Last weekend the Sierra Club Great Lakes Program hosted a Rain Barrel workshop on Detroit’s west-side in the Brightmoor neighborhood. The workshop was organized by the Sierra Club’s own Melissa Damaschke to teach fifty Detroiters, who had signed up for the event, all about water conservation’s benefits, and of course how to make a rain barrel. After all of the participants arrived, Melissa explained the workshop and then separated everyone into groups. An experienced Rain Barrel “Guru” led each group in the making of the Barrels. After all the drilling, caulking, and installing was done, the group discussed their plans to save rain water and for use in their gardens. It was an educational experience and fun afternoon project.
I had my video camera on me and have created a video showcasing the workshop, hope you enjoy!
For More Info on the Sierra Club Great Lakes Program please visit these links:
Earlier this week the Reusable Industrial Packaging Association (RIPA) had their annual Technical Conference in Indianapolis, IN. Maxi Container was well represented with both myself, Richard Rubin, and our Sales Manager, Bob Vannatter in attendance. It was a thoughtful and in depth meeting looking at many issues which affect industrial packaging. RIPA formed a new Product Group to represent companies that manufacturer, collect and recondition Flexible Intermediate Bulk Containers (FIBC). The other Product Groups, Steel Drums, Plastic Drums, Fiber Drums and IBC’s also had numerous agenda items, including air emissions, use of post consumer regrind in making new plastic drums, periodic certification of design types, and many more.
Again many issues dealt with both Maxi’s and RIPA’s core value of sustainability. I am proud to be a active member of an organization whose purpose is to promote the use of reusable packaging and help its members navigate the complex world of regulations regarding the transport and reconditioning of industrial packages in an environmentally sustainable manner.
For example, RIPA as a member of the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) is helping to draft the International Organization for Standards (ISO) Environmental Packaging Standards. Approximately 30 nations are involved in this project to clarify and harmonize environmental issues related to the production, use, reuse, recycling and recovery of packagings. RIPA chair’s the ANSI committee on “Reuse” and is a member of the ANSI committees on “Optimization” and “Material Recycling”.
With the amount of international commerce it will only be through organisations such as ISO, ANSI, and the Sub-Committee of Experts on the Transport of Dangerous Goods of the United Nations that we can continue to transport the many chemicals, paints, pharmaceuticals necessary in making the many products we enjoy. We cannot compromise our short term safety or the environments long term sustainability in order to enjoy the blessings of our industrialized lifestyle. Here at Maxi we are committed to finding the balance between the two so we, and our children and our children’s children cane enjoy both a high standard of living the our beautiful natural world.
Wednesday, March 30 I headed out to Warren, MI to check out their “All Things Green” expo. The event took place at the IBEW NECA Electrical Industry Training Center I was excited to take part in this event, though only as an attendee. Maxi normally has a booth/table at these type of events (selling our Home & Garden products) but I went to this with the intention to learn, not sell. I was pleasantly greeted when I walked in, next they handed me a name-tag and explained the layout and schedule. I quickly did a once around briefly checking out the displays/exhibits and trying to spot anyone I knew. After saying hello to Greening Detroit and MI Clean Energy I went into the conference room to sit in on the lectures.
First we were exposed to the ins and outs of Electronic Vehicles (EVs), they even had a charge station in the parking lot! Both residential, like the Chevy Volt or commercial use of EVs, such as Staples and FedEx which are currently switching thousands of their delivery trucks to electric power was discussed in detail. It was an eye opening experience, I learned about the new infrastructure developing to support of EVs. Here at Maxi we are conscious of our carbon footprint and currently utilize Bio-Diesel for our fleet but are looking for even more efficient alternative energy ideas for the future.
Next we learned about how one car dealership, Roy O’Brien adopted Solar and Geo-thermal energy and eliminated their utility bill completely! There are plenty of tax incentives and rebates from DTE for installing such systems. (Over time the systems will pay for themselves and eventually start saving you money) I have read about the residential greening of homes. (Ann Arbor is home to the nation’s oldest net-zero home.) but hearing about how one business made alternative energy work for them was very inspiring.
