November 15th is America Recycles Day. Have you joined an event in your community? If not, click here to locate an event near you. Have you taken the pledge to recycle more? AmericaRecyclesDay.org provides you with information on recycling and you can take the pledge by clicking here.
In honor of America Recycles Day, November 15th, here are 10 tips for ways you can renew your commitment to recycling.
1. Find a convenient place to collect recyclable items. Most things come from the kitchen, making it a good spot to set up a recycling center.
2. The great thing about recycling is that it lets you put your favorite old containers, bins, or baskets to use. Assign containers for glass, plastic, and aluminum. To avoid messes, choose solid containers for storing items such as glass jars or cans that may have a sticky residue.
3. Take leftover plastic bags back to grocery stores where they are collected and reused to make plastic lumber.
4. Check the bottom of plastic items to identify what type of plastic they are. If the type is not recycled at your local center, consider ways to reuse the container.
5. Save water and time when recycling cans and bottles. You no longer need to rinse them out or remove their labels.
6. Recycle junk mail or reuse it as scratch paper. To opt-out of certain junk-mailing lists, go to opt-out.cdt.org. Getting too many junk catalogs or phonebooks? Opt out at catalogchoice.org.
7. Newspapers, magazines, and white paper can all be recycled as long as the paper is clean and dry. Plastic wrap, stickers, or rubber bands should be removed, but staples and plastic window envelopes are OK.
8. Recycle worn-out rechargeable batteries like those used in cell phones, computers, or power tools. Go to www.rbrc.org to find a drop-off location in your area.
9. Divvy up recycling duties among family members and sort items on a daily basis.
10. Print out this list of commonly recycled materials. Post it where you recycle for easy access.
