A recycled-content product is an item that contains recovered materials. Recovered materials are wastes that have been diverted from conventional disposal such as landfills for another use. Recovered materials include both pre-consumer and post-consumer wastes. Many of our products, especially our printed bags contain recycled materials

Pre-consumer materials are generated by manufacturers and processors, and may consist of scrap, trimmings and other by-products that were never used in the consumer market.

Post-consumer material is an end product that has completed its life cycle as a consumer item and would otherwise have been disposed of as a solid waste. Post-consumer materials include recyclables collected in commercial and residential recycling programs, such as office paper, cardboard, aluminum cans, plastics and metals.

Recycled-content products may contain some pre-consumer waste, some post-consumer waste or both. A product does not have to contain 100 percent recovered materials to be considered “recycled,” but clearly the higher the percentage of recycled content, the greater the amount of waste that is diverted from disposal. Always look at the level of post-consumer recycled content in a product.

Does the recycling symbol on consumer products mean the item is made from recycled materials or that the item can be recycled?

The recycling logo does not necessarily mean either. The use of the recycling logo is not regulated by law. If the label only says recycle or recyclable it may contain no recycled content. It also may not be possible to recycle that item in your area.

To ensure you are buying a product made from recycled materials check the label for words that indicate the product is made from recycled materials. When buying materials, look for labels that indicate the highest percentage of post consumer recycled content.

Recycled product myths

False: Recycled products are inferior in quality

Recycled products have the same quality, reliability, and dependability. A 1996 survey by the Buy Recycled Business Alliance asked hundreds of corporate purchasing agents about their satisfaction with recycled content products. The survey results showed that 97% of respondents were pleased with the performance of recycled content products.

False: Recycled products are hard to find

Thousands of products are now made with some recycled content. All steel and most glass and aluminum made in the United States has recycled content. Many paper products, including white printer paper have recycled content. Clothes, purses, tool boxes, and many other items are also made with recycled materials.

False: Recycled paper gets stuck in copiers and printers

Technological advances have overcome quality issues, while increased consumer demand is resulting wider variety and availabilty, and lower prices. Recycled content papers now share the same printing and performance characteristics as their virgin equivalent. Recycled paper is available in a wide range of colors, weights, and styles, including the brightest whites. They also offer the same level of runnability and high quality imaging on copiers, and laser and ink jet printers.

False: Recycled products cost more

This used to be the case for some materials, but now many recycled products are priced competitively with those made from virgin materials and in some cases are even cheaper. Demand has lowered prices, and if you continue to purchase products made with recycled materials, this trend will continue.

Source: oregonmetro.gov

“Our days are numbered. One of the primary goals in our lives should be to prepare for our last day. The legacy we leave is not just in our possessions, but in the quality of our lives. What preparations should we be making now? The greatest waste in all of our earth, which cannot be recycled or reclaimed, is our waste of the time that God has given us each day.”  Billy Graham quotes

An Inspirational Story, Motivational Story
by Author Unknown

Sometimes we don’t realize the good fortune we have or we could have because we expect “the packaging” to be different. What may appear as bad fortune may in fact be the door that is just waiting to be opened. We hope you enhoy this inspirational story and you find the wisdom in its words.

A young man was getting ready to graduate from college. For many months he had admired a beautiful sports car in a dealer’s showroom, and knowing his father could well afford it, he told him that was all he wanted.

As Graduation Day approached, the young man awaited signs that his father had purchased the car. Finally, on the morning of his graduation, his father called him into his private study. His father told him how proud he was to have such a fine son, and told him how much he loved him. He handed his son a beautiful wrapped gift box. Curious, but somewhat disappointed, the young man opened the box and found a lovely, leather-bound Bible, with the young man’s name embossed in gold. Angrily, he raised his voice to his father and said, “With all your money you give me a Bible?” He then stormed out of the house, leaving the Bible.

Many years passed and the young man was very successful in business. He had a beautiful home and a wonderful family, but realizing his father was very old, he thought perhaps he should go to see him. He had not seen him since that graduation day. Before he could make the arrangements, he received a telegram telling him his father had passed away, and willed all of his possessions to his son. He needed to come home immediately and take care of things.

When he arrived at his father’s house, sudden sadness and regret filled his heart. He began to search through his father’s important papers and saw the still new Bible, just as he had left it years ago. With tears, he opened the Bible and began to turn the pages. As he was reading, a car key dropped from the back of the Bible. It had a tag with the dealer’s name, the same dealer who had the sports car he had desired. On the tag was the date of his graduation, and the words…..”PAID IN FULL”.

How many times do we miss blessings because they are not packaged as we expected? Do not spoil what you have by desiring what you have not; but remember that what you now have was once among the things you only hoped for.