Preserve
& Conserve
Preserve and Conserve for Schroon Lake
Through adopting simple habits of conservation, we can each do our part to preserve the ecological integrity of Schroon Lake and its watershed. This section offers eco-friendly ideas to help preserve and conserve our environment. As we discover new tips, we’ll keep sharing them with you.
Decluttering -- Good for your home and well-being!
While sorting through closets, drawers, cupboards and piles of accumulated “stuff” may not sound like fun, some studies have shown that decluttering not only frees up space, but has a positive effect on your well-being. So why not pick a cold, dreary day and get started! But instead of tossing items in the trash, repurpose your clothing and household items so they can find new homes. It’s a simple way to help lessen the amount of waste sent to landfills.
There are a number of organizations and establishments in our local community that accept donated items. They respectfully request that clothing be clean and gently used, household items in good repair and small appliances in working condition.
The Reuse Shop at Chestertown Transfer Station
63 Landon Hill Rd., Chestertown, NY 12817
518-494-3952 Contact person: Debbie
Hours: 8:45 a.m. - 4:45 p.m. Mon., Thurs., Fri., Sat., Sun. (closed Tues./Wed.).
Items accepted: Clothing, Shoes, Books, Toys, Puzzles, Linens, Countertop Small Appliances, Household Items.
Please call ahead if you have a large amount of items to donate.
Mountainside Share Shop at Mountainside Church
165 US Route 9, Schroon Lake, NY 12870
Contact person at the shop: Rannei Rambow
Hours: 9 a.m. -1 p.m. every Saturday. Donations can be made during these hours or anytime in the large green drop box located at the front door of the shop.
Items accepted: Clothing, Shoes, Boots, Purses, Jewelry, Clothing Accessories, Bed Linens and Towels. They DO NOT accept household items.
North Country Ministry
3933 Main St., Warrensburg, NY 12885
518-623-2829 Ext. 304. Contact person: Kayla Carlozzi, Executive Director.
Website: northcountryministry.org
Hours: Tues. 12 - 2 p.m., Thurs. 10 a.m. - 12 p.m., 1st & 3rd Sat. 12 -2 p.m. Donations in bags and boxes can also be left on the porch.
Items accepted: All Seasons of Men, Women, Children and Infant Clothing, Diapers and Unexpired Infant Formula. They DO NOT accept Books, Toys, Stuffed Animals and Decorations.
Furniture Program: Please call in advance to donate: Beds, Couches, Tables, Chairs and other larger household items.
North Country Ministry Food Pantry: Non-perishable food items can be donated on Wed. 10am-12pm at the YMCA, Route 8 in Brant Lake and Mon. - Fri., 9 a.m. -3 p.m. at 3933 Main St., Warrensburg. Monetary donations are greatly appreciated.
Marge’s Nook
6384 Route 9, Chestertown, NY 12817
518-796-1769. Contact person/owner: Courtney
Hours in June: Wed. - Thurs. & Sat. 11 a.m. - 5 p.m., Fri. 11:30 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Hours as of July: Tues. - Thurs. & Sat. 11 a.m. - 5 p.m., Fri. 11:30 a.m. - 5 p.m.
NOTE: Check Facebook for any possible schedule changes.
Items accepted: Clothing, Shoes, Boots, Household Items, Household Décor, Toys, Books and Furniture. NOT accepted: Mattresses and Box Springs.
Facebook -- Schroon Lake Free-Recycle-Reuse – Facebook Group for items people no longer need, but don’t want to add to the landfill. FREE ONLY items!
Why Not Recycle?!
What to Do with Old Batteries?
Without a doubt, the invention of the battery has been a major and beneficial milestone in our history. Household battery usage has dramatically increased globally due to the growing number of electronic devices in our daily lives. Common battery types include alkaline, rechargeable nickel-metal (NiMh) and lithium-ion batteries. Proper disposal of household batteries is crucial to mitigating their environmental impact. Alkaline batteries such as AAA, AA, C, D and 9 volts no longer contain mercury or hazardous components and are generally safe for regular trash disposal. However, it’s advisable to recycle them. Button cells, nickel-cadmium and lithium batteries contain hazardous components and should always be recycled. Recycling batteries ensures that valuable materials are reclaimed and reused, reducing the demand for mining and preserving natural resources. Efforts to recycle batteries have improved, but many still end up in landfills.
