Easy Ways to Improve Your Recycling Habits

Even those of us who recycle can improve our habits. There are easy things you can do to make your recycling efforts more efficient and effective. Here are some ideas.

The Three R’s

It’s not reading, ‘riting and ‘rithmetic anymore! The three R’s with regard to recycling are keys to improving your habits: Reduce, Re-use, and Recycle.

Reduce

The entire recycling issue starts with the consumer. It’s simple: the less you use, the less you throw away. While it is a simple concept, putting it into practice may take some adjustment in your thinking patterns. Many of our wasteful habits are just that – habits.

Have you thought about where can you cut back? Can you replace any of your disposable batteries with rechargeable ones? Do you really need to purchase cases of plastic water bottles each week, or can you fill re-usable stainless steel water bottles with home-filtered water? Think seriously about your personal use of disposable items, and take the time to consider where you can cut back.

Re-use

Stop and think before you throw that item away! If your cell phone still works, give it to someone or donate it to a local organization. The same is true for eyeglasses; donate them to organizations that distribute used eyeglasses to the needy worldwide.

Get creative and make use of old jugs and bottles (vases, candle holders, planters, etc.). Plastic food containers such as margarine tubs can be re-used to store leftovers, to sprout seeds, or to hold potted plants. They can also be decorated to hold edible gifts.

Recycle

In your home, streamline your recycling efforts by having clearly marked bins that are easily accessed. If you are short on space, consider hanging bins on doors or walls; just be sure they can be easily removed to take to the recycling center. In general, home recycling bins should be easy to pick up and carry to your car or curb.

Take the time to get to know the workings of your local recycling center, too. It is another form of waste to haul items to your local recycling center that can’t be recycled, only to have to haul them home again and find some way to dispose of them.

Finding out what is and is not acceptable at your local center is also important in order to prevent tossing inappropriate items into public bins. It may be unintentional, but once you throw something in to a public bin and find out it is not eligible for recycling, it’s too late to retrieve it. The center then has to take the time to weed out those items that can’t be recycled. It saves everyone’s time if you find out what can and can not be recycled.

These are some simple ways to improve your recycling habits.

photo credit: lumaxart

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