We all learn about recycling when growing up, but the truth is that most people don’t act on this knowledge enough. Whether at home or in an office setting, recycling is a responsible task that’s very easy to participate in. To get started on your eco-friendly journey, keep reading to find out what you should be recycling and why.
Video Overview
Common Recyclables
To start, the most commonly accepted recyclables are the following:
- Paper
- Plastic
- Glass
Recycling these everyday products can be as easy as keeping a bin in your home or office space to make sure they don’t end up in wastebaskets. But these recyclables are not umbrella terms for all types of paper, plastic, and glass. For example, wine glasses and light bulbs are very fine and have a different chemical makeup than bottles and other containers. These cannot be recycled in most communities. Waste companies aren’t quite as picky with plastics and paper products, but just make sure to separate wrappers and plastic toys from your recycling bin.
Lesser-Known Recyclables
There are also more recycling options that you may not already know of, and these include:
- Electronics: Electronics like old computers, cell phones, batteries, and replacement parts can also be recycled at the proper facilities. Some businesses even collect employees’ old devices for proper recycling.
- Plastic Bags: The bags you often take home from the grocery store are one exception to the “no plastic wrappers” rule. Plastic bags can be collected and returned to the proper facilities for reuse. Some grocery stores even have collection stations in place for their plastic bags to be brought back.
- Aluminum Foil: Aluminum foil is an example of another metal that can be recycled. Just make sure when you are adding it to your recycling bin that there is no trace of food scraps, or it may be turned away at a facility.
- Medications: Recycling medications is an environmentally-friendly and safety-conscious decision. Leaving old medications around your home is dangerous, especially with children in the house. If you know you won’t be needing a prescription any longer, you can take it back to participating pharmacies for proper recycling or disposal.
How You Can Dispose of Other Waste
Beyond recycling, there are other ways to cut down on how much garbage you, your family, or your business create. There are different disposal methods for other types of waste, including composting food waste and more. You could also repurpose and make DIY creations out of waste like cans, plastics, and more around your home or office.
Why Recycle the Above Items
The eco-friendly practices above all fall into the three Rs: reduce, reuse, and recycle. Recycling is such an important part of this equation because it helps waste that can be repurposed stay out of landfills. And not unlike how you would repurpose materials at home, recyclables can be manufactured back into similar products. For example, have you ever used a notebook made of recycled paper or a reusable water bottle made from recycled plastics? And, oftentimes, these products require significantly fewer resources to manufacture because they are coming from recyclables.
Now that you are refreshed on what you should be recycling and why, you can start encouraging the practice around your home or office. This practice is sustainable, eco-friendly, and can even help your family or business save money in the long run.
