Tuesday, December 11, 2012

Fred Kletke (1918-2012)

Today we said goodbye to a good friend of the MSU Surplus Store & Recycling Center--or, as it was orginially known to him "MSU Salvage." Fred Kletke, born April 7, 1918 in Lansing MI, died December 6, 2012.

Fred was, in large part, responsible for starting Surplus operations at Michigan State University when he would collect  tires and metal for the war efforts during WWII. He was known for always doing what he would call "what’s best for Michigan State." Still, to this day, that is what is instilled in our training. Even after he was unable to drive, he would make the long trek on his motorized scooter chair to visit us.

He was a true Spartan and a true testament to living a good life. He would always tell us that he had "been so blessed." From his many accomplishments, both at Michigan State University and in his everyday life, we can agree. Yes Fred, you have been blessed, and you will be greatly missed but never forgotten.

Click here to watch an interview with Fred we taped last winter.

Written by James Ives

Friday, December 07, 2012

Green Holiday Guide

Make your holidays Spartan Green by following these helpful ideas.

Rethink


Buy Durable, Locally-Produced Products
Many products made today are not meant to last. Think about the long-term use of a product you are about to buy. The cheapest item may not be the least expensive if you have to replace it often.
Tip: Buy a gift card to the Dairy Store and other campus locations from MSU Stores.

Cut Down on Trips
Plan your trips before you leave, and be prepared to purchase all the items you need. Research the availability and price of products you want to purchase to help cut down on time, trips, and gas use.
Tip: An alternative transportation solution is the Zip Car program on campus.

Turn Down the Heat For Your Party
How many times have you been at a party where they had to open a window or door to let excess heat out? Body heat and the warmth generated from food preparation can quickly build up in a home. Turn down the heat in your home prior to guests arriving to conserve energy.


Reduce


Use Fewer Bags 
Approximately 380 billion plastic bags are produced each year. Reuse bags from home or purchase durable tote bags that can be used multiple times.
Tip: Buy an MSU Surplus Store & Recycling reusable shopping bag

Give Handcrafted Gifts 
Reduce waste by making handcrafted gifts from items from around the home or repurposed items from the Surplus Store. 
Tip: Follow us on Pinterest for previews of items at the MSU Surplus Store, as well as DIY and craft ideas.

Give the Gift of Education 
Invest in a future Spartan’s education savings instead of buying material gifts. College Savings Plans are easy to open and contribute to, and they are a great way to provide a lasting impact for a loved one.


Reuse


Buy Rechargeable Batteries
Rechargeable batteries cost a little more up front, but they can be recharged hundreds of times, resulting in big savings over their lifetime. Rechargeable batteries are best used in moderate- to high-use devices such as digital cameras and Wii remotes.
Tip:  When rechargeable batteries do eventually run out, please recycle them. Numerous local businesses and municipalities accept them, enter your address at Call 2 Recycle to find locations in your area.

Be a Surplustomer
There’s no better place to be green than at the MSU Surplus Store, where all of our products are for reuse.

Reuse Packaging Peanuts
If you don't have a way to reuse them yourself, packaging peanuts are collected by UPS, Pak Mail, and others to be reused in the shipping process.
Tip: The City of East Lansing has a list of local locations that accept Styrofoam peanuts. 



Recycle


Live-cut Christmas Trees 
Christmas trees can be chipped and used as mulch around trees and on trails or used to make compost. Most local municipalities accept live-cut trees for recycling.
Tip: Enter your zip code at Earth 911 for a list of local tree recycling locations.

Wrapping Paper
Wrapping paper can be recycled as Mixed Paper at our Public Drop-off Center. Please do not recycle foil-embossed or plastic foil wrapping paper.
Tip: Look for alternative, reusable materials for wrapping gifts, such as fabric, comics, or coloring book pages.

Christmas Cards
Recycle Christmas cards as Mixed Paper at our Public Drop-off Center, and purchase cards made with recycled content. Better yet, eliminate waste by sending electronic greeting cards.
Tip: Buy recycled greeting cards from St. Jude’s Ranch for Children, and donate your old cards to them once the holidays are over.

