Blog Posts

Surprising Things You Can Recycle in Puyallup

Its always a great idea to save and recycle anything you can. Most of us know about basic recyclablesthings like paper, metal, and plastic. But if youre looking for a little more that you can do to help the environment, here are a few items that most people dont know that they can recycle: Holiday lights it doesnt matter what holiday theyre from; if youve got a strand of burnt-out old lights, the folks at HolidayLEDs are eager to have them. You can simply mail them in, and they will shred them up and sort out the recyclable PVC, glass, and copper to be used for something new. Mattresses because of their size, mattresses can often be difficult to dispose of. Fortunately, services such as 1-800-GOT-JUNK are happy to take old mattresses off of your hands. Recycling factories can separate the wood, metal, foam, and cloth to be used in various recycled products. CDs because theyre made of polycarbonate, CDs wont decompose in a landfill. But you can send them to The CD Recycling Center, where theyll be shredded and then malted down to be used in automotive and building materials, or could even become part of the pavement in the roads you drive on! Shoes there are plenty of charities that take gently-used shoes to be given to those in need. But what about your shoes that have almost fallen apart from wear? Send them to Nike Grind, where theyll be ripped apart for re-use. The rubber is melted down for running track surfaces, the foam is converted into tennis court cushioning, and the fabric is used to pad basketball court floorboards. So far, theyve shredded over twenty-eight million pairs of shoes. Crayons do you have a box full of broken, worn-down nubs of crayons? Send them to the National Crayon Recycle center, where theyll be melted down, remade, and resold. The program has saved over forty-seven thousand pounds of crayons. Roofing Materials you might not be worried about roofing materials here at Canyon Park, but if the day comes where you find yourself with a pile of old roofing materials, make sure you recycle them! Most roofing materialsincluding tile, shingles, asphalt, wood, clay, aluminum, and steelcan be recycled. Fishing Line fishing line is specifically designed not to biodegrade, so that it will endure years of use in harsh conditions. However, that also means that it cant be recycled in normal recycling bins. Instead, you can send it in to Berkley Fishing, where they will recycle the material (along with other recyclables) into fish-friendly habitats. Wine Corks companies like Terracycle and Yemm and Hart can turn your old wine corks into tile for flooring, walls, and veneer. Another company, Recork, passes them along to Canadian sandal maker SOLE. Pantyhose most pantyhose are made of nylon, which can take over forty years to decompose. But if you send them in to No Nonsense, they will grind them up into all sorts of new productpark benches, playground equipment, carpet, and even toys. Were sure theres lots of other surprising things in your Puyallup apartment that can be recycled. If you know of any, let us know in the comments. If we get enough, we can do another article to let everyone know.

Point Defiance Zoo Aquarium near Puyallup

The achievements that humankind has attained are truly remarkableour ability to create, to invent, and to adapt our environment to our needs is unparalleled. Its difficult to stand in a city, to look at the intricate workings of the machines that carry us from place to place or the complex designs of the computers in our pockets, and not be impressed by our many creations. However, living as we do in the society weve built, we rarely get the opportunity to witness, understand, and experience the other creatures with which we share this world. Fortunately, there are opportunities to experience wildlife around us, and one of the best near Puyallup is the Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium. The PDZA was first built in 1905; since then, it has expanded to include hundreds of animals in numerous exhibits. Attractions include the Asian Forest Sanctuary, which houses tigers, elephants, clouded leopards, and other Asian animals; Rocky Shores, which serves as home to horbor seals, Pacific walruses, sea otters and puffinscreatures of the coast; Arctic Tundra, whose denizens include muskoxen, reindeer, polar bears, Arctic foxes, and other cold-weather animals; the Aquariums, which house various creatures from the Pacific Ocean, such as rockfish, octopuses, and various sharks; an artificial tide pool; a Magellanic penguin habitat, and a Red Wolf conservatory. In addition to all these exhibits, PDZA also features a large kids zone, featuring dozens of fascinating creatures from every animal kingdom, play structures, and a petting zoo. The Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium hosts frequent evens, including discussions with the zoo keepers and animal feedings. Guests are also invited to adopt animals, allowing them to support animal care, wildlife conservation, and education programs at the zoo. For information on prices, hours, and a full calendar of events, check out their website here .

Seattle Underground Tour near Puyallup

When Seattle was founded in the 1850s, it was built on the muddy, frequently-flooded ground of the Puget Soundbecause it was the only horizontal land the settlers could find for miles. The city was dirty and sometimes downright dangerous, with deep mud and seepage that could swallow dogs and small children whole. Things grew even worse with the advent of indoor plumbingtwice a day when the tides came in, the sewers filled up and overflowed the citys toilets. Then, in 1889, a young carpenters apprentice let his unattended glue boil over onto some wood chips. The resultant fire consumed a good twenty-five blocks of the central business district. The settlers decided that if they were going to rebuild, they were going to build from brick and stone, and they would do it above the mud and muck. So, new streets were built on retaining walls at least eight feet high. New buildings, still at ground level, replaced the old; eventually, their ground floors became basements as new sidewalks bridged the gaps between the raised streets and the second stories of buildings. Over time, the neighborhood fell into disrepute, business and the city center moved elsewhere, and the old below-street buildings and sidewalks were forgotten. Then, in 1954, a publicist named Bill Speidel became interested in restoring that neighborhood, Pioneer Square. Moved by rumors of a hidden underground city and the promptings of his wife, Speidel convinced his friends in the newspapers to support his cause. The newspapers called for Pioneer Square to be preserved and restored, and cited the rumors of the underground city as a way to spark public interest. So overwhelming was the response from the public that Speidel was encouraged to go search for the underground; to his surprise, he found that the rumors were true. Speidel began running tours of the underground, and the City Council eventually adopted an ordinance naming Pioneer Square a protected Historic District. The underground was preserved, and today you can still go on Bill Speidels Underground Tour, an entertaining walk through the Seattle Underground filled with humorous stories of the areas past and Speidels well-known wit and charm. Pioneer Square is in the heart of Seattle, around forty minutes from Canyon Park apartments in Puyallup. It would be a shame to live so close and never see this fascinating and entertaining bit of history! Check out the tours website here .

