For every six water bottles used, only one makes it to the recycling b
in. Choosing tap water instead of drinking from plastic water bottles adds up. Water filters can be purchased and used in the home to make water taste just as great as bottled water. People can use a sealable container for daily water use, or re-fill an already used bottle. Another everyday useful way to conserve is to bring your own cloth or recycling grocery bags to the store instead of using plastic or paper one time use bags. Cloth bags are not only stronger, but some stores reward you by reducing your total bill. If you still find yourself using plastic bags, many stores have recycling bins inside for you to drop off your used bags.
in. Choosing tap water instead of drinking from plastic water bottles adds up. Water filters can be purchased and used in the home to make water taste just as great as bottled water. People can use a sealable container for daily water use, or re-fill an already used bottle. Another everyday useful way to conserve is to bring your own cloth or recycling grocery bags to the store instead of using plastic or paper one time use bags. Cloth bags are not only stronger, but some stores reward you by reducing your total bill. If you still find yourself using plastic bags, many stores have recycling bins inside for you to drop off your used bags. Plastic bags...or jelly fish?
Reduce, Reuse then Recycle! Recycle from your home. Small and wide mouth containers marked on the bottom with a (PETE OR PET); or a (HDPE) up to one gallon in size can be recycled. Containers with other numbers or no numbers cannot, neither can containers larger than three gallons.
Buy in bulk. Re-use when possible. Reduce consumption by avoiding excessively packaged products. Notice your use with "disposable" products. They really aren't disposable and are extravagant wastes of the world's resources. If you must buy disposable buy paper instead of plastic.
We are all commonly associated with cryptic markers, the three arrow triangle found on plastic products. Truth is, it does not mean the plastic can be recycled, nor does it mean the container was made from recycled plastic. The markers only identify the plastic type and help people categorize their used plastic materials. This link explains it perfectly. http://www.obviously.com/recycle/guides/common.html
If every person put some effort into making recycling a daily habit the change would be unthinkable. Get involved! Participate in beach cleanups if you live in a coastal area. Even if recycling is not something you plan on doing, just make sure your garbage makes it in a trash can. The only way to stop the spread of plastic into the world’s food chain is to reduce the amount of plastic we use and the ways we dispose of it.
Curbside RecyclablesDoucette, K. (2009, October 29). An ocean of plastic. Rolling Stone, (1090), 54-57.
I like this article because it not only addresses a major concern, but also provides useful information in how to change our behaviors to reduce the problem. I also like the link explaining the three-arrow symbols (I always assumed they meant the item could be recycled, or was recycled at one time). Prior to reading this, I did not realize there were constraints placed on what could and could not be recycled (again assuming, I thought we were to a point in consumer technology where all could be recycled...) Thank you for the informative article.
ReplyDeleteI feel the same way. I didn't know about all of the recycling rules till I did research for this article. I thought one plastic milk jug could be turned into another plastic milk jug minus all of the new additives that it would take. Funny thing is, recycled items often times cost more than new plastic!
ReplyDeleteyou have to find a way to secure the 3 Compartment trash can to the drawer so it won't fall over when sliding the drawer out
ReplyDelete