Today is Earth Day! Earth Day, founded by Senator Gaylord Nelson in 1970, is observed annually on April 22 to increase awareness about pollution and promote respect for our planet. Recycling is a great way that we all can take action. Read on for information about how to recycle at home. You can even download a free printable to serve as a handy guide of where to donate your common household items.
Why Recycle?
According to the EPA, the total generation of municipal solid waste in 2015 was 262.4 million tons. To help cut down on the amount we throw away, the “3 R’s” of waste management are suggested:
- Reduce
- Reuse
- Recycle
Reduce
Reducing is cutting back on the amount of trash we make. A few ways to reduce the amount of waste you make are:
- buy in bulk
- avoid using disposable goods (e.g., use dishcloths instead of paper towels)
- pack food in reusable containers instead of disposable ones
- remove your name from mailing lists
Reuse
Reusing is all about finding new ways to use or repurpose items instead of throwing them away. Some ways include:
- use old clothing as cleaning rags
- bring your own cloth bags for grocery shopping
- sell or donate old clothing, appliances, toys, and furniture
Benefits of Donation
Deciding to sell or donate items you no longer use has so many benefits such as:
- provides the opportunity to eliminate excess clutter from your home
- prevents usable goods from going into landfills
- helps your community and those in need
- may even provide some tax benefits
Read on for detailed information about where to donate along with a free printable.
Recycle
Recycling is transforming waste items into new goods. The most well-known recycled materials are glass, paper, plastic, and aluminum. One thing to keep in mind about plastic bags is that they should not be included in your recycling container. Instead, reuse the plastic bags or return them to a participating grocer or retail store for proper recycling. To find a drop-off location, visit plasticfilmrecycling.org.
Other suggestions are:
- buy products made from recycled material
- use recycled paper for copier paper
- recycle products into DIY crafts
How Do I Recycle?
Since recycling programs are managed at the state and local level, each state and town has different criteria for recycling. For this reason, start off by finding out information on recycling in your local community. A list of each state’s environmental agencies can be found on the EPA website.
Where to Donate
Here is a partial list of how to recycle some common household items. You can download the complete guide at the end of this post.
Books
- donate books to Goodwill
- give magazines to retirement homes, assisted living facilities, or doctors offices
- Donate magazines and catalogs to teachers for school projects
- start a Little Free Library book exchange in your neighborhood
- give away, sell or swap books away on Facebook
- sell books to a local used book store or Half Price Books
- sell on online on Amazon Seller Central, eBay
Eyeglasses
- eyewear can be dropped off at your local LensCrafters, Sears Optical or Pearle Vision locations.
Plastic Bags
- drop-off bins are available at many major retailers (visit plasticfilmrecycling.org to find a drop-off location near you)
Prescription Drugs
- take unused or expired prescription drugs out of their original containers, mix with coffee grounds or kitty litter, and dispose of in a sealable bag
- National Prescription Take Back Day is April 27. Locate a collection site near you (https://takebackday.dea.gov/)
