Spending green is certainly not the only way to be a part of the environmental movement. There are countless ways to care for the planet without spending a dime. What it will take is a commitment to spending your own time and energy on activities that make better use of the resources you have. Be warned: You may have to change some well-established habits. Once you start, though, you’ll wonder how you ever did it any other way.
Recycling is one of the biggest trends to hit the planet, but you may be surprised to know that up to 75 percent of what Americans throw in the garbage could actually be recycled. That’s a lot of useful stuff going to the dump. The benefits of recycling go well beyond simply reducing the need for landfill space. Recycling also:
So are you ready to get on board to become a better recycler? Follow this easy three-step program to get on track to recycle everything you possibly can.
Can you imagine throwing out one in every four beer bottles and almost all your plastic containers instead of recycling them? If you did, you would be keeping up with the Joneses. According to the EPA, less than 25 percent of glass waste and less than 10 percent of plastic waste generated is currently recycled. Here’s a case where keeping up with the Joneses is a bad idea.
Not everyone is lucky enough to have a curbside recycling program, but if you have one, it is important to understand what it takes, and even more importantly, what it doesn’t take. Curbside recycling programs are different in every community, but a typical program includes the following types of materials:
Some curbside programs require participants to sort and separate materials by type; others allow all materials to be collected in one bin. Be sure you know the rules for your particular program.
It’s worth mentioning a few things that you should definitely not pop into the recycling bin:
When I first began to recycle, I was a bit overzealous in my efforts and put all the papery products I could think of into my recycling bin. I knew that pizza boxes weren’t accepted, but I mistakenly included frozen food boxes and cardboard egg cartons into the mix. I never got a nasty note or anything (I’ve heard that happens in some communities), but I was a bit embarrassed for clogging up the recycling stream with things that can’t be used.
Getting organized for recycling is half the battle. If you have the space, set up a recycling station in your kitchen or pantry. Keeping separate bins for each type of material makes it easier to deal with on recycling day. Otherwise, keep smaller recycling containers around the house wherever they work for you.
Aesthetics is not a necessary requirement when collecting recyclables. Throw them in paper bags, pile them in old boxes or stack and tie them with string. However, if you prefer to keep things looking a little more polished, there are plenty of recycling bins and accessories available for purchase.
If you’re really lucky, you live in a community that offers an expanded curbside program that includes com-postable materials. These may include:
We don’t have a pantry, a mudroom or any extra space at all to set up an elaborate recycling station. Instead we keep recycling bins in various places around the house. Most things go in an old wine box hidden behind the trash can in my kitchen. We also have an old yogurt tub in the closet to collect batteries and a wicker basket for paper in the office. That’s what works for us.
There’s a lot more to recycling than curbside pick-up programs, but knowing where to bring other recyclable items can be a hurdle. Fortunately, Earth911 is there to help. Earth911 (http://earth911.com) is a Web site that consolidates recycling resources from all across the United States. Type in your zip code and the name of the item you are looking to recycle. Earth911 then generates a list of specific recycling locations for that product in your area. Remember to always call ahead and confirm that the site is in fact taking the items for recycling. Some of the most common types of recycling locations include the following:
Recycling efforts in the United States provide an annual benefit of reducing carbon emissions by almost fifty million metric tons. That’s comparable to removing almost forty million passenger cars from the road each year.
