Recycling household items is one of the most effective ways of saving money, while helping to keep the environment clean and green.
If you recycle, many items that are harmful to the environment won't end up littering our streets, vacant lots, forests, our rivers, lakes, and oceans, or end up in already over saturated landfills.
Almost everything used in your home can be recycled, rebuilt, and reused. Things to recycle include plastics, glass, aluminum, copper, newspaper, cardboard, car batteries, and motor oil.
Many communities have adopted recycling campaigns that include curbside pickups, or they offer places where recyclables can be dropped off.
But if you want to make some extra money, you can save plastic bottles, aluminum cans, and other recyclable items yourself. There are many neighborhood recycling centers that will pay you for your recyclables, if you bring them in.
Below is a partial list of recyclable items:
•Plastic water and soda bottles
•Milk and juice bottles and jugs
•Glass jars and bottles
•Plastic wraps, covers, and food containers
•Copper pipes and wiring
•Aluminum cans, home siding, and old patio covers
•Metallic and plastic clothes hangers
•Magazines and telephone books
•Newspapers and paper bags,
•Junk mail, envelopes, and computer paper
•Car batteries, used oil
When making purchases, look for the recycle symbol that is usually printed on the side or bottom of containers.
Most of us are aware that when you buy sodas, beer, wine, water, juice, and other canned and bottled products, you pay a deposit on the containers. You can reclaim your deposit if you take the empty cans and bottles to a recycling center.
If you don't save and sell your recyclables, call your city officials and ask if they have a recycle container that you can put out on trash day, or if there is a neighborhood drop off center. If not, get involved in efforts to start a recycle program in your community.
Most aluminum, glass, plastic, and paper can be recycled over and over again for many years. By recycling as much as you can, you help save energy, raw materials, and help make the earth a cleaner, greener place to live.