tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1825948449870711193.post8468591400197694593..comments2022-12-14T19:31:28.871-08:00Comments on Take Back The Filter: CommentsNo Namehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00446826265194158390noreply@blogger.comBlogger67125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1825948449870711193.post-71569118833566608002012-05-23T17:34:19.111-07:002012-05-23T17:34:19.111-07:00Suggestion: provide a signature spot on the site s...Suggestion: provide a signature spot on the site so one could sign a letter right there and the letter would go automatically. Thank you Patriziahttp:patriziamaterassi.blogspot.com/https://www.blogger.com/profile/03075634629120181123noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1825948449870711193.post-82329999638709122972010-12-30T18:22:19.068-08:002010-12-30T18:22:19.068-08:00Hi. I'm in the Unique position of living in E....Hi. I'm in the Unique position of living in E.Europe and buying pitcher filters that are made in Germany. Where I live in Slovakia, they recyle some things, but I'm not sure about filters. In Austria, which is literally down the block from where I live they recycle EVERTHING. Problem is I know no details of any recyling programs for filters here. Does anyone know if there is a Europe wide general recycle program or address? In Europe, do they take filters to the stores where you buy them usually? I just started buying filters but so far language barriers have stopped me asking people in the store? Cheers! ChristanChristian Wnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1825948449870711193.post-68480174610056287382010-10-19T10:38:03.265-07:002010-10-19T10:38:03.265-07:00The Gimme Five program only recycles the plastic, ...The Gimme Five program only recycles the plastic, which my household recycling program will recycle... WHAT ABOUT THE CARBON? The problem hasn't been solved and you're easing up on the manufacturers. The As for the foot print the carbon (sequestered CO2) has to be "mined" from nutshells, peat, wood, coir, lignite, coal and petroleum pitch (CO2), then it has to be chemically or physically reactivated (more CO2). This is a pretty dirty process and the regeneration of active carbon has a smaller footprint. It take CO2 to ship and recycle, but I'd be dollars to doughnuts that like aluminum we are better off recycling/regenerating rather than landfilling.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1825948449870711193.post-31978574318171217402010-09-28T19:00:00.964-07:002010-09-28T19:00:00.964-07:00PUR has a facebook page.
http://www.facebook.co...PUR has a facebook page. <br /><br />http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=9335956377&topic=10687<br /><br />Above is a link to their discussion page, regarding recycling. Hit their page. Make it look like they're doing nothing. Help motivate them. Let them know there is a demand. Make a difference!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1825948449870711193.post-64718267862594838322009-04-23T20:35:00.000-07:002009-04-23T20:35:00.000-07:00I just wrote this letter to Frigidaire.
"Dear F...I just wrote this letter to Frigidaire. <br /><br />"Dear Frigidaire,<br /><br />I have a Frigidaire refrigerator with a water/ice maker. I really hate that I throw the enormous filters in the trash every six months. In this increasingly competitive sales environment, distinguishing your product as eco-friendly is a smart choice. Now, I could suggest a recycling program, but the smarter more efficient choice would be to develop a water filter made of plastic that degrades on it's own. This is an opportunity to set yourself apart. I hope you accept the challenge."<br /><br />I hope some of you out there can write some letters in to the refrigerator companies and get this ball rolling.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1825948449870711193.post-35167653969206147572009-03-16T16:20:00.000-07:002009-03-16T16:20:00.000-07:00Congratulations on the success of your program. I...Congratulations on the success of your program. I'm sure the campaign played a big part in getting Brita to develop a policy for all of the waste it creates. <BR/><BR/>The question is... what next?<BR/><BR/>I have a suggestion. Why not target the companies that produce the refrigerator filters used to filter water directly through the fridge door? <BR/><BR/>Brita makes these and so does Whirlpool. Neither has a program to take back their own filters and local recycling programs certainly won't take them.<BR/><BR/>The hard part has to be over. You got Brita to take back the small filters. There should be no reason they won't take the large ones.