If you’ve been taking your home green, you know how ideas can feed off each other. Someone gets picky about paper recycling; someone else becomes the food waste arbiter; pretty soon everyone has their eco-role and the household’s carbon footprint is shrinking.

Hotel Triton Lobby (Photo: Markham Johnson)

Kimpton Hotels and Restaurants realized early on that green grows like that.  The hospitality chain, with roots in San Francisco, has a history of putting eco-friendly ideas in place. Even before green hotel or green restaurant designations were developed, Kimpton was experimenting with eco-friendly practices at its San Francisco properties, such as the Hotel Triton, where motion sensors turn off lights and 60 percent of the waste gets recycled.

Non-toxic products, green cleaners, low VOC paints, low-flow faucets – all these turned up in Kimpton Hotels while other hotels were still on the highway of high-consumption. In addition, Kimpton has restored several historic buildings, supporting pedestrian-friendly urban areas. Stay at a Kimpton and you may find yourself ensconced on an eco-friendly mattress, drinking organic coffee and munching on a Clif bar.

Still, as the Kimpton chain grew greener, it had to figure out how to roll out the plan to all of its properties, including those outside of the Bay Area where environmental practices were not as well understood.

By 2005, the luxury hotel group had decided to standardize its green practices, requiring all Kimptons to adhere to an “Earth Care” program. But it didn’t want to impose a rigid top-down program. The solution: Kimpton named “eco-champions” at each of its hotels and encouraged them to form green teams and let ideas bubble up.

“You’ve got to get people on the front lines, who are doing the work, whose job you’re changing, a voice…and they’re right there, they see where the waste is,” said Niki Leondakis , chief operation officer for Kimpton Hotels and Restaurants.

The Kimpton leadership, which currently oversees 48 hotels in cities from New England to California, learned the importance of buy-in earlier. In 2003, when Kimpton decided guests could opt out of having their sheets and towels washed every day, management was surprised that many housekeepers were reluctant to make the change. “The housekeepers couldn’t grasp the idea that they were doing a good job by not changing the towels. They needed training that if the towels were on towel bar, the guest wanted to save water and soap…and it was OK,” Leondakis said.

Today, the staff is more likely to get it, though the hospitality group still treads carefully in determining what clients will tolerate – and remain satisfied customers. That has left several green issues still on the table, such as whether a hotel can reduce plastic water bottles when guests on-the-go seem to expect that perk, or whether guests will accept room amenities in bulk dispensers (foregoing that little souvenir of the trip).

“We were initially, like, ‘We’re going to get rid of bottled water entirely.’ And we’d offer filtered tap water in reusable containers both in the restaurants, and our vision was to create a reusable container almost like a flask that people paid a nominal fee for and then they’d refill it at a water cooler. But the consumer does not seem to be ready for that,” Leondakis said.

Look for the green teams and “eco-champions” to find a solution. So far, the local crews are forging viable new ways on various fronts.

In DC, Chef Robert Weland at the Post Modern Barasserie in D.C. was the driving force behind an herb garden. He not only uses it in his dishes, but gives tours.

In Portland, at the Hotel Monaco, someone decided the facility could get along without those paper-wasting phone books. Now all Kimptons get by without guest room phone books.

Hotel Monaco Chicago (Photo: David Phelps)

In Chicago, the cities’ three Kimpton Hotels, the Monaco, Burnham and Allegro became leaders in the Green Seal green cleaner certification program, prompted by a mayor’s green initiative. Now the three are among just 50 Green Seal certified hotels nationwide.

The 20-year-old program requires the use of green cleaners, energy efficiency and recycling. (For details, see this listing.)

Using green cleaners prevents water pollution, provides for healthier interior air and curbs carbon emissions. The typical silver-ranked Green Seal hotel saves 400 tons of CO2 emissions every year, said Charlotte Teyraud, a spokeswoman for the non-profit Green Seal.

The Chicago hotels also  advocated for a commercial recycling program, that was eventually put into place with the help of city hall, says Nabil Moubayed, manager of the 192-room Hotel Monaco Chicago along the city’s Magnificent Mile:

Now in the “5^th phase” of instituting the Kimpton “Earth Care” program, Moubayed says the Hotel Monaco has found that going green is working on many levels:

• About 60-70 percent of the hotel’s customers use the opt-out linen/towel program, saving money and water.