Between topics I walked around the displays set up throughout the building. There were some really interesting displays, two in particular that caught my eye were the EcoGreen display and the Chevy Volt. (below are photos) I learned a lot and want to officially thank Macomb County for putting on this event. I will leave you with my favorite quote of the event, from Mike O’Brien of Roy O’Brien Ford when explaining the beauty of having no energy bills anymore, “We’re tapping mother nature for free!”
I checked out the new Chevy Volt, whoa what an awesome car!
EcoGreen Light powered by solar panels and wind turbine
For another great article about the event please check out CBS Detroit’s article here.
Maxi Container received an inquiry about a new 30-gallon steel drum and when we found out what it would be used for our interest grew. Steve Quinlan, the Director of Institutional Advancement for Advanced Technology Academy in Dearborn explained that a senior class of students taking the course Sustainable Energy II would build the heater. A Rocket Heater, otherwise called a Rocket Stove or Rocket Mass Heater, combines the air-intake with the fuel-feed slot in an opening terminated by the combustion chamber, which connects to a chimney and also a heat exchanger. Simply put, a rocket stove has a fuel magazine but primarily works like a wood burning stove which uses the exhaust to heat a adobe clay housing. They are simple to build and yield high combustion efficiency, all while channeling the heat into a specific (small) area. The design of stove means it uses half as much fuel as an open fire and can also use smaller diameter wood even twigs. The stove is insulated and raised from the floor which reduces the danger of children burning themselves.Some uses for a a rocket heater are:
Cooking (mostly third-world countries)
Space heater
Water heater
Advanced Tech is one of Michigan’s green schools, (see our article about Michigan’s program for schools to earn different stewardship levels for completing green activities here.) and they are also a charter school.
After working out the details we setup a meeting on Monday March 21 at 1:30 PM where I (Joshua Rubin, Creative Director of Maxi) would drop off the drum and take a look at what is going on over at Advanced Tech.
Maxi wants to encourage other schools to contact us with any “green” projects or initiatives. From recycling in the classroom (see our Oprep article) to energy efficient rocket heaters seen here, we love to help schools. If we want to help reduce the next generations carbon footprint, we have to teach them early on to reduce, reuse, recycle, buy recycled products and safely dispose of their hazardous waste.
Thank you Advanced Tech for choosing Maxi, we wish you the best with your rocket heater project. Looking forward to seeing the pictures of the completed heater.
Sustainable Energy II Class with Joshua Rubin (Creative Director) and their new steel 30-gal drum.
For more information about Advanced Technology Academy and their programs please visit their website or send Steve Quinlan an email.
Maxi Container has begun working with the Sierra Club Great Lakes program to help reduce storm water runoff, and teach Detroiters about rainwater conservation. We exaplined how it is useful for your garden and your pocketbook! Melissa Damaschke visited our office a month ago to work out an arrangement where Maxi would help supply the Sierra Club Great Lakes workshops and other events with Rain Barrels. The Sierra Club Great Lakes also partnered with one of our favorite Customers, The Greening of Detroit. The Greening are long time activists in Detroit and have been at the heart of Detroit’s urban gardening movement. Their goal is to improve the quality of life in Detroit by guiding and inspiring the reforestation of Detroit’s neighborhoods. They help by educating and empowering citizens, teaching them lessons like the advantages of growing their own vegetables, rain barrels, and composting.
On Thursday March 24 at 6:30 PM at the Riverbend Community Association, Kido Pielack, from the Greening of Detroit, was there to lead the workshop. Prepared to show the attendees how to make their own rain barrels from start to finish. After he went through the complete process, the floor was opened up for questions. The crowd had many questions varying from how to use the rain barrels, the advantages of using them, and how to prevent mosquitoes. To complete the evening the Sierra Club raffled of three of our Terra Cotta Rain Barrels. Some happy attendees went home ready for spring with their new rain barrels. Also one barrel was donated to the church, which is starting a garden as well this spring. Thank you Kido and The Greening of Detroit.
Please Check out the Sierra Club Great Lakes Program Blog.
Sierra Club Great Lakes Program, Greening of Detroit and Maxi Container collaborate on a Rain Barrel Workshop at the Riverbend Community Association in Detroit.
