Read Up On Recycling!

Read Up on Recycling!

When you open a new toy or finish off some cereal, what do you do with the box it came in? Hopefully, you’ve been recycling these cardboard containers. If not, it’s never too late to start. Recycling cardboard and other items, like cans and plastic bottles, means they’ll be used again. Here’s some more info on why recycling is so important and what items can be recycled.

Why Not Just Toss It?

Items that you throw in the regular trash get carried away by sanitation workers on garbage day and end up being dumped into a landfill. Once they’re in the landfill, they sit there taking up space and, in some cases, they also pollute air, soil or water. Over time, this is bad for the environment, and landfills only have so much space available.

What Happens When You Recycle?

When you put items in a recycling container, they’re taken to a recycling center that breaks them down and turns them into other items. This keeps the recyclable items from ending up in landfills. It also means that companies don’t have to keep cutting down more trees to make paper products or keep making new plastic bottles and containers in factories, which can pollute the environment. The items that recyclable materials are turned into can be a lot different from what they were originally. Plastic bottles, for example, can be used to make carpets and even clothing.

What Items Can Be Recycled?

That depends on the laws in your city or state. Your local recycling office can give you a list of items that you and your family can recycle. Paper and plastic are two of the most commonly recycled materials, since they can easily be used to make a wide range of new items. Other types of materials or items that you might be able to recycle include:

• Metal
• Grass clippings, dead leaves and other yard waste
• Glass containers
• Phones, computers and other electronics
• Aluminum cans

What Else Can You Do to Help?

In addition to making sure you and your family recycle as much as possible, you can also buy items that are made from recycled materials. Check the labels on store items before purchasing them to find out what they’re made from. If they were made with recyclable materials, the label should say that. By purchasing these items instead of ones made from all new materials, you’re doing your part in protecting the environment.