Frequently Asked Questions

Does Ecology Action make a lot of money from the sale of materials?

a.k.a. Who gets all the money? Unfortunately, no, not at this time. Prices of materials have always fluctuated with supply and demand. Historically, the sale of materials covers less than 50% of Ecology Action's operating costs. That's why it's so important that our members continue to support our efforts through memberships and donations.

How can I reduce the amount of junk mail and the number of telephone solicitations I have to deal with?

Please visist Catalog Choice to stop junk mail and/or send your name, and any variations of your name, along with your mailing address, to:

Mail Preference Service
Direct Marketing Association
P. O. Box 9008
Farmingdale, NY 11735-9008

Website: http://www.the-dma.org/consumers/offmailinglist.html

The same organization can put you on a free no-call list. Write to DMA's Telephone Preference Service at:

P. O. Box 9014
Farmingdale, NY 11735-9014

If solicitors are still bothering you, call Private Citizen, an advocacy group that focuses on thwarting invasive marketing. Their phone number is (800) 288-5865. They have helped bring several small-claims cases against persistent marketers.

Is there someone in the Central Texas area who will pick up recyclables from my home or office?

Yes. Ecology Action provides business recycling and compost pick-up. Please see our Business Recycling & Compost page or email Susannah Cummins at susannah (a) ecology-action.org

Anyone who needs to have materials picked up will need to pay a fee. Of course, you can still bring your materials to one of Ecology Action's centers for free!

How much does Ecology Action process?

As of 2010 we process about 250 TONS of materials EACH MONTH. We average about 10% of the amount that the City of Austin processes each year. Most of it is paper, plastic, metal, glass and cardboard. That's a lot of trash kept from the landfills!

What are the Benefits of Recycling?

Here are some benefits of recycling you might not know about...

• Improves economic health, creating jobs in basic industries that pump resources back into the economy instead of down the drain. Hundreds of recycling jobs in Central Texas are dependent upon the recyclables saved by area citizens and businesses.
• Conserves natural resources by substituting "secondary resources" such as glass, metal, and paper for raw materials extracted from nature.
• Saves energy by providing manufacturers with materials that have already gone through energy-intensive processes such as wood pulping and ore refining. For example, aluminum recycling uses only about 5 percent of the energy required for producing aluminum from ore.
• Reduces air and water pollution, partly by reducing energy consumption and its byproducts, and partly by avoiding raw materials processing and its byproducts. Many recycling processes create less than half the pollution caused by traditional raw materials processing.
• Recycling conserves natural resources, saves energy, extends the life of our landfills, and strenghthens the Texas economy. According to a 1996 study by the Southern States Energy Board, over 20,200 Texans hold jobs collecting, processing, transporting, and manufacturing recyclables. In addition, the recycling industry adds $2.8 billion in economic value to Texas.