How to Recycle
Everyone knows it's better to recycle an item than to throw it away. It's good for the environment, rewarding, and, in some areas, can earn you spare change. Recycling helps cut domestic waste that would otherwise be buried in landfills and provides a steady supply of pre-used materials that can be transformed into new, practical objects we use every day. Recycling is beneficial to the environment and to us.
[edit] Steps
- Find out what recycling programs or centers exist in your area. It's no use trying to recycle something if no processing center exists. A good resource for programs in the U.S. can be found at NRC-Recycle.org.
- Determine what categories of items can be recycled in your area, then designate a separate location for each category. For example, if a nearby center accepts aluminum cans, plastic drink bottles, and newspapers, you will want to have separate bins for each type of item, as well as a waste bin for non-recyclable wastes.
- Leave your bins in an appropriate collection area, or take your recycling to a processing center yourself once you've accumulated enough to make it worth the trip.
[edit] Tips
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Many states provide small cash rewards for each item recycled, so it's a good idea to save up the items until you have enough to buy something with the rewards.
The recycle symbol; always look for it on an item to see if it is recyclable.
- Some centers require you to wash items or remove labels or lids. Find out what your center requires before making the trip.
- Try to avoid making special trips in your car to recycle, as you will be using fuel unnecessarily. Combine it with a trip you are making anyway.
- If you are in school or at work where you use a lot of paper and then throw it away, try having a recycling bin under your desk, or a recycling pocket in your file. Make a mental note to put all recyclable paper in there each time you feel like heading for the normal trash bin.
- Don't just think of the normal items you can recycle, do some research and expand it. Some things you might be able to recycle easily are:
- Batteries (very important)- car batteries, equipment batteries, flashlight
- Beer and wine bottles, jars, other glass items
- Paper and plastic bags (reuse first if possible)
- Magazines, newspapers, phone-books
- Plastic bottles, plastic containers
- Cans and tins
- Juice/soup/milk cartons
- Any items with recycle symbol on them
[edit] Warnings
- Some items, though recyclable, have few processing centers available.
- Recycling aluminum is still good. It saves money and energy--that's why they pay you for cans.
- Remember to wash/rinse cans and plastic before putting them in their bins. If the bins are inside, this cuts down on any smell. And if your bins are outside, rinsing reduces the likelihood of pets or wandering animals digging through them!
[edit] Things You'll Need
- A local recycling center
- Water to rinse the items
- Reusable bags
- A bin in a convenient location
- Recyclable items
[edit] Sources and Citations
- If you have items that are still useful, keep them out of the landfill by offering them to others in your community at Freecycle.org or LocalDataPlace.com.
