Going green and recycling is making a buzz nowadays and rightly so. There are so many advantages of recycling. First, it helps to preserve our environment. Also, it cuts down on energy use. It reduces the heap of dumps on our landfills.
There are only limited resources of many substances left like plastic and metal which are used in every item, thus they should be conserved and used with heed. It only takes a few extra minutes to recycle something. Instead of throwing it out as trash, find out how to recycle objects. You can even resell a few things like paper and metal and earn a few extra bucks.
1. Plastic
It is very essential to recycle plastic substances as they are not biodegradable and leech toxins into our surroundings. They are used to make utensils, bags, machinery parts, tableware, etc. Most of the plastic waste consists of water or PET bottles and on an average about 90% of these bottles are trashed instead of being recycled. Plastic bottles take about thousands of years to decompose. Instead only around 33 percent of energy is required to recycle old plastics than to manufacture brand new products. Furthermore, plastic is a petroleum based product so its supply will also exhaust very soon. Hence it is very important to recycle all plastic products.
2. Aluminum
Used to make many everyday items, the resources of this metal are very limited so we should definitely consider reprocessing them. About 95 percent lesser energy is utilized to recycle aluminum than to make brand new aluminum items. Also, aluminum can be easily reproduced again and again without affecting its quality or volume.
3. Batteries
These power supply devices are used and thrown out in large quantities from many homes. They are slotted in many gadgets. Never chuck them in your trash can, this is definitely one thing you should recycle. They release many hazardous chemicals into the environment. Many offices have bins in which you can throw them out. Home users can dispose them in bins at nearby post offices also. A good solution is to buy rechargeable batteries and put an end to the recycling process altogether.
4. Clothes
Used garments can be put to much better use than just throwing them out as trash. In fact, it has been found out the almost 50 percent of our clothes can be recycled. You can give them out to charities and institutions like Salvation Army and Volunteers of America. You can also stitch new items from them like aprons, pillow covers, mattresses, quilts, slip covers, etc. Make a few extra bucks by holding a garage sale or selling them off to second hand thrift stores and flea markets.
5. Appliances
Most electronic items should be recycled, first because they contain metals and many other substances that can be put to use after reprocessing. Also, most electronic items like bulbs, computers, laptops and video game systems are toxic and can endanger our environment. Also the metals used in these appliances are not biodegradable and will oxidize and rust instead of breaking down. There are many schemes that accept old appliances and give you some rebate on brand new ones purchased in exchange. You can try giving them off to organizations like Salvation Army, Habitat for Humanity, and Goodwill. Your local government can also arrange a special pickup for old appliances.
6. Paper and cardboard
About 30 percent of solid waste heaped on landfills comprises of paper and related products. By recycling all paper and cardboard products you can save trees. Corrugated cardboard can be reprocessed and turned into a fresh new box for use again. So try to reprocess all those cereal and shoe boxes you throw out every day. Even books should not be thrown out in trash, notebooks can be recycled and reading books can be donated to charities or institutions like orphanages and libraries.
7. Wood
Your old couches and worn out tables can be put to much better use. Many home décor pieces like fixtures, windows, doors, flooring, etc. are also made up of wood and can be recycled. You can either give them to recycling centers where they are used to create new reclaimed wood items.This is a must to tackle deforestation and preserve out natural habitat. Preserving trees has numerous advantages like improving air quality and safeguarding animal life.