For more ways to reduce holiday waste, get ideas from EcoCycle, Earth 911, and the EPA.

Thursday, November 08, 2012

Staying Warm, Paying Less


As temperatures are dropping, you may notice your heating and electric bills rising. For those of you looking to keep your living space warm while avoiding increased heating costs this season, try making things “snug” instead. 

Windows, doors, and exterior walls are common places to lose heat. Try adding an extra level of insulation in these areas to block out cold and keep in warmth. Adding weather stripping under doors and windows is an inexpensive way to block drafts, or a rolled-up towel can be used for the same purpose. Covering your windows with a plastic seal is one way to stop drafts. If you don’t want to lose your view, try using duct tape or clear packaging tape to cover just the cracks around the frame instead. 

Some other options for making things “snug” include hanging a vinyl shower curtain between your drapes and the window, hanging quilts or decorative blankets over exterior windows or walls, and keeping doors to exterior rooms and closets shut.

Increasing the humidity in your living space will make it feel warmer, and you can do this without the cost of running a humidifier by placing shallow dishes of water throughout your apartment or home.  As the water evaporates, you only need to refill the dishes every few days.

For other great winter tips, read these suggestions from Consumers Energy and The Daily Green.

Monday, November 05, 2012

2006 Chevy Impala LS - G27


Friday, November 02, 2012

Go Green this weekend

The MSU Football team potentially changed their season by winning at Wisconsin last week. Finishing atop the Legends Division for a second straight year is still a long-shot, but beating Nebraska on Saturday could make it a bit more realistic.

Regardless of the outcome on the field, MSU can still win the Game Day Challenge, a national recycling competition to see who can be the greenest on game day. Over 70 schools are competing, including 8 of the 12 Big Ten universities, as well as CMU and Grand Valley. We were originally scheduled to compete on Homecoming, but the rain kept us from having a chance. Instead, when The Sea of Red invades East Lansing this weekend, let's show them how we GO GREEN! Keep an eye out for student-athlete volunteers across campus, and please do your best to recycle at and around Spartan Stadium.

Tuesday, October 23, 2012

2009 Ford Focus SE - L10


Friday, October 19, 2012

Tuesday, October 16, 2012

2010 Chevy Malibu - M50


Regular Hours Return

Alas, all good things must come to an end, and we have finally returned to our regular hours as of this Monday, October 15th.

Public Sale is Tuesdays from 7:30am-5:30pm and Fridays from 7:30am-3:30pm. We are still open Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays from 12pm-3:30pm for MSU departments to make purchases (with EBS account only) and for the public to preview items that will be available the following sale day. If you have questions, feel free to ask via Facebook or Twitter

Friday, October 05, 2012

William Henry Drake drawings

The Sacred Tori

Monkeys of IndiaWilliam Henry Drake illustrated the first edition of Rudyard Kipling's beloved "The Jungle Book.” After studying art at the Julien Academy in Paris, Drake went on to become an illustrator for Harper’s and other periodicals. Most recognized for his drawings of animals and nature scenes, especially big cats, Drake’s work was highly-sought after at the end of the 19th Century. The collection of drawings we have available are from a manuscript of a never-published book he was planning, titled “A Trip Around the World.” On some of the drawings, it is possible to see attempts at correction and alteration, even partial shading that was left unfinished. Check back to this space in the coming weeks to see the rest of this unique collection, and check out the online listing to read more about “The Sacred Tori” and “Monkeys of India.”

Thursday, October 04, 2012

Tuesday, October 02, 2012

Community Reuse Days

October 8-13, 2012


Monday to Friday 7am to 3pm and Saturday 9am to 1 pm


The MSU Surplus Store & Recycling Center strives to engage the community by providing sustainable solutions for the disposal of unwanted materials.  By partnering with the University community, we are able to advance waste reduction initiatives and promote environmental stewardship.

