Student’s Corner

In the midst of a super busy and exciting week, we still should not forget about recycling!! Here are some great tips from AmericaRecyclesDay that we can all use. Check them out!

• Tip #1: Plastic bottle caps are usually recyclable along with the bottle! Check with your  local solid waste & recycling office to be sure, but many recycling programs accept bottle caps, made from #5 and #2 plastics.
• Tip #2 Half is better than none! Although you can’t recycle your whole pizza box, you can tear off and recycle the top half, as long as it’s grease-free. As always, check with your local solid waste and recycling office to be sure. Keep this tip in mind if you’re picking up a pizza or ordering in this weekend!
• Tips #3: When it comes to recycling,every community is different. Do some research to make sure you’re recycling all the materials accepted in your community. Check with your local solid waste and recycling office or americarecyclesday.org/find-recycling for information on your local recycling options.
• Tip #4: A trick up your sleeve: Many recycling programs don’t accept paper cups because of the waxy lining. Don’t forget to recycle the cardboard sleeve!
• Tip #5:  Look beyond the daily paper. Does your community recycling program accept cereal and tissue boxes? Magazines? Mail? Check with your local solid waste and recycling office to make sure you’re doing all you can to save trees!
• Tip #6: Plastic bag and film recycling doesn’t stop with grocery bags. Recycle your dry cleaning, newspaper, & bread bags and also the plastic film on products like paper towels. Visit AmericaRecyclesDay.org/find-recycling for the nearest drop-off point. It is likely a grocery store or retailer you frequent already!
• Tip #7: Reduce and reuse first to shrink your environmental footprint! Reduce your unwanted mail by unsubscribing via CatalogChoice.org.
• Tip #8: What you don’t put in your recycling bin is just as important as what you do recycle. Know what’s recyclable in your community so you don’t contaminate the recycling process. Check with your local recycling and solid waste office for details on your community recycling program, and look up nearby drop-off facilities at AmericaRecyclesDay.org/find-recycling where you can bring those harder-to-recycle items.
• Tip #9: Keep bags for both trash and recycling in your car. Pre-sorting makes it easier to recycle on the go.
• Tip #10:  Recycling: it’s not just in the kitchen. Don’t trash your and shampoo bottles and toilet paper rolls just because they’re in the bathroom!
• Tip #11: Can it! Metals are among the most valuable materials in the waste stream and almost all recyclers welcome aluminum and steel. So, recycle your cans!
• Tip #12: Answer the call to recycle your wireless phone! 100 million of them go out of use each year, according to the U.S. EPA. Donate your out-of-use cell phone to a local charity or find a drop-off facility near you (AmericaRecyclesDay.org/find-recycling).
• Tip #13: Don’t exclude your food. Not ready to dive into composting just yet? Toss your egg shells and coffee grounds into the garden instead of the trash. You’ll be diverting a little waste and enriching your soil at the same time.
• Tip# 14: Close the loop by buying recycled content material. Recycling is the first step in the cycle, then the material is processed, and the last step is up to you:  Keep recycled content products in demand.
• Tip #15: You don’t need to rinse out your glass bottles and jars before recycling!

Written by Wendy Long, Class of 2016

Source Reference: http://americarecyclesday.org/rcycling-tips-of-the-day

Photo Resource: http://blogs.rochester.edu/thegreendandelion/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/keep-calm-and-recycle-1563.png