Book donations for schools

As we continue to sort through the thousands of pounds of books we receive from campus, the libraries, and the Drop-off Center, we decided to start donating children's books to public schools.

This will be on first-come, first-served and as-needed bases. These books are intended to be used in the classrooms and will range in condition, age group, and sizes. We will deliver approximately 300 pounds of books to each school, and teachers and administrators will have one week to sort and select the books they want to keep. At the end of that week, we will pickup the remainder.

More details, as well as opportunities for registration, will be announced soon.

Book stock rotation returns

Now that we've finally made it through 60,000-80,000 pounds of books (sorted, sold, recycled), we can settle back into the regular stock rotation that we had last year. There are four sections of books on the sales floor, and the oldest selection will be replaced each Public Sale day. The two-week cycle will look something like this (the colors and order may vary):

Tuesday: Blue mark ($2/book), Green mark ($1/book), Purple mark (50 cents/book), Orange mark (10 cents/pound)
Friday: New Orange ($2/book), Blue ($1/book), Green (50 cents/book), Purple (10 cents/pound), old Orange (chopped, recycled)
Tuesday: New Purple ($2/book), Orange ($1/book), Blue (50 cents/book), Green (10 cents/pound), old Purple (chopped, recycled)
Friday: New Green ($2/book), Purple ($1/book), Orange (50 cents/book), Blue (10 cents/pound), old Green (chopped, recycled)
Tuesday: New Blue ($2/book), Green ($1/book), Purple (50 cents/book), Orange (10 cents/pound), old Blue (chopped, recycled)

And so on. The rotation started this week, so what's left of the $2 books after tomorrow will be $1 each on Tuesday. This allows us to constantly put out new books, while still having a bulk per-pound selection for the best deals.

"What's with the skull?"

January 19th marked the one-year anniversary of when Jabber Jaw started appearing in all of the pictures of Sales Floor items for the social media. In that time, he's received reactions ranging from love to hate to utter confusion. So, not that this is an exhaustive list of answers, but here are some things I've been meaning to say on his behalf:

1. Jabber Jaw is in the photos for size reference.
2. He's about 8.5" tall, 4" wide, and 5" deep.
3. He is not a rock.
4. He is not for sale, nor does he come with any of the items pictured.
5. As far as we know, he is not related to the cartoon shark that plays drums for The Neptunes.
6. Extensive searching seems to indicate that he originally captured voice recordings then played them back while moving his mouth.
7. Unfortunately, he has not done that, or much of anything, in the time that we've had him.
8. In fact, he's mostly held together by super glue (and he's missing a few more teeth) these days.
9. Because of that, it would not be safe to keep him out in the open on Public Sale days, no matter how gentle you swear you'll be.
10. In case of an emergency, or perhaps retirement, we do have another skull set aside (who still needs a name--suggestions?).
11. Barring one of those scenarios, he's not going away, no matter how weird you think he is.
12. Primarily, that's because the number of people who love him outnumber the people who dislike him about 3-to-1.
13. Although he's not always a pleasure to look at, he's much more fun than a ruler.
14. We'll resume the Friday Find-it photo hunts again in the spring.
15. And most importantly: Thank you! The people of the Surplus Store are a unique bunch, and you guys make this job fun.

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

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.

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.

2006 Chevy Impala LS - G27

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.