MSU Community Reuse Days are an opportunity for students, faculty, staff and alumni to take an active role in helping develop sustainable solutions by dropping off unwanted household items to the Surplus Store.  All material collected is resold, reused or recycled and the proceeds from the sale of re-sellable items helps support our efforts to increase materials collected from campus and the community

As a result of past Community Reuse Days, we’ve been able to expand recycling opportunities of colored glass (all colors accepted) at the Recycling Drop-off Center and implement a pilot polystyrene (Styrofoam) recycling program on campus.  We are currently looking into solutions for recycling alkaline batteries.

Community Reuse Days are held each fall and spring.  Upcoming days are October 8 through the 13th.  Hours are Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. and on Saturday 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Materials Accepted:

  • E-waste and household electronics:
    • Personal computers, keyboards and mouses, TV's, monitors, telephones, cell phones, laptops, VCR's, printers, scanners, microwaves, copy machines and small items such as coffee makers, vacuums and toasters.
  • Good, usable furniture (no mattresses)
  • Sporting goods including bicycles and exercise equipment
  • Books, magazines, DVD's and CD's
  • Scrap metal
  • Appliances
  • Holiday decorations
  • Knick knacks and trinkets
  • Kitchen items
  • Styrofoam (Polystyrene)

Not Currently Accepted:

  • Hazadous waste
  • Alkaline batteries
  • Chemicals
  • Cleaning Supplies
  • Mattresses
  • Clothing
  • Modular Furniture Panels
Unloading assistance will be provided and we will be offering free paper shredding. Community Reuse Days are for personal use only. Businesses are encouraged to contact one of the many e-waste recycling providers in the mid-Michigan area.

Styrofoam (Polystyrene) Collection

Please place Styrofoam in a clear plastic bag.  Please rinse off and remove food waste.
Acceptable items include:
  • Foam cups and containers.
  • Foam egg cartons
  • Foam trays
  • Most packaging foam – molded forms and shapes
  • Bulk packaging foam used in computers, electronics, etc.
  • Packaging peanuts (bag separately from other foam)
We cannot accept:
  • Process flame-retardant material (i.e. pink or blue insulation foam)
  • Expanded plastic packaging material (a sponge-like material that resembles foam)

Thursday, September 20, 2012

Friday Find-it for 9/21/12

It's time for this week's Friday Find-it! Find Jabber Jaw in the picture to win.

Click here for details and instructions



Click here to view a full-size copy of the image. Click the image for a lower-resolution copy to download.

Submissions are due by 6pm on Tuesday, September 25. Feel free to write to us if you have questions. Good luck!

Friday Find-it Prize #4


I've been running out of places to hide Jabber Jaw, so this prize is going to be an easy one. We've got a handful of the 3"x5" postcards commemorating the MSC smokestack, and you only have to find JJ in one picture to win.

Just as a reminder, here's how:

  1. Watch for a link to the “Friday Find-it” link to be posted on Twitter and Facebook at 2:30pm on Friday
  2. Save a copy of the image onto your computer
  3. Find Jabber Jaw
  4. Put a circle around him using Paint, PhotoShop, or an online image editor like Pixlr
  5. Send the image (with Jabber Jaw circled) back to us in a Facebook message
  6. Come to the MSU Surplus Store during open hours to claim your prize!
Good luck!

Friday, September 14, 2012

Friday Find-it for 9/14/12

It's time for this week's Friday Find-it! Find Jabber Jaw in all the pictures to win.

Click here for details and instructions



Click here to view a full-size copy of Image 1. Click the image for a lower-resolution copy to download.




Click here to view a full-size copy of Image 2. Click the image for a lower-resolution copy to download.




Click here to view a full-size copy of Image 3. Click the image for a lower-resolution copy to download.


Submissions are due by 6pm on Tuesday, September 18. Feel free to write to us if you have questions. Good luck!

Thursday, September 13, 2012

MSU Bikes fix-it station

To go along with MSU's recognition as a Bicycle Friendly University, MSU Bikes has installed a new cyclist-friendly Dero fix-it station outside their service center in Bessey Hall.

The station's arms allow a bike to be hung by its seat or frame, giving the user easier access to the parts without having to squat or kneel. An air pump, wrenches, hex keys, screwdrivers, and other maintenance tools are either attached or built right in, so most basic repairs can be handled without assistance at any time, day or night.