What started as an internal company project for Columbia Sportswear has now turned into full-blown initiative to involve outside companies and customers. The successful “A Box Life” program started in 2009. Paul Zaengle, vice president of the Portland, Oregon based company said,“ ‘A Box Life’ is designed to keep cardboard boxes in use longer, reduce the impacts of shipping products, and encourage people to engage around the concept of reduce, reuse, recycle in a personal way.”
Currently, over 219,000 boxes have already been reused and more are on their way. “A Box Life” has gained lots of strength recently as sustainability has become a popular move for business looking to stay sharp in the corporate and public eye. Columbia had always offered their customers with the option to receive their order in a used box. Before “A Box Life” was created there was no way to track the reuse of these boxes. By implementing the use of QR (quick response) codes as a means of tracking the boxes, now the boxes life cycle can be recorded. Customers can scan the box with their smartphone and see where it has been, and companies can utilize this to see how many places the boxes have traveled too.
Columbia places a sticker with a QR code and some instructions on the outside of the box. If you are not familiar with QR codes, they are becoming a popular trend internationally as a means of sharing information quickly. Most smartphones are able to read these codes by downloading a barcode scanner application. You can see QR codes in stores such as Best Buy, and you will also find them all over the web. (Including www.maxicontainer.com – located on the “Contact Us” page, as a quick way to get directions to our office/warehouse.) Riding the “Green” trend and capitalizing on the rising popularity of QR codes, smartphones, and sustainability, Columbia implemented a rather successful program in a short period of time.
“By offering the option to our customers to have their purchases shipped in a cardboard box, we hope to show that we can make a difference by helping reduce the need for new boxes, and that companies of all kinds can impact the global demand for new boxes by incorporating reused ones into their shipping program.”
–PaulZaengle
Vice President of Columbia Sportswear
Though new for many industries, the life cycle of our plastic and steel drums and IBC’s plays a very important part in the Industrial Packaging industry. If it is still good enough to use again, why throw it away? Take for example the plastic drum, our industry has been investigating the life cycle of plastic drums for over forty years now. Recycling one plastic drum is equivalent to recycling 500 plastic beverage bottles, so that is what we do. The reconditioning process reclaims around 50% of plastic drums. There is plenty of useful information about the Reuse, Reconditioning, and Recycling of plastic drums from the Plastic Drum Institute. Another example is Remanufactured IBC’s, if the outer steel cage is good, (especially with high and constantly fluctuating steel prices today) we pop a new inner bottle in it. If its former contents were food-grade, it is washed out and sold for a discounted price. Reuse and Remanufacturing are integral parts of the IBC market. This got me thinking, what if the Reusable Industrial Packaging Industry tried to start a program similar to Columbia’s?
The possibilities are endless with the mixture of technology and progressive and eco-conscious thinking. Together we can collect data by tracking packages and then make adjustments to our business/lifestyle simply by returning or reusing this packaging, all while documenting it’s travels. On a large scale, this data could help us learn just how many new boxes we are saving and also reduce the amount of packaging needed, saving money and the environment. On a small scale, a company could learn valuable things about how their packages are used, reused, or not. Overall, “A Box Life” showcases how thinking green cannot only be profitable but fun, creative, and most of all interactive. Now it is time for other companies and other industries to take note of Columbia’s success with this program and start to track the internal use of their products as well. Maxi is currently investigating a similar program, figuring out the best way to implement the use of QR codes with our products to track the lifecycle and make it easier to identify the differences in drums/totes.
Children learn best by doing. If we are to raise a generation of children who care about the environment and who are willing to reduce their carbon footprint, there is no better way than having them practice these activities as part of their daily routine. They can see recycling in action, help make compost from the food waste, learn to buy recycled products. They can incorporate the ideals of reuse and recycling into their daily lives.
Michigan Senate Bill 904, signed into law on December 16, 2010 by Governor Jeniffer Granholm, revised the activities that need to be done in order to designate a school as either a Green, Emerald or Evergreen school. These activities include recycling programs, composting food and organic waste, waste free lunches, buying recycled or biodegradable supplies, and buying locally produced food produce. It can also include teaching about alternative energy or using alternative fuels.
