Something So Small Can Make a Big Difference
Turns out, he was collecting for a cause, not just for fun. All those pop tabs he puts in his Pringles can (or rather his mom the Dr. Pepper fiend) wind up going over to the Ronald McDonald House where they're sold to a recycling center. The money is then used to help pay for operations costs for running the house. (They have to pay the light bill somehow.)
So how many cans are you throwing in the recycle bin every day? (I know you aren't throwing them in the trash, right?) Take a second to pull the tab off before you toss the can and start your own collection for your local Ronald McDonald House. This is a great way to start training your kids to think of others and give back in the community.
Every Little Bit Counts
Why Pop Tabs?
How can something so small help?
The tab of an aluminum can is pure aluminum unlike the rest of the can, which contains paint and other residue. Recycling the tabs generates proceeds to donate to a local Ronald McDonald House. The tabs do not pay for treatment or night stays - only house operations.
Pop tabs are small and convenient to collect. Hundreds of thousands of pop tabs have been collected to benefit Ronald McDonald Houses.
1 pop tab is approximately 1 inch long
1,267 pop tabs make 1 pound
1 pound of aluminum can be sold for approximately 40ยข
The House That Love Built
Department 56 Home for the Holidays The House That Love Built Ronald McDonald House 1997 8960
Amazon Price: $150.00 (as of 12/07/2009)
Pop Tab Photos
I've started a collection of pop tabs from the Amp energy drinks I take to work ...
Tab
Pop tops around a key ring
Pop Tab Donation Resources
- Participating Ronald McDonald Houses
- PDF listing of all the chapters that participate in the pop top program.
- Other Ways to Help
- If your local house doesn't participate, there are other ways you can help out.
- Ronald McDonald Charities
- Official website that tells all about the Ronald McDonald houses.
The average person drinks 12 cans of soda a week.
How to Participate in the Pop Tab Program
Your local Ronald McDonald House might have collection boxes you can use, but a container with a plastic lid you can cut a slot into works fine. My friend uses a Pringles can; a coffee can would also be great.
Have the tabs recycled in your community and mail the proceeds to your house.
Your local house might have a connection with a recycling center already where you can take the tabs directly. If they have an account set up, then the money can just go directly to the local house. Otherwise, you can just take the money and make a donation yourself. You might also check to see if they have a wish list set up somewhere where you can purchase items for the house with the money.
Drop off your tabs at the Ronald McDonald House.
My local house has made provisions for you to bring your tabs to the house to drop off in a collection container at the front door.
Note: Check with your local house to see if they participate in the program and how they prefer to have collections/donations done.
From the Heart of our House
From The Heart Of Our House
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Used Price: $2.14
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All About the Ronald McDonald House Charities
A Ronald McDonald House (named after Ronald McDonald) is a place where the parents of children that are in a nearby hospital can stay at night for reduced or no cost. The first Ronald McDonald House opened in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1974. In 1981, the first Ronald McDonald House outside the United States opened, in Toronto, Canada . In 1991, the 150th Ronald McDonald House opened, in Paris, France. On July 25, 2005, the 250th opened, in Caracas, Venezuela. Currently, there are 271 Ronald McDonald Houses operating in 30 countries.
In 1994, the Chronicle of Philanthropy, an industry publication, released the results of the largest study of charitable and non-profit organization popularity and credibility conducted by Nye Lavalle & Associates. The study showed that Ronald McDonald House was ranked as the 2nd "most popular charity/non-profit in America" of over 100 charities researched with 50% of Americans over the age of 12 choosing Love and Like A Lot for Ronald McDonald House.The Charities Americans Like Most And Least, The Chronicle of Philanthropy, December 13, 1996
Ronald McDonald House Music
Ronald McDonald House Charities - Awards of Excellence
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Pop Tab Recycling: What's the Buzz?
- Toxiferous Designs: Pop Tab Dragon by OniMushaKid
- This amazing Pop Tab Dragon was made out of pop tops/pull tabs from soda cans by OniMushaKid on DeviantArt! This may just be the coolest thing I've seen all week! [Via Geekologie]. Posted by Toxiferous at 2:29 AM. Share This Post: ...
