Pacific Corporate Solutions is offering to recycle your ewaste for free at various locations in April. Image courtesy of science.howstuffworks.com

Recycling your ewaste – or electronic waste – is one simple step you can take to commemorate Earth Day on Monday, April 22. Recycling ewaste prevents lead from entering our landfills.
Pacific Corporate Solutions will take e-waste at the following locations in April:

>> 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, April 6: Pearl City Highlands Elementary School, 1419 Waimano Home Rd. parking lot

>> 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, April 13: Kailua Intermediate School, 147 S Kainalu Dr. parking lot

>> 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, April 20: Kahala Mall, 4211 Waialae Ave. Macy's parking lot along Kilauea Ave., Kapolei Shopping Center, 590 Farrington Hwy , Safeway parking lot along Farrington Hwy and DOE - Auxilary Service Branch, 1037 S. Beretania St. parking lot. Entrance on Young Street.

Pacific Corporate Solutions will take obsolete or unwanted electronics including monitors, computers, laptops, printers, fax machines, servers and telecom equipment of all  brands. No TVs, microwaves or alkaline batteries accepted . Call 488-8872 for more information.

Got a tube TV that no one wants and don't know what to do with it? Believe it or not, it's awfully hard to give one away these days.

Well, you're in luck.

The Kokua Hawaii Foundation is holding its next Aloha Aina Recycling Drive, in partnership with Schnitzer Steel, at Kaelepulu Elementary School from 9 a.m. to noon tomorrow (Saturday, March 9).

And they will be collecting TVs.

The recycling drive will also be collecting scrap metal, computers, printer cartridges, laptops, game systems, batteries, reusable clothing, household items, used cooking oil, paper, corrugated cardboard and HI-5 containers.

Proceeds will benefit Kaelepulu Elementary School. So clean out your house and head on to Kaelepulu tomorrow (530 Keolu Dr.) Contact 3rs@kokuahawaiifoundation.org for more information.

If you miss this recycling drive, look for the next ones from 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday, April 6, at Moanalua Middle School and Saturday, May 4 at Mililani Uka Elemantary.

Get ready, get set, go green!

The "Going Green" community recycling events offer you an all-in-one recycling opportunity throughout the year. The first one was organized by Hui O Ko‘olaupoko the first weekend of the month in Waimanalo, but check out the calendar to find one near you.

What's great about these events is that you can bring that old T.V. (one per household), along with electronics equipment, scrap metal, cell phones, printer cartridges, batteries, cardboard and plastic playground equipment to one place for recycling. Goodwill is also happy to collect usable clothing and household items.

Tires, paint, microwave ovens, motor oil and hazardous fluids will not be accepted.

The next "Going Green" event scheduled this month is from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Castle High School's theatre parking lot, 45-386 Kaneohe Bay Dr. Drive in and drop off your recyclables.

Formerly called "Aloha Aina," the community recycling events are now called "Going Green." As usual, canned goods will also be collected for the Hawaii Foodbank.

Here's a list of a few more coming up in the next few months. Contact Rene Mansho at renemansho@hawaii.rr.com if you have questions or are interested in hosting an event.

Every year, Americans typically generate 25 percent more trash between Thanksgiving and New Year's.

Here are some interesting statistics pulled from www.use-less-stuff.com:

* If every family reused just two feet of holiday ribbon, the 38,000 miles of ribbon saved could tie a bow around the entire planet.

* If every American family wrapped just 3 presents in re-used materials, it would save enough paper to cover 45,000 football fields.

* If we each sent one card less, we’d save 50,000 cubic yards of paper.

Here's a reminder on what and where you can recycle in Honolulu.

Lowe's is taking your old or damaged Christmas lights for recycling until Jan. 4, 2013..

* Recycle your non-working, defunct Christmas lights at Lowe's, which will take them at its stores until Jan. 4. Home Depot also takes broken Christmas lights for recycling. Keep in mind for next year that in November, Home Depot offers a promotion where you can get a coupon discount on new LED lights if you bring in your old  incandescent lights.

* Recycle cardboard boxes (corrugated cardboard boxes, i.e. typical UPS packages) in your blue bin for curbside pickup, along with glass, No. 1 and No. 2 plastic, white office paper and newspapers.

* Recycle beverage containers at your holiday parties. Sometimes it's as simple as setting aside a trash bag for recycling. If there isn't one set up already, volunteer to collect glass, plastic and aluminum and take it to a recycling center.

* Reuse ribbons, bags, boxes and bows for presents next year. Why not? Or try reusing lauhala boxes, tin cans or go for furoshiki (Japanese fabric wrap) next year.