<BR/><BR/>What do you say?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1825948449870711193.post-3594319111354478502009-01-25T13:53:00.000-08:002009-01-25T13:53:00.000-08:00Oh, rats, I just sent Clorox a "thank you" email b...Oh, rats, I just sent Clorox a "thank you" email but I didn't save a copy. It said something along the lines of...:<BR/><BR/>"I just read that I can now recycle my Brita Filters by bringing them to Whole Foods or mailing them to Preserve. And I just want to say:<BR/><BR/>THANK YOU!!!<BR/><BR/>I already mail in my Preserve toothbrushes for recycling. I already use a metal water bottle instead of buying water, and bring my own bags to the grocery store. Thank you for giving me one more easy way to put less plastic in the land fill.<BR/><BR/>Thank you for making it easy. Thank you for setting a good example for corporate America. Thank you for making me glad to be a Brita customer. You can bet I'll be telling all my friends.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1825948449870711193.post-75239968323818648682008-12-13T20:59:00.000-08:002008-12-13T20:59:00.000-08:00Sorry for the incomplete link above... here's ...Sorry for the incomplete link above... here's the whole link, but you'll have to copy & paste, then remove the spaces...<BR/><BR/>http://www.instructables.com/id/<BR/>How-to-refill-a-disposable-Brita<BR/>-brand-water-pit/Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1825948449870711193.post-82018109313500439222008-12-13T20:56:00.000-08:002008-12-13T20:56:00.000-08:00I wrote an "instructable" on how to refill the pit...I wrote an "instructable" on how to refill the pitcher cartridges and it can be found here: http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-refill-a-disposable-Brita-brand-water-pit/<BR/><BR/>You can also recycle your filter casings by inquiring from the manufacturer as to the type of plastic used. The carbon can be "recycled" via a woodstove, but it can also be mixed into potting soil, etc. As you can tell, I'm not a conservative-religious type of environmentalist... just practical. :-DAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1825948449870711193.post-71892391907515305672008-11-26T18:24:00.000-08:002008-11-26T18:24:00.000-08:00If anyone out there knows how I could recycle wate...If anyone out there knows how I could recycle water filters that we use for our entire house, could you please email me and let me know at carriemacgillis1@comcast.net. I'm trying to find out how I could recycle the filters and have gotten no where so far. Thanks!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1825948449870711193.post-59322649979916829622008-11-24T02:34:00.000-08:002008-11-24T02:34:00.000-08:00What an awesome campaign, I am glad I found your s...What an awesome campaign, I am glad I found your site!<BR/><BR/>I just bought my girlfriend a Brita Jug for her birthday (I was getting sick of all of those plastic bottles) and it was very well received. I was concerned about where to get more filters in the future - seems I should have thought one step further - recycling the old one! <BR/><BR/>I have an idea of how you can reach more people - set up an 'organisation' profile on www.supergreenme.com It will get the word out there on the net further, and will also have access to the SuperGreenMe community! An online group of like-minded eco people.<BR/><BR/>Good luck, I look forward to supporting the campain!<BR/><BR/>Dave.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1825948449870711193.post-10938893789830213602008-10-25T07:17:00.000-07:002008-10-25T07:17:00.000-07:00In answer to what happens to the filters that are ...In answer to what happens to the filters that are recycled this is taken from the brita UK website.<BR/><BR/>"The plastic material is pre-cleaned and then grinded. The resulting plastic granulate is supplied to the plastics industry for renewed processing for various purposes."Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1825948449870711193.post-46520364581814903372008-10-06T13:05:00.000-07:002008-10-06T13:05:00.000-07:00I fear that this may be a poor priority given the ...I fear that this may be a poor priority given the numerous environmental problems we face. Good choices include deciding what to spend our own limited energy and time on. I am especially discouraged by your request to use fossil fuels to ship expended cartridges. Use photoshop instead. In truth, I suspect that if those who use bottled water would use filtered water instead, things would be far better than they are now.