Category: Event

Earth Week

Posted on | by Linda Barrett

Earth Week is a global event celebrated annually from April 16th to the 22nd to help raise awareness about environmental issues and promote actions that would protect our planet.

During Earth Week, various events and activities take place, such as community cleanups, tree planting, educational campaigns and sustainable living initiatives. Organizations, schools and individuals can participate by organizing events, activities and programs to promote environmental awareness and encourage people to take action. Activities in the past have included environmental film festivals, eco-friendly art shows and environmentally-themed concerts, along with speakers, recycling drives and fairs showcasing sustainable products and services.

Earth Week was first observed in the United States in 1970 as a response to growing concerns about environmental issues such as pollution, loss of wilderness and wildlife extinction. It was proposed by Senator Gaylord Nelson from Wisconsin who wanted to create a national teach-in on the environment. An estimated 20 million people participated in the rallies, marches and demonstrations that took place in cities across the US.

Today, Earth Week is a worldwide event offering an opportunity for individuals, communities and organizations to come together to learn about environmental issues take action to protect our planet, and advocate for policies that promote sustainability and environmental stewardship.

Earth Week and Earth Day are not the same, but are related. Earth Day is specifically celebrated annually on April 22nd. Earth Week, on the other hand, is a week-long event that takes place leading up to Earth Day.

How Can I Commemorate Earth Week?

There are a number of ways you, or your business or organization, can promote Earth Week and environmental awareness:

  • Organize a community cleanup to clear the local parks, beaches and streets of litter and debris.
  • Create a neighborhood recycling event where items homeowners no longer use or want can be picked up by a junk removal company like 123JUNK and either delivered to local charity partners or taken to area recycling centers.
  • Promote sustainable practices at work or home, like recycling, reducing waste and conserving resources like energy and water.
  • Support environmental organizations through donations or volunteer time.
  • Host an educational event, film screening or interactive workshop to raise awareness or teach skills about sustainable practices and environmental awareness.
  • Partner with organizations to create a larger impact.

Related blog post: Earth Day

What Can I Do Personally to Help Keep Items out of Landfills?

You can help reduce environmental pollution and conserve resources by:

  • Reducing waste you generate. Choose products with minimal packaging, buy in bulk and avoid single-use items.
  • Reusing items. Before you throw things away, consider whether they can be reused. Reuse containers for storage, old clothing for cleaning rags or scrap paper for crafts or notes.
  • Recycling. Learn what can and cannot be recycled in your area and properly sort them.
  • Composting. Instead of throwing away food scraps and yard waste, compost them instead to create a nutrient-rich soil amendment that you can use to fertilize your garden and lawn.
  • Donating or selling items. If items are in good condition, donate them to charity (123JUNK will pick them up!) or sell them online.

123JUNK Helps Your Earth Week Initiatives Locally

Keeping items out of landfill is our number one priority at 123JUNK and we are glad to help you, your company or your organization with your Earth Week initiatives. With our 1-2-3 Process of Donate-Recycle-Dispose we’ll pick up or look for items that can be donated to our charity partners. We’ll pull out items that cannot be repurposed but do contain recyclable materials and take them directly to the appropriate recycling centers. As a final resort, we’ll take what’s left over to the landfill.

123JUNK is a locally-founded and operated, environmentally-friendly junk removal company. As such, we care greatly about the communities in which we, ourselves live. Contact 123JUNK today and let us help you with your Earth Week junk removal and recycling event.

Old refrigerator

Refrigerator Disposal: Signs That It’s Time to Replace Your Refrigerator

Posted on | by chad

Your refrigerator is one of the most essential elements of your home. It stands at the heart of your kitchen, and when it stops working, the entire household can go into a panic. Rather than wait until your fridge dies a slow and painful death, how do you know it’s time to replace your refrigerator?