Biking To Work From Your Puyallup Apartment

Biking to work is a great way to take advantage of the great weather in Puyallup and to do your part to keep the environment a little cleaner. We don't want your biking to have any problems, so weve compiled a list of ways you can make your commute more enjoyable, more convenient, and more safe and sound. Tuning Your Bike Before you put your bike through the works, youll want to make sure its safe enough to ride. Plan on stopping by your local bike shop to have them prep your faithful steed. By utilizing one of their accredited bike mechanics, youll be able to make sure you have the right tires and gear to get to and from your destination. If you dont have a bike, youll be able to ask them to help you find the bike thats perfect for your commute. Researching Your Route If this is your first time biking to work, you might not know how to find the right route. Thankfully, someones already done most of the research for you. Google Maps includes a comprehensive list of nearly every bicycle-friendly road. By utilizing their street view, youll be able to preview your road of choice. We would also recommend taking a test ride with a friendto and from workto make sure you feel confident enough for the wonderful rides ahead. As a general rule of thumb, its best to utilize roads with wide shoulders, protected bike lanes, and less busy roads. Working Up To The Task Your first ride to and from work might take the wind out of you if youre not used to the extra exercise. But dont give up! Its going to take a little while to get used to the learning curve, so feel free to take your time. Leave early enough so you dont have to rush, and start out by commuting a few days a week until you can commit to more.

Racing and Jogging in Puyallup

Which is healthier, running a 5k or jogging around the block? a bit of a trick question. Whether youre in a 5K or just going for a jog around the block, the health benefits of both come down to how often youre runningand for how long. Recently, a surprising study showed that slower runners actually tended to live longer than both those who didnt exercise and those who were faster. In fact, those who run too fast usually have about the same lifespan as those who went without a weekly run. And while there is still more research to be done to determine how reliable the research is, it might be reassuring for those that feel intimidated by strenuous exercise. So while we wait for the results, whats the real takeaway? Its important to pace yourself as you run. If you have your heart set on preparing for your first 5K, remember you can get thereand even participate in the racein a way that doesnt overdo whats really the best for your health. To make sure you pace yourself, youll want to stick to a week-by-week plan that gradually helps you work up to your target distance. Youll also want to make sure you have the following figured out: 1. Know What to Wear Having the right outfit can be a big motivator to help you commit to your 5K goal. Most importantly, make sure you have the right pair of running shoes and comfortable running socks. We recommend going to a specialized running store to find the shoe thats right for your foot. There are also different websites that help you find a more tailored option based on your running experience, previous injuries, and body type. 2. Know How to Run Having the right technique will make sure your run is far less tiring, injury free, and more enjoyable. The first rule of thumb? Make sure your foot doesnt ever strike the ground with your heel or forefoot first. Landing on the middle of your foot is usually the smartest way to avoid unnecessary strain or fatigue. Its also important that your foot isnt landing in front of you. Instead, make sure your feet fall just below your hips as you run. For more tips on improving your form, Runners World and ChiRunning both have comprehensive lists. Puyallup is full of great places to run and great races. Let us know about some of your favorites in the comments!

Making a Home Theater In Your Puyallup Apartment

Have you been wanting to take that courageous first step of making your own apartment home theater? If youre one of the brave souls that wants the entertainment ecosystem you fully deserve, you might not know where to start. Add to that the desire to keep things under budget, and maybe that wonderful dream of yours starts to slip away. But hold on a sec! Thanks to trending DIY hackery, that dream is now more feasible than ever. So where should you go to map out your master plan? Here are the websites we would use if we were you: 1. IKEA Hackers IKEA is well known for their stylish and modular furniture thats sold at affordable rates. And youre not the only one thats seen the inner Lego in their design. This website is perfect for taking advantage of the hidden flexible nature of even their available furniture. Whether you want to turn a bookcase into a projector mount, or transform a coffee table into a speaker stand, a simple search on their site will provide you with some highly useful results. 2. Instructables Looking for something outside the realm of IKEA? This site provides a more comprehensive and multidisciplinary approach. Everything from acoustic panels to projector shelves is featured on this site . And because its a part of the DIY scene, most of their projects often utilize items you might already have in your home. Plus, once youre done with your theater, youll even be able to find the perfect recipe to accompany you on your theaters maiden voyage. If youre looking for tips on how to set up projectors, speakers, and what to look for in equipment, lists like this can also be resourceful. Just remember to take out any of their suggestions that wouldnt work in your apartment! Do any of you have experience with building your own theater in your Puyallup apartment? What tips and tricks worked best for you? What advice do you have for our readers? Be sure to let us know in the comments below!