I enjoy recycling and recycle everything that I can. To keep the items we use in the house separated from the trash, I have a container just for recycling. Each day, I empty it into the large container outside which has a lid secured with a bungee cord. When we take the trash to the convenient site, we empty the recycling into the commingled recycling container.
According to a lady from the recycling company, that spoke at one of our meetings, you don't have to wash every container such as peanut butter and jelly containers. Just scrape out as much as you can. Even aerosol containers are recyclable if they are empty.
At the convenient site, there are separate containers for textiles such as clothing and rags, cooking oil, motor oil, oil filters, batteries and electronics. In addition to this, at the transfer station, you can recycle appliances, tires, light bulbs, concrete, and yard waste.
Recycling not only saves landfill space, it has created jobs and saved energy for making other products. Recycling is easy, once you get use to it, and you will find that you no longer want to put these items in the trash.
If you don't know what you can recycle in your area, contact your county's Solid Waste Department.
How do you recycle plastic bags?
Amber from Cincinnati, OH
I have been reading and researching "plarn". It is yarn made from recycled plastic bags. I have seen some really cute purses made from this.
If you crochet, you can make bags or rugs out of them. They are very sturdy & will last a very long time.
The majority of the time most grocery stores have a big cardboard box somewhere up front of the store encouraging you to recycle them there. Just drop them in.
Not for profit organizations would love to have your plastic bags to use in their resale shops. Our recycling center takes plastic bags as well.
I take 10 - 15 plastic bags and squash them down in the bottom of each of the small trash cans in all of my rooms, then use one plastic bag as a trash bag in the container. When I take out the trash, another bag is right there to use.
I donate used plastic grocery bags to my local thrift store. Also at 2nd hand book store. They welcome them to use at their register for customer's purchases. I just fill up one bag with dozens of other squashed down bags and take it to them. They appreciate having them.
I use plastic bags for shipping materials (instead of shredded newspaper or bubble wrap) in boxes that I mail.
When I share plants or veggies from my gardens, I use the plastic bags to transport them. The plastic bags will hold quite a bit of dirt around a newly dug plant for quite a while. And a plastic bag of fresh homegrown tomatoes is a welcome sight to the neighbors.
I crochet some of mine into rugs & other things.
I also crochet red bread bags (from raisin bread).
Some of them I started hooking a rug from strips.(yellow & white)
We all know that recycling is good for our planet and most people have the soda can and plastic and newspaper recycling down pat. But did you know there are other things that can be recycled?
I have been unsuccessful in finding a company to which I can send unused nylon hosiery (still packaged pantyhose) for recycling. A couple of companies listed online no longer recycle hosiery.
New pantyhose (especially if they are older brands) are a very popular seller on eBay. I have sold them on and off for years. They are best sold as lots (2 or more of the same brand), but I have also done mixed brand lots.
I am pasting a link of sold items so you can see how people do it: www.ebay.com/
I do not have any sold in here so no conflict of interest.
If you are intent on recycling, it is actually easier to find new uses.
My 3 go-tos for used ones are:
1. We use the toes (with about 3-5 inches of hose) and a rubber band and attach them to catch lint from the washer (on end of the hose that drains in to the stationary tub).
2. We have also cut them up to tie up tomato and pepper plants in the garden (one of my favorite uses).
3. I have also used them to crochet. I cut and small rounds then when I am watching TV or can't sleep, I loop them together to make "yarn" which I crochet. I made one dog rug with it (it took a VERY long time to get enough...which is why the project was so small).
Post back what you decide! To me, in this struggling economy, selling them is the best option! I have always done quite well when I sell them, but hopefully your question will garner you lots of good other suggestions.
You spent months calculating and saving on the perfect Christmas gifts. Now, it's time to save a little after Christmas. Other than the usual after Christmas sales, think about environmental savings.
Call your nearest garbage drop off to save money! I know some states pay for garbage through taxes, but for those of you who pay by bag, call the garbage facility in your area and ask about recycling.
Sometimes it is hard to know how to dispose of broken household items. It is best to try and find an alternative to the landfill if at all possible, especially since some things such as electronics and batteries pollute if not properly recycled.
We hang a cloth tote bag over the door handle in our bathroom and put all the recycleable items in the bag. Quick and easy, and you'd be surprised how quickly it fills up.
I have a lot of 2 litre Coca Cola product bottles in my house. I am not knowing what to do. Is there any place out there for me to go sell them in Gauteng area?
By Illoysius
We rarely ever throw something out that might serve another purpose than originally intended. broken furniture gets taken apart, the usable stuff kept, the metal recycled and the wood (if not infused with fire retardant or otherwise toxic) piled for future use.