• The Green Seal-approved cleaners, which the hotel buys in bulk, concentrated form, are saving the hotel about $25,000 a year. The non-toxic cleaners are healthier for staff and guests and biodegradable. (As for that outdated worry about green cleaners not working – Moubayad says surveys burst that myth. “When we look at guest comments. We have the highest score in the company for clean bathrooms and guest rooms.”)

• The hotel recycles about half of its trash, which also saves money because sending out the garbage costs more in trash fees than sending out recyclables, even in this down-market for recyclable material.

Hotel Monaco room overlooking Chicago River

Green ways are catching on among staff, he says. When Monaco’s valet crew discovered that the dry cleaners they were using was discarding hangers after one use, they were aghast. They went to work to find a solution. Now the hangers are reused.

Guests, too, are contracting the green bug. While they remain a diverse group that’s not easily gauged, Moubayed says surveys show that the majority of people stay at Kimpton because of the hotels’ greener rep.

“We’ve seen a pretty high percentage of guests choosing use because we have a strong Green Care program.” he  said. “We don’t want them to feel like everything we doing is in their face. The (guest room) recycling bin for instance is bronze not bright blue. And the low flow shower heads, we don’t’ necessarily want them to notice that, but it  is helping the environment.”

Moubayad had no special sustainability training before coming to the Hotel Monaco, but he has built on what he has learned through Kimpton.

“I found I had a passion for it,” he said. “It’s the right thing to do., not just from the consumer point of view, but as a human, for the future generations. It’s the right thing to do.”

(Another key way that hotels across the US are greening their profile is by building, retrofitting or tailoring operations to meet standards set by the US Green Building Council. For more on these green hotels, see our recent story: A green wave coming, hundreds of hotels finalizing their LEED certification.)

Copyright © 2009 Green Right Now | Distributed by Noofangle Media

The Department of Energy announced $10 million has been awarded to 16 cities for 40 new Solar America Cities Special Projects. The funds, made through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, will enable the cities to increase solar energy use in their communities through innovative programs and policies that the government believes can be replicated across the nation.

The cities chosen for these awards came from the group of 25 large U.S. cities that are part of the DOE’s Solar America Cities program, which recognizes the participating cities as partners highly committed to solar technology adoption at the local level. Those cities already have been given millions of dollars in funds and technical assistance to accelerate solar adoption.

To this point, the cities have used the funding to develop solar financing models, improve solar permitting processes, and create training courses for solar installers, among other uses. The DOE said this new award will enable the cities to scale up their most promising projects and concepts to overcome key barriers to urban solar energy use. The DOE plans to share the lessons learned and best practices from these projects with local governments throughout the nation through a substantial outreach effort planned to launch in early 2010.

The DOE has selected the following Solar America Cities Special Projects:

Austin, TX

• Solar Curriculum Development and School Demonstration Projects

Berkeley, CA

• Smart Solar Regional Expansion and Solar Map Enhancements

Boston, MA

• Solar Evacuation Route

Madison, WI

• MadiSUN Community Solar Financing
• Target Marketing Solar to Businesses
• Solar Business Center

Milwaukee, WI

• Solar Hot Water Business Council
• Solar Water Heating Demonstration Projects and Best Practices Manual
• Property Assessed Clean Energy Financing
• Solar School Swap

Minneapolis – Saint Paul, MN

• Solar for District Heating and Cooling

New Orleans, LA

• Third Party Solar Tax Credit Implementation
• Sustainable Energy Financing District Implementation

New York City, NY

• Smart Solar City Data Acquisition System
• Community Solar Financing
• Smart Solar Virtual Community

Portland, OR

• Solar Now! Regional Outreach Campaign
• Neighborhood-Based Volume Solar Purchasing
• Residential Solar Power Purchase Agreement Model for Utility-Bill Financing
• Neighborhood-Scale Distributed Energy Systems

Salt Lake City, UT

• Solar Rebate Program Expansion and Third Party PPA Legal Analysis
• Financing Options for Mid to Large Scale Solar Systems

San Diego, CA

• Solar Financing Options for Multifamily Affordable Housing
• Solar-Powered Fire Shelter Integration into Disaster Response Planning

San Francisco, CA

• Debt-Financed Solar Water Heating Retrofits for Affordable Housing
• San Francisco Sustainable Financing Program (SF²)
• Commercial Solar Power Purchase Agreement Model
• Solar Financing for Public Schools

