Recycling: How to make it a way of life

By Andrea Hastert

We’ve all heard it before.  Reduce, reuse, recycle.  It’s been drilled in our minds for a number of years now about how we humans need to recycle our garbage so our earth doesn‘t become one big trash dump. 

It’s proven that recycling is helpful in the fight against cleaning up our planet, and it is something simple that all families can participate in.

“We have a separate trash can that all of our plastic bottles and glass bottles go in so they can be recycled,” said Cindy Hastert, a mother and resident of Olathe, KS.  “It’s so simple to recycle if you just put forth a little effort by designating different trash cans for different types of garbage,” said Hastert.

However, there are a lot of people in the country, and around the world, that simply don’t know how to start recycling or don’t know if their trash service accepts recyclables. 

Here are four easy steps to start recycling at home:

1.      Nine out of ten families have curbside recycling bins.  If you don’t already have a box or bag provided, call your local council and find out if they offer them to local residents.

2.      Find out what your local council recycles.  Most collect cans, glass, plastic, and paper.

3.      Sort your rubbish.  Find a handy place to store your recyclables, and encourage everyone in your house to think whether items can be reused or recycled before thrown away.

4.      Put out your recycling.  Find out what day recyclables are collected.

Besides recycling our trash, there are also ways to recycle all of the old junk that you have laying around the house. 

Computers:

If you have old personal computers that you don’t use anymore, instead of throwing them away where they’ll just get tossed in a landfill, crushed, or incinerated, send it back to the manufacturer.  Most manufacturers will accept nonworking computers for a small fee, and they will recycle most of the material.  If you have an old computer that still works, donate it to a local school or organization in need.

Cell Phones:

Instead of throwing away an old mobile phone, donate it to The Wireless Foundation, where they will reprogram your phone with emergency numbers and shelter information and distribute it to a woman at risk of domestic violence.

Other Electronics:

If you’re getting rid of an old TV, PDA, camera, or MP3 player, visit RecycleForBreastCancer.org.  They will send you prepaid shipping labels, recycle your goods for a profit, and donate all the money to a national breast cancer charity.

Items with Mercury:

Take any old thermometers, thermostats, bug zappers, or light bulbs to a hazardous waste recycling collection facility where the mercury will be extracted and eventually sold to scientists.

Batteries:

Old rechargeable batteries that aren’t being used any longer you can take to a RadioShack.  They will send them to a recycling facility where they are disassembled.  Also, old boat, car, and motorcycle batteries can be taken to most auto shops.

Recycling is an important part of keeping our environment eco-friendly and non-toxic.  It’s our job as humans and residents of this planet to help keep it clean.  By using these helpful steps and tips, the process might be just a little easier, and, who knows, it may just become a way of life.

For more information:

MacMillan, Amanda.  (2007).  How to Recycle Anything.  Retrieved July 27, 2007, from http://www.prevention.com/article/0,5778,s1-6-72-58-6945-1,00.html.

RecycleNow.  (2007).  Start Recycling at Home.  Retrieved July 27, 2007, from, http://www.recyclenow.com/start_recycling/index.html.