#Woodchucks firelogs

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9 Reasons to Recycle

The truth is we all need to get into the habit of using less stuff.  When we recycle, used materials are converted into new products thus reducing the need to consume more natural resources.  If used materials are not recycled, new products are made by extracting raw materials through mining and forestry. Therefore, recycling helps conserve important raw materials and protects natural habitats for the future.  By reducing your waste and recycling as much as you can, you’ll be helping to reduce the production of ash and help save natural resources.  

Here are 9 important reasons to start recycling in the new year:

1. Recycling conserves natural resources.  

The world's natural resources are finite, and some are in very short supply.  At a basic level:

Recycling paper and wood saves trees and forests. Yes, you can plant new trees but you can't replace virgin rainforest or ancient woodlands once they're lost.

Recycling plastic equals less new plastic and fossil fuel hydrocarbons.

Recycling metal means there's less need for risky, expensive, and damaging mining of new metals.

Recycling glass reduces the need to use new raw materials like sand--it may be hard to believe, but supplies of sand are starting to get low around the world.

2. Recycling protects ecosystems and wildlife.  

Recycling reduces the need to grow, harvest, or extract new raw materials which in turn lessens the harmful disruption and damage being done to the natural ecosystems--e.g. fewer forests cut down, rivers diverted, wild animals harmed or displaced, and less pollution of water, soil, and air.

3. Recycling protects people. As with the two points above, the world's increasing demand for new stuff has led to the poorest and most vulnerable--i.e. those living around forests or river systems--being displaced from their homes.  Forest communities can find themselves evicted as a result of the search for cheap timber and rivers damned or polluted by manufacturing waste, which harms the local people. 4. Recycling saves energy. Recycling reduces the need for extracting (mining, quarrying, logging, and transportation), refining and processing raw materials which saved energy and that in turn, help tackle climate change.  Sometimes it's a huge difference::

Producing new aluminum from old (including recycled cans and foil) uses 95% less energy than making it from scratch.  For steel, it's about a 70% energy saving.

Making paper from pulped recycled paper uses 40% less energy than making it from virgin wood fibers.

The amount of energy saved from recycling one glass bottle could power an old 100-watt light bulb for 4 hours--and a new low-energy LED equivalent for a lot longer.

5. Recycling cuts climate-changing carbon emissions. Since recycling means less energy on sourcing and processing new materials, it produces lower carbon emissions and also keeps potentially methane-releasing waste out of landfills.  Reducing carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases being emitted into the atmosphere is vital for stopping disastrous climate change. 6. Recycling reduces landfill waste. Landfills pollute soil and water by leaching noxious and toxic liquids over time. The landfill also releases greenhouse gases, like methane, into the atmosphere. They also take up valuable land space, not to mention they’re an eyesore in addition to an environmental problem.

7. Recycling reduces incineration. Incineration, burning our trash, is an extreme waste of valuable resources that could be reused or recycled.  The incineration process also generates carbon emissions which contribute to climate change and air pollution problems. 8. Recycling is cheaper than waste collection and disposal. Various reports claim it is 5 times cheaper to dispose of recycled waste than general refuse.  So the more you recycle, the more money you save and that can be translated to businesses and local public services. Recycling food waste and green waste is a great idea too, often generating lots of valuable compost that can be used to grow more food and other crops.

9. Recycling creates jobs. In 2016 the EPA released significant findings on the economic benefits of the recycling industry wherein they analyzed the numbers of jobs, wages, and tax revenues attributed to recycling.  The study found that in a single year, recycling and reuse activities in the United States accounted for:

757,000 jobs

$36.6 billion in wages

$6.7 billion in tax revenues

How does one recycle you ask?  There are several methods including curbside collection, drop-off centers, and deposit or refund programs.  Just know every item you recycle, means you are part of the solution and are helping manufacturers provide common household items at an affordable cost:

Newspapers and paper towels

Aluminum, plastic, and glass soft drink containers

Steel cans

Plastic laundry detergent bottles

Recycled materials are also used in new ways such as recovered glass in asphalt to pave roads or recovered plastic in carpeting and park benches.