San José, CA

• Property Assessed Solar Financing through Joint Powers Authority
• Solar Loans for City Staff
• Qualified Energy Conservation Bond Financing for Revolving Solar Loan Fund
• Streamlined Regional Solar Permitting Process
• Solar Train the Trainer Internship Program
• Solar Career Training for At-Risk Youth
• Green Vision Education and Demonstration Center

Santa Rosa, CA

• Clean Energy Advocate

Seattle, WA

• Community Solar Financing through Municipal Utility

Tucson, AZ

• Creative Financing for Municipal Solar Installations
• Solar One Stop Shop
• Solar Integration into Green Building Codes and Infrastructure Planning

As of May 1, Wells Fargo business customers – excluding those from the former Wachovia Corporation – had electronically deposited 468 million-plus checks worth $1,003,355,000, according to a news release.

This option was made possible by a 2004 law, but Wells Fargo says its customers continue to adopt the practice at a “dramatic pace.”

Aside from the paper savings, Wells Fargo points out that business customers who bank and make deposits online save time and money and, most importantly, driving time. They estimate that these customers have cut their potential carbon greenhouse gas emissions by 1.2 million pounds of CO2.

Now just imagine what we could save if there weren’t a recession…

Somewhere in between the sleep-away camps, beach excursions and baseball games of summer, kids and parents alike generally see the appeal of the sand-free floors and refrigerated air of a good museum. Institutions across the country know this is a great time to squeeze some education into kid-friendly, entertaining exhibitions; here’s a list of some of the best nature-oriented attractions for vacationers who’ve felt a bit too much heat this month.

What I do:

I’m currently the construction manager for Sustainable Spaces in San Francisco. Sustainable Spaces is a home performance retrofitter that offers turn-key solutions for homeowners to improve the health, comfort and energy efficiency of their homes.

The first step of our process is a GreenUP, a comprehensive home energy assessment conducted by Home Performance Specialists trained in building science. This results in a personalized roadmap of each home, which then guides our specially trained construction crews on how to most effectively retrofit the home’s heating, cooling and ventilation systems.

My role is to work with construction crews and our clients during the construction phase to ensure that each job runs smoothly, our crews can work safely, and that every solution performs optimally and every client is satisfied with the work completed.

How it helps:

Our clients, homeowners, feel the benefit of our work first. Depending on what work was performed they will typically lower their energy bills, improve indoor air quality and occupant health, and will live more comfortably in their homes.

The public benefits because we are laying the groundwork and pioneering an industry that is going to grow significantly in the coming years. This industry will re-deploy construction workers and create new jobs at a time when our economy really needs a boost.

In terms of the environment, one of our goals is to help homeowners reduce their carbon footprint. Residences account for around 20% of carbon emissions in the U.S! [Some say the percentage is even higher.] This is a huge percentage that has to be addressed if we plan to lower greenhouse gasses, and Sustainable Spaces is showing the country how it can be done.

How I got here:

When I started my BA in English, my goal was to discover a career that would satisfy my diverse interests and my desire to do something rewarding. By the time I graduated, I knew that I wanted to help fix the environment, and I knew that I wanted to get my hands dirty. I have always enjoyed work that has kept me active, including construction work, which I’ve done off and on my whole life. So armed with a BA in English, a strong work ethic and a desire to fix the environment, I moved to the Bay Area and started researching green construction companies.

When I found Sustainable Spaces, I pestered Matt Golden, one of our founders, until he gave me the opportunity to join one of the construction crews. Any preconceptions I had of scoring a glamorous green job faded on day one when we all suited up with respirators and full jumpsuits and dived into the crawl space of a home that needed a vapor barrier installed.

The next week we were fixing a leaky duct system, the following week we were air sealing an old SF Victorian. I understood the theories behind each task, and it was actually fun work once you got into it (I call it urban spelunking), but it took a while to understand the full repercussions (nationally) of what were doing.

I had already dedicated myself to learning building science and new construction techniques, but once I realized we were making a significant impact – not just in every home that we worked on, but towards the larger goal of improving the nation’s existing housing stock – I knew I had found a rewarding career.

Where I’m going:

Our company has doubled our growth each year in the past five years! The opportunities, as I see them, are endless.

