9 Recycling Tips at Home by Using Your Recyclables

Before you dispose of your old glass jars and bottles, old cardboard boxes, plastic bags and your old newspapers and magazines, think – “how could I make better use of these items?”

By User: Vmenkov

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You will be amazed with a little forethought at how ingenious you can become at reusing and [easyazon_link asin=”B000QJEW9K” locale=”US” new_window=”default” tag=”glocaszon-20″ add_to_cart=”default” cloaking=”default” localization=”default” nofollow=”default” popups=”default”]recycling[/easyazon_link] your disposable waste products.

So, to get you started here are 9 recycling tips at home that will make a big difference and save you some money.

How to Reuse Recyclables
by Dawn Walls-Thumma, Demand Media

Although preferable to sending trash to the landfill or incinerator, recycling still requires energy and produces waste by-products.

Because of these effects, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency considers waste prevention – activities that reduce the disposal and recycling of waste materials – the best way to reduce waste.

Reusing paper, jars and bottles destined for the [easyazon_link asin=”B001C94HY8″ locale=”US” new_window=”default” tag=”glocaszon-20″ add_to_cart=”default” cloaking=”default” localization=”default” nofollow=”default” popups=”default”]Rubbermaid FG295673 Blue Medium Deskside Recycling Container with Universal Recycle Symbol, 28-1/8 qt Capacity, 14.4″ Length x 10.25″ Width x 15″ Height[/easyazon_link] not only eliminates the energy expenditures needed to recycle them but also the resources needed to produce the items you would use instead.

Courtesy WikiMedia

Shifting from recycling to reuse requires some creative thinking, but ultimately saves money and cuts waste.

Step 1:
Bottle your own water. Instead of buying new bottles each time you want a drink, save old bottles and refill them from the tap for the convenience of bottled water without the waste.

Step 2:
Save glass jars and bottles and use them for storage.

Step 3:
Keep a few extra plastic bags folded up in your purse or glove compartment in case you find yourself at a store without a reusable tote.

Step 4:
Reuse cardboard boxes, gift boxes, gift bags and paper bags for storage, gift-wrapping or wrapping parcels to send in the mail.

Step 5:
Shred paper or newspaper and use the shredded piles in place of foam peanuts as packaging material.

Step 6:
Cut in half paper printed on only one side. Staple it together to make notepads.

Step 7:
Use old coffee cans as flowerpots for houseplants. Yogurt cups and other small plastic containers work well for starting seeds in the spring.

Step 8:
Compost. Many of the items that you [easyazon_link asin=”B007ZF638G” locale=”US” new_window=”default” tag=”glocaszon-20″ add_to_cart=”default” cloaking=”default” localization=”default” nofollow=”default” popups=”default”]recycle[/easyazon_link], such as paper and cardboard, can go into a compost pile, where they break down into a garden soil amendment rich in organic matter and nutrients.

You can also use cardboard to cover bare garden soil over the winter, preventing erosion.

Step 9:
Wash and reuse sturdy plastic cups and tableware.

Warnings

Do not reuse containers that hold hazardous products, such as pesticides or motor oil.
Follow instructions on the label to learn how to properly dispose of or recycle these containers and any leftover product.

….More at: National Geographic, Green Living

What if you could find ways to be paid for recycling, I bet your children would soon become interested.

There are companies out there that will actually pay you for your rubbish, you won’t get rich on it, but how cool is it to be able to sell your garbage for real money.

I found an interesting article in the San Francisco Chronicle that I think you may find fascinating.

6 Things You Didn’t Know You Can Recycle For Money
Linda McMaken

Recycling is great for the planet, saves resources and basically helps clean up our world. Many of us know that we can recycle things like plastic, paper, glass bottles and metals. However, there are many other items that you probably didn’t know could be turned in for cash or a tax deduction. Here’s a list of a few of them.

Trash
A company called TerraCycle will pay for your trash. This program works best with schools or other non-profit organizations that can collect a lot of trash. The company will donate money to your cause for every piece of trash you send the organization.

Wine Corks
While this may seem a bit odd, cork is a heavily used resource and recycling them won’t make you rich, but they could definitely pay for a free bottle of wine. See eBay

Gift Cards
Many of us receive gift cards for a holiday or a birthday to a place we will never shop, eat or visit. If you have a few of those lying in a drawer you might consider trading them. Gift Card Rescue will take your unused gift cards and send you a check for them.

Cooking Oil
As odd as this seems, there are many recycling centers, biodiesel firms and individuals that will pay you for used cooking oil. Scan Craigslist in your area or search online.

[easyazon_link asin=”B001Q3KUA0″ locale=”US” new_window=”default” tag=”glocaszon-20″ add_to_cart=”default” cloaking=”default” localization=”default” nofollow=”default” popups=”default”]9 Recycling Tips at Home[/easyazon_link]

Tennis Balls
There are 300 million tennis balls manufactured every year. They are made with a rubber that is not biodegradable creating over 20,000 metric tons of rubber waste a year. A small company, Rebounces, has come up with a solution. It has created a machine that “re-bounces” tennis balls, and will give you money for donated balls.

Human Hair
There is a lucrative, high-paying market for human hair. If you have long hair or the ability to grow it fast, you could be looking at some serious cash. Rates for unbleached, natural hair can range from $200 to well over $1,500 depending on shade, length and condition. Hair extension companies, wig makers, and even heirloom hair weavers will pay you for hair.

You can even find buyers of hair on eBay and Craigslist.

The Bottom Line
If you look around, almost everything we use can be recycled.

Most of it won’t bring you any cash or compensation, but if you take a few minutes to recycle it will save the planet from being overloaded with debris.

There is approximately 2.5 million pounds of e-waste created per year from our cell phones, computers and other electronic devices.

It is becoming necessary for everyone to seriously consider recycling electronics.

All of us should recycle as part of our daily routine whether it is for cash or for the sake of the environment.

More at…  San Francisco Chronicle

[easyazon_link asin=”B000QJEW9K” locale=”US” new_window=”default” tag=”glocaszon-20″ add_to_cart=”default” cloaking=”default” localization=”default” nofollow=”default” popups=”default”]9 Recycling Tips at Home[/easyazon_link]

So all in all, I think there is lot of ideas to fuel your imagination in this article, I hope you have found it useful and will inspire you to think of even more ways to recycle and reuse your waste items.

I hope you have found this article – 9 Recycling Tips at Home – informative, and you will share your own experiences below in the comment box and please take the time to click on the share button, many thanks; see more articles on The Daily Green Post home page.