Background+Information


Flat Rock Brook is a nature sanctuary located off of Jones Road in Englewood, NJ. This watershed is not only has hiking trails, but also is a host for youth programs and environmental activities. =__Flat Rock Brook Park Littering Rules__=
 * Do not disturb or remove any wildlife plants or natural materials
 * Stay on the trails at all times. Do not enter the stream or ponds
 * Dogs,bicycles, alcoholic beverages are prohibited
 * Picnic only in the designated areas on Jones road
 * ===Do not litter. Carry out your trash.===

The park has two distinct picnic areas. Around these picnic areas, there are both garbage and recycling cans. Refer to the following pictures:



Flat Rock Brook's Present Disposal Program
 * Large Garbage Bins with heavy metal lids that are chained
 * prevent animal inteference
 * prevent items from flying away
 * Large Blue Recycle Bins with small holes for openings
 * Restrictions: No caps, No paper, No Foil, Metal Cans, Bottles
 * #1 and #2 Plastics Only
 * What is a Number One Plastic?{http://www.thegreenguide.com/products/Kitchen/Plastic_Containers}
 * Polyethylene Terephyhalate(PET or PETE)
 * Examples: Disposable Soft drink and water bottles, cough-syrup bottles
 * What is a Number Two Plastic?
 * High density Polyethylene (HDPE)
 * Examples: milk jugs, toys, liquid detergent bottles, shampoo bottles

Why is recycling important???
http://www.tcnj.edu/recycle/benefits.html
 * The energy saved from recycling one aluminum can will operate a television set for three hours.
 * By recycling one glass bottle, you can save enough electricity to light a 100 watt bulb for 4 hours.
 * Manufacturers can make 20 new cans using recycled material with the same energy it takes to make one can out of new material.
 * Recycling one ton of paper:
 * Saves 463 gallons of oil
 * Saves 7,000 gallons of water
 * Saves 17 trees
 * Saves 4,100 kilowatt hours of energy
 * Saves 3 cubic yards of landfill space
 * Makes 60 pounds less of air pollution
 * Reduces carbon dioxide emissions by 850 pounds per year
 * Recycling glass as opposed to manufacturing new glass:
 * Reduces air pollution by 14-20%
 * Saves 25-40% energy
 * Employs over 30,000 workers
 * Can cut air pollution by 5 lbs per ton of glass
 * By recycling one glass bottle, you can save enough electricity to light a 100 watt bulb for 4 hours
 * By recycling one glass bottle, you can save enough electricity to light a 100 watt bulb for 4 hours


 * Disposal costs associated with recyclable materials is less than the cost associated with the removal bulk trash and in some cases has no cost.

According to the National Geographic's Green Guide: this is how plastics are categorized

Here's a quick breakdown of plastic resin types: Product examples: Disposable soft drink and water bottles, cough-syrup bottles Product examples: Milk jugs, toys, liquid detergent bottles, shampoo bottles Product examples: Meat wrap, cooking oil bottles, plumbing pipes Product examples: Cling wrap, grocery bags, sandwich bags Product examples: Syrup bottles, yogurt cups/tubs, diapers Product examples: Disposable coffee cups, clam-shell take-out containers Product examples: Baby bottles, some reusable water bottles, stain-resistant food-storage containers, medical storage containers Now that you know what each of the numbers represents, here are the kinds you should look for at the store: //**#2HDPE, #4LDPE and #5PP**// These three types of plastic are the healthiest. They transmit no known chemicals into your food and they're generally recyclable; #2 is very commonly accepted by municipal recycling programs, but you may have a more difficult time finding someone to recycle your #4 and #5 containers. //**PLA**// PLA (polylactide) plastics are made from renewable resources such as corn, potatoes and sugar cane and anything else with a high starch content. The starch is converted into polylactide acid (PLA). Although you can't recycle these plant-based plastics, you can compost them in a municipal composter or in your backyard compost heap. Most decompose in about twelve days unlike conventional plastic, which can take up to 100 years. //**#3 PVC**// //**#6 PS**// Extruded polystyrene (#6 PS; commonly known as Styrofoam) is used in take-out containers and cups, and non-extruded PS is used in clear disposable takeout containers, disposable plastic cutlery and cups. Both forms of PS can leach styrene into food; styrene is considered a possible human carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer. It may also disrupt hormones or affect reproduction. //**#7 PC**//
 * 1 polyethylene terephthalate (PET or PETE)**
 * 2 high density polyethylene (HDPE)**/
 * 3 polyvinyl chloride (V or PVC)**
 * 4 low density polyethylene (LDPE)**
 * 5 polypropylene (PP)**
 * 6 polystyrene (PS)**
 * 7 other (misc.; usually polycarbonate, or PC, but also polylactide, or PLA, plastics made from renewable resources)**
 * Safer Plastics**
 * //#1 PET//**
 * 1) 1 bottles and containers are fine for single use and are widely accepted by municipal recyclers. You won't find many reusable containers made from #1, but they do exist. It's also best to avoid reusing #1 plastic bottles; water and soda bottles in particular are hard to clean, and because plastic is porous, these bottles absorb flavors and bacteria that you can't get rid of.
 * Plastics to Avoid**
 * 1) 3 polyvinyl chloride (PVC) is often used frequently in cling wraps for meat. However, PVC contains softeners called phthalates that interfere with hormonal development, and its manufacture and incineration release dioxin, a potent carcinogen and hormone disruptor. Vinyl chloride, the primary building block of PVC, is a known human carcinogen that also poses a threat to workers during manufacture.
 * 1) 7 Polycarbonate (PC) is found in baby bottles, 5-gallon water bottles, water-cooler bottles and the epoxy linings of tin food cans. PC is composed of a hormone-disrupting chemical called bisphenol A, which has been linked to a wide variety of problems such as cancer and obesity.

=__WHAT ARE THE SOURCES AND EFFECTS OF LITTERING?__=

EFFECTS

 * Litter can travel into the waterways and harm wildlife
 * Litter removal is very expensive for the community and environment
 * Litter attracts vermin and breeding ground for bacteria.
 * Liter can be a fire hazard (such as cigarette butts)
 * Litter looks bad and can create a negative image
 * Litter attracts litter. It tells people that littering is OK
 * Litter can suffocate/choke birds and marine life. It also can trap small mammals.

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