How I’m doing:

Sustainable Spaces is dedicated to its employees. We have good benefits and pay competitive wages. Our “minimum wage” is above San Francisco’s living wage. We pay quarterly bonuses, reimburse for public transit, and have a bike benefit plan to name a few.

Advice:

In general, if you are motivated to find a rewarding career in home retrofitting, first find a company that interests you – read about them and ask good questions during your interview. A lot of companies want to be on the green bandwagon, but if you want to work with one that is good, it should base its construction work in building science – the way that Sustainable Spaces does.

Spending long hours in attics and under houses is certainly not for everyone, but the best building scientists and home performance retrofitters enjoy it or learn to enjoy it. Know that the work we do is typically not visible or glamorous, but it is rewarding. Our work requires good hands-on skills, an acute attention to detail, and excellent problem-solving skills.

See more profiles at MY GREEN JOB

See Recent Green Jobs Listings

A2B electric bike test rides
Through June
Various locations
Ultra Motor is bringing its A2B electric bike to communities in the San Francisco Bay Area. Now through June, Ultra Motor will be at events, corporations, and universities in select neighborhoods encouraging consumers to experience the exhilaration of riding an A2B, the electric bike that is changing the way consumers think about short trips…to the store, to the park with friends, or commuting to work. A complete list of events and dates can be found at www.ultramotor.com/sf.

Greenv Sustainable Center of South San Francisco Announces Grand Opening and Earth Day
April 18; 9:00 am until 5:00 pm
1 Chestnut Avenue, South San Francisco
Approximately one mile from the South San Francisco BART station
The Greenv Sustainable Center of South San Francisco invites the public to celebrate Earth Day a little early this year. The center will host a grand opening event designed to showcase the center’s commitment to green living, green businesses, and the green community. the event will kick off at 9:30 am with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and speech by Karyl Matsumoto, mayor of South San Francisco. At 11:00 am, David Gottfried, founder of the U.S. Green Building Council, will give the keynote speech. The Greenv Sustainable Center grand opening also will feature seminars, sustainable product demonstrations, live music, organic food and beverages, and kid-friendly activities, including a visit by a mobile science lab.

Community Clean Team Event in District 7 & 8 — Earth Day
April 18
Time: 9 am to 1 pm
Location: School of the Art and Twin Peaks Observation Point
Description: Join The Community Clean Team to celebrate the Earth Day. Together, we can make San Francisco a world-class city.
For More Information: 641-2600 or log on to www.sfgov.org/dpw

Neighborhood Solar Champions Training Course
April 18, 2009, 9:30 AM to 4:00 PM
PG&E’s Pacific Energy Center
851 Howard Street
San Francisco, CA 94103
Cost: Free! (lunch provided)
Would you like to become a Solar Champion in your neighborhood? The San Francisco Department of the Environment and PG&E are offering free solar training for SF citizens interested in helping spread the word about solar in their neighborhoods.

To Register:
1. Go to http://www.pge.com/mybusiness/edusafety/training/pec/classes/ or call (415) 973-2277 and register for the “Solar Power Basics for Residential Customers” class on Saturday, April 18.
AND
2. RSVP to Johanna Partin, SF Department of the Environment by email or telephone: johanna.partin@sfgov.org, (415) 355-3715

Greener by Design: Greener Products for Leaner Times
May 19-20, 2009
The Palace Hotel, 2 New Montgomery Street, San Francisco, CA
415 512-1111
Despite tough economic times, some of the world’s best-known companies are gaining a competitive advantage by aligning environmental thinking, innovation, and affordability to bring green products to the mainstream. Top executives from these organizations will gather in San Francisco on May 19-20 to share their strategies and best practices at Greener By Design 2009, the annual sustainable design forum produced by Greener World Media, Inc. and GreenerDesign.com. Keynote speakers include designer William McDonough, co-creator of the Cradle to Cradle design protocol, and Tom Szaky, founder and CEO of TerraCycle, whose innovative company makes more than 50 consumer products from waste products, partnering with companies like Kraft, Hershey’s, Frito-Lay, and Starbucks.

Learning not to waste – whether it’s food, electricity or water – is not only good in these economic times, but even more important, it’s beneficial for the environment.

The Nalgene Least Wasteful City Study, released this week, ranks the country’s 25 largest metropolitan areas on wasteful behavior. San Francisco led the group with the least wasteful habits, while Atlanta ranked at the bottom.