A good example of how to teach children that their actions affect the environment can be found at Gill Elementary in Farmington Hills, Michigan. As highlighted in a recent article in the The Oakland Press, the school’s green efforts which include recycling, composting, using less packaging and other waste-reduction efforts, have earned finalist status in the National Geographic Find Your Footprint contest. The Gill Green Team, which is dedicated to making the school more earth-friendly, entered the contest under the direction of fourth grade teacher Christine Wilson and Gina Adams-Levy, Gill parent and Green Team member. The Green Team already recycled plastic and other materials, but lunchtime still generated a lot of waste. To deal with that lunchtime waste the Gill Green Team kicked off Waste-Free Fridays in January 2011, showing skits that gave examples of waste reduction at an all-school assembly. The team also sent notices home to parents, encouraging them to pack waste-free lunches on Fridays. The result, on Fridays the amount of lunch waste goes from six trash bags to four.
Maxi Container believes in helping school’s recycle so much that we have previously donated fiber drums to Osborn Preparatory School in Detroit to help start a Recycling Program with City Year Detroit. We encourage other schools to contact us, whether about our rain barrels and compost tumblers or your school’s recycling initiative. When students put these DIY projects together, watch how they work and understand the importance of building towards a sustainable future. Hopefully we help create a lasting impression on the student, one which says, if we each do something everyday to help promote green living, we help protect and better the world around us while building a more eco-sustainable future for future generations.
We are passionate about helping people improve their home and garden. In the winter you can stay warm with one of our Drum Stove Kits and in the spring and summer you can use our Rain Barrels and Compost Tumblers to save money and help your garden grow. There are many reasons why using Rain Barrels and making your own compost is better for your plants, but did you know that it is also better for the planet? That’s right, if you utilize our Home and Garden Products you can reduce your carbon footprint by turning yard and kitchen waste into nutrient rich soil. Top it all off with “soft” rain water that otherwise would just be urban runoff. To help reduce the need for sewer expansion and reduce your water bill, Rain Barrels are a smart choice this season.
If you are interested in Rain Barrels or want to try to start composting this spring contact Bob at 313-891-3880 or send him an email.
More useful information about our Rain Barrels and Compost Tumblers please visit our Home and Garden section on our website.
Last week, Rebekah Frank, who works for Cranbrook Academy of Art, contacted Maxi Container, she found us on the web searching Google for “Containers Detroit.” Well she found the right place! Rebekah was interested in 5-gallon pails to put under the artist’s respective tables to give them a safe place to store their personal belongings. We were happy to help here at Maxi, since we love helping the community and we love art! In previous months, we have covered different ways people have used containers for art, see previous articles about Wine Barrel Art and Haiti Metal Art (made out of used oil drums), but this was a chance for us to get directly involved. We set-up some conditions, basically “renting” (free of charge) 110 of our PAILSNEW700 for the weekend. One of our own employees at Maxi studied at Cranbrook for a little while and I (creative director) just finished up art school in Chicago. This was an event that I did not want to miss.
Ready for a good evening, my wife Jessie and I went downtown, when we arrived at the Dagleish Cadillac, there was valet parking outside. It was preview night (Friday night) and it had already sold out at $50 a ticket. Luckily, we were on the list (thanks Rebekah)! They had us pick fake name-tag patches like the ones on work shirts, just for fun. With my Kent name-tag attached to my shirt, we started making the rounds and meeting artists. It was great to actually get one-on-one time with the artists. You can learn so much about an artists work when they are actually there, unlike the usual little card next to the painting with some vague artists statement about the meaning of the piece and the material used to construct it. This time it was one on one, unique and engaging!
The Dagleish Cadillac was a great venue choice because with this many artists and interested buyers, the tables where setup in a grid but with enough space to jump between rows easily. They had a coat check and a credit card station to make the experience comfortable and easy. There was live music, some type of string and horn quartet playing swing style. Overall, One X One was set up very nicely and provided a sophisticated and enjoyable experience.
The collection of artists at One X One was diverse and talented. All of the art was of a high caliber. It was a very professional show with an array of beautiful works for sale. On a side note, a lot of the artists had some creative business cards and almost every artist had a website (below there is a list of some of the artist’s websites from the business cards which I received). We thoroughly enjoyed the evening and would like to formally say thank you to Rebekah and Cranbrook Academy for contacting us and hope we can work together again some time in the future. Here is a gallery of some photos from the event including our pails in use! Enjoy!