So by buying new products made from recycled materials you help close the recycling loop.  There are thousands of products that contain recycled content, so next time you go shopping look for the following:

Products that can be easily recycled

Products that contain recycled content

Don’t forget there are ways to recycle at work as well:

Set up a company scheme

Switch to recycled paper

Reduce paper use and recycle waste paper

Use real mugs instead of plastic cups

Recycle cardboard

Computer recycling

Refill or recycle printer cartridges

Use rechargeable batteries and set up recycling points

Set up recycling stations

Run a waste audit

[babakziai]

This morning a cat—bright orange—pawing at the one patch of new grass in the sand-and tanbark-colored leaves. And last night the sapphire of the raccoon’s eyes in the beam of the flashlight. He was climbing a tree beside the house, trying to get onto the porch, I think, for a wad of oatmeal Simmered in cider from the bottom of the pan we’d left out for the birds. And earlier a burnished, somewhat dazed woodchuck, his coat gleaming with spring, Loping toward his burrow in the roots of a tree among the drying winter’s litter Of old leaves on the floor of the woods, when I went out to get the New York Times. And male cardinals whistling back and forth—sireeep, sreeep, sreeep— Sets of three sweet full notes, weaving into and out of each other like the triplet rhymes in medieval poetry, And the higher, purer notes of the tufted titmice among them, High in the trees where they were catching what they could of the early sun. And a doe and two yearlings, picking their way along the worrying path they’d made through the gully, their coats the color of the forest floor, Stopped just at the roots of the great chestnut where the woodchuck’s burrow was, Froze, and the doe looked back over her shoulder at me for a long moment, and leapt forward, Her young following, and bounded with that almost mincing precision in the landing of each hoof Up the gully, over it, and out of sight. So that I remembered Dreaming last night that a deer walked into the house while I was writing at the kitchen table, Came in the glass door from the garden, looked at me with a stilled defiant terror, like a thing with no choices, And, neck bobbing in that fragile-seeming, almost mechanical mix of arrest and liquid motion, came to the table And snatched a slice of apple, and stood, and then quietened, and to my surprise did not leave again. And those little captains, the chickadees, swift to the feeder and swift away. And the squirrels with their smoke-plume tails trailing digging in the leaves to bury or find buried— I’m told they don’t remember where they put things, that it’s an activity of incessant discovery— Nuts, tree-fall proteins, whatever they forage from around the house of our leavings, And the flameheaded woodpecker at the suet with his black-and-white ladderback elegant fierceness— They take sunflower seeds and stash them in the rough ridges of the tree’s bark Where the beaks of the smoke-and-steel blue nuthatches can’t quite get at them— Though the nuthatches sometimes seem to get them as they con the trees methodically for spiders’ eggs or some other overwintering insect’s intricately packaged lump of futurity Got from its body before the cold came on. And the little bat in the kitchen lightwell— When I climbed on a chair to remove the sheet of wimpled plastic and let it loose, It flew straight into my face and I toppled to the floor, chair under me, And it flared down the hall and did what seemed a frantic reconnoiter of the windowed, high-walled living room. And lit on a brass firelog where it looked like a brown and ash grey teenaged suede glove with Mephistophelean dreams, And then, spurt of black sperm, up, out the window, and into the twilight woods. All this life going on about my life, or living a life about all this life going on, Being a creature, whatever my drama of the moment, at the edge of the raccoon’s world— He froze in my flashlight beam and looked down, no affect, just looked, The ringtail curled and flared to make him look bigger and not to be messed with— I was thinking he couldn’t know how charming his comic-book robber’s mask was to me, That his experience of his being and mine of his and his of mine were things entirely apart, Though there were between us, probably, energies of shrewd and respectful tact, based on curiosity and fear— I knew about his talons whatever he knew about me— And as for my experience of myself, it comes and goes, I’m not sure it’s any one thing, as my experience of these creatures is not, And I know I am often too far from it or too near, glad to be rid of it which is why it was such a happiness, The bright orange of the cat, and the first pool of green grass-leaves in early April, and the birdsong—that orange and that green not colors you’d set next to one another in the human scheme. And the crows’ calls, even before you open your eyes, at sunup. “Iowa City: Early April” from Sun Under Wood: New Poems by Robert Hass, Copyright (c) 1996 by Robert Hass. Used by Permission of HarperCollins Publishers Source: Sun Under Wood(HarperCollins Publishers Inc, 1996) Robert Hass BiographyMore poems by this author Poem of the Day: Iowa City: Early April Poem of the Day: Iowa City: Early April Poem of The Day {$excerpt:n} Source: Poem of The Day

http://babakziai.org/poem-of-the-day-iowa-city-early-april/

[woodchucksfirelogs-blog]

