The Refinishing Touch Blog

As a company we've always been involved in organizations and associations that drive change and communicate new processes. In line with this our Founder and President, Mario Insenga, has served as a Board member for the General Services Administration (GSA) Quality Partnership Council, a role which he has held for two years.

This week Mario travelled up to Capitol Hill in his capacity as acting chair so he could attend and MC the council's March meeting. The meeting sees GSA departments come together to discuss and collaborate on a range of activities from green initiatives to the Trade Agreements Act. He's come back to Georgia encouraged and motivated by the meetings, ideas and enthusiasm of everyone involved.

Mario also returned with a new award to add to The Refinishing Touch's collection: as on Wednesday, the GSA awarded him with an 'Outstanding Service Award' in recognition of his contribution.

We are thrilled with Mario's recognition by the GSA, (which is the second GSA award we've won!) and proud that The Refinishing Touch is reminding Washington of our core message: reduce, reuse and recycle.

Labels: government, GSA, Recycle, Reduce, Reuse

Here at the Refinishing Touch we live by the three Rs: Reduce, Recycle and Reuse. We applaud any company that supports and encourages consumers to think how to be more sustainable in their everyday lives.

So our sustainability hats off to Best Buy Inc. which has just stretched its electronics-recycling program to cover its 1,006 U.S. stores nationwide. The Richfield-based consumer-electronics retailer began testing this initiative across eight states last June. In February it expanded to cover 50 states, and Kelly Groehlerto, spokeswoman for the program, has stated the company plans to extend the plan into Puerto Rico.

How does it work? Customers simply bring their old electronics, including televisions and monitors up to 32 inches, desktop and notebook computers, small electronics, VCRs, DVD players and phones, as well as accessories such as keyboards, mice and remotes back to any Best Buy store in the US for recycling.

The company will be charging a $10 recycling fee for items with screens, including televisions, laptops and monitors. Though customers who bring those items will receive a $10 Best Buy gift card in exchange for the recycling fee. This charge is exempt in California and for all Best Buy store-branded products, such as Insignia, Dynex and VPR Matrix.

Here at The Refinishing Touch, we sincerely hope to see this trend continue to cover other consumer products. Simple ideas like this allow ordinary Americans to effortlessly incorporate recycling into their everyday lives.

Labels: Best Buy, electronics, Recycle, Reduce, Reuse, Sustainability

A decade ago environmentalists and green advocates worked hard to make people listen to them.

Today it seems the world looks through green-tinted glasses even in economically tough times. As President Obama stood up this week and declared "We will recover" in his historical first speech to Congress, one of the areas he called out was for Congress to pass a climate change bill to drive the production of more renewable energy and a market-based cap on carbon pollution.

From across the board plans for new energy sources and transportation reform through to targeted rewards for individuals to think and act green in everyday life, the new Government is helping citizens to examine their lifestyle choices and to consider the impact we each have on the environment.

Here at The Refinishing Touch, it is no secret that we've been walking the green road since we were founded in 1977. It's the nature of our business and our belief that innovation and dedication can create new environmentally-friendly ways of doing things that were once environmentally damaging.

To us, this isn't a trend, it's a belief. Next week, we're going to be looking at some of the old ways of doing things and how creativity and technology can ensure "Reduce, Reuse and Recycle": three cornerstones of being green and of our mission here at The Refinishing Touch.

Labels: "Reduce, Environment, Green, Recycle", Reuse