A community-wide Electronics Disposal and Recycling Event is being held on Oct. 9th 9:00am- 2:00pm at MICDS (Mary Institute Country Day School) hosted by the Midwest Recycling Center. The event is open to the public. MRC will accept the following items: anything with a cord or a battery going to it. –appliances, gaming systems, CD/DVD players, cell phones, cameras, computers, cordless drills, fax machines, keyboards, laptops, printers, radios, tv’s, etc. (small fees apply to tv’s and monitors.) www.midwrc.net

The St. Louis Rams have announced an official Green Game at the Edward Jones Dome on October 17^th against the San Diego Chargers. There will be an Expo held in Baer Park before the game, expanded recycling efforts, energy offsets provided by Pure Power and more. There will be other events during the week prior so keep an out for those as well. The St. Louis Rams have begun to distribute the remaining game day food preparations to The Bridge. www.bridgestl.org

Recycle those plastic landscape pots, collection ends at the end of this month at the Missouri Botanical Garden. www.mobot.org/plasticpotrecycling

Come visit the Green Zone at the 14^th St. Louis Business Expo at the St. Charles Convention Center on Wednesday, October 20, 2010. The will be an array of companies that help other companies “go green”. The zone is a special exhibitor section of the St. Louis Business Expo that consists of companies that can help others reduce the impact on the planet. We consider a ‘green’ office one that takes into account employee behavior and innovation, as well as energy efficiency and conservation practices. www.sbmon.com

The StLouisGreen.com Holiday Light Drive is happening again this year. The drive begins Nov 15^th through Jan 31^st at over 40 locations. Bring in old, unwanted lights and old extension cords to one of the 18 participating areas Wal-Mart Supercenters listed on www.stlouisgreen.com or one of the other 25+ locations.

Food “4 a Greener Game” update: The St. Louis Cardinals, Delaware North Sportservice, StLouisGreen.com, and Operation Food Search all teamed up for the 2010 season to distribute the remaining food from game day preparations to feed people at The Bridge. Through August, -28,640lbs of food have been donated! www.bridgestl.org

This is one of my favorite times of year, summer wraps up and fall is getting closer. There are so many things to do and get involved in with the green community. -More people to meet, new ideas to learn about, classes to attend, and events to visit through September and October.

St. Louis Green Drinks meets monthly, last month they visited Space Architecture & Design building. If you are new to the community or just want to meet some new faces, come out and see what is happening around town in the green community. Visit the website for information about the September event. www.stlgreendrinks.org

If you are into green building or just want to learn more about it the St. Louis Regional – U.S Green Building Chapter has monthly tours and/or meetings. They also conduct many LEED classes to help understand and prep for the LEED exam. If you are considering it, now is a great time to get involved. www.usgbc-stl.org

Planting season is right around the corner; make sure to recycle all of your plastic pots, cell packs, trays and hanging baskets. Plastic Pot Recycling collection takes place at the Missouri Botanical Garden through Oct. 31^th and other area locations through Sept. 30^th . The plastic pots are made into plastic lumber. Check out the website for other locations: www.mobot.org/plasticpotrecycling/

Please stop by the StlouisGreen.com booth at the Earthways Green Homes Festival on Saturday, September 25^th from 10am-6pm. The festival is presented by the Missouri Botanical Garden Earthways Center and the Missouri Coalition for the Environment. www.greenhomesstl.org

The St. Louis Cardinals need more volunteers during September and hopefully long into October for their “4 a Greener Game Program”. Come down to the game and help collect recycling in-between innings and see the game for free. To sign up email 4agreenergame@cardinals.com or visit the website www.cardinals.com -look under community.

Food “4 a Greener Game” update: The St. Louis Cardinals, Delaware North Sportservice, StLouisGreen.com, and Operation Food Search all teamed up for the 2010 season to distribute the remaining food from game day preparations to feed people at The Bridge. Through July, -23,960lbs of food have been donated! 40 lbs short of 12 tons. www.bridgestl.org

Where are your food scraps going? Recently, since permits have been issued for food composting in St. Louis and St. Louis County, I have seen a great increase for businesses to start food composting programs, from local restaurants and hotels to the large stores such as Wal-Mart. Wal-Mart is currently composting over a 100 tons a week from their stores in eastern Missouri and southern Illinois. Along with the composting, their recycling and reduction efforts have decreased their compactor trash hauls from twice a week to once every other week at the St. Peters location.

