Recycling Basics for the Home
- Paper and Cardboard. Newspapers should be saved in its own bin, as this material goes directly back into newsprint recycling.
- Plastic. Plastic does not break down in landfills, and since it can be recycled to make many diverse products, effort should be made to recycle all plastic waste.
- Glass. Glass is recycled according to color: clear, green and brown. Recycling centers prefer it when glass is separated this way.
- Aluminum, Steel and Copper. Food cans should be rinsed and have lids and labels removed. ...
- Electronic Goods. The simplest solution to recycling your old computer is to pass it on. ...
- Home Recycling Tips. Visit your local recycling center and find out what materials they accept for recycling. Then set up your bins accordingly.
- Close the Loop: Buy Recycled! The value of recyclables is driven by market demand. ...
- Plastic Bags. ...
- Milk Cartons. ...
- Plastic Water Bottles. ...
- Empty Ice Cream Container. ...
- Empty Roll-On Deodorant Bottles. ...
- Jeans You No Longer Wear. ...
- Old Clothing. ...
- Clear Plastic Lids.
How to organize your home with recycled materials?
More storage container ideas:
- Jars, baby food jars, jelly jars, any kind of jars!
- Shoe boxes
- Egg cartons
- Plastic food containers {decorate them with paper or fabric}
- Coffee or soup cans
- Paper towel holders {wrap ribbon around them}
- Plastic bags {I even have some with zippers}
- Baby wipe containers
- Old tins and baskets
- film containers, perscription bottles {embellishments}
Which materials are easiest to recycle?
Smart, easy ways to recycle or reuse real Christmas trees, wreaths, greenery
- Prepare for recycling. Trees that will be used as wood chips, compost or wildlife habitat have to be stripped of nonorganic materials.
- Trash Haulers. ...
- Fundraising Events. ...
- Beaverton. ...
- Lake Oswego. ...
- Portland. ...
- Tigard. ...
- Reuse Holiday Decor. ...
How to find reclaimed home building materials?
How to Find Reclaimed Building Materials, Tools & More 1. Talk to friends and family. This may be obvious so we’ll start here, but a great place to start is by talking to family and current friends! Many people have tools and second hand building materials that they’ve collected in the past and are no longer using, or aren’t using at the ...
What parts of a home can be recycled?
- Environmental Concerns – The EPA explains some of the concerns if appliances are not recycled properly.
- ARCA – Home page for the Appliance Recycling Centers of America.
- Recycle Used Appliances – Some helpful tips to get you motivated to recycle those used appliances.
- Washers & Dryers – Ideas for recycling these large appliances can be found here.
What are recyclable materials found at home?
What Things Can Be Recycled?Glass bottles.Plastic bottles.Paper rolls (from kitchen towel and toilet paper)Stale bread.Clothes.Books.Vegetable peelings.Plastic Pots.More items...•
What are 10 materials that can be recycled?
What Can Be Recycled CurbsidePaper including newspapers, magazines, and mixed paper.Cardboard (OCC)Glass bottles and jars.Rigid plastic products.Metal containers, including tin, aluminum, and steel cans.Food waste, if your city has an organics collection program.
What is the easiest thing to recycle at home?
Top 5 Easiest Items to RecycleMetal: Most metals are easily recyclable. ... Glass: Most household glass can be recycled over and over again. ... PET Plastics: This group includes plastic bottles. ... Newspaper: Newspapers are fairly easy for recycling facilities to process. ... Other Paper and Cardboard Items:
What are 5 materials that can be recycled?
Items that can be recycled in your yellow lid bin:Paper: office paper, magazines, newspapers and junk mail.Cardboard.Green, clear and brown glass bottles and jars.Juice and milk cartons.All hard plastic bottles and containers marked, but no lids please.Steel (tin) and aluminium cans and empty aerosols.
What are the commonly recycled items?
The materials that can be recycled are glass, aluminum, plastic water bottles, metal scrap, different kinds of paper, electronics –computers, cellular phones, keyboards, batteries and other small electronic equipment, textile, wood, wire, cables, plastic product, rubber, etc.
What is a example of recycle?
To recycle is to use again or to reuse waste material by converting it into something new. An example of recycle is when you return bottles, which are then processed into new glass products. To extract useful materials from (garbage or waste).
What is recycling at home?