- Pop Tab Contest in Minnesota
- We held a donut and juice party contest for the local elementary school of about 400 kids. I told them whichever class brought in the most pop tabs would win donuts and juice for the whole class. Wow. I had no idea I would be hauling ...
- Pop tab necklace on Flickr - Photo Sharing!
- Pop tab necklace. Pop tab necklace by Orquidea. Necklace made with wood beads and pop tabs. To take full advantage of Flickr, you should use a JavaScript-enabled browser and install the latest version of the Macromedia Flash Player. ...
Before you toss the empty can into the recycle bin, take off the tab!
All About Aluminum Recycling
Aluminium recycling is the process by which scrap aluminium can be reused in products after its initial production. The process involves simply re-melting the metal, which is far less expensive and energy intensive than creating new aluminium through the electrolysis of aluminium oxide (23), which must first be mined from bauxite ore and then refined using the Bayer process. Recycling scrap aluminum requires only 5% of the energy used to make new aluminium. Recycling | The price of virtue | Economist.com For this reason, approximately 31% of all aluminium produced in the United States comes from recycled scrap. http://minerals.usgs.gov/minerals/pubs/commodity/aluminum/mcs-2008-alumi.pdf minerals.usgs.gov
A common practice since the early 1900s and extensively capitalized during World War II, aluminium recycling is not new. It was, however, a low-profile activity until the late 1960s when the exploding popularity of aluminium beverage cans finally placed recycling into the public consciousness.
Sources for recycled aluminium include aircraft, automobiles, bicycles, boats, computers, cookware, gutters, siding, wire, and many other products that require a strong light weight material, or a material with high thermal conductivity. As recycling does not damage the metal's structure, aluminium can be recycled indefinitely and still be used to produce any product for which new aluminium could have been used.WasteOnline: Metals aluminium and steel recycling
Category: Image - :pressed-cans.jpg|Baled cans ready for transport|right|thumb|200px
Category: Image - :shredded aluminium cans.png|Shredded aluminium beverage cans|right|thumb|200px
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Do You Collect Pop Tabs?
Any tips to share? How'd you get involved? Here's your chance to shine!
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Reply
- squid_thompson squid_thompson Nov 15, 2009 @ 11:58 am
- Yeah the numbers don't add up for me on this whole pop tab thing. Sooo let's get this straight: 1,267 tabs make 1lb of pure aluminum, which is worth...40 cents. Assume each tab came from a can of Coke that cost 50 cents. That's $633.50 worth of Coke purchased so we can ever-so-generously donate 40 cents to a charity, while the other 63,310 cents are "donated" to an equally worthy cause...a giant multinational beverage corporation. Right. Next time you eat at a McDonald's just drop a dollar in the RMH box and it will spare you from having to drink a few thousand sodas all in the name of a good cause.
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Reply
- KimGiancaterino KimGiancaterino Nov 9, 2009 @ 10:39 pm
- Congratulations on your purple star. Blessed by a Squid Angel.
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Reply
- SquidooKimberly SquidooKimberly Nov 7, 2009 @ 5:32 pm
- What an awesome lens! You'd make such a great Charity Mentor. :)
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Reply
- Tipi Tipi Nov 3, 2009 @ 2:17 pm
- This is a very good charitable cause lens, where every little bit helps.
Good on you for creating this great place to visit and learn.
Blessed this one!
Susie
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Reply
- Tami Tami Oct 6, 2009 @ 2:53 pm
- Just wondering, A gallon of pop tabs does not really give a free treatment on a kidney machine does it? I have been told this and although I believe collecting pop tabs is a great and easy thing to do, and the money can be used for the many expenses the Ronald McDonald has has on a daily basis, I don't really see how a gallon bag of pop tabs could pay for a procedure that has to cost hundreds of dollars. Could someone please enlighten me about this. Thank you
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