Here at Maxi we would like to take this moment to tell everyone just how important we think art is. Please support local artists in your community. Get involved and help keep the arts alive!
The Michigan House Committee on Energy & Technology is looking into two bills in committee on Tuesday, March 1, 2011 at 9am. HB 4265 and HB 4266 seek to return yard waste to landfills for minor energy production purposes. Both bills are sponsored by Rep. Kenneth Horn, sponsor and Rep. Paul Opsommer, co-sponsor. These Bills are a bad idea on many levels.
Michigan banned Yard Waste going to landfills in 1995. As a home owner, the impact of this ban was negligible. Instead of putting my yard waste out with my trash, I had to put it in low cost compostable paper bags availble at most hardware stores, supermarkets and big box stores in my area. In my town of Farmington Hills, MI the yard waste is collected by The Recycling Authority, and is taken to a large-scale compost site where it decomposes and becomes a rich, black humus. According to The Recycling Authority, each year RRRASOC residents generate 80,000 tons of waste. At least 30% of that waste can be composted.
Another good use for yard waste is composting at home. Composting at home reduces our dependence on trucks to haul yard waste to large-scale compost sites. It also provides us with our own source of rich humus to reuse in our gardens. Composting at home reduces the use of expensive petrochemically based fertilizers which find their way into our sewers, lakes and streams. It is less costly to produce than buying fertilizers, mulch or hummus at the local garden center. Also, composting at home is inexpensive and easy and creates a sense of connectedness with our natural world.
Here at Maxi Container we are so excited about the benefits of composting at home that we created our DIY Compost Tumbler Kit. We re-purposed a food grade plastic drum and provide all the parts and information necessary to begin composting at home.
The Michigan Recycling Coalition (of which Maxi is a proud member) is actively opposing these bills. If you live in the great State of Michigan, please call or write your representative and let them know how strongly you oppose these Bills. If you can, attend the next hearing on these Bills on March 1st at 9am, 519 House Office Building, Lansing, MI. Yard Waste can be a valued resource for the home owner. You should not be charged to give it away for free and bury it in a landfill.
On February 17, 2011, Nestle Waters North America announced it had hired a new Director of Sustainability. We wish Michael Washburn well in his new role and in his efforts “To increase recycling rates in the United States.” We applaud Nestle for hiring someone who has worked in the nonprofit sector, and held a senior position at The Wilderness Society working on public lands advocacy.
Here at Maxi Container, however, we still hold Nestle responsible for two of the most egregious environmental policies and practices of this era.
First, they sell millions of plastic water bottles, consuming inordinate amounts of energy and raw materials to deliver a product that most of us in the U.S. has at our fingertips, potable water.
Second, they are one of the largest companies diverting a precious resource from our home state of Michigan, paying little or nothing for it, and making a large profit by selling it at a ridiculous mark up.
Nestle Waters U.S. brands include, Arrowhead, Calistoga, Deep Park, Ice Mountain, Nestle Pure Life, Ozarka, Poland Spring and Zepherhills. Nestle has had a series of battles in and out of court in both Mecosta and Osceola, MI regarding its plans for its bottling plant to bottle over 720,000 gallons of water pumped from the Great Lakes Basin and aquifer per day. Water which is never replaced and has led to drying of wetlands and streams and lowering of lake levels. It has also severly affected nearby homeowners and farmers who depend on the aquifer for their drinking water and irrigation.
In 2009, after 9 years of litigation, Michigan Citizens for Water Conservation reached an out of court settlement with Nestle to reduce Nestle’s pumping to 218 gallons per minute. Over an 8 hour day that is still 104,640 gallons. Over 24 hours, that is 313,920 gallons of water per day taken from our precious Great Lakes and never returned. Add to that the cost of the resources used to bottle and truck that water all over the country and you now have the makings of one of the greatest environmental villains ever!
Southern Maine Specialties, when asked if the waste generated on-site was hazardous, they had no idea! For this reason and many others they were charged with violating state and federal hazardous waste laws.
