Go green for the planet
By Mayo Clinic staffOriginal Article: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/earth-day-and-recycling/MY02063
- With Mayo Clinic nutritionists
Jennifer Nelson, M.S., R.D. and Katherine Zeratsky, R.D.
read biographyclose windowBiography of
Jennifer Nelson, M.S., R.D. and Katherine Zeratsky, R.D.
Katherine Zeratsky and Jennifer Nelson
Jennifer K. Nelson, M.S., R.D., L.D., C.N.S.D.
Jennifer Nelson is your link to a better diet. As specialty editor of the nutrition and healthy eating guide, she plays a vital role in bringing you healthy recipes and meal planning."Nutrition is one way people have direct control over the quality of their lives," she says. "I hope to translate the science of nutrition into ways that people can select and prepare great-tasting foods that help maintain health and treat disease."
A St. Paul, Minn., native, she has been with Mayo Clinic since 1978, and is director of clinical dietetics and an associate professor of nutrition at Mayo Clinic College of Medicine.
She leads clinical nutrition efforts for a staff of more than 60 clinical dietitians and nine dietetic technicians and oversees nutrition services, staffing, strategic and financial planning, and quality improvement. Nelson was co-editor of the "Mayo Clinic Diet" and the James Beard Foundation Award-winning "The New Mayo Clinic Cookbook." She has been a contributing author to and reviewer of many other Mayo Clinic books, including "Mayo Clinic Healthy Weight for EveryBody," "The Mayo Clinic Family Health Book" and "The Mayo Clinic/Williams Sonoma Cookbook." She contributes to the strategic direction of the Food & Nutrition Center, which includes creating recipes and menus, reviewing nutrition content of various articles, and providing expert answers to nutrition questions.
Katherine Zeratsky, R.D., L.D.
As a specialty editor of the nutrition and healthy eating guide, Katherine Zeratsky helps you sort through the facts and figures, the fads and the hype to learn more about nutrition and diet.A Marinette, Wis., native, she is certified in dietetics by the state of Minnesota and the American Dietetic Association. She has been with Mayo Clinic since 1999.
She's active in nutrition-related curriculum and course development in wellness nutrition at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., and nutrition related to weight management and practical applications of nutrition-related lifestyle changes.
Other areas of interest include food and nutrition for all life stages, active lifestyles and the culinary arts.
She graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, served a dietetic internship at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, and worked as a registered dietitian and health risk counselor at ThedaCare of Appleton, Wis., before joining the Mayo Clinic staff.
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Nutrition-wise blog
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April 11, 2012
Go green for the planet
By Jennifer Nelson, M.S., R.D. and Katherine Zeratsky, R.D.
Earth Day is just around the corner, and I've been thinking about recycling.
Although I try to stick to the mantra of "reduce, reuse and recycle," I admit that I can do more on the recycle part. We have a huge recycling bin, but we seldom fill and put it out. I still toss some cans and bottles into the regular trash. So I've decided to change.
In looking into recycling, I found out that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has a handy app that estimates the energy benefits of recycling household items rather than putting them in the landfill.
The app translates the energy saved by recycling common food or household containers into electricity with estimates of how long that much electricity can power a 60 watt equivalent compact fluorescent lamp (CFL) bulb, a laptop or other items.
Here are some examples:
| Energy saved would power a ... | ||
|---|---|---|
| Item to be recycled | 60 watt CFL bulb for: | laptop computer for: |
| 1 aluminum can | 20 hours | 5.2 hours |
| 1 plastic bottle | 9.8 hours | 2.5 hours |
| 1 glass bottle | 8 hours | 2.1 hours |
| 1 plastic grocery bag | 1.3 hours | 20 minutes |
| 1 magazine | 1.1 hour | 20 minutes |
This is pretty impressive. It makes me want to take a few extra steps to the recycle bin.
Here are other common kitchen items and whether they can be recycled.
|
| Plastic | Glass | Metal | Paper |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Can be recycled in most cases | Bottles and jugs marked 1 or 2 | Food jars and beverage bottles | Food and beverage cans | Cardboard boxes and boxes that contained food |
| Generally can't be recycled (but worth checking) | Margarine, cottage cheese and yogurt containers, microwave containers, deli trays and wrap | Drinking glasses, mugs, dishes, cookware and pottery | Aerosol cans | Pizza boxes, egg cartons, frozen food boxes and containers soiled with food |
The ability to recycle items may depend on your local recycling provider — so check to confirm the appropriateness of items you want to recycle.
The first step towards correcting a bad habit is to admit to it. I've blogged about needing to be better about recycling. Now it's your turn. What are you going to do?
- Jennifer
6 comments posted
- Individual Waste Reduction Model (iWARM). U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. http://www.epa.gov/epawaste/conserve/tools/iwarm/index.htm. Accessed April 1, 2012.
- Find recycling centers and learn how to recycle. www.earth911.com. Accessed April 9, 2012.
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