Our Favorite Camping Hacks

Scrambled eggs in a bag.  We’re sure you’ve heard of this one but it’s still a favorite.  Before you head out for your trip, grab a large ziplock bags, label each bag with each camper’s name, and each camper’s eggs as they like them — ham, onion, cheese, tomato, etc.  Next morning simply drop the bags into a pot of boiling water until they are cooked thru, open the bag, and slide onto a plate.  Happy eating!

Sled your way there.  That’s right, don’t pack away your plastic snow sled just yet!  It’s great for hauling gear to your campsite.  (It’s also great for chores around the house--e.g. haul yard debris, moving bags of concrete, sand, gravel, and plants all with ease.)

When in doubt, leave breadcrumbs.  OK, we really don’t mean leave a trail of breadcrumbs along your hiking trip but if it’s a new trail and/or an non-maintained trail, bring biodegradable trail-marking tape to attach to trees as you go.

Sage to the rescue.  Bring a natural mosquito repellent by adding sage to a campfire.

Say no to ticks.  Spray down with a tick deterrent before heading outside.  To a spray bottle, add 1 part tree tea oil to 2 parts water and spray your shoes, socks, pants, and cuffs.

Use seasoned wood.  Unseasoned wood creates smoke and burns slowly, so be sure to use dry, seasoned wood.  Better yet, try a firewood alternative like Woodchucks Firelogs—affordable, lasts longer, and burns clean (no bug or chemicals).

Foam tiles aren’t just for the kids.  Why would you sleep on the hard, uncomfortable ground when you can put down an inexpensive foam easy tiles for comfort and an ultimate camping experience.

Duct tape can be a lifesaver. But carrying an entire roll takes up valuable space inside a backpack—and you probably won’t need much tape. Wrap a couple feet around a Bic lighter, so you always have a short supply inside your pocket.

Socks for sleeping ONLY.  Even if you can’t shower, having a clean, dry pair of socks on while you sleep will help your body differentiate between the day’s activities and the solace of nighttime.  It helps keep dust, dirt, bark, splinters, pine needles, etc. out of your sleeping bag.  It can also lift your morale tremendously — even thin ankle socks will do.

Use Frisbees as plates.  Did you forget a plate?  Don’t fret, simply give your Frisbee a quick wash, flip it over, and pile on the food.  Shoot, bring a couple Frisbees for everyone — they’re more fun and they serve dual purposes!

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Campfire Safety

There’s nothing like a campfire fire, s’mores on the table, and a night sky full of stars, but that mesmerizing campfire is a big responsibility.  Last year 63,546 wildfires burned nearly 5 million acres, all were caused by humans.  That’s why it’s important to learn to be safe with your campfire.

Always make sure campfires are allowed and bring a shovel and/or rake and a small bucket of water handy in case some fire escapes.  If there’s not a ready-made firepit, follow these steps for a safe fire:

Choose a place away from any down trees, steep slopes, dry grass, leaves, bushes or overhanging branches.

Clear all leaves and clear the forest floor down to the bare earth--at least 5 feet on all sides.

Dig a shallow pit in the center of the cleared area and place rocks.

Keep extra wood, kindling, your tent, and any other items that can burn away from the fire.

After you light the fire, throw the hot match into the fire – not onto the ground.

Never leave a campfire, always have someone to watch it.  Even a small breeze could cause the fire to spread.

Put the fire out completely by drowning it with water.

Stir the fire with your shovel and drown it with more water, continuing until the fire is out, completely out!

When it comes to little children, here are some safety tips:

Teach them to NEVER approach the fire without Mom, Dad or another adult.

Draw a perimeter around the fire ring and let them know they can’t go past it.

Explain their hair and clothing can catch on fire if they get too close to the flames.