Most metallic items in the home can be recycled, such as empty spray cans and tin foil, and of course, all empty soda, fruit, vegetable and other food cans. Keep a space in your cupboard so that you can recycle as you are cooking or cleaning. It will make it easier for you to put the recyclables in their proper place.
What can you recycle in the living room?
Most of us recycle newspapers and magazines....Other items that you might find for recycling in the living room include:Aerosol air fresheners.Cardboard packaging from online shopping - remove packaging tape and flatten to save space in your recycling bin.Envelopes, including window envelopes.
How do we recycle in everyday life?
Tips: Top Ten Ways to RecycleBuy recycled paper and print on both sides. ... Make recycling bins readily available. ... Recycle your empty ink and toner cartridges. ... Buy remanufactured ink and toner cartridges. ... Recycle old newspapers laying around the office. ... Look for the recycled option in all the products you buy.More items...•
What to do with envelopes in a garden?
Shred the envelopes and use them to create organic mulch in your garden or to fill pillowcases to keep outdoor pets warm in the winter.
What to do if you have to use a plastic water bottle?
If you have to use a plastic water bottle, make sure it ends up in the recycle bin rather than contributing to the single use plastic waste crisis . 2. Plastic Bags. Just as you’re reducing all your plastic consumption, refuse plastic bags whenever possible.
What is Carpet America Recovery Effort?
Re-doing your floors? The Carpet America Recovery Effort (CARE) provides solutions for recycling carpet.
What can you use cork bottles for?
Use them to cork bottles of homemade sauces, oils, and preserves.
Can you recycle old movies?
Did you finally transfer all those old home movies to digital? When you’re ready to purge old media items, check with your local recycling center to see if they’ll take them. That’s the easiest option for recycling at home. Otherwise, here are some interesting ways to make sure they don’t end up crowding the landfill.
Can you reuse things in your home?
In fact, your home is probably a treasure trove of items you can reuse, recycle, repurpose, or upcycle. When you change your perspective of throwing things away (where is “away” anyway?)… you’ll find yourself looking at everyday objects in a different light.
Can you recycle at home?
Whether you’re looking for eco-friendly ways to declutter or just trying to find out what you can recycle at home, there are plenty of practical and creative ideas for recycling at home or giving new life to old items . In fact, your home is probably a treasure trove of items you can reuse, recycle, repurpose, or upcycle.
What are some examples of household items that can be recycled?
If you are looking for some examples and inspiration, here are a few everyday household items you can start recycling and reusing today. 1. Glass Jars. Glass jars from things like pickles, jelly and canned vegetables may be common staples in your pantry, but they can do so much more when you repurpose and recycle them.
How can recycling help the environment?
Learning how to recycle and reuse household items can help the environment and your local community by saving energy, money and natural resources.
Why is recycling important?
Recycling is such an important way to help save our planet. Recycling is more than just putting your papers and plastics into a bin for pickup when you are done. It is also about finding ways to reuse your everyday items.
What can you do with empty dish soap bottles?
The dish soap bottles that have the squeeze top on them are a popular fixture in most kitchens, and when they are empty they should be recycled. They can also be reused. They make a great container for shampoo, crafting glue or cleaning products. The pour-out spout makes these bottles quite convenient. Another great way to use them? To create your own safe and natural cleaning solutions at home. Of course, if something happens to the bottle, you should recycle the remnants when you’re done.
What animals can you make pet bedding for?
Create pet bedding, particularly for rodents like guinea pigs, hamsters, rats or gerbils.
Can you recycle and reuse everyday items?
Now that you have some inspiration for ways you can recycle and reuse these everyday household items, it is time to start looking at your home items in a completely different way. Remember, there are things you can do with these items in your home when you are done using them. Many of them you can simply place in your recycling bin for pick up, but all of them can be reused for different everyday uses around the home.
Can you recycle egg cartons?
When you are done with a carton of eggs, make sure that you put them in the recycling bin. Have you ever thought about the material that is used to make those egg cartons? There is a reason why they are so unique feeling—they are made to be recycled! Some people like keeping empty egg cartons to organize small items or they just save them to reuse them for holidays like Easter. Another great way to repurpose egg cartons is to use them as a holder for small earrings or buttons in an organized manner.
How to recycle paper?
Paper should be recycled through your town or city's recycling program. Use a separate bin to collect paper products for recycling. For sensitive paper such as credit card statements or anything that might have personal information on it, shred it first. Check with your bank or credit union as they often offer special shredding days.
How to recycle furniture?
