Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle

Introduction

The scope of Reducing, Reusing, and Recycling is so broad and complex that it is hard to summarize in a few words without writing my own book. Fortunately, I don’t have to. Here are some recommendations of some great reads. Elizabeth Royte’s Garbage Land: On the Secret Trail of Trash is a wonderful eye opener to what happens to our trash once it is picked up from the curb. Actor and environmental activist Ed Begley, Jr. has Living Like Ed – A Guide to the Eco-Friendly Life which is accessible to both the beginners and to the seasoned in the green movement. In the future, we may be talking about William McDonough and Michael Braungart’s Cradle to Cradle: Remaking the Way We Make Things and how this book pushed the evolution of our stuff.

I also highly recommend watching a 20 minute video online from Annie Leonard call the Story of Stuff. It is a straight forward depiction of what we do with our stuff, includes some recommendations in making change, and is even entertaining to watch. Check it out here.

What I’ve done so far…

Recycling bins. Locally, Waste Management picks up glass, plastics, paper, junk mail, aluminum and tin/steel that can be consolidated into a single bin for ease of recycling. Because Waste Management only accepts plastics #1 and #2 in their curbside pickup program in Peoria, I have resorted to 2 systems for collecting containers. I toss all of my Waste Management stuff in their green collection bin in the garage and put it on the curb every other week. Plastics #3, #4, #5, and #7 all go into a kitchen garbage can; when it is full, I drop it off on my way to work. (I commute to another city that accepts more items.)

Bin for Curbside Pickup

Recycling Bins in the Kitchen.

Bags – Paper, Plastic or Reusable

Would you like paper or plastic bags? In environmental terms, neither is a very good option. The manufacture of paper bags takes a tremendous strain on our natural resources by removing the very trees that fight global warming by sucking up CO2 out of the atmosphere. Plastic bags perpetuate our addiction to oil, and when they degrade in the environment, they simply break down into smaller, more toxic particles. So, the best answer is this: reusable bags. Many retailers and grocers are beginning to sell bags at reasonable prices. My favorite choice so far is the Chico bag. It folds up into a pouch that fits into your pocket and are extremely durable.

Chico Bags

Household Toxic Substances

In May of 2008, Peoria County Recycling helped sponsor a Household Hazardous Waste Event in Peoria. It was a great opportunity to dispose of items that cannot simply be thrown in the trash. They accepted loads of items like paint, stains, and cleaning products. Click here for my review of the event.

Composting

To further minimize our household waste and to provide nutrients for our vegetables and flowers, we set up a compost bin in April. Instead of throwing everything away, we are turning waste back into the environment in a positive way. We place fruit and vegetable scraps, egg shells, and even newspaper in the bin. Meanwhile, worms work there way through the stuff and turn out compost that acts as a natural fertilizer. Click here for a picture of a similar model.

Soilsaver Classic Compost Bin

Other Recycling

• Batteries are considered a hazardous waste as they can leak poisonous chemicals into the air and ground. So, It is imperative we keep batteries out of the landfills. While I haven’t purchased a rechargeable battery kit, I do collect the dead batteries in a container. When it fills up, I take them to my local Batteries Plus store.
• For the cardboard boxes that I am not saving for a future use, I either drop them off on my way to work or take them to my local recycling facility.
• HP has a great program for collecting used ink cartridges. Inside the packaging of every new cartridge is a prepaid envelope that allows you to send back the old cartridge at no additional cost.
• When you purchase a new cell phone, there are several ways to dispose of the old one in a responsible way. The EPA estimates that only 20% of used cell phones are recycled. Go to www.epa.gov/cellphone or www.earth911.org for options in your area. I was able to sell my last cell phone on ebay for $25.
• There are toxic substances in electronic equipment that need to be handles responsibly as well. They do not belong in the trash or landfills. Recently, I took an old computer and monitor to a local computer recycler – www.cheapnerd.com. The non-profit Retro-Tech Electronics is also an option for my area.