Let’s talk about how we can celebrate Earth Day, EVERYDAY! We can all do our part by recycling cardboard packaging, glass & plastic bottles and metal cans. However, there are several items that you may not be aware of that are also recycle friendly.
Once they are broken or no longer being used, think twice before pitching them in the trash. Depending on their condition, you can always donate them to a local organization. Broken or not, donate unwanted crayons to The Crayon Initiative, where they can be melted down to make new crayons and then donated back to schools and other organizations.
From hair care to skin care, there is way too much plastic getting thrown into landfills from this category alone. Reduce your carbon footprint by recycling your cosmetics through TerraCycle. Simply ship your used containers to them for free and they do the recycling for you.
Mattresses are made with mostly all recyclable materials, such as wood, foam, metal and cotton, but they often get dumped in landfills. Instead, say bye bye to your mattress by locating a BYE BYE mattress recycling facility near you.
Unused and unwanted keys are easily recycled at your local recycle center or can be taken to the nearest scrap metal location to make a quick buck. You can also donate your keys to a non-profit organization aimed at fighting world hunger called Key for Hope. They weigh donated keys and sell them to recycling centers for scrap metal.
Squeeze snack pouches are quick and yummy snack packs for on-the-go. Find a separate bin to collect your pouches and send them to TerraCycle, a recycling program for all used pouches and caps that allows you to ship to them for free!
Corks are an environmentally sustainable resource that can be recycled and used for cork flooring and other post-consumer products. ReCORK collects and recycles corks to create sustainable products that help the environment. Check out Pinterest for more ways to use your corks for crafts and gifts!
Batteries are made up of toxic metals, such as mercury, lead, cadmium and nickel, which can contaminate the environment when they are not properly disposed. Collect your used batteries in a safe place, and once a month, take them to a drop-off location. Call2Recycle is a great resource for finding battery recycling centers near you.
The more we know, the more we can do to reduce, reuse and recycle. Happy Earth Day, EVERYDAY!