Chances are even if you have curbside recycling pick up where you live you still aren’t recycling as much as you could. There are plenty of things that can be recycled that just won’t fit or shouldn’t go in your curbside bin. Those things often end up in the landfill out of convenience or just because you don’t know that you can recycle them elsewhere. The good news is that it only takes a little bit of research to find out what you can recycle in your area, and it can really help the planet out when you do.
Some Things Should Not Be Thrown Away
Did you know that those energy saving compact fluorescent bulbs should never go into the trash can because they contain mercury? Start switching out all your CFLs with LEDs, which have come way down in price and cost a fraction of the energy to operate as those CFLs do anyway. As you phase out the CFLs check with your local home improvement store – many national chains collect the CFLs for proper recycling.
Rechargeable batteries are another item we seem to have a multitude of that most people don’t realize are recyclable. Instead of throwing them out look for a collection bin at your local big box store. The same thing goes for all those old cell phones you have in a drawer – you might even be able to recycle those at your local zoo and make them some extra cash in the process!
Electronic waste should never go into the trash, either. Many cities and local government centers have drop off sites for e waste that are free for residents to use. Local electronics chains and office supply stores often have collection bins for these items, as well. Fortunately, certified e-waste recycling services like All Green Electronics Recycling are a solution that has evolved in response to an enormous e-waste problem. High demand for electronic equipment, coupled with the progressively shortened useful life of electronics and the speed at which technology evolves, has caused an ever-increasing problem
What Can Go Into The Recycling Bin?
The answer to this question depends on your collection service. Many curbside services will pick up things like metal cans, glass bottles, paper and cardboard, and any plastic containers with recycling numbers listed on them. But there are a few things to look out for – greasy pizza boxes should go into the trash or compost, and things like K cups have to be taken apart and emptied out before they can be recycled.
Many recycling services won’t collect plastic grocery bags, but you can often drop them off in collection bins at the store where you got them. You will have to do a little research to find out what your recycling service does and does not want you to toss into the bin.
Only 58% of Americans are recycling at all. 4 in 10 people say they care about the planet's future.Click To Tweet
Why Are So Few People Recycling?
If you don’t have curbside recycling services it can be tempting to just toss it all into the trash can. If you have a lot of junk to get rid of, consider hiring a reliable junk removal and recycling company that is committed to providing outstanding service while being mindful of the environment.
As it is, only about 58% of Americans are recycling at all, and sadly only 4 in 10 people say they care about the future of the planet.
If we could all do just a little bit more we could make the planet a better place for future generations. Learn more about proper recycling from this infographic!
Making the Most of Recycling
Source: It’s Not Trash
What are your favorite recycling tips?
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