While you can DIY furniture and improve it, or re-purpose it (like re-purposing an old set of kitchen cabinets to hold tools and sporting equipment in your garage), there are ways to recycle furniture. Donate it, sell it (use Craigslist, eBay, or a garage sale), or you can truly recycle furniture. The best way to do this is to call your local town hall and see which days are designated for oversized trash pick-up. Put it out on the curb the prior evening to give people who may want your furniture some time to pick it up before the trash collectors come your way.
What do you need to do before you recycle a phone?
Whether you mail or bring a phone to a store in person to recycle, you must protect your personal data that may be on the item by backing it up and cleaning your phone to wipe it of any personal data, such as contacts, passwords, and notes.
How much does it cost to recycle an old car?
You could pocket anywhere from $200 to $500 for an old car, depending on the current price of the metal.
What is e-waste recycling?
E-waste is a large category of electronics recycling, which includes computers, readers, tablets, televisions, VCRs, stereos, copiers, fax machines, and even media such as CDs and DVDs. (Cell phones are a separate category.)
Can you recycle soda cans?
Did you know that recycling goes way beyond soda cans and newspapers? In fact, almost any item can be recycled. It helps to know the best places to recycle items, how to find them, and what to do—such as cleaning and repairing—before you recycle an item.
Can you recycle anything?
In fact, almost any item can be recycled . It helps to know the best places to recycle items, how to find them, and what to do—such as cleaning and repairing—before you recycle an item. Here's a list of how to recycle everything in your home.
Why is it important to build with recycled materials?
Building with recycled materials can be a great way to save money and the environment. It also makes for one-of-a-kind homes. In some cases, recycled materials can make structures stronger, more efficient and less expensive to build than new materials. Charitable foundations have used plastic two-liter soda bottles to build shelters, ...
How much is an Earthship home worth?
This two-bedroom, two-bathroom Earthship home in the Greater World Community, a neighborhood of Earthships, is currently for sale at $515,000.
Who built the Bottle Houses?
The Bottle Houses – Cap-Egmont, Prince Edward Island. Photo courtesy of The Bottle Houses. These fairytale-like structures were built by Édouard Arsenault out of more than 25,000 recycled glass bottles that he gathered from around the community. Construction on all three buildings took about four years.
Is a recycled house stronger than concrete?
They're inexpensive and about three times stronger than concrete. But that doesn't mean recycled houses have to look like they're recycled. Some of them -- like a house in the Netherlands built from recycled brick -- fit in perfectly with their neighbors.
Can you build a home out of recycled materials?
Building an entire home out of recycled materials may not be feasible for everyone , but there are plenty of ways to incorporate salvaged or reused materials into a home's design.
Why is recycling important?
Recycling is extremely important - not just for reducing waste, but for creating hundreds of new, more sustainable products. Here are 15 items that you can make from recycled materials.
What can you use old cardboard boxes for?
If you do a lot of traveling, or if you have a trip coming up, you could use some of those old cardboard boxes for padding material for delicate items. Bubble wrap is also a useful material. If you can try to save it, it can be used as great packing material for precious items when traveling, too.
How to save food when buying?
If you buy food in large portions or you frequently have plastic containers from ordering out, wash and save them. Instead of dirtying up new dishes when you have leftovers, save them food storage containers.
What can you use aluminum cans for?
One idea is from Home D-Zine. They take six cans, attach a handle to them, label each one of the cans for spoons, forks, and knives, and created attractive cutlery holders.
Can you make ice scoops out of half gallon milk cartons?
Instead of tossing out your next half gallon milk carton, make good use of it. It’s very easy to make an ice scoop, or any other kind of scoop, with an old carton. All you really need is to view the picture, get some scissors and cut precisely.
Can you throw away toilet paper rolls?
Toilet paper rolls are thrown away immediately after the toilet paper has run out. However, they are perfect for starting a fire. All you have to do is put lint from the dryer in them, store them by your grill or with your camping equipment, and they’ll be ready to go when you need them.
What can you make out of recycled plastic?
Even a simple plastic bottle can be turned into a garden sprinkler, a bird feeder or a watering can!
How can reusing materials save money?
Reusing materials for new purposes can save a considerable amount of money. As this article shows, many useful items can be produced by repurposing items that would otherwise have been thrown away. When more people become environmentally aware, demand for recycled products increases.
What is upcycling in recycling?