MSU has been working consistently to promote more sustainable transportation options, and more of these stations could be installed as bike traffic on campus continues to increase.

Friday, September 07, 2012

Friday Find-it for 9/7/12

It's time for this week's Friday Find-it! Find Jabber Jaw in all the pictures to win.

Click here for details and instructions



Click here to view a full-size copy of Image 1. Click the image for a lower-resolution copy to download.




Click here to view a full-size copy of Image 2. Click the image for a lower-resolution copy to download.




Click here to view a full-size copy of Image 3. Click the image for a lower-resolution copy to download.


Submissions are due by 6pm on Tuesday, September 11. Feel free to write to us if you have questions. Good luck!

Thursday, September 06, 2012

Outdoor plants and compost


It's getting to be about that time, when there are just enough warm days left to really work on your landscaping before it gets risky. We just got in around 250 outdoor plants, each including care and species details. They are $19 each and come in 3 gallon planters. Click here to see more pictures.

We also have vermicompost for $2.50/lb (limited time only) and pelletized compost in 20 lbs bags for $20 and 7 lbs shakers for $12.50

Friday, August 31, 2012

Friday Find-it for 8/31/12

It's time for this week's Friday Find-it! Find Jabber Jaw in all the pictures to win.

Click here for details and instructions



Click here to view a full-size copy of Image 1. Click the image for a lower-resolution copy to download.




Click here to view a full-size copy of Image 2. Click the image for a lower-resolution copy to download.




Click here to view a full-size copy of Image 3. Click the image for a lower-resolution copy to download.


Submissions are due by 6pm on Tuesday, September 4. Feel free to write to us if you have questions. Good luck!

Thursday, August 30, 2012

How to get rid of junk

Original labeled for reuse

Having more stuff than space can be a real problem. Here are your best options, in order:

1. Reuse or repurpose
Thanks to Pinterest, the world is full of more DIY and craft ideas than ever. In a lot of cases, transforming something doesn't even involve work, just re-thinking the way something can be useful.

2. Donate or share
If it's something you really don't want, or don't have space for, give it to someone else! If you don't have a friend, relative, coworker, or random acquaintance who could make use of your stuff, and you're associated with MSU (faculty, staff, student, alumni, retiree), you can take advantage of our Community Reuse Days, coming up October 8-13. If you're not associated with MSU in any way, you can still donate items to Goodwill, Salvation Army, or other consignment shops in the area.

3. Recycle or compost
The MSU Recycling Drop-off Center accepts pretty much every material except food, paper towels and napkins, and polystyrene (Styrofoam). Most food waste and paper products are compostable, and we will be collecting polystyrene at the next Community Reuse Days.

4. Landfill
If you're really, really, really sure the item can't be repurposed, donated, or recycled, throwing it away is an absolute last resort.

Friday, August 24, 2012

Friday Find-it for 8/24/12

It's time for this week's Friday Find-it! Find Jabber Jaw in all the pictures to win.

Click here for details and instructions




Click here to view a full-size copy of Image 1. Click the image for a lower-resolution copy to download.




Click here to view a full-size copy of Image 2. Click the image for a lower-resolution copy to download.




Click here to view a full-size copy of Image 3. Click the image for a lower-resolution copy to download.


Submissions are due by 6pm on Tuesday, August 28. Feel free to write to us if you have questions. Good luck!

Thursday, August 23, 2012

Friday Find-it Prize #3

Spartan teams have begun practicing across campus, students are moving in, and the days are already getting just a little shorter. Of course, when it came time to pick the next Friday Find-it prize, we had MSU Football on our minds!

The third Friday Find-it prize is a Spartan football helmet decoration, which was released to commemorate the 100th game between Michigan State and that team with the ugly uniforms. Coincidentally, that game was also the last time the Weasels beat the Spartans, but that's neither here nor there.

