How To Recycle, Reuse, and Reduce Every Day

When everyone started climbing on the Recycle, Reuse, Reduce bus I wondered what had taken them so long to realize that we only have one planet and at the rate we’re going it’s going to be used up, worn out and pretty much broken down in a couple of decades. I’ve always been a little bit of a flower child and my Gran taught me from an early age that everything deserves a second chance. Just because most people look at something and only see garbage, doesn’t mean it deserves to go in the trash! Recycling really is quite easy, especially when you get individual bins for paper, glass, plastic, aluminum and normal everyday trash instead of having to sort everything each week. This may sound like a lot, but if you use a Kohl’s 30 percent off coupon code, you can buy everything you need at a budget price.

So, for those just joining the revolution I’m going to share a few tips that will help you recycle effectively and turn it from a back breaking chore into a fun activity!

Know Your Areas Recycling Requirements

Knowing the pick-up days for recycling programs in your area makes it easier to plan how to sort your recycling. And knowing local guidelines for each program makes it simpler to get everything properly packed so that your recycling doesn’t get ‘rejected’.

Rinse And Sort As You Go

Instead of having one trash can for everything and having to sort through a sticky, yucky mess every week, get individual receptacles for each recycling group. And remember to give any containers (whether plastic, glass or aluminum) a quick wash before trashing them because most programs won’t accept recycling that hasn’t been rinsed out.

Know Your Plastic

Yes, even trash can be graded! And there are some plastic containers that simply don’t pass recycling muster so make sure that you understand the different biodegradable grades for plastic and which ones your recycling program will accept. The grades for most plastic containers can be found on the bottom and can be identified by the chasing arrows which encircle them.

Make It A Family Thing

By turning recycling into a family task you’re not only passing on the recycling gene, you’re helping everyone feel involved and making it easier for everyone to do. Give each family their own assignment, for example one can sort while another packs, then make sure they stick to it. And if they grumble or don’t do things properly – take them to see the damage that pollution is causing. It could be a sea life rescue center, a nearby stream or even a park. If you’re fortunate enough to live far from pollution then search the Internet. But make it personal in some way or else the message will be lost!

Composting Is Cool

Now the items that make your trash the most disgusting to handle are the same ones that are great for composting. A compost bin doesn’t have to be fancy, and you can make it out of the most basic materials. Simply toss your yard waste and kitchen scraps into the bin, give it a toss every week or so and in no time you’ll have quality compost that improves soil content and produces oxygen. You’ll be aiding the environment and improving your garden with a single easy process!

And there you have it – recycling made easy! As you can see it’s not too complicated and if we all do our little bit to help the environment then we’ll have an earth to call home for centuries instead of just decades!