03/09: The Shed at Glenwood

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The "3" Means What Again?

Trying to remember the meaning of recycling numbers isn't easy. Those faint numbers inside tiny mobius arrows on the bottom of your plastic water bottles - the kind you don't use anymore, of course - can be confusing. This site's interactive presentation is a great way to learn the meanings or you can print this Recycling Numbers Chart and post it by your recycling to help.

It's finally clear that "1" and "2" are most often recycled, "3" is a baddie and "6" is the same make0-up as Styrofoam. Why is it all so confusing? The numbers actually indicate the type of plastic resin from which the item was made.

Click on the graph above to see Graphs and Data for Plastic Recycling by state. (We are guessing Georgia could do better.The resin coding system was introduced in 1988 by the Society of the Plastics Industry (SPI) to help recyclers. The intention was to create one system for the whole country with an end goal of helping to improve recycling rates.

40% of "1- PET" is used for beverage bottles which is why curbside pick-up is such a great way to recapture it. Georgia actually imports and uses a great deal of reclaimed PET for use in our soft drink and carpeting industries.

Featured Restaurant: The Shed at Glenwood

Owner Cindy Shera opened The Shed at Glenwood just last year.
It's already a favorite local eatery.

GP: Why did you open the Shed?
CINDY: Well, after 15 years in the business, I wanted a place where I could do things right. I wanted to reduce restaurant waste, produce great food, and make a difference. Consumers today feel better when they learn a restaurant serves biodynamic and organic foods.

GP: Why Glenwood Park?
CINDY: It's my neighborhood and I wanted to get more involved. Glenwood Park is attractive because it incorporated sustainability into the development.

GP: How's Shed green?
CINDY We grow herbs and vegetables. We buy direct from local, organic farmers. Our chef has a composting system we use to process the prep food, coffee grounds, filters and paper from old menus. We grind the compost io accelerate its breakdown. We have just found a local drop-off for glass bottles.

GP: And your take-out?
CINDY: Our to-go boxes are recyclable paperboard. We ask if customers need cutlery, and most say no. Our to-go bags are paper and not dyed.

GP: What's your dirty little plastic secret?
CINDY: We still use plastic straws and stir straws! (But our Olive skewers are now wood.)

See Coupons below!
475 Bill Kennedy Way, ATL, GA 30316
404.835.4363

PLASTIC HERO STORY: THANK YOU, "MARTA PAUL"!

Paul Grether was born in NY but claims ATL as his hometown. He works for MARTA where he plans and promotes alternative transportation, which includes public transit, bicycle and pedestrian traffic. He notes people are always a pedestrian first, no matter what mode of transport they use.

Paul explains his devotion to public transportation as a means of being green: "Lightbulbs are cool and important, but we move much more energy in moving people and goods around and I think that's where the most significant environmental gains can be made."

GP: What made you care so much about transportation?
My dad used to ride the train home in NY, and mom would take me to go pick him up and I was like "ahhhhhhhh!" so excited as a kid.

GP: Outside of work, how else do you live green?
Basically, I'm smart about energy and water consumption. I try to drive as little as possible. I recycle, but it's a challenge.

GP: Why is recycling a challenge in Atlanta?
The problem here is there is no recycling program for city of Atlanta multi-family buildings like condos or apartments. For example, we have no recycling bins in Castleberry Hill, so we are on our own. To help out, I do my own recycling in big bins and when the load is large enough to justify a trip, I will offer to take my neighbors as well.

GP: Where do you take it?
"6th street deadends into the connector on the Georgia tech side and they have a recycling bins - just avoid Mondays and Tuesdays as they follow frat weekends and heavy 'bottle use'."

GP: To find recycling locations near you, check out EARTH911.COM