens. There are so many things that can be done with old clothes, even if they're not still wearable.

Of course, with all the great ways to alter clothes now, there's almost nothing you can't wear in some way or another. If you're not into that, then make a quilt, use scraps for crafting, make a stuffed animal for the kids.

My sister made me this quilt from scraps of my father's old striped shirt. My father had passed so this was a very special gift.


There's just no excuse for throwing these things away. Even if you aren't crafty, everyone knows someone who is.

Recycled Couture

This wedding dress is made from denim jeans. It is part of Discarded To Divine:

This dress, by Jolis Paons, is made from a phone book :


Part of Altered Couture Magazine. Yes, there's a whole magazine dedicated to this up and coming art.


This dress, made from Bubble Wrap, was shown at the Sheffield City Centre Fashion Show.

Green Picnic Supplies

Just in time for 4th of July. Thanks to Gaiatribe for her link to Chow's article on "Environmentally Friendly Picnic Supplies". Features include:

Palm Leaf Dinnerware:

Biodegradable plates are a natural and renewable resource. Naturally discarded sheaths of the leaves of the Adaka palm tree are collected from the forest floor. No trees are cut down. The plates and the disposable cutlery are even compostable!

Seventh Generation's Recycled, Unbleached Paper Napkins.Greenwave Tableware: 100% biodegradable products

This weeks crafty round-up

Reusable Washable Swiffer Covers, CraftBits also has a different version. I'm so glad for this idea because I cannot stand Swiffers pads. It seems like you have to replace them too quickly and it's just too wasteful so I had mine sitting, unusable...until now.

This gives a whole new meaning to Table Art. Personally, I think I'd knock out the backing and flip the painting over in the frame so the molding faces downward, but I still like the idea.


Amalia Versaci Zipper Jewelry

Soda Can Tab Belt- This isn't the greatest picture but they do give close-ups of how to connect the tabs. It looks fairly easy.

Crafty Nest's Transformations

I'm loving Crafty Nest. She takes all kinds of stuff and turns it from trash to treasure. Here's a few examples:

"Salvaged drawers = modular bookcase"

"Salvaged cupboard door = serving tray"




"Ugly plastic mirror = bulletin board" -













Crafty Nest then turned me onto Ikea Hacker and I had to post this:


Made from an Ikea kitchen rail & a Foosball rod. That's funny!