Facts about recycling cans

Aluminum Recycling Facts

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Aluminum Recycling Facts

Overview

Given the prevalence of curbside pickup and recycling dropoff centers, recycling the aluminum can that contains your soda or the aluminum foil that wraps your brownies often takes only a little effort, but the payoff is big. Because it saves energy, natural resources and money, recycling aluminum instead of consigning it to a landfill benefits consumers, manufacturers and the environment.

Volume

Americans do not recycle as much aluminum as they could. In 2008, 48 percent of the aluminum beverage containers that were created were later recovered, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency reports. For aluminum containers and packaging, that proportion was lower: 38 percent. Every three months, Americans toss out enough aluminum to recreate all the commercial airplanes in the nation, according to the University of Colorado at Boulder.

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Energy Savings

The University of Colorado at Boulder notes that making cans from recycled aluminum rather than virgin ore uses 95 percent less energy. You can power a television for three hours using the energy saved by recycling just one aluminum can. For the same amount of energy that it takes to make a single aluminum can from new ore, you can make 20 recycled aluminum cans.

Cycle

The aluminum recycling process, in which aluminum products from the waste stream are made into new aluminum products, often moves quickly. A can may be manufactured, filled, sold, used, recycled and used to make a new can in as brief a time as six weeks, the EPA notes. An average aluminum can contains about 40 percent recycled metal.

Sources

Aluminum is recycled from numerous sources. Soda and beer cans are the most well known, but aluminum from cars, appliances, doors and windows can also be recycled, the U.S. Geological Survey notes. According to the EPA, used beverage containers and other packaging provide the largest volume of aluminum scrap and diecasts from automobile manufacturing the second largest amount.

History

The process of recycling existing aluminum into new aluminum has been around since the beginning of the 20th century, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. However, aluminum recycling didn't begin to attract widespread public attention until the 1960s, when aluminum can recycling began to take root.

Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/141018-aluminum-recycling-facts/#ixzz1KIob4cve

Beer 101 - Beer is a Perishable Product

Clear versus colored glass bottles... or better yet, cans?

If you have ever wondered why most beer bottles are amber or green, the answer is simple. The full spectrum of daylight can have undesirable effects on a beer over a period of time. The ultraviolet portion of the spectrum is especially harmful; promoting chemical reactions that produce "off flavors" that will take the edge off the freshness of a beer. Dark glass greatly inhibits this photochemical effect, whereas clear glass leaves the beer within vulnerable to being "light struck." The industry standard is for green or amber glass, but for some unfathomable reason a number of British breweries stick resolutely to their traditional practice of using clear glass bottles, with often undesirable consequences when such beers are left on a retailer’s shelf for any length of time. This is why cans are the best of all. They block out 100% of harmful UV rays keeping your beer fresher, longer.

The Benefits of recycling cans

Benefits of Recycling Aluminum Cans

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Benefits of Recycling Aluminum Cans

The Environmental Protection Agency reports that the United States generates close to 2 million tons of aluminum from packaging such as soda cans each year. Recycling can give new life to used aluminum cans--but the fact is, many used cans get thrown into the trash can rather than into the recycle bin. Recycling aluminum cans is an important way to protect the planet and its inhabitants.

Environmental Benefits

Recycling aluminum cans reduces energy consumption. According to the EPA, using recycled aluminum cans saves 92 percent of the energy needed to create new aluminum cans from bauxite ore. Saving energy is an important way to conserve the earth's limited resources and preserve the resources that remain. Recycling aluminum cans does both by protecting remaining natural resources and by conserving energy. Aluminum is a special material because it can be recycled over and over again; within 60 days, a used can can be recycled and turned into a new can, reports Earth911, an environmental services organization dedicated to protecting the planet.

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Economic Benefits

Used aluminum cans have more uses beyond being re-created into new aluminum cans. The Aluminum Association encourages creative uses for old aluminum cans as one way to save money while also doing something positive for the planet. One family in Aurora, Colorado, accepted the challenge and relies on used aluminum soda cans to heat their home. The soda cans are placed inside a solar heating unit and the family reports a decreased use of their heater, which saves them money on electric costs. Earth911 suggests that curbside recycling programs be started in neighborhoods to help pay for community services such as the Boy or Girl Scouts. Recycling aluminum cans is also an easy way to raise money for local schools and to help build homes, Earth911 says.

Personal Benefits

Environmentally conscious individuals find that recycling aluminum cans is financially rewarding in addition to being good for the planet. Most aluminum can recyclers make a small amount of extra cash by turning in their empty cans. The benefits can be even more far-reaching than spare change, according to the Aluminum Association. Jim Schroeder, a man living in Evansville, Indiana, saved enough aluminum cans to send his four children to college and now donates his earnings to charity. According to Earth911, the aluminum industry pays out more than $800 million a year for empty aluminum cans and encourages consumers to cash out by recycling their used cans.

Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/123359-benefits-recycling-aluminum-cans/#ixzz1KIo05kjm

4 Canned Beer Festivals worth checking out!

Four Festivals that Celebrate Canned Craft Beer!

This year there will be (at least) four beer festivals entirely devoted to promoting canned craft beer. Below, we give you a chronological run down of these fests which are taking place in four different states at four different times. If you're like us you're wishing you could make it to all of them! Cheers!

First on the calendar this summer is the "AmeriCAN Canned Craft Beer Festival" which is being hosted by SanTan Brewing Company. This festival, which pays homage to canned craft beer in a big way, is being held in Chandler, Arizona and is sure to be a good one.

