America Recycles Week November 8-15, 2009
Shane Shirley Smith with EHWB,LLC
Orlando, FL
Chances are, if you are checking us out, or are a follower, you are already living a pretty green lifestyle. Just because you have already started your walk on the path to green, that doesn’t mean that you don’t have a few more miles to go. Maybe it is time to Rethink Recycling during America Recycles Week?
If you are fortunate enough to live in an area that provides curbside recycling, you may think you are doing all you can by throwing your newspapers, cans and bottles in the bin and dragging them down the driveway. But could there be more you could be doing with very little effort? What about all of the other items that your recycler has the ability to haul away, that you may be tossing in the trash and sending off to our landfills?
Here is a short list of everyday items you may be missing in closing the recycling loop:
1. The last time you opened up a bar of soap, what did you do with the little paper container? Set it aside and toss it after you bubble up.
2. When you finish off the last soft drink (BTW – you should look into cutting that out of your diet HERE), what did you do with the empty cardboard container?
3. When you finish your last drop of laundry soap or dishwashing liquid, do the empty containers go in the recycling bin? They should.
4. When a delivery comes in the mail packed in a big box, do you try to stuff it into the trash? Stop it. Put it in the bin.
5. When you make your purchases, be sure to check and see if the packaging is recyclable. If choosing between two items, choose the one packaged responsibly:
6. Where does your mail go after you read and discard it? Shred the confidential docs and put all the mail you don’t want in the recycling bin.
7. If you can throw beer bottles always, guess what? You can also throw away other glass items like the mayo and pickle jars.
8. Speaking of pickles and mayo, what about when you finish off the last of the mustard and ketchup? Rinse 'em out and toss it in the recycling bin!
9. Speaking of plastic containers, don’t forget to recycle your shampoo and personal care product containers too. Hey toss in straws too!
10. Finally, don’t forget tinfoil and pie pans. Just toss ‘em right in the bin. Again, just make sure that everything is rinsed before you drop them in the bin.
So now you’re Rethinking Recycling…don’
Photo:
http://www.prlog.org/