The survey of 3,750 people, commissioned by Nalgene (the maker of reusable water bottles), looked at 23 waste-focused habits of city dwellers ranging from recycling and use of public transportation to shutting off lights and eating leftovers. The results were weighted, says Eric Hansen, senior business manager of Nalgene-Outdoor. “We gave more credit to behaviors that had an immediate and significant impact on the planet, such as reduced driving and recycling trash.”

One conclusion of the study is that the easier and more convenient an action, the more frequently it’s practiced. Convenience trumped prudence, the report says. Shutting off lights was easier to do than hanging clothes on a clothesline.

“This study highlights habits that our society has adopted out of convenience, but on a whole can have a huge impact on the sustainability of the planet,” says Hansen.

The survey also notes that despite the economy, saving money is not the main reason urbanites are changing their wasteful ways. More than half of those surveyed said it is their responsibility to ensure the health of the planet for future generations. “Being frugal and helping the planet, these behaviors tend to go hand in hand,” says Hansen.

The top five least wasteful cities were San Francisco; New York City; Portland, Or.; Seattle and Los Angeles. The five most wasteful major cities were Atlanta, Dallas, Indianapolis, Houston and St. Louis.

The good news, according to the study, is that urban Americans are increasingly taking everyday steps to cut waste. The top five areas where most people comply: saving leftover food to eat again; shutting off lights when not in the room; turning off water when brushing teeth; using energy efficient light bulbs; and recycling glass, metal, plastics on regular basis.

The areas where people are less likely to be concerned with wasteful ways: avoiding drying clothes in a dryer, using a rain barrel, composting, taking public transportation and not driving a car for trips that are less than two miles from home.

These latter five areas are what the top cities had in common. For instance, San Francisco residents were not only good about turning off water, but also excelled at not using their car for short trips. The cities that did not score well, were not energy efficient with even the simple things such as recycling. In Atlanta, residents threw out more than two bags of trash each week and didn’t use as many energy efficient light bulbs.

The study, which was compiled over two months by the independent research firm Greenfield Online, also had several recommendations for folks – urban or not – on reducing waste:

• Small changes such as reusable containers and water bottles (not surprising, since that is what Nalgene manufactures) or walking instead of driving.
• Compost yard trimmings and food leftovers. The EPA estimates that 24 percent of the U.S. municipal solid waste stream is made up of yard trimming and food leftovers. Composting avoids filling the landfills and is environmentally beneficial.
• Rain barrels. Even in the city, rain barrels can be installed in a building. They save money on water that can be used to water the yard.
• Bikes. Help the environment and get some exercise by skipping the car.
• Public transportation. Even if using public transportation a few times a week, this has an impact on reducing carbon dioxide emissions.
• Buy used or Freecycle. Thrift stores, libraries, used book stores are all good ways not to waste and to support local businesses. And if there’s a Freecycle group in your zipcode, that’s another good way to avoid waste.

Related story:

• See the full list of America’s least wasteful cities

Copyright © 2009 Green Right Now | Distributed by Noofangle Media

1. San Francisco, CA
2. New York City, NY
3. Portland, OR
4. Seattle, WA
5. Los Angeles, CA
6. Denver, CO
7. Minneapolis, MN
8. Washington, D.C.
9. Boston, MA
10. Philadelphia, PA
11. Chicago, IL
12. Baltimore, MD
13. Detroit, MI
14. Pittsburgh, PA
15. Orlando, FL
16. Cleveland, OH
17. Sacramento, CA
18. Miami, FL
19. Tampa, FL
20. Phoenix, AZ
21. St. Louis, MO
22. Houston, TX
23. Indianapolis, IN
24. Dallas, TX
25. Atlanta, GA

Keetsa is a San Francisco-based sleep store that wants to challenge the old traditional ways of buying a mattress with new types of products and a new way of doing business.

Keetsa’s eco-minded solutions include:

• Compress packing mattresses to reduce carbon foot prints.
• Continuous developments toward sustainability to increase Keetsa Quotient
• Usage of Green Tea extract to create foam with low emissions of VOCs.

The company’s orientation towards sustainability has led to a new, fresh approach to creating a better sleep environment. It started with a question: how can you make a better mattress that encourages deep, restorative sleep and has a lower impact on the planet? Some obvious changes to the materials used in mattresses surfaced (since they are among the largest disposable consumer products). But there were other challenges, as well.