Let them know the rocks of the fire ring will be very hot, so no hands or shoes on the rocks.

Make sure their camp chair is a safe distance from the fire. For instance, if their chair tips forward while they’re climbing in or out, you don’t want them landing in the fire.

Type of wood

The quality of the firewood affects the smoke levels and heating efficiency.  For instance green, well-seasoned firewood will start easily and burn bright with little smoke whereas poorly-seasoned firewood is difficult to keep burning because of the sap and water still inside which will produce much more smoke than desired.  

Today there are also firewood alternatives readily available, like Woodchucks Firelogs, that are recycled into ultra-clean burning firelogs which save trees, reduce waste to landfills, and emits cleaner smoke.

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Why Woodchucks Firelogs?

Every American produces an average of 4.5 pounds of waste per day, leading to 400 - 450 tons of non-hazardous solid waste to the landfill, daily.  In addition to household waste, landfills receive construction and demolition debris, non-hazardous special wastes, and non-infectious medical waste.  

On average, it costs $30 per ton to recycle trash, $50 to send it to the landfill, and $65 to $75 to incinerate it.  In total, the recyclable materials within the U.S. waste stream would generate over $7 billion if they were recycled.  The EPA estimates 75% of the American waste stream is recyclable, but we only recycle about 30% of it.  In fact, every month we throw out enough glass bottles and jars to fill up a giant skyscraper!  

So what are the benefits of recycling?  

Recycling obviously reduces the amount of waste sent to landfills and incinerators, for instance recycling plastic saves twice as much energy as it takes to burn it; recycled items usually require much less processing to turn them into usable material.  Recycling also helps conserve natural resources like timber and water as extracting and processing raw resources (wood, oil, ore) to make paper, plastic, metal requires a lot of energy.  Finally, recycling prevents pollution by reducing the need to collect new raw materials.  

When asked, 9 out of 10 people said they would recycle if it were “easier”.  Since wood is our business, we’ve taken scrap wood and made recycling a little easier for you.  Here are some pros to using Woodchucks Firelogs:

GREATER HEAT EFFICIENCY - When compacted into a briquette, wood has burning characteristics similar to coal, thus making our firelogs giant pellets that produce a more consistent fire that burns longer and hotter than traditional firewood...this makes them great for indoor heat and smokers!

100% RECYCLED WOOD - We use pallet waste that would otherwise go to the landfill, remove all metal, shred, and form into briquettes, making them bug-free, recycled wood that are less harmful to the environment versus other heat sources like coal.  

NO POPPING - 99.9% chance of a Woodchucks fire accident due to a popping ember.

REDUCED EMISSIONS - Our firelogs release less carbon dioxide and creosote which less chimney build-up and you are also helping to lower your carbon footprint when using Woodchucks Firelogs.

COMPACT & ECONOMICAL - Woodchucks can replace four (4) cords of firewood for less money—and you only need a 4' x 20" dry space to store them.  Just think, no more splitting or stacking wood! Moreover, their size makes them great for RVing, camping, and hunting.

NO ADDITIVES - Our briquettes are a natural product in which unusable wood is compressed under high pressure without fillers, artificial binders, wax or any other chemicals.

LESS CLEAN-UP - Woodchucks Firelogs are so clean and compact they leave behind minimal ash and cool quickly, so no glowing embers to worry about reigniting!

Finally, the leading countries for recycling rates are: (#1) Switzerland [52%], (#2) Australia [49.7%], (#3) Germany [48%], (#4) Netherlands [46%], and (#5) Norway [40%]...with the United States rolling in around 31.5%.  So let’s each do a little more and tread a little more lightly with Woodchucks Firelogs.

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Family Hiking Tips

1. Dress for Success.  Layers, layers, layers.  Make sure that you take a light weight jacket and rain clothes—aside from the wet weather, they can also be great wind breaking clothing.  Don’t forget hats and gloves— even summer mornings can be chilly.

Be sure to try on any new hiking boots for comfort and fit before you go.  No open-toed footwear, and avoid cotton socks (they're slow to dry and are prone to causing blisters).  If you’re hiking near water, you may want shoes that are sturdy, but can get wet.  Or if you’re hiking near mud or on a long hike, you’ll want to wear socks with a good pair of hiking shoes.