There are some items people never think to recycle, either because the items are disposed of infrequently or they just seem too odd a candidate for the bin. Keep this handy guide next to a recycling bin marked other to know what you can recycle and where.
| Item | Where to Recycle |
|---|---|
| Appliances | • Many appliance and home improvement stores will take back your old appliance when you buy a new one • Drop-off centers • For refrigerators, check www.energystar.gov/recycle |
| Car batteries | • Household hazardous waste disposal locations |
| Carpet | • Household hazardous waste disposal locations • Drop-off centers • Carpet America Recovery Effort (www.carpetrecovery.org) has a list of locations that accept carpet for recycling |
| Cell phones | • Household hazardous waste disposal locations • FedEx Office drop-off boxes • Staples and other office store locations • Charitable organizations such as www.collectivegood.com and www.charitablerecycling.com • Fundraising programs |
| CFL light bulbs | • Household hazardous waste disposal locations • Home Depot and some hardware stores |
| Cleaning products and other household chemicals | • Household hazardous waste disposal locations |
| Clothes hangers and dry cleaner bags | • Dry cleaners |
| Computers and other electronics | • Some Goodwill locations • Manufacturer- or retailer-sponsored recycling events • Drop-off centers and recovery programs that specialize in electronics recycling (fees may apply) • Staples and Office Depot (fees may apply) • Fundraising programs |
| Drink pouches and snack wrappers | • Fundraising programs like www.terracycle.net |
| Mattresses | • Household hazardous waste disposal locations • Drop-off centers • www.emattress.com will take back mattresses purchased from them and recycle free of charge |
| Medicine | • Household hazardous waste disposal locations • Some pharmacies and hospitals |
| Packing peanuts | • Packing and shipping stores such as The UPS Store and Mail Boxes Etc. • Check online at the Alliance of Foam Packaging Recyclers (www.epspackaging.org) or the Plastic Loose Fill Council (www.loosefillpackaging.com) for a list of drop-off and mail-back locations |
| Paint and paint thinners | • Household hazardous waste disposal locations |
| Phone books | • Many curbside recycling programs |
| Plastic bags | • Many grocery store chains have a drop-off bin • Wal-Mart stores |
| Plastic containers with recycling codes #4, #5 and #6 | • Some curbside programs • Special recycling events • Fundraising programs like www.terracycle.net |
| Printer cartridges | • Office supply stores • Fundraising programs like www.cartridgesforkids.com |
| Single-use batteries | • Some curbside programs • Household hazardous waste disposal locations |
If turning a compost pile is not your style, make worms do the work instead. Vermiculture composting (also known as vermicomposting) creates super-rich compost from kitchen scraps with very little human effort. Contrary to popular belief, worm bins do not smell and are super easy to maintain. For more information, go to www.wormcompostingtips.com.
When you toss food scraps and yard waste into the garbage can, you are throwing away precious materials that could help your plants grow tall and your garden flourish. By converting those organic materials into compost instead, you create a nutrient-rich soil and reduce your household waste by as much as 25 percent. Home composting not only provides you with free soil that acts as a natural alternative to fertilizer, but you save money on plastic leaf bags and possibly even garbage pick-up fees. If you’re worried that backyard composting is too much work, read on to see how simple it can really be.
Make or buy a compost bin for your yard. You can use something as simple as chicken wire or create a wooden bin from old scrap wood. It needn’t be fancy—it’s just for dirt, right? If you’d rather buy a bin there are many options, ranging from an inexpensive hoop bin made from recycled plastic to an aesthetically pleasing bin made of natural cedar.
If you don’t have enough space for a bin or prefer not to have your compost out in the open, you can opt for a completely contained compost tumbler instead. No outdoor space at all? Not to worry! You can create compost indoors in a small compos-ter that ferments kitchen scraps.
The basic recipe for compost is simple and very flexible.
Note: A couple of things to keep out of the pile: meat, dairy products, fats and oils, and human and pet waste.
As the organic material begins to decompose it will heat up, and you may even see some steam rising from the pile. Use a pitchfork or a shovel to turn your compost pile once a week, once a month or whenever you get around to it. The more you aerate your pile, the faster it will turn into usable compost. If Mother Nature doesn’t provide an occasional watering for your pile, you may need to get out the hose and water it yourself.
When your kids have finished their chores, allow them to check out these eco-minded Web sites.
