My recycling day is nearly here and I am so excited to show you how I recycle much more than my neighbors. Now, my family used to think I was nuts- they already regard me as the Ed Begley of the family! But I always thought that we could recycle more pizza boxes, more strawberry containers, more everything than we were. We do now (even though there is still work to do) with just a few easy changes- the biggest of which is just paying a little more attention to what may be going in the trash that is recyclable.
We still have a long way to go to preserve and protect our environment. However, it gives me hope that if my wife can recycle a little bit more then she just helped reduce our carbon footprint!
By the way, just in case you thought I wasn’t serious about recycling, here is a picture of my recycling bins!
To help you recycle more too, here are eight new things that you may not be recycling than you can.
1. Disposable Paper Coffee cups. You can take a paper coffee cup and recycle it at home (remove the plastic top) if the coffee house does not. Also, why not ask for a ceramic cup if you are sticking around for a while?
2. #5 and #6 plastic. Most municipalities recycle #1 and #2 plastics, but #5 and #6 aren’t hard to find a home for. Some towns will accept these at recycling centers even if they don’t pick them up. There’s a listing of #5 or #6 recycling centers available at Earth 911. Find out where to recycle in your area. You may also be able to recycle these plastics at Whole Foods, so ask at your local store.
3. Water, Red Bull, drink bottles. If they are not glass they are almost always #1 or #2 plastic, so recycle them after use. I realized how many of those bottles go to landfills by just “looking” in the trash at the gas station. Only about 1/4 of all plastic bottles are recycled, what a waste!
4. Junk Mail, Paper, Junk Mail, Paper. How many times did you get junk mail and go &%$^Y%$%&^% enough! We’ll give it back to the recycle bin and tell it to go %&$#%&$^&$^& itself! Also, don’t forget about Lotto Tickets. Even if you lose and want to say it; at least just recycle the paper since it is recycleable.
5. Fuel additive or oil treatment bottles from the gas station. I again just realized how many of those bottles go to landfills by just “looking” in the trash at the gas station. These bottles are usually #1 plastic and are recyclable; take it home to recycle if there’s not a receptacle at the gas station.
6. Wine bottles. Look, I don’t care if you have a party and that you didn’t invite me; just recycle the bottles!
7. Pizza boxes. They are cardboard, one of the most commonly recycled materials, yet many people forget to. Get a few slices and reduce your footprint by recycling the box.
8. Big boxes from big box stores. The BJ’s, Cosco and Sam’s Club-type stores do have big plastic bottles and/or cardboard casing to go with it. The plastic usually has about a 95% chance of being recyclable and the cardboard is cardboard, so be sure to get it to the curb on recycling day.