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1825948449870711193.post-22239143224483253182008-10-06T12:40:00.000-07:002008-10-06T12:40:00.000-07:00Oct 6 Anonymous: The only problem with flushing d...Oct 6 Anonymous: The only problem with flushing down the drain is that Brita filters contain ion exchange resin, a type of tiny plastic granule that should not be flushed into our waterways. Tiny plastic pieces are wreaking havoc in the marine environment. But I love your idea that what is trapped by the filter was sold to us as "clean" in the first place.<BR/><BR/>Also, putting the empty plastic container into the recycle bin does not necessarily mean it will be recycled. If your community does not accept number 5 plastic, it will go to the landfill. And even if your community does accept #5, the sorting belts go by very fast and the human sorters are looking for the familiar shapes of containers that they know are most likely a certain type of plastic. If they can't tell right away what a Brita filter is, they will just let it go by. Once again, landfill.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1825948449870711193.post-11593769381369679942008-10-06T10:45:00.000-07:002008-10-06T10:45:00.000-07:00step onem cut open cartridge, flush contents into ...step onem cut open cartridge, flush contents into drain (everything trapped by the filter was sold to us as pure by the local water agency, right? <BR/>step two put empty filer in with other recyclables.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1825948449870711193.post-31565695173807266622008-09-12T08:27:00.000-07:002008-09-12T08:27:00.000-07:00I'd love it if there was a link to buy the filters...I'd love it if there was a link to buy the filters (recycled) from this site in the US!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1825948449870711193.post-14232826153270162852008-08-27T11:54:00.000-07:002008-08-27T11:54:00.000-07:00Some one commented on drying out a used Brita filt...Some one commented on drying out a used Brita filter, and reusing it. Is that a good thing to do? Would like to know if this should be done...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1825948449870711193.post-55500254550661502612008-08-18T07:47:00.000-07:002008-08-18T07:47:00.000-07:00Two used Brita filters are on their way to you fro...Two used Brita filters are on their way to you from Kansas City...actually from Kansas, but I mailed them from work which is in Missouri. Hoping they get credited to the wind farm state of Kansas.<BR/><BR/>Thanks! JoyLiberally Beautifulhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00774819012466212089noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1825948449870711193.post-79303856800378229722008-07-08T20:29:00.000-07:002008-07-08T20:29:00.000-07:00Hi Take Back the Filter folks, Thanks for organizi...Hi Take Back the Filter folks,<BR/> <BR/>Thanks for organizing this campaign. Here is a copy of the letter I wrote and mailed to each of the four executives you list on your website.<BR/> <BR/>I'm also sending a filter and have sent out an email urging friends to do the same.<BR/> <BR/>Cheers,<BR/>Sharon <BR/> <BR/>Tarang Amin, Vice President, Global Health & Wellness<BR/>The Clorox Company<BR/>1221 Broadway<BR/>Oakland, CA 94612<BR/> <BR/>8 July 2008<BR/> <BR/> <BR/>Dear Mr. Amin,<BR/> <BR/>I have used Brita pitcher filters for over twenty years. I use Brita because I am concerned about my health AND the environment; I want to filter out impurities in my tap water in a relatively inexpensive and easy manner, and I want to avoid using bottled water, which fills our landfills with tons of unnecessary, non-biodegradable waste every year. <BR/> <BR/>Today, given the growing number of companies that is encouraging recycling of their products (ink jet cartridges, cell phones, etc.), beyond paper, glass, and cans, I thought that Brita would also have a recycling program. Rather than discarding my most recently used Brita filter, I went online to research where I could send it. <BR/> <BR/>I was very disappointed to find that, though Brita filters are recyclable in Europe, we lag behind in the United States, and Clorox, Brita's owner here, has no recycling program. I would expect U.S. corporations to be leaders in taking such relatively simple and obvious steps to reduce our negative impact on the environment.