Why it matters:

Proper recycling practices save time and energy.

Recap:

Too many people are unclear about what they can and cannot recycle.  The reality is that each municipality has its own set of rules and regulations; what works in one city may not work in another.  Contact your local recycling center for an updated list.   It is critical to educate yourself on what is considered hazardous materials and electronic-waste, as these have a different set of requirements for disposal and usually must be delivered to a specific location.

Most cities will take aluminum and glass, but plastic is trickier.  Each plastic item is labeled with a triangle at the bottom, but contrary to popular belief, this doesn’t mean that it is recyclable, instead it indicates the chemical make-up of the bottle.  This helps cities guide their residents as to the plastics that are accepted for recycling.

Commentary:

With a rise in recycling over the past couple of decades, many new products are now being made from discarded manufacturers waste, a new practice known as upcycling.  Terracycle has been a leader in promoting this successful business model, proving that what is one man’s garbage, is another man’s treasure.  They also take their philosophy one step further, by conducting environmental fundraisers, known as brigades, at elementary schools across the US.  TerraCycle employs the method of upcycling by collecting used wrappers from specific food products to give it a new life.

Preserve is also an excellent example of a company that is applying the philosophy of reusing waste.  By using the model of downcycling, they recycle one material, such as used yogurt tubs, and convert it to another product of lesser quality.  They turn a waste product and revive it into such things as toothbrushes and razors.  Best of all, Preserve takes back its products by providing a self-addressed envelope in order to recycle and reuse them another time.

The most effective way to recycle is to not recycle at all, but to reduce and then reuse the products and packaging you already have.  Consider glass jars, from spaghetti sauce or peanut butter: they have a multitude of uses from carrying your food and drinks to storing that half eaten avocado.  Support companies that use waste materials to create new products.  With most lines of consumer products, from office supplies to housewares reusing materials, buying virgin material based products is so yesterday.

Creative Solutions:

• Recycle old electronics
• Get a Preserve Toothbrush
• Recycle Household waste
• Terracycle Plant Fertilizer
• Support companies that repurpose items
• Save Water using a Terracycle Rain Barrel

Tagged as: downcycling, recycling, reduce, reuse, upcycling, waste