Upcycling is a way of recycling creatively, turning items that would otherwise be unused into functional and useful things. An example often seen is when people reuse wooden pallets and turn them into anything from outdoor seating areas to staircases. Upcycling is also possible with far smaller items than pallets!
What is downcycling in the home?
Downcycling usually happens on an industrial scale. However, anyone looking how to make creative things from waste material at home will also find examples of downcycling that work as personal projects, such as using old clothes as dusters or linings for pet beds or turning old CDs and DVDs into drinks coasters.
How does recycling reduce water pollution?
Water pollution is reduced when recycling increases, as producing goods from recycled materials doesn’t pollute as much as using virgin raw materials.
How does recycling reduce energy?
Recycling dramatically reduces energy use. For example, producing aluminum cans from “secondary production” uses 92% less energy than doing so from raw materials. New raw materials are generated from recycled products, providing a way to make new things without the further use of resources that may be finite.
How much waste is produced in the world every year?
United Nations figures show that the world produces 2.12 Billion TONS of waste every single year, and the figures are going up! Luckily, some creative recycling projects at home can help save the planet. If you’re interested in creative recycling projects you can do at home, then skip the intro and scroll straight down.
What are recycled tires used for?
Recycled rubber tires are used for making various green products. One of the latest additions to the list is the rubber tire sinks. Many tires usually end up in the landfills causing more and more pollution to the environment. The best way to stop such kind of pollution is to recycle such products and use them for other purposes. The recycled car tires have been used by the Santa Monica based designer of Minarc studio to transform them into a stunning bathroom sink.
What is a chandelier made of?
How about a kitchen chandelier made out of recycled glass? Chandeliers made of recycled glass are gaining popularity day by day. Madeleine Boulesteix has been successful in creating dazzling designs of kitchen chandeliers with recycled glass.
Is cardboard a good material for vacuum cleaners?
The cardboard has been successfully recycled and used for making a vacuum cleaner . It was made by Jake Tyler, a student from the Loughborough University. The vacuum cleaner is called Vax EV. The cardboard used for making the cleaner comes from the recycled cardboard of a shipping box.
Is recycled glass tile durable?
Being stain resistant, easy to clean, non-porous and weather resistant, the recycled glass tiles suit both indoor and outdoor décor . They are more durable than ceramic tiles when installing appropriately. Careful selection can create an impressive appeal in your home , which can provide a long-lasting impact .
Why is recycling important?
The recycling can be a very first aid to environmental pollution so be in it to contribute in getting healthy ecosystems. Upcycle also the old wood chunks and lengths to make something very special, will serve long throughout your life like this utensil holder, a handsome kitchen decor too. Full how-to guides here homemade
How to make a flower vases out of recycled plastic bottles?
Grab the recycled plastic bottles with fetching design textures , paint them in the way you like, gold and black paint color combination will rock. Next, fill potting soil in your painted bottles and add custom cut flowers and herb stems inside. Get inspired by the sample recycled plastic bottle flower vases. Full tutorial here theseamanmom
How to reuse cookie boxes?
Get the benefits of recycling and repurpose the empty cookies boxes and wrap them in the finger stamped papers. Next, reuse them as enticing flower pots in your garden just by filling a little potting soil in them. An excellently smart garden decor project using recycled items. How-to details here journeycreativity
What to do with old fashion accessories?
Have you ever thought about what to do with the old fashion accessories while buying new and trendy ones? Upcycle them into something else and different like this picnic caddy made of a recycled handbag. It is easy to carry with caddy and will make you overenjoy a tour or picnic. Step-by-step guides here acraftymix
What to do with an old bed headboard?
After looking at this bench you will never think again to waste an old bed? Use extra wood and recycled old bed headboard and components to build this stable outdoor bench, has an arresting design appeal. Use decorative crystal finials and wood accents to decorate the bench design more. How-to tutorial here hometalk
How to make a marbled clay vase?
Prep the marbled clay and wrap it around a recycled glass bottle to make a marbled clay bottle vase. Next, finish it up with decorative gemstones and given an oven bake to get a durable centerpiece vase for your DIY home decor. Complete tutorial here deliciousanddiy
How to repurpose old photo frames?
Repurpose also the old photo frames to make gorgeous display wall shelves. Use extra wood to give a bit more depth to them and then hang a collection of them on the wall in custom configurations. Here these frame shelves hang just above wall mounted study desk for bigger style statements. Details here shanty-2-chic