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Best Buy Ramps Up Recycling

Customers walk into a Best Buy store to check out the latest gadgets and dazzling electronics, and now to recycle their old ones. In February, the Minneapolis-based company began accepting consumer electronics of nearly every type and brand, regardless of where they were purchased, at all its 1,006 US stores for recycling.

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EPA Publishes Resource Conservation Challenge Update

Many businesses and organizations are leading significant efforts for the RCC! Check out the Resource Conservation Challenge Update: The Right Time to Build a Sustainable Future (32 pp, 3.6MB, about PDF) for more information and to get ideas for how you may get involved. This RCC Update describes the benefits of the RCC partnership programs, provides a snapshot of notable partnership accomplishments during 2007 and 2008, and references tools and educational materials developed by EPA.

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Cherry Hill Showing the Way on America Recycles Day

This Nov. 15 marks the 11th annual America Recycles Day, an opportunity for cities and citizens to re-commit to improving recycling rates and protecting the environment. Cherry Hill, NJ, stands out among communities that are “greening” themselves, and can be a model for others looking to do the same.

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Construction Industry Building a Greener Future

Webcor’s office in San Mateo, CA

A growing number of construction companies are taking a double-barreled approach to their work: Not only are they erecting “green” buildings, they are reducing the environmental impact of their day-to day operations. For example, many firms are careful to recycle bricks, concrete, and wood left after building demolitions, or that are unused during construction. Back at the office, they recycle copy paper and architectural drawings, and buy recycled-content office supplies. For example, Webcor Builders has set a 90 percent recycling goal for 2008.

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Property Management Giant is Greening Offices

The average office worker uses 10,000 sheets of copier paper every year. Citigroup, a financial services company, found it could save $700,000 (and a great many trees) annually if every employee used double-sided copying to conserve just one sheet of paper each week. Given such numbers, CB Richard Ellis Group, Inc.'s (CBRE) new recycling initiative could make a big dent in the amount of waste produced by office workers: CBRE is the biggest commercial real estate services company in the world. As part of its commitment to assisting clients with environmentally sustainable efforts, it plans to set up or revamp recycling programs throughout the 246 million-square-foot portfolio of office space it manages across 43 states.

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collapsible recycling bins used at special events

Rock 'n' Roll 'n' Recycle

Music fans can now protect the planet while grooving to their favorite bands this summer. More concert venues are rocking and rolling out recycling bins than ever to collect the cans, bottles, and other wastes that are discarded in large quantities at each show. By implementing a waste reduction program, music festivals and venues have found that they can reduce their carbon footprint while reducing event costs.

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