2. Be prepared.  Always get kids involved with the preparation process by having them look at maps and choose a trail, choosing their clothing and packing their own daypack with their snacks, water, a non-electronic toy, their emergency whistle, rain jacket, compass and maybe even a mini first-aid kit with colorful kid bandages.  Be sure to show them how to use their gear in case of emergency.  

Be diligent about having everything ready to go long before it is time to walk out the door.  The day of the hike needs to be just that—the day you go hiking.  

3. What to pack:

Sunglasses & Hat

Sunscreen & Lip balm

Basic first-aid kit, plus extra bandages, cleansing wipes and athletic tap

Trail and area map

Compass

Water—Let your kids help prepare by filling water bottles

Snacks—trail mix, nuts, dried fruits, gummy candies, M&M's, string cheese

Camera

Headlamp/flashlight—kids like cool gear and being like mom and dad

Knife

Binoculars

Identification book or fold-up identification card for flowers, birds, trees or plants

Wet wipes or tissues

Safety whistles (and teach them what they are for and when to use them)

Spray bottle—on hot days a nice mist feels refreshing

Extra pair of shoes and clothes—leave in the car and change into after your hike.  Chances are you’re going to get your hiking shoes wet or muddy, and it’s always a possibility someone can fall.

4. Keep it easy & feature-friendly.  For at least the first few times, select a hike that isn’t too long or too strenuous—a gentle mile will allow even the youngest hiker to say, "I walked the whole way!"  (Most younger children can handle a two-mile hike.)  

Picking a trail that has some features—a lake, stream, waterfall, fallen trees, etc. will keep kids occupied and give them a goal to reach.  And remember, it’s about the journey not the destination.  If your child is more interested in getting down on his or her hands and knees to explore, then that’s the experience for the day—there’ll always be a next time.

5. Find a good stick.  You’ll be finding a lot of fun things, but the first thing to find is a good stick.  It can be used for so many things—a walking stick, poking into streams to check deepness, sword fighting, pointing at things far away, etc.

6. Plan frequent energy stops.  Hiking requires a lot of energy and energy-sapped kids often equal cranky kids.  Keep your child happy and motivated by taking numerous small breaks for fluid and food.  Chances are, by the time they’ve had a snack, they’ll be eager to continue.  

7. Make it fun!  The key to hike success is to keep the kids motivated and having fun—so why not combine the two?  Create games that you and your children can play out on the trail.  

Let your child invite a friend—he/she will have more fun, and be less likely to complain or get bored.

Follow the Leader—give everyone, even the youngest trail-goers, a turn as the hike leader.

Have them look for signs of wildlife (scat, bird holes in trees, fur) or count wildflower species.

Organize a scavenger hunt and have them find things that are bumpy, smelly, small, big, wet, green…the list goes on!  

Pick a letter then try to find as many things on the hike that start with that letter.  

Geocaching can be a fun activity as kids get really excited about the idea of finding a treasure.

Two-way radios make it more like play than like taking a walk.

Have kids find a twig in the shape of a certain letter, or find a leaf with 5 fingers, or find 3 different kinds or colors of berries.  They can hunt as a team or a competition between the kids on who could find something first.

Put duct tape on inside out and have them collect small items to attach to the tape—instant jewelry!

8. Positive reinforcement.  This is something parents excel at and it shouldn’t be left at the trailhead.  When hiking, go overboard in telling your child how well they are doing, how strong they look and how fast they are—even if they aren’t. Kids need to hear that they are doing an awesome job, especially if it’s their first time out on the trail.

9. Leave no trace.  Kids are future stewards of our public lands, so we might as well begin teaching them how to take care of those spectacular wild places at a young age. When out on a hike, make sure all of your trash is collected—a large zip-top bag works well—just remember: “pack it in, pack it out”.  To further reinforce this idea, you could also take a small garbage bag and have the kids pick up any litter they see on the way back to the car.  While taking breaks, make sure to examine the area and see that everything is in its place.  For example, if your child dug a hole with a stick, cover it up again before you leave.