A lot of eco-minded parents I meet wonder how they can pass their green values to their children. I tell them if they practice what they preach, it will probably sink in—eventually. Meanwhile you can help establish good green habits by giving your kids chores that help build awareness of and appreciation for the environment.
A typical birthday party can be a paper products nightmare, but it doesn’t take much to turn it into a greener affair. While you certainly don’t want to spoil your child’s birthday by not allowing party hats (if that’s what is important to her), there are probably some compromises you can make. Think about what works best for you and your child. Make a couple of small changes or turn the party into an all-out eco-extravaganza!
• Have an Earth Day theme and play recycling games or go on a nature treasure hunt.
• Make your own piñata and fill it with organic lollipops, fruit leathers and other healthy snacks.
• Consider an alternative to the traditional party gift:
• Organize a gift exchange in which everyone brings a gift and goes home with a gift.
• Suggest that families bring a ”previously loved” toy or book instead of buying something new.
• Consider a gift-free party or recommend a donation to a charity instead of a gift.
Here are a few ideas for making useful new items out of materials you would have thrown away. Even someone who doesn’t have a crafty bone in their body can handle these super-simple projects.
This can be a fun birthday party activity for older children, but it is also a great rainy day activity to do anytime with minimal preparation. It is a very open-ended project, using whatever materials you have collected from around your house. Supervision is required if you use a hot glue gun, but younger children can use regular glue with terrific results.
“Junk” from around the house: paper towel rolls, egg cartons, yogurt cups, tissue boxes, cardboard jewelry boxes, packaging materials, plastic utensils, plastic plant pots—almost anything goes!
Decorations: beads, stones, pipe cleaners, glitter, old game pieces, ribbon scraps, wrapping paper scraps.
Hot glue gun or all-purpose glue
Let your imagination go wild! Make a radio tower, a treasure box, a robot...the possibilities are endless.
You know those mesh plastic bags onions come in? The ones that usually go straight into the trash? Give them a new job as a kitchen scrubbie for pots and pans. Whip one up in no time and get scrubbing!
Mesh bag
Rubber band (the wide bands used to bind broccoli stalks together work well)
Step 1: Cut open the mesh bag and lay it flat. Then fold it back and forth accordion-style (like making tissue-paper flowers).
Step 2: Bend the folded mesh in half lengthwise.
Step 3: Twist a rubber band around the fat end.
Looking for some fun on a hot summer day? This simple craft made from a plastic bottle and an old washcloth will yield loads of bubble fun! This craft idea was originally developed by Betz White. Visit her Web site at www.betzwhite.com.
Empty plastic water bottle Small washcloth or scrap of cotton terry cloth at least 5" × 5" (13cm × 13cm)
Rubber band Bubble liquid or ecofriendly dish soap
Step 1: Using sharp scissors or a craft knife, cut the bottom off a plastic bottle.
Step 2: Cover the open end with the washcloth or terry cloth and secure with a rubber band.
Step 3: Dip the cloth in water first and then into a plate of bubble liquid or dish soap.
Step 4: Blow forcefully through the top of the bottle. A long tube of bubbles will come pouring out!
Getting tired of all the plastic bags cluttering up your cabinets? Look no further than an old sweater for help. The arm of a sweater makes the perfect device for containing those pesky bags, making it easier to grab them when you need them. Simply push the bags through the top of the arm hole and pull them out for use at the wrist end. A ribbon handle at the top makes it easy to hang the dispenser wherever it is convenient.
An old wool or wool-blend sweater. It does not need to be machine felted; however, felting will help keep the edges from fraying.
Ribbon
Step 1: Cut the arm off the sweater using a straight cut near the shoulder seam.
Step 2: Snip a hole on each side of the shoulder edge about 3⁄4 "–1" (19mm–3cm) down from the top.
Step 3: Thread a ribbon through the holes and tie at each side, leaving enough ribbon for a handle at the top.
Step 4: Stuff in your bags, and it’s ready to use!