* Christmas tree in the green bin: After you've decided it's time to take the Christmas tree down, don't forget to chop it down (tinsel and ornament free) and put it in your green bin or haul it to a city convenience center so it can be composted and return to the earth.

* Recycle old electronics. If you're getting new electronics this holiday season and don't know what to do with your old equipment, recycle them. Pacific Corporate Solutions offers free computer recycling events at the following locations in January:

Jan. 5, 2013: 9:30 a.m.-3 p.m. at Pearl City Highlands Elementary School parking lot, 1419 Waimano Home Rd.

Jan. 12, 2013: 8 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday at Kailua Intermediate School parking lot, 147 S. Kainalu Dr. in Kailua.

Jan. 26, 2013: 8 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday at Kaneohe Elementary School parking lot, 45-495 Kamehameha Highway.

Old computers, monitors, printers, fax machines, keyboards, VCR and DVD players are accepted.  No TVs, microwaves or alkaline batteries. Call 488-8872 or visit www.ewastehawaii.com.

For more tips on how to trim your holiday wasteline, visit www.use-less-stuff.com/ULSDAY/42ways.html.

Lowes, by the way, also collects rechargeable batteries and CFLs for recycling.

Recycle CFL bulbs, rechargeable batteries and plastic bags at Lowes.

Producers of Roselani Ice Cream have taken steps to reduce waste at its plant in Wailuku, Maui.

Maui Soda & Ice Works, best known as the producers of the popular line of Roselani Ice Cream, has taken a few steps to make its Wailuku operations greener. They've been making ice cream from scratch since 1932.

The company — working with University of Hawaii-Maui College students — set up recycling bins for mixed metals, mixed papers and miscellaneous recyclables plus invested in a cardboard and shrink wrap compactor which makes recyclable bales.

Maui Soda has reduced the amount of its trash going to the landfills by about three-quarters and lowered its trash bill.

"I think it is a win, win situation for everyone," said Brian Carvalho, who handles plant maintenance. "Recycling helps our environment and as a plus side you can also make a little bit of  money."

The UH students will also analyze the Wailuku plant's lighting system  to improve Maui Soda's overall energy efficiency.

Let's hope other companies will be inspired to recycle, if they haven't taken a few simple steps to do so yet.

Volunteers helping to remove invasive species from the forest in Koke‘e on Kauai pause to take a photo. Courtesy of Hui o Laka.

Congratulations to the 2012 recipients of the Keeping It Green Hawai‘i awards which were part of America Recycles Day on Nov. 15.

The awards recognize organizations with positive "green projects" in the community.

This year's recipients were:

Students participating in the ‘Aina in the Schools program. Photo courtesy of Kokua Hawaii Foundation.

>> The Kokua Hawaii Foundation

>> Hui o Laka (operators of the Koke‘e Natural History Museum)

>> Maui Tomorrow Foundation

>> The Kohala Center

>> Kanu o ka ‘Aina Learning ‘Ohana

>> Innovations Public Charter School

>> One Island Sustainable Living Center

>> Waianuhea Bed & Breakfast

>> Kohala Burger & Taco

>> Mr. K's Recycling & Redemption Center

"Since initiating the Keeping It Green Hawai‘i program in 2007, 46 businesses, organizations and schools have shared their ways and means of promoting green practices and sustainability," said Recycle Hawai‘i executive director Paul J. Buklarewicz. "The growing awareness and participation in Keeping It Green Hawai‘i by so many who express their conscious actions highlights their strongly held conviction in environmental stewardship of our fragile island communities."

Visit www.recyclehawaii.org to learn more about Keeping It Green Hawai‘i.

Kupuna and students making laulau as part of The Kohala Center's Hawai‘i Island School Garden Network. Photo courtesy of The Kohala Center.

A visual example of the many everyday plastic containers, No. 1 and No. 2, that can be recycled in Hawaii. Photo courtesy of Recycle Hawa‘i.

This coming Thursday, Nov. 15, is America Recycles Day — a nationally recognized day dedicated to encouraging Americans to embrace more of the everyday actions that lead to a sustainable lifestyle.

So it's a day to be conscious of what can be recycled instead of tossed into the trash can. I see a lot of items — SOLO beverage cups for instance (Which are No. 1), cardboard pizza boxes, and laundry detergent and shampoo bottles that end up in the trash when they could go in the blue bin for recycling.

Here are 15 tips for recycling more.

Recycle Hawai‘i on Hawaii island is working in partnership with Keep the Hawaiian Islands Beautiful and all its affiliates to host events throughout the islands. The following is a brief list of those events:

Thursday, Nov. 15

>> America Recycles Day Concert. Recycle Hawai‘i sponsors the America Recycles Day Concert for invited schools from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Palace Theater in Hilo.

