With Mother Earth experiencing so many environmental changes, it’s now more important than ever to take care of her. One way to do this is through preventive measures, such as recycling. If you live in a town that doesn’t sort collected trash or offer curbside service, such as separate bins for trash, green waste and recyclables, then recycling may seem like a challenge. Fortunately, it doesn’t have to be! Here are eight tips on how to start your own in-house recycling program.
Rally the Troops
Each of us has a role to play with taking care of the environment including using less and reusing what we already have. Make sure everyone in your family or household is aware of the new in-home recycling program. Let them know where the bins are and what each one is for. Make sure they understand how to sort them making it easier to store later.
Make it Easy
While every home is different, it’s important to have your bins in easily accessible places to ensure they’re utilized. One recommendation is to keep a bin for aluminum and another for plastics next to the trash. Make sure that each receptacle is labelled, so no one gets confused on what goes where.
Make it Fun Too!
Grab a paint brush and let those creative juices start flowing. Designing your bins with colorful prints, stickers and labels makes it a lot more alluring to the one person at home who may be reluctant to participate. Decorating the bins is also a great activity for everyone to do together.
Rinse and Repeat
If your packaging was carrying food or other types of liquids, be sure to rinse or clean it prior to storage. This helps with the recovery process later since some recycling facilities have cleaning requirements. Be sure to check the guidelines beforehand. Also, cleaning helps prevent anything that may smell while in storage.
Consider Other Throwaways
Generally, when people hear the word, “recycle” they think of paper, bottles and cans. But did you know this includes packaging materials, electronics, batteries and scrap metals too? Most of what we receive in “snail mail” can be recycled. Think of all the trees that were reduced to junk mail or supermarket advertisements. By the way, another great use for junk mail is kindling in the fireplace or fire pit in the summer time! Packaging materials such as boxes, polyethylene (also known as plastic) and polypropylene (referred to as foam in some circles) can also all be recycled.
Does it Have Another Purpose?
With a little imagination, many products double as something else, especially packaging. For example, the box that delivers the Brum Bike for children doubles as a bike rack. Scoops that accompany protein powders may be re-used in ground coffee containers, loose tea or even your pet’s dry food bag.
Find a Recycling Center Near You
After your bins are full, it’s time to bring everything to a recycling center. Even if your town doesn’t recycle, there may be local facilities in your area. Earth 911 offers various information including lists of local recycling centers and what types of materials they take, including hazardous materials. Check out the site to see what resources are in your area and what options you may have. Remember to check the guidelines and what may be required on your part before bringing in the goods.
Money, Money, Money
While you won’t get paid to recycle everything, some recyclables can turn a profit or earn a deduction at tax season, so be sure to keep your receipts. Check out several centers in your area to see what financial incentives may be available.
Here at EPE, along with an extensive 100% closed loop recycling process where all post production materials are recycled, we produce environmentally friendly products too. EP3™ is made from 100% recyclable polyethylene while other packaging materials we offer are reusable such as DOT Technology™ and Safe Shelf™.
In addition to being a family activity, monetary resource and environmentally conscious, recycling is really about preserving the future. So, before you throw away a piece of “garbage”, think twice. You might be throwing away a piece of treasure.
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