How is corrugated cardboard recycled?

photo courtesy of: Wikimedia Commons

As more and more consumers and businesses begin to utilize mail order shopping, the market for corrugated cardboard continues to increase. The good news from an environmental viewpoint is that cardboard is easily recycled and reused, in a simple process. So how do cardboard boxes get recycled?

The corrugated cardboard is separated and then bundled with equipment such as the QCR balers. Baling the cardboard allows for efficient and space-saving transportation, saving valuable resources.

Once the cardboard is put into a bale, it is sent back to the paper mill to be reprocessed.

At the mill, the corrugated cardboard bale is broken open and the cardboard is put into a vat with water and an agitator, somewhat like a big blender. The resulting pulp is then strained for contaminants, such as metal staples, ropes, or plastic straps.

The fiber solution then is pressed between rollers to remove additional water. It heads to a dryer where it is rolled onto spools weighing up to 60 tons. Those spools of pressed fiber then are separated into individual rolls weighing up to 3 tons, and the paper rolls are ready to be turned into the 3 layer product we know as corrugated cardboard.

We'd like to thank today's post sponsor for ongoing work towards
 environmentally responsible waste management and recycling. 

Three improvement strategies your cleaning company should implement

These days, many cleaning companies are interested in optimizing their businesses. Whether this optimization is conceptualized in terms of increased conversion or an expanded sphere of influence, there are numerous ways to put the growth process in motion. Here are three:

1. Buy supplies online.

Although most business owners understand that time is money, not all of them capitalize on this reality by saving time however they can. Don't make this mistake. By learning how to save time now, you can increase your company's daily efficacy and improve your bottom line. One effective way to save money is by buying your cleaning supplies online. Companies such as Empacs provide clients with a wide range of janitor supplies that will make the cleaning process simple and effective.

2. Advertise via internet

In addition to purchasing your supplies online, it's a good idea to advertise your cleaning company's services via internet. These days, more and more consumers are going online to access the goods and services they need. This includes cleaning services. By finding a top notch digital marketing agency, you can attain the assistance necessary to build a strong online campaign. Typically, a good online advertising agency will be able to provide you with a plethora of services, including but not limited to web design and development, search engine optimization (SEO), social media optimization (SMO), and online reputation management (ORM).

3. Focus on employee development.

One final strategy you should consider deploying to keep your cleaning company in a state of perpetual growth is placing emphasis on employee development. This strategy is important and effective because of the primary role that employees play in determining how efficacious a company's daily operations turn out to be. In recognizing the fact that employees play an integral role in determining the success of a company, it's important that you focus on helping them optimize their personal and professional potential. One of the simplest and most effective ways to do this is to offer them ongoing educational opportunities.

Conclusion

If you're serious about ensuring that your cleaning company reaches its full potential, it's important for you to access success strategies that work. By purchasing your supplies online, investing in internet advertising, and focusing on employee development, you can extend your company's sphere of influence and attain the optimal conversion rates you desire.

Thank you to today's sponsor for their suggestions for improving your cleaning business. 

Week #4: Community Supported Agriculture - featuring Rainbow Swiss Chard

The past few weeks, our CSA has consistently provided Swiss Chard. I absolutely love Swiss Chard, to me it's like spinach with a backbone.

As I mentioned last week, my spouse's Lebanese sitto (grandma), always used Swiss chard instead of spinach in her fatayer. What I didn't mention is that the leftover filling once you run out of the pastry is called (I cannot quite spell it phonetically, but I'll try...) Salee.

I want to share our salee recipe. I combined the kale and Swiss chard. To prepare the kale, you need to chop it, boil it and then squeeze the water out. That keeps it from being too tough and bitter. The Swiss chard doesn't require the same treatment. Cooking with CSA ingredients requires flexibility. You don't know what you're going to get, but the benefits of cooking with fresh seasonal ingredients is well worth the surprise!

• 8 cups greens (spinach, Swiss chard, kale, etc.)
• 1 ½ cups yellow onion, finely diced
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• ¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon allspice

I chopped the chard and prepared kale and sprinkled it with the salt. While the greens and salt are resting, I chopped my fresh onion that also came with my CSA. Mix the onion with the pepper, lemon juice, and cinnamon & allspice. Combine with greens and then put into microwave safe dish. Microwave on medium power until onions are soft, about 3-5 minutes.

Enjoy!

This week's box included:

• Summer squash
• Zucchini
• Chard
• Head lettuce
• Cucumber
• Onion
• Cauliflower
• Kale
• Radishes
• Blueberries