Where they went wrong:
• Storing containers of HazWaste next to incompatible material(s).
• Storing two 55-gallon drums of sodium hydroxide sludge together, in excess of the 55-gallon limit for HazWaste accumulation.
• Failed to provide required HazWaste management training for employees
• Storing HazWaste in a tank not designed for that purpose.
The complaint stemmed from an EPA inspection of the facility in January 2010.
EPA inspections happen all the time, are you and/or your company prepared? Contact Maxi with any questions toll free 1-800-727-MAXI (6294) or email Rick our HazWaste expert here: rick@maxicontainer.com
It is noted in the report that Southern Maine acted quickly in rectifying all of the complaints against them. But I have to ask is being ignorant of state and federal HazWaste laws really worth a $38,250 claim against your company?
For more updates about the EPA follow them on twitter @EPAgov
The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (OEPA) has drafted a new Administrative Code chapter (3745-560) now making it easier to compost. The new regulations include an exclusion from the need to obtain an annual solid waste license. Before, compost facilities have to establish financial assurance but no more, with these changes you can basically DIY and make you own compost facility. Registration and operational requirements would still apply.
You can download the official News Release from the OEPA by clicking here.
Works Cited: Waste and Recycling News, Jan. 24 2011 – Amanda Smith Teutsch
You do not expect a prestigious school to do something so stupid. Drew University, of Madison, N.J ranked as number 79 of the best Colleges by US News and World Reports, was fined $145,000 by the US EPA for not properly managing hazardous waste in 2007. While only 30 miles from Manhattan, Drew University is set in a wooded 160 acres. Despite this pristine setting, the University haphazardly stored dozens of containers of paint, wood stains, enamels and adhesives in a manner that failed to minimize releases to the environment. The containers were stored outside and on the ground. Some were in close proximity to residential housing and a pond and many containers were open and could have easily spilled their contents or leaked into the ground. The University also failed to properly identify discarded materials such as mercury, sulfuric acid, phosphoric acid, formic acid, and nitric acid as hazardous wastes.
Drew University’s problems highlight an important issue. Some of the hazardous materials in question were paint, wood stains, enamels and adhesives. These are items that many of us have around the house or workplace and do not realize are considered hazardous materials. Many other common items, such as window cleaner, radiator fluid, batteries, cleaning supplies and fluorescent light bulbs are also hazardous materials. It is important for all of us, either at home or at work, to learn to recognize hazardous materials and to both store and/or dispose of them properly. This is key to all of our efforts towards sustainability. If you are not sure what items in your home or business are hazardous materials, you can contact either your local recycling authority, your state Environmental Agency or the EPA. Many have educational materials available on their websites.
Drew University could have avoided these problems with one phone call to Maxi Container. We carry a full line of safety cabinets and other facilities management products that are approved for the proper storage of hazardous materials. We also carry a full line of secondary containment products which, if properly used, would have prevented any release into the environment. Maxi also carries numerous lab packing materials, including 20 gallon poly overpacks and vermiculite which would have allowed for disposal of both the maintenance and laboratory hazardous waste in an appropriate manner.
Do not make the same mistake as Drew University. Sustainability includes recognizing hazardous materials both at home and at work and taking steps to manage and dispose of them in an environmentally sustainable manner. Maxi can help! Give us a call toll free 1-800-727-MAXI (6294).
City Year Detroit officially kicked off their recycling initiative at Osborn High School, otherwise called “OPrep” by the students and faculty. OPrep is home to four smaller schools that otherwise would have closed. Now functioning as part of the small school initiative, OPrep also has partnered with City Year Detroit, providing extra-curricular activities and opportunities for the kids. Please check out City Year’s website to see what they do. City Year has chapters in 20 different locations across the country. Maxi was happy to help when City Year Detroit asked for a donation of containers to start recycling paper and plastic bottles in the classroom. Educating the students about the advantages of recycling and reusing materials started the event. There was a short discussion about what they do or don’t recycle. Some of the students had no experience recycling whatsoever; while a couple students currently recycle in their homes. Some had even made trips to the recycling center. Following the discussion there was a short video called The Story of Bottled Water (2010)about the myths of bottled water and how its negative impact on the environment. The students split into three groups. Each group had a different task. The first group went to paint and decorate the bins. The second group played games with recycling oriented themes. The third group made yummy snacks like pizza bagels. The students were excited and engaged in the activities and were thankful for the donation of the fiber drums from Maxi. Maxi really enjoyed teaming up with City Year Detroit and the OPrep students to help promote recycling in the classroom. We only have one planet, lets try not to wear it out. Together we can make a difference. Please support local recycling initiatives in your local area.