Presently, the best way to reduce your environmental footprint when it comes to batteries is to use rechargeables. Most rechargeables can be charged hundreds of times, greatly decreasing the number of batteries disposed of compared to single use batteries. The initial cost of buying rechargeables is more compared to single use batteries, but you’ll save money with them in the long run. All retail locations in NYS that sell rechargeable batteries are required to accept them from consumers for recycling. Both Home Depot and Lowes work with a non-profit battery recycling program called Call2Recycle, and will accept any rechargeable battery weighing up to 11 pounds and under 300-watt hours.
The Towns of Horicon and Chestertown Transfer Stations accept all household battery types for recycling. The Schroon Lake Transfer Station currently does not accept any hazardous materials for recycling. Private curb-side trash collectors in our area do not pick-up batteries for recycling. So once again, the best option is to buy rechargeable.
What and Where Can I Recycle?
Recycling has significant benefits, even if it isn’t a perfect solution to our environmental problems. Recycling conserves resources and saves landfill space, energy and water. Adopting the 3Rs of waste management (Recycle, Reduce, Reuse) has a huge impact on protecting the environment. Additionally, the EPA reports that it has a substantial economic effect through the creation of jobs and increased tax revenues.
The majority of citizens are willing to recycle, but are often frustrated. What is and is not accepted for recycling differs in towns, cities and states. Indeed, each of our local transfer stations has different recycling guidelines. Remember the slogan: ‘Know Before You Throw.” Post a list of accepted recyclable items near your trashcan and recycle bin to remind family, friends and visitors.
Below is a summary of our local transfer station guidelines. For further recycling tips, check out https://recyclerightny.org/ and https://www.earthday.org/7-tips-to-recycle-better/.
Horicon -- Landfill Road, just off Tannery Road
Open: 8:00 AM - 3:45 PM on Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday & Sunday (except holidays)
Phone: (518) 494-7906
https://horiconny.gov/transfer-recycling/
Accepted for free (Clean & dry, with covers removed. Please separate by item type.): Plastic (all food, juice, detergent and shampoo with a number); Glass (any color); Metal containers; Tin & Aluminum (any can that contained a food product.); Newspapers (including IRS & real estate books. Wet or dirty goes with your garbage); Junkmail: All mail (including catalogs, magazines, telephone books and puzzle books except for The Sun and Dollar Stretcher); Corrugated Cardboard (clean, dry, split on seams and flat. No boxboard.); Bottles & Cans (deposit items); Batteries (go inside the recycling center).
Not Accepted: Motor Oil or the Container it comes in; Propane tanks; Aerosol cans.
Accepted with a fee:
Garbage in containers or bags; Construction debris, TV's; Refrigerators; Air conditioners; Freezers; Vacuums; Mattresses; Box springs; Wood & Stuffed Chairs; Recliners & Couches; Sleeper Couches (with metal frame); Coffee Tables; Porcelain Sinks; Toilets; Tires; Boats; Carpet; Cars; other items.
Town of Chester: 62 Landon Hill Rd., Chestertown
Open: Sunday – Monday & Thursday - Saturday from 8:45 AM - 4:45 PM. Closed Tuesday & Wednesday, and holidays. (Check website for details.)
Phone: (518) 494-3952
https://www.townofchesterny.org/transfer-and-recycling-center.html
NOTE: A permit, available for $5.00 at the Transfer Station, is needed.
Accepted for free: Glass (all colors); Plastics (#1-7); Aluminum containers; Cans (with labels removed); Aerosol Cans; Paper products (newspapers, office paper, junk mail, magazines & shiny paper); Cardboard (flattened); Fiberboard (flattened cereal boxes empty toilet paper roles, etc.); Household Batteries.
Accepted with a fee: Garbage (bagged); Mattresses & Box Springs; Couches; Sleeper sofas; Refrigerators; Freezers; Air Conditioners; Chairs; TVs; Tires on rims; Toilets; Sinks; Construction debris.
Town of Schroon: Alder Meadow Road next to the airstrip, Schroon Lake
Phone: (518) 532-9813
Hours: Sunday – Tuesday & Friday – Saturday from 8 AM – 4 PM. Closed Wednesday & Thursday and holidays. (Check website for details.)
https://schroon.net/transfer-station/
Accepted for free (clean and separated): Metal, Glass and Plastic (#1 & #2) containers; Newspapers, Magazines and Junk mail; Corrugated Cardboard (flattened); Leaves & Grass clippings.
Accepted with a fee: Household Garbage; Refrigerators; Freezers; Air Conditioners; Dehumidifiers; Water Coolers; Electronics & Components; Tires; Construction waste. Pay with exact cash, checks or tickets. Tickets ($2, $5, $10 or $20) can be purchased at the transfer station.
