Recycling, the least efficient of the 3 R's of green living, Reducing, Reusing and Recycling, has that distinction because it takes the most energy to recycle the items being recycled.
But that doesn't mean it is not effective in the Go Green way of living.
Recycling has a significant impact on resources that would have been depleted had the recycled materials not been available for use in manufacturing those products.
Let's take a look at what kind of materials can be recycled.
Paper Most paper products can be recycled but not all of them are currently being recycled now.
Make sure to check with your local collection facility before you start collecting paper products to recycle.
If you can't have them collected though, you may be able to use them in a compost pit.
Plastics Most plastic products can be recycled but they are separated by the code on the bottom of the container.
Usually a triangle with a number from 1 to 7 inside the triangle is located on the bottom.
Again you need to check with local collection facilities to determine which ones they collect for recycling.
Glass Glass can be recycled over and over again.
You just have to rinse the containers out and remove any labels before putting them in the recycling storage bins.
Metals This is one of the items that can be recycled where you can make a little money for your efforts.
You just have to call a local scrap metal yard and find out which items the take and how they will accept them.
For instance some facilities require you to crush aluminum cans before bringing them in and some don't.
However if you don't want to bother with taking them to a collection facility, most municipalities with recycling programs will take metals in a storage bin they give you to put out by the curb on certain days.
Organic Materials Yard and kitchen waste is taken as recyclables in some communities.
Just call your local department in charge of recycling (usually your waste management dept.
) and check.
If not, you can compost your own materials and use in a garden or as fertilizer for your yard.
Textiles Old clothing and shoes can be recycled by putting them in boxes located around most towns.
Organizations like the Salvation Army and Goodwill will make sure the items are distributed to people in need.
But that doesn't mean it is not effective in the Go Green way of living.
Recycling has a significant impact on resources that would have been depleted had the recycled materials not been available for use in manufacturing those products.
Let's take a look at what kind of materials can be recycled.
Paper Most paper products can be recycled but not all of them are currently being recycled now.
Make sure to check with your local collection facility before you start collecting paper products to recycle.
If you can't have them collected though, you may be able to use them in a compost pit.
Plastics Most plastic products can be recycled but they are separated by the code on the bottom of the container.
Usually a triangle with a number from 1 to 7 inside the triangle is located on the bottom.
Again you need to check with local collection facilities to determine which ones they collect for recycling.
Glass Glass can be recycled over and over again.
You just have to rinse the containers out and remove any labels before putting them in the recycling storage bins.
Metals This is one of the items that can be recycled where you can make a little money for your efforts.
You just have to call a local scrap metal yard and find out which items the take and how they will accept them.
For instance some facilities require you to crush aluminum cans before bringing them in and some don't.
However if you don't want to bother with taking them to a collection facility, most municipalities with recycling programs will take metals in a storage bin they give you to put out by the curb on certain days.
Organic Materials Yard and kitchen waste is taken as recyclables in some communities.
Just call your local department in charge of recycling (usually your waste management dept.
) and check.
If not, you can compost your own materials and use in a garden or as fertilizer for your yard.
Textiles Old clothing and shoes can be recycled by putting them in boxes located around most towns.
Organizations like the Salvation Army and Goodwill will make sure the items are distributed to people in need.
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