Students busy decorating / painting.
It was all smiles for Jamia Daniel and Fantajisa Smelley as they painted.
For more information about Maxi’s involvement with OPrep or any other recycling programs in the Detroit Metro Area, please contact Joshua at 313-891-3880 or send him and email.
Maxi Container, Inc. was recently asked by City Year Detroit if we could spare twenty drums to help them start recycling at Osborn High School. Osborn is part of the Detroit Public Schools (DPS) and Maxi being a local Detroit business jumped at the opportunity to help a local school. Osborn is now functioning as part of DPS’s small school initiative, housing four smaller schools inside of one building, rather than close the school down like many have in Detroit. By integrating these recycling containers into the classrooms, hopefully it will at least get the soda bottles and excess paper properly disposed of for ten classrooms. Joshua Rubin (Creative Director) talked to Deborah Chesser, a Corps Member of City Year Detroit, together we arranged a date and time for the drums to be delivered. Donating these drums was very important to Maxi, so important that our very own Richard Rubin wanted to join us for the drop off, along with our driver Ryan Morris, we all arrived to be greeted by Deborah and her colleague Kiana Miller, both very friendly City Year members. It felt great to know that we finally were there and this exchange was finally happening. We enlisted the help of a few of the students to unload the truck. Two drums will be in ten classrooms, one for paper and one for plastic. The students will decorate the drums and cut holes in the covers to indicate which drum is for paper or plastic. We look forward to getting some pictures of this when they are finished. For now here are some photos of the delivery. Maxi would formally like to say that we are proud to support local recycling efforts like this one. Please find local recycling efforts/projects in your area and get involved!
20 Fiber Drums with Covers & Liners…enough for 10 classrooms to start recycling.
Amonte Gardner (front) and Sharod Britt (back) were very helpful taking the drums into the high school.
Emmit Conner helped us unload the truck. Thank you Emmit!
Rick Rubin (owner) was on site, helping facilitate the exchange.
Maxi is very excited to assist Osborn High School’s recycling efforts!
If you would like to find out more information about City Year or how you can get involved please visit the their website. For specific information on City Year Detroit please clickhere.
If you have any questions about Maxi’s local recycling efforts, comments, questions, or suggestions please feel free to contact Joshua by calling 313-891-3880 or by sending him and email.
Maxi Container was again well represented at this year’s RIPA Annual Conference in Orlando, Fl. Attending from Maxi were Richard Rubin, President of Maxi Container with his wife Gail Bennett. Also attending was our Sales Manager, Bob Vannatter and our Creative Director, Joshua Rubin. The Conference was a huge success with over 200 attendees. There was also several Joint Sessions with the IPANA (the Industrial Packaging Alliance of North America.)
Joshua and Richard made a presentation to RIPA’s Fiber Drum Product Group regarding UN Testing in the reuse through remanufacture of Fiber Drums. Several companies asked to join in next years tests. Only companies that participate in the testing can use the Test results to mark remanufactured fiber drums. Please click here to view our video presentation.
One of the “Hot Topics” of discussion by several speakers is something very familiar to Maxi and our customers. The new trend in international industrial packaging is “Sustainability”, something Maxi and the reconditioning industry has practiced for over 100 years.
Maxi has been collecting used packaging for reuse (through reconditioning) since Charles Rubin opened his first wooden barrel company with his brother Morris in Pittsburgh in the early 1900’s. Over one hundred years later, we are still trying to explain to our customers and vendors that reuse (i.e. reconditioning) saves more money and energy and produces less green house gases than recycling (i.e. scrapping) a container.