Keep your eyes open for new greening efforts with Fairmount Park, the St. Louis Rams, and the St. Louis Cardinals. These gamers are really continuing to put forth some huge efforts to green up their operations.

I get the question a lot, “Where does all the recycling go once I throw it in a bin?” A majority of the recycling in St. Louis goes to a company called QRS Recycling. They have two facilities here that haulers deliver to and QRS sorts the recycling and sends it off. Tons and Tons are sent out daily, train cars and trucks are filled and the product is shipped off to be manufactured into new products. Very cool process to help eliminate landfill waste.

Ecopalooza – a great Clayton/Maplewood/Richmond Heights Eco-event will be held on August 21 from 11:-2:00 in Shaw Park. Love the synergy on this one! The first 100 people will get a free reusable shopping bag and a coupon for a free taco from Chipotle!

It is coming, the Loufest Music Festival August 28-29 at Central Field in Forest Park. We are excited for this one and the effort they are putting towards greening up the festival. This is not just another music festival, along with the 18 bands including many amazing national acts the festival is doing its part to reduce its carbon footprint and green up the festival. With a travel green program, energy offsets from AmerenUE Pure Power, a refillable water bottle program, recycling and composting throughout and an Ecozone with area vendors to educate all who are attending the Loufest is making its mark on how festivals should be responsible in reducing their impact on the environment. Hope to see you there! www.Loufest.com .

Food 4 a Greener Game update: The St. Louis Cardinals, Delaware North Sportservice, StLouisGreen.com, and Operation Food Search all recently teamed up for the 2010 season to distribute the remaining food from game day preparations to feed people at The Bridge. Through June, 19, 470lbs of food have been donated! www.bridgestl.org

The St. Louis Cardinals, DNC Sportservice, and St.LouisGreen.com have teamed up with Operation Food Search and The Bridge. After every home game and other events at Busch Stadium the remaining servable food is packaged and distributed to the Bridge. So far this year 10,760 lbs have been delivered serving an estimated 13,500 meals. The Bridge at Centenary UMC is a daily drop-in center open over 60 hours per week, for homeless individuals and families. The Bridge helps provide them with food – serving over 3,000 meals per week – a safe and dry place to seek refuge from the elements, clean restrooms, phones and computers and a permanent mailing address. As our good friend Craig Goldford at Operation Food Search states, “Instead of our old enemy the trash getting this great food, it’s going to those who need it the most.” StLouisGreen.com looks forward to seeing this program continue to grow. Thank you to everyone who has made this possible.

Check out the Audi A3 -2010 Green Car of the Year. There is an ad that will run during the Super Bowl. Green in the Super Bowl, yes! They have the Green Police song download from Cheap Trick and more information on the Audi Face Book page.

Please find the article for the St. Louis Cardinals “4 a Greener Game” program. The program was a great success this year and we are planning and looking forward to 2010! view article

Here is a fun article written by Lindsey Malkus from the Suburban Jounals this past week. Thanks Lindsey!

suburbanjournals/stltoday.com

On Wednesday, March 11 at 2:00 we had our press conference for the St. Louis Earth Hour at Busch Stadium.  Joining the press conference was Mayor Francis Slay, City of St. Louis, Darrin Collins, Managing Director, World Wildlife Fund, Bill DeWitt, III, President of the St. Louis Cardinals, Tim Leon, Managing Partner, Geile Leon Marketing, Dave Geile, Managing Partner, Geile Leon Marketing, and myself, Craig Jung, Executive Director and Green Guy, St Louis Green.

It was absolutely exciting to see the City and County come together on this event.  Charlie Dooley was unable to make it.

