A Beginner’s Guide to Daily Recycling

November 5, 2009

Today someone asked if  I included small tips for being green on my blog. Awareness dawned on me and I realized that many people are eager to learn the small, everyday steps to living a greener life, such as whether or not to recycle a milk carton. When I first began this blog a couple of months ago, I had no idea if milk cartons could be recycled (they cannot). In just a short time I have become so accustomed to basic recycling, that it has become just a natural part of how I go through each day. If you’re just starting to recycle, this post is for you. Consider this a very short primer on basic, daily recycling around the house. If you’re reading this and are already recycling, please post additional recycling wisdom in a comment! The more suggestions the better. Note: depending on where you live and the company that provides your recycling services, the rules may vary slightly. If you are unsure, please be sure to check with your local service.

Plastics.
It’s all about the numbers. Look on the bottom of plastic containers and you’re likely to find a small triangle with a number inside. These numbers range from 1 -7 and are the identification coding system introduced in 1988 by the Society of the Plastics Industry.  The number identify the type of plastic the product is packaged in and how it can be recycled. A trip to the grocery store will likely yeild plenty of number 1 and 2 containers. These are usually recyclable and they might include items like soft drink bottles, beer, peanut butter tubs, salad dressings. The number 2 is also recyclable and can be found on the packaging of products such as milk, water, shampoo, yogurt and margarine tubs. From here on out, it gets a little dicey. Those pesky number 3′s and up are very often not recylable, so be sure to check with your local recycling firm. Numbers 1 and 2 can be recycled into all kinds of consumer products that you use everyday, such as luggage, flower pots and tote bags. Now I embarrass my kids on a regular basis because I’m always checking the numbers before I buy. I definitely tend to give purchasing preference to a product if I know I’ll be able to recycle the container when I’m done. Psst. Don’t forget to remove and throw away the lids before recycling.

Paper.
First word… phone book. This is the time of year when new phone books are being distributed. Many people don’t realize that phone books are now recyclable. As soon as mine came, I just dropped the old ones straight into my recycling bin. Newspapers, of course, are recyclable. Due to the Internet, however, daily circulation of newspapers is rapidly diminishing; we may not have to worry about that for long. Luckily, in my hometown, I can throw all paper into the same recycle bin. Papers I recycle include all junk mail, envelopes, office paper from my printer, shredded paper, magazines, cereal boxes, any boxes that haven’t been contaminated with food, shoe boxes, corrugated boxes. Things not to include would be paper towels, napkins, toilet paper, waxy cartons such as milk cartons, juice boxes.

Aluminum.
All aluminum cans go into the recycle pile. My recycler actually accepts all bimetal cans. Wash out the cans, and throw away the sharp lids. (Even if it’s not required, you wouldn’t want a smelly kitchen, right?) Aluminum foil can be recycled in some areas, as long as it is clean and not food contaminated. I usually just reuse mine to death by wiping it off with a little soap and water, folding it up and putting it in a kitchen drawer. I watched my mother do this for years, I just thought that was how it was supposed to be!

Glass.
Glass is recyclable! My community’s recycling company doesn’t recycle glass. However, there is a recycling site a fairly short distance from me. I stock up on my glass until there is a pretty nice pile, then I just tote it dowtown. Once I became used to it, taking my glass to be recycled became just a part of my normal routine. Now, I share the glass recycling chore with a friend who lives nearby. Whoever has the most glass first makes the trip to the recycle center with glass from both households.

Since I started recycling its amazing how much less actual trash goes into my trash can! But, It’s hard to have a discussion on recycling without at least a mention about reuse. Reuse helps close the loop on a product’s life cycle. I now save glass jars (particularly the ones with interesting shapes) for vases and future mystery projects. I also save yogurt containers, plastic containers from take-out food and other plastic containers that are not 1′s or 2′s. I find all kinds of uses for them: paint containers, seed containers, and storage containers for leftovers. I can’t tell you the last time I bought disposable plastic food containers, such as Gladware,  from the store. Reusing a butter tub is much more earth friendly and much easier on my budget!

Filed under: Eco Around the House,recycle,reuse,Tiny Green Tips