Recycling and going green are earth-friendly trends that not only help in natural resource conservation and preventing pollution but also keep the environment clean. It is essential that everyone in the world does their part to ensure we continue receiving the benefits of healthy Mother Nature. Below are easy tips to help you refine your home recycling program by making simple, practical changes.
1. Avoid Plastic Bags and Buy Reusable Bags
Your weekly grocery store trips typically require more than ten plastic bags that you will need for transporting your shopping back home. That number adds up over time, and you could end up spending more than 500 plastic bags annually. Instead of home recycling those plastic bags, consider using environmentally friendly cloth bags, which can be washed and reused all year long.
2. Know What You Can Recycle in Your Area
Every city or town has its unique recycling guidelines and rules. It would help if you started your home recycling plan by reading up on those local rules to ensure you send items that can be processed. Generally, you can safely recycle all cans, bottles, glass, metals, cardboard, and paper. However, you should not recycle polystyrene containers, plastic bags, soiled food containers, and plastic utensils. Ensure you are putting all the recyclable products, excluding plastic and glass, into the proper bins.
3. Recycle Paper at Home
Recycling paper at home may seem insignificant, but it has a significant impact on preventing waste accumulation in landfills. One fun way for paper home recycling is to create arts and crafts with unused paper. You can convert the paper into creative arts like decorative tapes that you can use as attractive trims at home. The other way to reduce paper consumption is to use cloth towels and napkins in your kitchen and bathroom.
Recycling is a great alternative to plants that give a “natural” feel. You can change the landscaping throughout your home by using recycled items in beautiful, new ways. You can go even greener for your bathroom with bamboo toilet paper and it will generate less pollution than other products, it also lasts longer than many other brands – you won’t have to change them as often when using these products.
4. Consider Donating Unused Items
Unused items like old electronics do not have to end up in the trash. If you cannot restore old electronic devices like computers or laptops, you can either return them to the product manufacturer or donate them locally to charities. Give away any unused items, including furniture, clothing, boxes, and plants. Make the donation part of your home recycling plan.
5. Recycle Glass Containers
According to residential and commercial recycling service providers, not all glass is recyclable. That means you must ensure you are not placing any non-recyclable glasses like drinking glasses, light bulbs, glass objects, and window glass into the recycling bin. However, you can safely recycle all glass jars and bottles. You can even reuse the glass containers at home to store items instead of sending them in for recycling.
6. Plan for Home Recycling in Advance
Most people don’t recycle at home since they had not planned for it, which is why they end up throwing out items. Nevertheless, if you actively anticipate home recycling, you are more likely to be cautious about throwing things in the waste bins and contributing to the massive landfills. Therefore, you should consider the reusability of the products you buy to ensure you can capitalize on their usage and minimize wastage. Seek to reuse and recycle first before getting rid of any item.
7. Reuse Water at Home
Another significant consideration for home recycling is reusing water at home. This method will require some investment in reconfiguring your pipes to reuse the sink water or bath water to water your garden or flush the toilet. Reusing water means that you will save significant amounts on your monthly water expenses. You can go even further and recycle rainwater for use both inside and outside of your property.
Conclusion
There’s no doubting the fact that home recycling is a remarkable thing. However, it is also essential that you actively look for ways to minimize the amount of waste you create at home. Making small changes in your overall home energy usage and overall consumption can reduce your home’s footprint on the ecosystem.
Your aim should always be to reduce consumption, reuse as much as possible, and finally recycle to minimize waste. Once you decide to recycle, choose a reliable home recycling collection service that offers additional value-added benefits like a regular pickup among others.