Not Accepted: Propane tanks; Brush over 3”; Paint; Batteries
Bottles & Cans (deposit items):
There is a donation box for the Schroon Lake Boy & Girl Scouts.
Bottle & Can Return Center:
Bottle & Can Retrieval Center
3746 Main St, Warrensburg, NY 12885
(518)623-9594
Mon-Sat 9 AM – 5 PM
Reusing Reduces Your Trash Footprint...
...by minimizing waste and maximizing resources. Reusing instead of discarding products, results in less waste in our landfills. So, get creative, think outside the box and “know before you throw!” Here are some reuse ideas we’ve started incorporating into our lives:
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Use dryer sheets as dust cloths for electronics
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Instead of using grocery store’s plastic produce bags, purchase reusable ones.
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Switch to cloth napkins and handkerchiefs. (We use our cloth napkins for more than one meal and wash when necessary.)
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Cut up worn out t-shirts and use as washable rags.
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Use cereal bags as wax paper or to keep vegetables crisp.
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Save gift boxes, wrapping paper, bows and gift bags and reuse.
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Turn one sided printed paper into scrap paper for notes.
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Avoid plastic utensils and paper products. Use your own dishes and/or reuse the plastic. (Bamboo utensils make great traveling companions.)
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Use rechargeable batteries.
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Take your own travel mug to the coffee shop.
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Bring reusable containers with you to restaurants.
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Wash and reuse all sizes of Ziplock bags. (As long as the bag still holds water, it’s still useful, especially for freezing fruits and vegetables.)
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Use glass containers for hand and dish soap, and household cleaning solutions.
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Create campfire starters with dryer lint stuffed into toilet paper cardboard inserts.
Have you heard of UPCYCLING? It is a trendy and creative approach to reusing items:
1) Reusing old clothes in clever ways
2) Crafts using egg cartons, toilet rolls or tin cans
3) Transforming glass jars and wine bottles
For additional creative ideas and inspiration visit www.upcyclethat.com or google: "trash to treasures" for hundreds of ways to reuse just about everything!
Reduce with these User-Friendly Tips...
A septic system is also called an onsite wastewater treatment system. Just like the centralized wastewater facilities operated by municipalities, the basic function of a septic system is to properly treat all wastewater that goes down any drain to safe levels meeting recommended contaminant levels before it is discharged into the environment.
Check out our user-friendly tips to help REDUCE the strain on your septic system, avoid costly repairs and protect the Lake you love.
Do:
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Have your septic tank pumped every 3-5 years.
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Be water-wise:
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Spread water usage over the day and throughout the week.
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Take shorter showers.
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Turn off water while brushing and shaving.
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Use water conserving devices whenever possible.
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Add reminder signs and plaques in your kitchen and bathrooms
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Landscape the drain field with shallow-rooted plants, avoid planting shrubs and trees.
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Use one-ply or two-ply toilet paper eco-friendly, tree-less bamboo toilet paper.
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Use phosphate-free liquid, pods or eco-strip laundry detergents.
Don't:
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Use septic tank additive products.
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Use a garbage disposal. Composting is a better way to recycle kitchen scraps.
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Use household cleaners that contain bacteria-killing bleach in your sink or toilet.
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Wash grease and oils from food down the kitchen drain.
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Keep the water running while doing dishes and only run the dishwasher when it’s full.
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Flush pet waste down the toilet.
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Flush these items down the toilet:
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cleaning wipes
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baby wipes
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facial tissue
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paper towels
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feminine sanitary products or condoms
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dental floss
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coffee grounds
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medications
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hair
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For more information on operating and maintaining your septic system, visit SafeSepticSystems.org.
Rethink by Composting & Shopping Local
Composting
Don't trash uneaten food. Compost it instead!
Composting is the natural process of recycling organic matter (food scraps, dry leaves, twigs and grass clippings) into a natural and nutrient-rich fertilizer for lawns, gardens and house plants. Composting can divert as much as 30% of household waste away from the trash can.
According to the EPA, food is the single largest category of material placed in municipal landfills. Food scraps buried in a landfill ultimately produce harmful methane gas, known to trap heat in the atmosphere, potentially contributing to climate change.
The alternative to placing the food scrap waste in the trash is to begin composting at home. Many affordable types of premade composters can be purchased or you can build a simple wooden bin. Here are a few good resources to learn more about composting:
EPA's Reducing Food Waste
Warren County Cornell Cooperative's ABCs of Home Composting
ADK Action's Compost for Good