10. Hike often!  Start a family tradition of going hiking one or more times a month. Kids love the sense of adventure and doing something new.  There’s a wide range of trails, terrain and sights for children to behold.  With kids spending a good chunk of their time indoors during the week, hiking on the weekend is a perfect way to get them outside – be it an urban park or wilderness area trail.

Tips for Toddlers

Early walkers (12 to 24 months) usually like to wander rather than hike, so prepare yourself for

it.  You may cover little to no distance at all and spend a lot of time examining rocks, dirt,

bushes and sticks.

Your little one will inevitably tire on a hike, so wear a child-carrier backpack to carry him when

he does.  Get your child used to the pack by wearing it (and him) around the house and doing chores like vacuuming.  That way, when it's time to hike he's already accustomed to the experience.  

Don’t be afraid to stop and let your child out of the carrier and enjoy the touch and  feel of the outdoors for themselves now and then.  They need to stretch their legs, too.  When using a child carrier, take time to be doubly sure that your pre-hiker is comfortable.  Baby's pants will inevitably creep up from ankle to knee leaving bare legs exposed, so make sure you put sunscreen on their legs and a first layer on in cool weather.

Tips for Pre-teens

For ages 8 to 14, let the kids bring toys, headphones or electronic playthings to help get them

adjusted from popular society to woods culture.  They'll drop that stuff as they move along, or

maybe they won't.  They'll decide their own schedule and manner for embracing the outdoors.

Either way, you got them outside, didn't you?

Get a map of the area and go over it with your pre-teen before you go and while you're on the

trail.  Do your research and grab a book to see what wildlife you may discover or read about the  

history of the area.  Your kids feel more connected to your outing if they learn something.

[woodchucksfirelogs-blog]

Happy Camping!

Location, location, location!  Follow these basics for choosing a campsite and you’ll be fine.  The only thing left to do is to pop a beverage and secure pole position next to the campfire – good luck!

Camp at established campsites when possible.  This means electricity, water and easy access bathroom and shower facilities.  Establish the kinds of activities available in the area prior to your trip as this will have a direct impact on what to pack.

Make sure you arrive early in the day before other company to give you plenty of time to set up and hopefully relax with a beverage.  If you can, get there just after check-out time to get your pick of sites, or if you’ve got an assigned site and don’t care for it, you have time to request another site.

Avoid sites near the entrance of the campground and toilet block, including roads en route, as your beauty sleep does not need disturbing by rumbling cars and stumbling feet.

Keep an eye out for rowdy groups, noisy generators and air conditioners – warning, these may not be evident during the day, so have a keen eye check out building’s close by and rubbish bins full of evidence from the night before.

Water views are of course expected, but ensure the site is at least 200 feet away from waters edge.

Ground with a slight rise will help to avoid puddles in case it rains and the sun will dry tents and warm you up in the morning.  

While it’s not safe to have large branches hanging over the site, trees with strong limbs close by will come in handy for the hammock or drying out swimsuits s and towels.

A great way to ensure an insect infestation is to camp right on top of them.  So before you set up the tent, check for the telltale hole and hills of ants.

Mosquitoes like low marshy places, still water and tall grass so keep clear of these areas.

Finally, avoid tall grassy fields as ticks, ants, and other bugs live there.

[woodchucksfirelogs-blog]

[woodchucksfirelogs-blog]

Woodchucks produce a hotter, more efficient and cleaner fire than cord wood, so you will burn less to heat your home. ♨️ And they can be stored inside, thus reducing your trips outside to the woodpile! . Product Features: - 100% natural wood...no binders, waxes or additives. - Ideal for wood stoves, fireplaces, firepits, and campfires. - Burn time of 4-6 hours/log. - Low moisture content burns hotter, and more efficiently than cordwood. - Minimal ash for minimal clean up. - Manufactured in South Dakota. . . . #wood #firelogs #firewood #fireplace #woodstove #woodburning #🔥 #cozybythefire #winterishere #nochemicalsadded #cozyhome #cleanburn #heating #hometips #ecofriendlyproducts #recycledwood #repurposedwood #reducewaste #southdakotamade #southdakota #woodchucksfirelogs https://www.instagram.com/p/Bq3ssX-HtPQ/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=u0mvmbk5rzfh