CVS & Their #5 Prescription Bottles - Tell Them They Can Do Better!

Recently I started saving all our #5 orange CVS prescription bottles. The labels come off quite easily, so I figured I would take up the major hurdles of recycling #5's with our local branch. Their response makes sense - it's illegal to REUSE a prescription container, since it could have traces of another medication in it. However, they should take them back. Since it's a chain with over 6000 stores (can you imagine how many plastic prescription bottles they go through, which are almost all dumped in landfill?), they don't encourage local initiatives.

They suggested I write cvs.com, which is exactly what I did. I encourage you to do the same - tell them to do both things written below: 1) switch to #1 or #2 plastic, more commonly recycled, AND 2) start an in-store recycling program. The email is StoreComments@CVS.com - let Kerri know they could do a lot better on this issue!

CVS/pharmacy^®

Thank you for contacting the CVS/pharmacy Web site about recycling our prescription bottles. At this time, CVS does not have a recycling facility or program for the prescription bottles. We are looking into options, including a recycling program or possibly changing our bottles to a plastic that can be disposed of in curbside recycling pick-up.

In the meantime, plastic #5 can be recycled at Whole Foods locations. If there is a Whole Foods location that is convenient for you, we suggest dropping your prescription bottles there when you are in the area. We also suggest removing personal information from the prescription bottles before disposing or recycling.

I appreciate the time you have taken to contact us. Thank you for shopping with CVS/pharmacy. We look forward to your continued patronage.

Sincerely,

Kerri StoreComments@cvs.com

CVS/pharmacy
Customer Relations
07963806

BetterWorld Books: Wendy's New Fav

My friend Wendy just sent me a letter she received - from a book, purchased through BetterWorldBooks.

(Your book(s) asked to write you a personal note - it seemed unusual, but who are we to say no?)

Holy canasta! It's me... it's me! I can't believe it is actually me! You could have picked any of over 2 million books but you picked me! I've got to get packed! How is the weather where you live? Will I need a dust jacket? I can't believe I'm leaving Mishawaka, Indiana already - the friendly people, the Hummer plant, the Linebacker Lounge - so many memories. I don't have much time to say goodbye to everyone, but it's time to see the world! I can't wait to meet you! You sound like such a well read person. Although, I have to say, it sure has taken you a while! I don't mean to sound ungrateful, but how would you like to spend five months sandwiched between Jane Eyre (drama queen) and Fundamentals of Thermodynamics (pyromaniac)? At least Jane was an upgrade from that stupid book on brewing beer. How many times did the ol' brewmaster have one too many and topple off our shelf at 2am?

I know the trip to meet you will be long and fraught with peril, but after the close calls I've had, I'm ready for anything (besides, some of my best friends are suspense novels). Just five months ago, I thought I was a goner. My owner was moving and couldn't take me with her. I was sure I was landfill bait until I ended up in a Better World Books book drive bin. Thanks to your socially conscious book shopping, I've found a new home. Even better, your book buying dollars are helping kids read from Brazil to Botswana.

BetterWorldBooks is a social enterprise - a new type of hybrid mission-driven for-profit business which shows much promise providing solutions to vexing problems. They make money selling books, and donate an [undisclosed] portion to their literacy partners around the world- some in cash to run the programs, and by donating used book to their literacy partners. The also have an environmental mission, to get unused book back into circulation, and to save books from landfills. They run book drives on campuses and accept donations from libraries. They will send you free shipping labels for book donations, even.

One mystifying aspect - maybe someone from BetterWorldBooks can explain their buyback deal?They say they will pay cash for your books. I input about a dozen books and they all came up as "donation" - meaning, I presume, that they would accept them, but not buy them. These were all relatively new books - quite a few from a class my college student child was trying to resell. So if they don't offer $$ for current books in print, I'm not clear on what they WOULD pay for.

Great concept, though. Surely a good way to purchase books, and support a lot of good initiatives. Wendy is quite sold, for sure!

Join My Village - Clicking for Poverty Alleviation

Many of you are familiar with The Hunger Site and its affiliates, where you click per day and sponsors donate per click. There is also FreeRice, multiple choice questions which generate food for the hungry. I've come across a new one, where answering 5 simple-minded questions "unlocks" $5 (you can do this once daily) towards JoinMyVillage. The way I figure, I waste so much time on line already, why not do something worthwhile, even if it seems a little cheesy?

The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind - What a Story!

William Kamkwamba is from a village in Malawi, one of the world's poorest countries. At age 14, famine forced him to leave school - his parents couldn't pay for both food and education. William poured through books at a local mini-branch library and, intrigued by a diagram of a windmill, proceeded to build one out of salvaged materials. Now 22, watch his interview with Jon Stewart. He's on his way! Check out his blog. (I didn't have a good label for this story - hope you like my posting it under "handmade crafts" :-)

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart

Israel's Good News for Bee Colonies

Over the past few years, bee colonies around the world have been infected with a virus which causes colony collapse, creating a crisis for farmers and generally upsetting the ecology of pollination. Scientists in Israel have come up with an effective treatment, which you can learn more about here. The disorder was first diagnosed in Israel earlier in the decade. Some were calling it Israeli Colony Collapse Disorder, as if Israel were causing it. A quick google search shows that designation has, fortunately, disappeared, as the research has moved beyond the Israeli contribution to the diagnosis.