Just as a reminder, here's how to win:

  1. Watch for a link to the “Friday Find-it” images to be posted on Twitter and Facebook at 2:30pm on Friday
  2. Save a copy of each image onto your computer
  3. Find Jabber Jaw
  4. Put a circle around him using Paint, PhotoShop, or an online image editor like Pixlr
  5. Send the image (with Jabber Jaw circled) back to us in a Facebook message
  6. Come to the MSU Surplus Store during open hours to claim your prize!
Good luck, and GO GREEN!

Thursday, August 16, 2012

Friday Find-it for 8/17/12

It's time for this week's Friday Find-it! Find Jabber Jaw in all the pictures to win.

Click here for details and instructions



Click here to view a full-size copy of Image 1. Click the image for a lower-resolution copy to download.



Click here to view a full-size copy of Image 2. Click the image for a lower-resolution copy to download.



Click here to view a full-size copy of Image 3. Click the image for a lower-resolution copy to download.

Submissions are due by 6pm on Tuesday, August 21. Feel free to write to us if you have questions. Good luck!

Thursday, August 09, 2012

Friday Find-it for 8/10/12

It's time for Friday Find-it: Recycling Edition, as this week's photos are from the MSU Recycling side of the facility. Find Jabber Jaw in all the pictures to win!

Click here for details and instructions



Click here to view a full-size copy of Image 1. Click the image for a lower-resolution copy to download.



Click here to view a full-size copy of Image 2. Click the image for a lower-resolution copy to download.



Click here to view a full-size copy of Image 3. Click the image for a lower-resolution copy to download.

Submissions are due by 6pm on Tuesday, August 14. Feel free to write to us if you have questions. Good luck!

Introducing: Go Green rewards!

By shopping at the Surplus Store and using the Public Drop-off Center, you guys are supporting our reuse, repurposing, and recycling efforts at an incredible rate. With your help, last year MSU Surplus Store & Recycling diverted at least 10 million pounds of items and materials from the landfill. We think that's a big deal, and we want to give something back to those of you who helped.

You may have noticed that we've already started giving away prizes... we've been handing out MSU Dairy Store ice cream coupons at the Drop-off Center on busy days, we asked for Before and After photos two weeks ago, and many of you have already participated in the Friday Find-it challenges. Sometime this fall, we will incorporate all of these and other opportunities (including volunteer events) into chances to earn these and other rewards, such as MSU collectibles, apparel, and exclusive on-campus experiences.

In the meantime, keep up the good work! We will continue to give out prizes until the program is officially launched, so be on the lookout for those chances weekly. Follow @MSU_Recycling on Twitter for hints regarding the days and times we'll be handing out ice cream coupons.

If you're in an MSU department that would like to get involved with the Go Green rewards program, please contact us.

Friday, August 03, 2012

Friday Find-it for 8/3/12

It's time for our the Friday Find-it giveaway, and we've got a new prize starting this week. Find Jabber Jaw in all the pictures to win!

Click here for details and instructions



Click here to view a full-size copy of Image 1. Click the image for a lower-resolution copy to download.



Click here to view a full-size copy of Image 2. Click the image for a lower-resolution copy to download.



Click here to view a full-size copy of Image 3. Click the image for a lower-resolution copy to download.

Submissions are due by 6pm on Tuesday, August 7. Feel free to write to us if you have questions. Good luck!

Wednesday, August 01, 2012

Send us your reuse ideas!

As you know, we really like to push the Reduce, Reuse, Recycle mantra around here. We love to see the items we sell (or anything, really) reused or repurposed in creative ways. If you've been to the store in the past few months, you probably saw our Reuse slideshow on the Surplus TV. Now's your chance to get in on it!

As you start your next project, take some Before photos of the raw materials, and send them along with some After photos when you're done. If your project is already finished and on display, just send us a photo of your art, DIY, or household creativity along with a list of what you used and how. We'll start incorporating them into the Surplus TV slideshow right away, and in the future you'll be able to earn points toward Surplus Store & Recycling rewards! If you're stuck, or don't know where to start, check our "Great reuse/repurpose ideas" board on Pinterest. If you have great ideas, but you're not very crafty, just send us a set of instructions--maybe someone else will like your idea enough to give it a try!

