Recycle At Home

Reduce, Re-use and Recycle At Home
Ways you can reduce your waste and help the planet.

With all this talk about carbon footprints and global warming, many people are wondering how do to their part. Other than reducing fuel and energy consumption, recycling is a way to lessen our impact.

Each year, billions of tons of trash are deposited into landfills across the country. While most communities offer recycling programs, most residents are not aware of their availability. In my community, recycling is available through the city as part of the trash pick-up program. You can get bins for trash, paper, and glass and plastics. There is also a landscape recycling program.

But what can you do at home? There are things you can do at home to get more than one use out of many everyday products.

Old jeans can be sewn into bags for groceries or even diaper bags. Old clothing can be used in quilts and blankets. If you can’t think of a reason to keep it, donate it to your local Goodwill store.

Plastic grocery bags make great lunch bags or trash can liners for smaller trash cans. Or they can be used as package fillers or as ice bags. Glass jars from pickles and olives can be used as candle holders, or a place to put used grease so it doesn't clog your pipes.

Use leftover water from hiking trips to water plants. If you have an area available, start a compost heap. Tree branches can be used to shade gardens or make mulch. Lemon and orange rinds can be placed in dishes in rooms as air fresheners.

All in all, we can all do our part to re-use and recycle everyday products.

(On a side note, Safeway now gives shoppers $0.05 back on your grocery bill for every bag you bring in to put groceries in)