Hard to believe that tomorrow is November 1st already.  That means it is nearly time to put the clocks back and to start thinking about the holidays. But first let’s do some good with all that extra Halloween candy.  Here are two great ideas:

Smiles Change Lives® (SCL) is a national nonprofit organization that provides orthodontic treatment for children from low-income families. The 2010 Candy Exchange is a program to donate excess candy to help raise funds to help low-income kids in our area get braces.

Candy Collection Locations:

Kansas City:

November 6th, 9 am – Noon, Burleson Orthodontics
4151 N. Mulberry Drive, Suite 210, Kansas City, MO 64116
(816) 741-5311

Lenexa:

November 2nd, 8am- 5 pm at Hannah Orthodontics
7505 Quivira, Lenexa, KS 66216
(913) 268-5559

Olathe:

November 3rd 8 am – 5 pm at Hannah Orthodontics
1441 E. 151st Street, Olathe, KS 66062
(913) 829-8866

Overland Park:
November 1st, 8 am -5 pm at Hechler Orthodontics
12800 Metcalf Avenue, Overland Park, KS  66213
(913) 469-6086

Operation Gratitude is another charity that collects supplies and makes care packages for American soldiers overseas. 

Local Collection Areas:

Olathe/Overland Park:

Smiles Dentistry for Kids- giving away an iPod Nano
14700 Metcalf Ave, Suite 110
Overland Park, KS 66223
(913) 871-1170

Klein Orthodontics  
8631 W. 150th, Suite 102
Overland Park, KS
(913) 681-8138

Olathe Office
975 N. Mur-Len Rd. #C
Olathe, KS                                     
(913) 829-4466

Halloween is tomorrow.  Americans spend nearly $2 billion on candy.  I can’t help but thinking how that money can be spent on better things. And although it is such a fun family day why do we spend money on one of the most unhealthy things for our kids? But that’s another story.  

We were explaining to the kids last night that in “the old days” people used to give out home-made treats – baked cookies, caramel apples and such.  But then bad people started tainting the treats. Anyone remember razor blades in apples?  I guess that is when Mars and the others had their huge opportunity.

So how many candy wrappers do you think $2 billion worth of candy produces? I can’t even imagine. Where do all those wrappers end up?  Yes, in our landfills. Even if you think you are doing the “right” thing and putting them in the recycle bin.  Candy wrappers are very hard to recover because they are made from mixed materials, not just one plastic, and it is too labor intensive to pick them out of the trash.

One alternative is to upcycle them — turn them in to other things.  Join or form a brigade to collect the wrappers (only certain ones though) and send them to Terracyle. They repurpose the wrappers and donate money to charity.  Or do a Google search for your next craft project.  Just look on Etsy to see the adorable purses, badge holders, jewelry and other things people are making out of candy wrappers. 

Sources:

Earth911.com

Terracycle.com