>> Zero Waste Cafeteria Day. Today, schools in Hawaii learn about the waste that can be diverted from the landfill and how to eat healthy. Visit www.recyclehawaii.org to find out more.

>> Recycle-Bowl Competition. Schools may participate in this national competition, in which schools receive recognition for their recycling efforts. State champions receive $1,000 as a prize. The national winner receives $2,500.

>> Take a tour. See first-hand how several green businesses on Oahu take the responsibility of recycling seriously through the city and county of Honolulu's "Tour de Trash" from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Start and finish at the Kahala Hotel & Resort. You'll also visit Whole Foods Market, Gyotaku Japanese Restaurant and the Hard Rock Cafe in Waikiki. Call 768-3200 to register or visit opala.org for more information.

Visit www.americarecyclesday.org for tips on recycling and more information about events.

Palama Settlement at 810  N. Vineyard Blvd. invites community members to drop of recyclables for its "Going Green Day" from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m on Saturday, Nov. 10 as part of the year-round Aloha Aina Earth Days.

Acceptable items include scrap metal, appliances, electronic equipment, HI-5 beverage containers, usable clothing and household items, corrugated cardboard, gold balls, 1 TV per car and more. The idea is to promote a community cleanup as well as divert waste from Honolulu's landfills.

Palama will also be accepting canned goods to support Hawaii Food Bank.

Free curbside pickup is available, as well as free towing for unwanted cars. Visit www.PalamaSettlement.org or Palama's Facebook page to see a complete list of acceptable items.

Funds raised from "Going Green"  benefit Palama Settlement's programs servinc low-income neighborhoods.

Call 848-2528 or email info@palamasettlement.org for more information.

T & N Computer Recycling hauls a tower of laptops and electronic equipment to be recycled during Aloha ‘Aina Earth Day. Star-Advertiser photo by Jamm Aquino.

Before you throw the old computer monitor away, think again. E-waste recycling options in Hawaii are now expanding.

Goodwill Industries of Hawaii and Dell International are partnering up to offer Dell Reconnect — a free recycling program for unwanted computers or computer equipment of any brand and condition.

The first Dell Reconnect in Hawaii takes place from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 10 on the corner of Ward Avenue and Ala Moana Boulevard (across from Ward Warehouse). The first 100 people to donate their e-waste receive a special gift.

Dell Reconnect's goal is to keep used computers and computer equipment from landfills in the U.S. as well as to educate residents of the importance of proper computer recycling.

Items that Dell Reconnect will take for recycling include: computers (both laptops and desktops), keyboards, printers, scanners, computer monitors, USB accessories, computer cords and computer mice.

DVD players, VCRs and stereos are not accepted. For those items, you might want to check with Pacific Corporate Solutions, which holds regular e-waste recycling collections around Oahu. Visit their blog to find out where.

Donors are advised to remove all data from hard drives and other storage media before donating to Goodwill. Visit earth911.com for more information on how to safely recycle your computer. Visit www.higoodwill.org to learn more.

Lobby at Re-use Hawaii is made of the salvaged gym floor from Punahou. Photo by Nina Wu.

The other day, I swung by the Re-use Hawaii warehouse to browse for recycled building materials.

The warehouse, at 200 Keawe St. (next door to the John A. Burns School of Medicine), first opened its doors in April 2010, and has since expanded.

Here, you can find everything from leftover, green tiles from the Wilson Tunnel to redwood lumber, windows, doors, cabinets, light chandeliers, drawer pulls, screws, hinges and even a few, occasional furniture pieces like a vintage office desk.

Cool, you could have a piece of the Wilson Tunnel in your kitchen or bathroom.

You can take a peek at what's available at this picasa link.

Re-use, a non-profit, specializes in deconstruction services, meaning it takes apart a home piece by piece, salvaging all reusable materials. It's a greener alternative  to demolition, which may be a quicker way to bring down a home, but ends up in the landfill.

The non-profit group has deconstructed hundreds of homes from Kahala to Kaimuki.

The warehouse also accepts tax-deductible donations of materials — but it's  best to check what they do or do not accept by calling or sending an email to info@reusehawaii.org first.

The last time I checked, they were accepting appliances less than 5 years old, screws, nuts, bolts, and tile measuring at least 25 square feet. They were not accepting cultured marble, aluminum sliding doors, hollow core slab doors, carpet or toilets. Glass, paint, office partitions, vinyl are also not accepted. Click here for more details.

Re-use Hawaii Warehouse is open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, and from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday. Visit reusehawaii.org or call 537-2228 to drop off donations.

Window frames of varying sizes available at Re-use Hawaii Warehouse. Photo by Nina Wu.