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REDUCE, REUSE RECYCLE!
Hints & Tips to make this world
a better place.
1) Think twice before you throw something away.
Could you use it for something else? Can you compost it? Is
it recyclable? Is it toxic or harmful to plants & animals? These are the things that we must ask ourselves, can the trash be
used for something else? (i.e. using newspaper to clean you windows works
well, paper mâché for a child's school project, lining the
bottom of your bird cage or making your own homemade paper.) Can
the item be composted? (i.e. yard scraps, leaves, plant clippings, vegetable
peelings, food scraps. Careful not to put fat, meat or dairy
products into compost piles.) Can it be recycled? (i.e. #1 & #2
plastics, glass, newspaper, aluminum, steel cans) Is it toxic?
Old paint, motor oil, cleaners, batteries, paint thinner and wood
stains are just a few that can do serious damage to our environment.
Make sure you call your local authorities on waste to find out how to
properly dispose of these chemicals.
2) Buy products that are made of or contain recycled materials.
Buy products that don't use a lot of packaging or products that come in
containers that can be easily reused.
3) Start a recycling program at home, you can collect
aluminum cans, steel cans, plastic (#1 PETE & #2 HDPE) bottles, newspaper,
glass. If you can arrange to get it picked up then great, otherwise
call to see who you can take it to, a good place to start is your local
grocery store.
4) Start a compost pile or bin in
your backyard.
Composting is natures way of recycling and compost is a wonderful additive
to plants and trees. Check your local book store for books on composting.
5) Get the kids started on recycling. Children these
days are very concerned about their environment. Teach them how
they can start taking care of it and do their part to keeping it clean.
Let them find new uses for old things, teach them what can be recycled
and what can't. Take them to a trash treasure hunt and help clean
up a neighborhood park. Once you get the kids started, watch out!
Before long they will be telling you how to recycle.
6) Stop throwing away unwanted catalogs and junk mail.
Call the companies up and ask to be taken off their mailing lists.
Donate old magazines to schools, libraries, or your neighbors and friends
to read and enjoy.
7) Have old paint? Not really sure what to do with
it? If the paint is still in usable condition you have several options.
Mix cans of paint together (make sure not to mix oil and waterbase together
though), you'll come up with a earthtone/brown colors that make great
primer for other paint jobs. Donate unused paint to schools or local
charities to use for painting drama props, covering graffiti, or other
really useful activities. If the paint is dry or otherwise unusable,
call your local waste hauler or recycling authority and they can give
you locations to drop it off. This way the paint will stay out of
out landfills and out of the groundwater.
Do you have suggestions and tips for a cleaner earth?
We'd love to hear from you! Drop us an e-mail
and type in "tips for recycling" on the subject line. Thank you.
Important Recycling Links
Pennsylvania's Recycling Home Page
Recycle City
Virtual Recycling
EnviroWeb
Green Pages (The Global Directory for
Environmental Technology)
Environmental Organization Web
Directory
Making Your Own Recycled
Paper
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