Here are some quick details if you missed it.  The Earth Hour Party March 28, 2009, visit powerhourstl.com will be held at Busch Stadium in the Redbird Club from 7pm-10pm, please note the start time change from 6 to 7.  All non-essential lights will be turned off inside Busch Stadium from 8:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.

Tickets to the party are available online.  www.powerhourstl.com

The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) created Earth Hour in 2007. Households and businesses are asked to turn off their non-essential lights and electrical appliances for one hour to raise awareness for climate change and the impact conserving electricity has on it. Visit www.earthhour.org

If you can’t make it to the party, then please participate by powering down from 8:30 pm to 9:30 pm  on Saturday, March 28.  Please share this information with your coworkers, neighbors, friends and family.

Thanks everyone for your support, I look forward to seeing everyone at the party!

The press conference is available  and can be seen at KSDK.com .  Search Earth Hour.

Some of you may or may not have heard about the movie GasHole, yet. I believe everyone should see this film. I know you are probably saying you do not have time or Craig has lost his mind again, better yet what does he know. Do yourself a favor see this Movie. I have attached a review from Joe’s Movie Lounge. At the least, please read it, but I would love for you all to see this film.

stltoday.com

A couple of months ago Kevin Herdler from St. Louis Regional Clean Cities called about this movie, GasHole. Not sure what to make of it I watched the trailer, then talked with Scott, one of the co-directors. I was completely thrilled to be a part of the film coming to St. Louis. A couple of weeks prior to the screening of the film, I stumbled upon the Hi-Pointe Theatre to be available.

As I sat in the theatre and watched this movie, I kept asking myself questions, if this is true, could it be true, what part am I responsible for, or what part have I been irresponsible for? If you drive a car, truck, hybrid, motorcycle, bike, anything, this movie should be required viewing. It is a must see, if in one place just to ask the question, is this possible?

Here are some details from a press release:

EXTENDED VIEWINGS OF THE FILM GASHOLE AT THE HI-POINTE THEATRE JUNE 20-22

Narrated by Peter Gallagher

“St. Louis was an amazing experience! The response was huge and we are thrilled that “GasHole” did so well it was extended for another weekend.” – Scott D. Roberts & Jeremy Wagener directors/producers

The film tackles the enormously timely issue of gas consumption and alternative fuel.

Showing Friday, June 20 at 7:15 p.m., Saturday June 21, 2:30, 4:45 & 7:15 and Sunday, June 22 at 2:30, 4:45 & 7:15 at the Hi-Pointe Theater at 1005 McCausland Ave, St Louis, MO 63117, ironically under the shadow of our favorite, giant Amoco sign at Clayton Road and McCausland Avenue.

GasHole tickets for the June 20-22 shows are $8.75 for adults and $6.75 for seniors, students and matinees. Tickets are available now at stlouisgreen.com and at the door day of the shows.

Check out our site stlouisgreen.com and gasholemovie.com to learn more about the movie and read some reviews.

Hope to see you all there. This is truly one to see if you buy gasoline, you should know what this movie is presenting. Please pass it on to anyone else you might think be interested.

Thinkin’ Green,

Craig

I traveled out to Washington , MO to visit with Innovative Enterprises, Inc., I know by the name what do they do. Well they have been making paper pallets for shipping and packaging for 30 years. Completely recyclable, and eliminates the use of wood. One question I forgot to ask, is if the cardboard they get made completely from post consumer waste? The glue they use is free of formaldehydes.

Well to my surprise when I got there I realized I went to high school with the owners of the company, I know so St. Louis. It was a thrill though to put it all together. The business is a family owned and operated. With Dad at the helm and the two sons working the operations and sales, they are getting it done.

The building process of the pallets was fascinating to me. They have a large warehouse with a bunch of pallet making equipment and people working the machinery in a complete rythmatic movement, quite impressive. Cardboard being folded, cut, shaped, glued, stacked and then out comes a usable packaging pallet to be shipped out for use. And it is all recyclable, very green.

I will be visiting them again real soon, so next time you are in the grocery store and pick up a bag of chips, ask yourself, hum where these shipped in on a wood pallet, or on a recyclable paper pallet. Oh by the way the pallet I stood on held 2500 lbs.