When to Replace Your Refrigerator

  • It’s making weird noises. If your refrigerator is making a loud thud or clanking sound when the compressor comes on or goes off, or you hear a loud humming, it is probably on its last leg. If the compressor is not working correctly, you may notice temperatures inside the fridge are higher than they should be. If adjusting the thermostat doesn’t fix it, replace the appliance.
  • You spot condensation. If you are finding puddles or beads of water inside your refrigerator it could either mean that the door seals have gone bad and are leaking air, or that your refrigerator is no longer working effectively.
  • Food is too warm or too cold. If your food is going bad quickly, the refrigerator can be too warm. If the food is freezing inside the refrigerator, the interior is too cold. If adjusting the thermostat doesn’t help, start looking at new models.
  • It’s overheating. If you feel excessive heat coming from underneath or behind your refrigerator, it may be overheating, which can be a potential fire danger. Check the coils, and ensure that they are clean. If this doesn’t fix the problem, replace the fridge.
  • Energy bills are higher. If you have an older model refrigerator, you don’t have the most energy-efficient appliance and can be burning excess energy, thus raising your utility bills. Look for an Energy Star sticker on your refrigerator, a refrigerator with the sticker uses half the energy as one without it. If your refrigerator doesn’t have an Energy Star sticker, or it’s more than 15 years old, it’s probably time to replace the fridge.
  • It stopped running. If the refrigerator motor stops running, the appliance is most likely gone. Give it a pat for a good, long run, and head out to the appliance store to buy a new one.

Related: 9 Obvious Signs You Need a New Refrigerator

What to Do With an Old Refrigerator

There are a couple of options for getting rid of an old refrigerator:

  • Donate it. If the refrigerator is in good running order and you just want to replace it, consider donating it to a local charity group. For example, you’re remodeling and are installing a state-of-the-art kitchen, or you just want to replace the avocado green for a stainless steel version. There are lots of families starting new households who would be thrilled to get your cast-off.
  • Dispose of it. If the refrigerator is no longer in good working order, and you want to get rid of it, you can’t just take it to the dump and drop it off. Since a refrigerator contains environmentally-harmful chemicals like freon, it must be disposed of properly.
  • Call 123JUNK. When you need to get rid of your old refrigerator, you only have to make one phone call—to 123JUNK. We can pick up your working or non-working refrigerator and either deliver it to one of our charity partners, or deliver it to the proper recycling center for you. If donated, we’ll provide you with a receipt you can use as a charity tax deduction.

123JUNK Hauls Refrigerators

When it’s time to haul away the old refrigerator—or perform any appliance removal — in Northern Virginia, Maryland or Washington, D.C., 123JUNK can help. Just give us a call to schedule your pickup time. Contact us today.

Related Links:

Refrigerator Recycling and Disposal

hiring for the 123junk team2

We’re Hiring at 123JUNK

Posted on | by chad

123JUNK has a good problem. We’re busy! So that means we’re looking for new team members.

The 123JUNK process for getting hired isn’t easy. We want to ensure that we hire the right people for the right positions. You can read more about our hiring process in our November 20, 2017 Blog Post.

But once they’ve passed our rigorous hiring process at 123JUNK and they’re in, our employees love it here! We provide a fun and challenging work environment and a clear career path for those who want to advance with the company…all the way to the top! 

Often times our current employees are the ones who refer potential employees to our company. We’ve hired a number of team members that way.

If you’d like to find out more about working at 123JUNK, learn what positions are available, and are interested in a career here, please contact us at 703-400-7645.

Thanks to Those Who Help 123JUNK Grow

123JUNK is proud to be a locally-owned junk hauling company serving Northern Virginia, Maryland and Washington, D.C. But we didn’t get to where we are alone. Many people helped us to get where we are today.

Our Employees

The loyalty our employees show to our company and our Core Values is immeasurable. This passion for junk hauling (believe it or not) shows in every job, from the team members on the truck to inside sales to management. Every team member is well trained to represent our corporate culture with each and every person with whom they come into contact, whether it is our referral partners, our nonprofit partners, clients or vendors.

Our Partners

Our business development team members work hard to build solid relationships with those who need our services for their own companies or their own clients. You might find our business development representative (and Jake the Junkman) visiting a Realtor office in the morning, and a Property Manager or Nonprofit’s office in the afternoon. This helps us to not only create the initial relationship, but to reinforce those relationships we already have. When our partners have a junk removal, junk hauling or other services need, they know to reach out to 123JUNK for prompt, courteous and excellent service.

Our Clients

We certainly can’t forget all of the people in the DC Metropolitan area who have already used 123JUNK for junk hauling services. They are our bread and butter and we love them. So keep calling!

Want to Work Here? 123JUNK is Hiring.

We’re hiring top-notch professionals, so if you have an interest in working in a fun environment with a strong career path, consider working with 123JUNK. Contact us today to learn how you can get started.