<BR/> <BR/>I urge you to redesign the filter cartridges so that they can be refilled and/or create a system for us to recycle these plastic filter cartridges instead of sending them to landfills. I know that Clorox has been making efforts lately to become much more environmentally-friendly with its purchase of the Burt’s Bees line, which I use. Please continue such efforts by creating a take-back program so that consumers of Brita filters can send them back to you for domestic recycling. <BR/><BR/>I look forward to hearing your views on this issue. <BR/><BR/>Sincerely,<BR/><BR/>SharonAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1825948449870711193.post-57136698065482570152008-06-25T07:11:00.000-07:002008-06-25T07:11:00.000-07:00In the story in CNet News.com today http://news.cn...In the story in CNet News.com today <BR/><BR/>http://news.cnet.com/8301-11128_3-9975759-54.html?tag=cd.blog<BR/><BR/>Drew McGowan of Brita says:<BR/><BR/>"Even if we make a recyclable filter tomorrow, it would take one to two years before it could be implemented."<BR/><BR/>So, let's see ... that means if you had made one five years ago, then YOU'D HAVE "IMPLEMENTED" IT THREE YEARS AGO!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1825948449870711193.post-66864007884816282552008-06-24T14:43:00.000-07:002008-06-24T14:43:00.000-07:00I've been cutting open the filter and scattering t...I've been cutting open the filter and scattering the carbon into my compost pile, putting the plastic cartridge remains in my blue recycling bin. Sometimes I'll put some of the activated charcoal into my storm drain to keep that water fresh.Dr Wonghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14148713784446835719noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1825948449870711193.post-72323574401462862202008-06-19T23:20:00.000-07:002008-06-19T23:20:00.000-07:00If one drives (or even rides a bus/subway) to drop...If one drives (or even rides a bus/subway) to drop-off/pick up cartridges, it pollutes the environment more than the minimum packaging that is needed to send the cartridges by mail. So, unless the cartridges are dropped off/picked up by walking/biking, then only sending in by mail should be encouraged, and in fact it should be done only from areas close to the mail destination(s). If you have several destinations across the country, you could collect from the whole country and then send directly from these collection locations to wherever Clorox is, with minimum back-and-forth.<BR/><BR/>Like transporting anything else, we always have to remind ourselves not to transport unnecessary weight (our cars, our body weight) if we are burning fossil fuel or using electricity in the process.<BR/><BR/>Best regards.<BR/><BR/>MaggieAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1825948449870711193.post-9728652845034376502008-06-19T00:55:00.000-07:002008-06-19T00:55:00.000-07:00YOU CAN REUSE THE FILTERS!!!!Goto: http://www.inst...YOU CAN REUSE THE FILTERS!!!!<BR/><BR/>Goto: <BR/><BR/>http://www.instructables.com/id/S3DJC97FECFCMFT<BR/><BR/>A simple straightforward step-by-step method for reusing the plastic filters. <BR/><BR/>Problem solved.<BR/><BR/>Nothwithstanding the fact that I have put forward this non-confrontational approach to the problem, I can see there is lots of energy being spent on this. So let me state the obvious...<BR/><BR/>Clorox is a public company.<BR/><BR/>The shares of the public company are owned by the "public".<BR/><BR/>That's you folks (either directly or through your 401k, pension, IRA etc. etc.).<BR/><BR/>The directors and CEOs of public companies get fired for not making money (the shareholders do the firing by the way).<BR/><BR/>So you, as shareholders, can tell the public company (at shareholders meetings), how you want the company to behave. <BR/><BR/>In this case, you would tell Clorox that you don't mind making a few fractions of a penny less in dividends if they'd only recyle the filters.<BR/><BR/>Problem solved! - Oh by the way this works for all public companies...<BR/><BR/>Peace<BR/><BR/><BR/>Sven GaliAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1825948449870711193.post-20876438585415674662008-06-13T10:06:00.000-07:002008-06-13T10:06:00.000-07:00It would be great if you could recycle them yours...It would be great if you could recycle them yourselves. ie boiling them, ultra-violet Lights etc. You get the idea.<BR/><BR/>Figure this one out and then they will have to sit up and notice.<BR/><BR/>After all there is recycleable plastic that they can use.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1825948449870711193.post-35551066512807766692008-06-10T17:22:00.000-07:002008-06-10T17:22:00.000-07:00What a great thing you are doing. I signed the Pet...What a great thing you are doing. I signed the Petition and posted an article on my very new website. I will start a collection in my home city and spread the word. You can expect a delivery from me!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com