When we drink a can of soda or finish reading the newspaper, we tend to throw them away into the trash can. We do not think anything of this simple act; we just go about our daily lives.
But, did you know that some of our trash is recyclable and can be reused in another cycle for many years?
In addition, if we recycle, we can cut some of the trash going into the waste sites. Recycling is really easy to do. Fresno residents have been recycling for many years now. Each resident has a blue bin and a green bin for plant products. The blue bin is used to place all recyclables.
What happens to the recycling? Well, the paper, plastic, glass and cans are all recycled to be reused in the future.
Empty glass bottles and jars can be recycled to make things like decorative paving and aggregate for asphalt or swimming pool filters, as well as new glass jars and bottles. Some glass can not be recycled such as mirror glass and crystal due to the high lead content it contains.
Paper is very important to recycle. Corrugated paper and corrugated boxes can be used to make new paperboard. Newspapers can be recycled into paperboard, new newsprint, insulation and animal bedding products.
Office paper can be recycled into writing paper, tissue and paper towel products. Telephone books can be recycled into egg cartons and wine boxes. You can also donate your old newspaper to the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) and pet shops for their pets.
Aluminum cans are a great way to make extra cash when you recycle them. You get cash for bringing in your aluminum cans. Usually, the reimbursement for cans is 5 cents a can unless otherwise noted. When you recycle your cans at a local recycling station, do you ever wonder where all those cans go?
The empty aluminum drink cans are sent overseas for recycling. They are sorted, crushed and baled into “bricks” for transporting. These bricks are fed into a hot furnace where the aluminum melts and is casted into smaller ingots which are processed into new aluminum cans. Steel cans that have contained anything from baked beans to fruit cocktails, pet food or soup can be recycled to make new cars and bridges.
Plastic is also great to recycle. A styrofoam vending cup can be made into a pencil or a pen.
Plastic bags and containers can be recycled into garden furniture, decking and fencing.
Milk bottles can be recycled into buckets, composting bins or the recycling bins many of the residents of Fresno are provided with for the curb side recycling (blue bins).
If you have an old computer that works and you just got a new one, donate the old to a local charity group. If the computer does not work, you can recycle your computer at a local recycling center.
If you have clothing that you no longer use and are contemplating tossing it into the trash, donate it to a local charity like the Salvation Army . People can always reuse clothing and it is a great way to help the community.
To help the environment you can re-use some of the trash that you throw away. You can reuse zip lock bags for sandwiches and snacks rather than using plastic wrap.
You can also donate your old magazines to doctors and dentists offices, motels, schools or friends.
Recycling also involves shopping; you can reduce the plastic bags that you bring home by carrying a cotton bag that can be placed into your handbag for grocery shopping uses.
Another alternative is to place a cardboard box or a laundry basket in the back of your car so that groceries can be loaded straight from the shopping basket into the box/basket, eliminating the need for plastic bags.
When you are buying any household items, buy rechargeable batteries instead of disposable ones. Buy the 2-in-1 shampoo as it is a great way to use and dispose of only one container instead of two. You also save money and cut back on polluting (half the amount of soap you use goes down the drain).
So when you are doing your spring cleaning, take a moment and think of what you can recycle. It is very important for every person on earth to contribute to help make where we live a better and cleaner place.