Dear Recycle Lady,
May I recycle steel lids used on top glass jars? With that asked, I have been placing steel can lids inside my washed cans. Does this cause problems?
Canner
Dear Canner,
Yes, steel lids are recyclable with steel cans. Kudos to you for placing the can lids inside washed cans before recycling them. There is one additional, very helpful, step you could take when preparing cans for recycling. After placing the lid in the can, squeeze opposite sides of the can slightly. This small action helps prevent the lids from falling out of the cans during processing.
Dear Recycle Lady,
Do you have any examples of Greenwashing that would illustrate exactly what it is?
Need Help Understanding
Dear Need Help Understanding,
According to https://www.feedough.com/what-is-greenwashing-types-examples/, greenwashing is marketing an organizations’ products or services as environmentally friendly, when they may have none, or hardly any, environmental benefits. Claims that a product is sustainable, non-toxic, or biodegradable can’t be proven and customers think they are buying products that are eco-friendly. An example of greenwashing is the Volkswagen emissions scandal. Their ad campaign disputed the fact that diesel was bad and that the technology used in their vehicles emitted fewer pollutants than established limits. Later, it came out that Volkswagen rigged 11 million of its diesel cars with “highly sophisticated software designed to cheat on emissions tests.” These cars actually emitted pollutants at levels up to 40 times the U.S. limit. See https://www.independent.co.uk (search Volkswagen emissions scandal)
There are basically two types of greenwashing. One type occurs when a company claims credit for a changed or existing method of production, to be one that is eco-friendly. For example, a company eliminates the use of shrink wrap packaging to cut costs but portrays it as a green initiative. Secondly, a company may infer eco-friendliness of a product by using phrases such as “Best in class ecology” or by using images of green fields, animals, and flowers on their packaging. However, most genuine eco-friendly products generally use simpler images and plain packaging. TerraChoice Environmental Marketing says that 98% of green-labeled products are actually greenwashed. The process of greenwashing has escalated in recent years with the growing consumer demand for green products and concerns for the environment.
Have questions about recycling, or interesting information about recycling? Send questions or requests to recyclelady@greenbrier-swa.com. Dear Recycle Lady is sponsored jointly by the Greenbrier Recycling Center and Greenworks Recycling.