WHAT: First Annual AmeriCAN Canned Craft Beer Festival

WHERE: Downtown Chandler, Arizona (not far from Tempe and Phoenix)

WHEN: May 21, 2011 (2-6pm)

WHY: Arizona is quickly becoming a hotbed for canned craft beer and this festival is attracting some great breweries PLUS you can grab some food and a few beers at SanTan's nearby brewpub!

WHO: The festival is hosted by SanTan Brewing Company and the current list of breweries attending can be found HERE!

HOW: Tickets can be purchased by going HERE!

SOCIAL MEDIA: AmeriCAN Canned Craft Beer Fest's Facebook Page

From the folks who started it all comes this year's bigger and better "Burning Can"! Oskar Blues held the festival last year in Lyons and limited it to canning breweries from Colorado (no shortage there). This year they've opened that up to breweries from outside the state and moved the event to Longmont. Should be epic.

WHAT: Second Annual "Burning Can" Festival

WHERE: Oskar Blues Brewery in Longmont, Colorado

WHEN: June 18, 2011 (2-6pm)

WHY: Bigger venue, more breweries attending and it's being hosted by one of the best canning breweries in the country and they seriously know how to throw a party!

WHO: The festival is hosted by Oskar Blues Brewery

HOW: Tickets are not yet for sale online

SOCIAL MEDIA: Oskar Blues' Facebook Page

Last month I made a trip to Brooklyn to check out Full Circle, a little bar that's known for two things; Skee Ball and Canned Craft Beer. With no space for empty bottles it only made sense for the owners of Full Circle to go with cans. They now stock every canned craft beer available in the state of New York along with some select brews on tap. CANdemonium is a three day party devoted to the can. I gather last year's event was pretty impressive, with over 40 canned beers available, so this year's should be equally as good if not better.

WHAT: Second Annual "CANdemonium Can Fest"

WHERE: 318 Grand Street Williamsburg - Brooklyn, NY 11211

WHEN: November, 2011 (dates to be announced)

WHY: It's canned craft beer, its people, its fun and there's plenty of Skee Ball action as well! How could you not have fun?

WHO: The festival is hosted by Full Circle Bar and the homepage for the event can be found HERE! (Note: 2011 Event Information is not yet available)

HOW: Check out the event site or stop into Full Circle

SOCIAL MEDIA: Full Circle's Facebook Page

The longest running festival devoted to canned craft beer. Reno's Buckbean Brewing Company brings back "CANFEST" for it's third year. The event will surely be larger with more breweries in attendance this year and is being held in a new location this year which looks awesome.

WHAT: Third Annual "CANFEST: Reno International Canned Beer Festival"

WHERE: Silver Legacy Resort & Casino in Reno, Nevada

WHEN: November 12th, 2011

WHY: Lot's of canned craft beer to try, not to mention the venue is a casino! Oh yeah, most of the ski resorts in nearby Lake Tahoe should be open by this time as well!

WHO: The festival is hosted by Buckbean Brewing Company

HOW: Tickets will be made available online by going HERE!

SOCIAL MEDIA: CANFEST's Facebook Page

The importance of recycling cans.

Why Is it Important to Recycle Cans?

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Why Is it Important to Recycle Cans?

Overview

Aluminum cans are one of the most commonly recycled products. There are many economic and ecological benefits associated with the recycling of aluminum, and the recycled material can be used in the production of a variety of new products. Aluminum recycling has been a common practice since the early 1900s and is now supported nationally.

Aluminum Can Production

The production of aluminum cans impacts the environment in several ways. Possibly some of the most harmful byproducts of aluminum can production are greenhouse gases. According to the Environmental Literacy Council, recycling aluminum produces far fewer greenhouse gases and requires much less energy than making cans from raw material. Recycling aluminum can significantly reduce the amount of greenhouse gas emission.

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Recycling Process

Earth911.com provides a basic description of how aluminum cans are recycled. Aluminum cans are first collected from local recycling sites and drop-off points and are then taken to regional scrap processing companies where they are condensed into bales. The bales of aluminum cans are then shipped to aluminum companies that melt them down and press them into aluminum sheets. These aluminum sheets are sent to aluminum can processing plants, where they are formed into new cans.

Benefits

There are many benefits associated with recycling aluminum cans that affect the environment, surrounding communities and your wallet. According to Earth911.com, aluminum is a sustainable metal that can be recylced repeatedly. This is extremely environmentally friendly because recycling cuts down on the natural resources that are needed to produce and refine aluminum from raw material. The aluminum can is extremely valuable in terms of recycling, and Earth911.com states that approximately $800 million dollars are paid out for empty cans each year. Due to the monetary value of aluminum cans and the quick turnover period, aluminum can collection is a popular option for community fundraisers, as aluminum cans can be collected and recycled quickly, which can provide money for community organizations and charities.

Recycled Material Uses

Aluminum in general can serve a variety of uses after it is recycled. Recycled aluminum can be used in automobiles, windows, doors and several other products. Aluminum cans are less versatile when recycled. They are sustainable metals, meaning they can be recycled indefinitely. According to Earth911.com, aluminum cans are mainly recycled into new cans, which can happen in a mere 60 days.

Fun Facts

According to the Can Manufacturers Institute, 105,784 aluminum cans are recycled per minute in the United States. At this rate, recycling aluminum cans can save enough energy in one year to light the entire city of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania for six years. The institute also states that recycling aluminum cans produces 97 percent less water pollution than producing brand new cans from raw ore.

Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/169860-why-is-it-important-to-recycle-cans/#ixzz1KImV3THw