Recycle Properly

If you can’t compost something or reuse it, hopefully you can recycle it instead of putting it in a landfill. When you recycle, those materials get processed and reused. Remember that recycling is not the best solution overall because it still takes energy and resources to collect materials then process them again into new products. So, don’t think that just because you recycle your single-use water bottles that everything is fine. Instead, you should be using a reusable water bottle and not buying any plastic bottles. 

There is a pretty big issue with our culture recycling properly. Check with your trash company website about what you can recycle and become educated on how to do it properly. When you put things in the recycle bin that are not recyclable or are contaminated, then the whole batch of that recycled trash often gets rejected and goes to the landfill. So, all your efforts to recycle might go to waste if you don’t do it properly.

Generally, you should be recycling clean and dry paper, cardboard, hard plastic, aluminum, metal, and glass. Then, depending on your recycling company, they will advise what and how to recycle other things, like aluminum foil and plastic bags. You can’t recycle products that have mixed materials, like waxed cardboard or metal with paper to create a pouch, like toothpaste. One of the biggest issues is when things are soiled with food or water. Empty the food into your compost and wipe with a used paper towel before you recycle. Don’t spend too much water trying to rinse everything clean. Soiled paper towels and paper plates should go in the compost. If you are not sure if you can recycle or compost something, it is better to put it in the landfill trash because you might contaminate the recycle bin. Hopefully, your trash company sorts through the landfill trash to pick out items they know can be recycled.

If for some reason your city still doesn’t recycle, you must call your city office to demand that this service be offered. Otherwise, you’ll have to find places to take your recycling to yourself.