The often used slogan is: “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle”. As they stated at the Conference, some new drum manufacturers think that by reducing the thickness of the steel or plastic in their drums that they are promoting sustainability. Their argument is that with a thinner drum, there is less waste at the end of the drum’s useful life. This is at best misguided fuzzy logic and at worst self serving cost savings masquerading as sustainability.
Thinner steel or plastic drums mean that the drum can be reused less times and is scrapped sooner. More energy is used to prepare that drum to be scrapped and to make a new drum, than to recondition a drum for reuse. (See the copy of the Franklin Study on the life cycle of a steel drum by clicking here.) Clearly, the more sustainable option is to make steel and plastic drums that can be cleaned and reconditioned more times.
Maxi also makes sustainability a part of our everyday core values. Our trucks run on Bio-diesel. We recycle our office paper and most of our office personnel use (and reuse) our Maxi Logo Coffee Cups, instead of paper cups or Styrofoam. While I welcome all of our friends and competitors to thinking about sustainability, I can’t help but say, “What took you so long!”
Maxi hopes everyone has a great Thanksgiving this year. We would like to share our monthly newsletter with you please check it out by clicking here.
UPDATE:
Maxi is starting a new section in our monthly newsletter where our customers can send in creative uses they have found for our containers. If you entry is chosen you will be highlighted in our monthly newsletter. We have a couple already but are looking for more. Our drums have been in movies, made into everything from BBQ’s to floating docks and art pieces…we would love to have you send in a photo to show us see what you have done with one of our products. Thank you.
Recently, Maxi Container tested Fiber drums in Chicago, IL. Here is the video to follow, If you are interested in more information about this drop test or future drop tests please contact Rick at 313-891-3880 or email him at rick@maxicontainer.com
Live Green Fair – Ferndale, MI. Sept. 17-19, 2010 from Joshua Rubin on Vimeo. Maxi Container’s office staff were out in full force this weekend, overwhelmed with positive response from the public. We had a great time educating and discussing composting and water conservation with everyone who stopped by. Thank you everyone who purchased a Rain Barrel or Compost Tumbler, Maxi truly appreciates your business. This is the end of the season for Maxi we will see you next spring. (all of our products are available all year on our website) http://www.maxicontainer.com/
Maxi had a very busy day, the streets were crowded.
Panorama of Allen St. off 9 Mile (Location of Live Green Fair)
5th generation Maxi family Jasmine Alene Rubin makes an appearance with her proud mommy Jessie Rivera (wife of Joshua B. Rubin)
Rick Rubin (owner) outside the Maxi Container booth.
The weekend has been packed full of people interested in green living. Maxi had a lot of fun educating the public about water conservation and composting. One more day left, tomorrow (Sunday) should be fun. Enjoy these photos, more to come!
Please watch and enjoy this company profile on Richard Rubin and Maxi Container Inc. about how ThomasNet has helped Maxi’s recent growth and optimize our web presence.
ThomasNet also did a case study about Maxi Container’s success. Please follow the link to view the complete case study.
Please visit our website to see how ThomasNet’s Catalog Navigator is working for Maxi.
Please come out to the Live Green Fair, at the same place and time as the annual Funky Ferndale Art Fest. This year the Live Green Fair will showcase green business and practices to help you live a greener life. Maxi Container is proud to be a part of this event. Please come out and show your support next weekend Sept. 17, 18, & 19.
Maxi Container was at the Summer Home and Garden Expo on Aug. 14th 2010. Selling our very own Terra Cotta Rain Barrel Kit and D.I.Y. Compost Tumbler Kit. Rick Rubin, Owner of Maxi, was summoned by the home improvement radio celebrity Murray Gula to talk about what we are selling here at the Summer Home and Garden Expo.
Rain barrels are a great way to save money and help the environment. Both of these products are previously used food grade barrels. Being green is easy and the advantages are profound. Check out these photos and video. Please come out this weekend and if you can not make it out later today or tomorrow to the Yack Arena in Wyandotte, MI. then contact us at 1-800-727-MAXI (6294) between 7:30 and 3:30 Monday through Friday.
Here is our tent setup with our new Rain Barrel water cycle.
WDFN 1130 Murray Gula interview Rick Rubin of Maxi Container.