Tuesday, July 31, 2012

Friday Find-it Prize #2

Congrats to the 32 winners who won our first prize, the MSU CD bundle! Now it's time to announce the next prize for the Friday Find-it giveaway:

We've got 15 copies of then-College Historian Madison Kuhn's Michigan State: The First Hundred Years, which was published in 1955 for the University's centennial.

The book holds roughly 500 pages of MAC, MSC, and MSU history. It starts with Michigan settlers crossing the Erie Canal in 1825, and it continues through the post-war boom, acceptance into the Big Ten, the 1954 Rose Bowl, and Michigan State achieving University status. This is definitely a collector's item for any true Spartan fan!

Anyone can enter, including those who won Prize #1, but you can only win one of each prize. However, feel free to enter each week--it's not just a contest, it's also fun!

For those of you who are just tuning in, here are the steps again for winning the Friday Find-it prizes:

  1. Save a copy of each image onto your computer
  2. Find Jabber Jaw
  3. Put a circle around him using Paint, PhotoShop, or an online image editor like Pixlr
  4. Send the image (with Jabber Jaw circled) back to us in a Facebook message
  5. Come to the Surplus Store during open hours to claim your prize

Good luck!

Thursday, July 26, 2012

Friday Find-it for 7/27/12

It's time for our the Friday Find-it giveaway! Can you find Jabber Jaw in all the pictures?

Click here for details and instructions



Click here to view a full-size copy of Image 1. Click the image for a lower-resolution copy to download.



Click here to view a full-size copy of Image 2. Click the image for a lower-resolution copy to download.



Click here to view a full-size copy of Image 3. Click the image for a lower-resolution copy to download.

Submissions are due by 6pm on Tuesday, July 31. Feel free to write to us if you have questions. Good luck!

Friday, July 20, 2012

Friday Find-it for 7/20/12

It's time for our the Friday Find-it giveaway! Can you find Jabber Jaw in all the pictures?

Click here for details and instructions


Click here to view a full-size copy of Image 1. Click the image for a lower-resolution copy to download.


Click here to view a full-size copy of Image 2. Click the image for a lower-resolution copy to download.


Click here to view a full-size copy of Image 3. Click the image for a lower-resolution copy to download.

Submissions are due by 6pm on Tuesday, July 24. Feel free to write to us if you have questions. Good luck!

Friday, July 13, 2012

Friday Find-it for 7/13/12

It's time for our the Friday Find-it giveaway, Friday the 13th edition! Can you find Jabber Jaw in all the pictures?

Click here for details and instructions

Click here to view a full-size copy of Image 1. Click the image for a lower-resolution copy to download.

Click here to view a full-size copy of Image 2. Click the image for a lower-resolution copy to download.

Click here to view a full-size copy of Image 3. Click the image for a lower-resolution copy to download.

Submissions are due by 6pm on Tuesday, July 17. Feel free to write to us if you have questions. Good luck!

Thursday, July 05, 2012

Friday Find-it for 7/6/12

It's time for our next Friday Find-it giveaway! Can you find Jabber Jaw in all the pictures?

Click here for details and instructions

Click here to view a full-size copy of Image 1. Click the image for a lower-resolution copy to download.

Click here to view a full-size copy of Image 2. Click the image for a lower-resolution copy to download.

Click here to view a full-size copy of Image 3. Click the image for a lower-resolution copy to download.

Submissions are due by 6pm on Tuesday, July 10. Feel free to write to us if you have questions. Good luck!

Thursday, June 28, 2012

Friday Find-it for 6/29/12

It's time for our next Friday Find-it giveaway! Can you find Jabber Jaw in all the pictures?

Click here for details and instructions

Click here to view a full-size copy of Image 1. Click the image for a lower-resolution copy to download.

Click here to view a full-size copy of Image 2. Click the image for a lower-resolution copy to download.

Click here to view a full-size copy of Image 3. Click the image for a lower-resolution copy to download.

Submissions are due by 6pm on Tuesday, July 3. Feel free to write to us if you have questions. Good luck!