Plastics are everywhere in our lives —from water bottles to disposable razors. But just because something is plastic doesn't mean it's recyclable.

Not all plastics are recyclable in San Jose. Plastic shoes, garden hoses, wading pools and toys, bubble wrap, PVC pipes, tarps, credit cards, and disposable razors all go in your garbage cart.

Only three types of plastics may go into your recycling cart:

• Containers labeled 1 through 7 inside the triangle that appears on the bottom,
• Plastic bags that are stuffed together inside a larger bag, and
• Styrofoam tm such as packing “peanuts” or food containers that have been rinsed.

Check your San Jose Recycling Guide for a list of recyclable plastic items and visit www.sjrecycles.org for more information about plastics.

Troop Holiday Care Package/Rally this Saturday

This is a reminder that Pro-America Spirit, one of Red Cross Troop Support Group "Operation Care and Comfort" volunteer groups, will be collecting goods and letters/cards for our holiday troop care packages this Saturday, Oct. 25, from 12 to 3 p.m. at the corner of Winchester and Steven's Creek Blvd. (near Valley Fair). For additional information, visit their Web site at www.proamericaspirit.org. Come out and bring your donations and flags!

Wondering what you can donate? The soldiers are in need of all donations, especially snack products such as beef jerky, energy bars, granola bars, nuts, candy and gum, drink mixes such as instant coffee, tea, hot chocolate, Gatorade, Crystal Lite, KoolAid, chips (preferably in cans like Pringles), cookies, and crackers. For more information, call Randy Bye or Brian McCormick at (408) 577-2192, Cookie Crissman at (408) 249-6031, or Julie DeMaria (408) 373-8635.

Coldwell Banker helps build the American dream with large donation to Habitat for Humanity

Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage in Northern California recently announced it donated $131,567 to its community partner, Habitat for Humanity. The donation came at the conclusion of Coldwell Banker's six-week community-wide raffle, which was held throughout its 64 Northern California offices. This year's effort marked the 10th year that Coldwell Banker has sponsored Habitat for Humanity.

“More than 4,000 of our Coldwell Banker sales associates rallied together to make this year's raffle a huge success,” said Jeff Culbertson, president and chief operating officer of Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage in Silicon Valley. “Our team believes strongly in donating time, resources and money to ensure everyone shares in the American dream of homeownership.”

Coldwell Banker has funded and built numerous Habitat homes since the beginning of its affiliation with the nonprofit organization in 1993. In Northern California alone, Coldwell Banker has raised more than $495,000 for local Habitat for Humanity chapters, including East Bay, El Dorado County, Monterey, Mt. Diablo, Peninsula, Sacramento, San Francisco, Silicon Valley and Sonoma County, and has participated in the construction of 16 home builds over the last 10 years.

This summer, more than 400 Coldwell Banker Realtor associates and staff volunteered for chapter construction projects in Los Gatos, Oakland, Pittsburg, Redwood City and Sacramento. Additional “sweat equity” hours will be spent later this fall completing a home in Santa Rosa. Total volunteer hours are estimated at more than 6,000.

Coldwell Banker intends to raise additional money by hosting a number of fundraising programs including a wine-tasting event later this fall and via a holiday marketing program where the purchase of holiday cards on behalf of the agents' clients benefits Habitat for Humanity. To learn more about Coldwell Banker's 2003 Habitat for Humanity fundraising campaign or to make a financial contribution, contact your local Coldwell Banker office or call (925) 275-3085. All proceeds benefit local Habitat for Humanity chapters.