Do you really need a ‘box spring’ for your bed? Or, can you sleep just as well with a simple foundation? Check out our Keetsa Foundations.

Can you make a pillow supportive, yet soft for comfort? Check out Keetsa eco-friendly pillows.

Is there a low-impact way to re-fresh an existing mattress that still has life without having to throw the whole thing away? Check out our Keetsa Re-Cover System.

Is there a product that can protect the mattress from mites? Check out Keetsa Protective Cases.

You can find Keetsa online or visit the showroom at 271 9th Street, San Francisco.

From Green Right Now Reports

Green Apple Festival and Earth Day Network have released the 2009 line up for the free “Green Apple Thank You Concerts” for volunteers in major cities across the country over Earth Day Weekend (April 17 through 19).

Performers at the flagship event “Earth Day on the National Mall” in Washington D.C. will be announced soon, festival organizers said.

This year’s Green Apple Festival has grown to 10 cities and will focus on environmental volunteerism. Volunteers who participate in the activities over the weekend will be given tickets to attend the free “Thank You” concerts.

Here are the artists announced for each festival city:

• Atlanta, GA – Galactic & Friends with opener Victoria George at Variety Playhouse
  Galactic is a leading funk and jazz instrumental band from New Orleans, Louisiana. George is a country/rock singer/songwriter.
• Austin, TX – Travis Tritt & Friends at Antone’s (on Monday April 20)
  Tritt is a Grammy Award-winning Country star who has charted more than 30 singles on the Hot Country Songs charts, including five #1’s
• Boston, MA – Soulive & Friends at Paradise Rock Club
  The funk/jazz trio originated in Buffalo, New York, and is known for its solos and catchy, upbeat songs Chicago, IL – Cracker & Friends at The Metro Cracker is an Alt-rock favorite founded by former Camper Van Beethoven member David Lowery with Johnny Hickman
• Denver, CO – Ivan Neville’s Dumpstaphunk & Friends at Cervante’s Masterpiece
  Led by Ivan Neville, a member of legendary Neville family and his popular funk band from New Orleans
• Los Angeles, CA – The Hotel Cafe Presents Cary Brothers & Friends at The Roxy
  The Hotel Cafe venue in LA helped launch the careers of top singer/songwriters, including Brothers, an indie rock singer-songwriter from Nashville, Tennessee
• New York City – Deep Banana Blackout featuring Fred Wesley & Friends at Bowery Ballroom
  The Soul legend from the James Brown Band joins this long-time NY funk favorite
• San Francisco, CA – BassNectar & Friends at Slim’s
  BassNectar is an electronic music freeform project based in San Francisco, known as a top DJ and collaborator
• Seattle, WA – The Blue Scholars & Friends at The Crocodile
  The Northwest’s Top Hip-Hop group will be playing their hometown
• Washington, DC – artists will be announced soon for Earth Day on the National Mall

If you’d like to volunteer, go to www.PlanetGreen.com to sign up.

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Sony Electronics is inviting Bay Area residents to recycle any brand of outdated electronics by bringing them to a drive-up recycling collection event on March 28 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Shoreline Amphitheater in Mountain View.

Drivers of the first 2,000 cars to drop off unwanted electronics will receive a voucher for a Sony product valued at $100, which can be redeemed at Sony Style stores at the Valley Fair or Stanford shopping centers, according to a press release.

The event is part of Sony Electronics’ Take Back Recycling program, which provides free recycling for Sony products at more than 270 permanent drop-off sites across the country.

Sony, in connection with Waste Management has hosted more than 100 recycling events like the one coming to Mountain View.

According to the company, the U.S. EPA reports that: Americans trash more than 130,000 computers and 350,000 cell phones every day.

Since Sony’s Take Back Recycling program began, more than 14 million pounds of electronic waste have been collected, the company reported.

Scrap electronics that will be accepted at the event include televisions, computers, monitors, cameras, video game consoles, cellular phones, rechargeable batteries and printers.

Items that will not be accepted include microwave ovens, humidifiers, thermometers, air conditioners, smoke/fire alarms or detectors, and large household appliances like dishwashers, refrigerators and washer/dryers.

More information about acceptable products and concerning processing procedures is available by calling 877-439-2795.