Today, the majority of us want to protect the environment by recycling as much as possible. Recycling is now simpler than ever; according to the EPA, Americans produced 267.8 million tonnes of trash in 2017 and recycled or composted 94 million tonnes of that.
In that year, Americans recycled back and turned into compost 1.5 pounds on average of 4.4 pounds of waste per person. With a little more work, Americans could start recycling even more. This article offers some suggestions and advice on how to increase recycling at home, work, and school.
Home Recycling
If you take the time to set up a thorough recycling system, recycling more often at home won’t take much work. This system begins with having areas in your home where you can store your recycled materials, whether this is a box, bin, or bag. Remind everybody to recycle as frequently as you can by keeping the recycling bin close to the trash can.
Here are some quick ideas for improving household recycling:
Flatten cardboard boxes to make room in your recycling bin for more recyclables.
Put all of the plastic bottles you have, including salad dressing and water bottles, in your recycling bin because they can all be recycled.
You can reuse a variety of materials at home besides just newspapers. Recycle phone books, wrapping paper, envelopes, and birthday cards as well. Even loo and paper towel tubes can be made out of cardboard, which can then be recycled.
The majority of metallic items found in the home, including empty soda, fruit, vegetable, and other food cans as well as tin foil and empty spray cans, can be recycled.
To recycle while you are preparing food or cleaning, keep a spot in your cabinet. It will be simpler for you to arrange the recyclables correctly.
When leaving, make a stop at your neighbourhood recycling facility to drop anything off that your curbside service did not pick up. This enables you to fit recycling into your schedule and teaches your kids the value of recycling.
Verify your refuse provider’s website if you’re ever unsure of what you can recycle. What is or is not appropriate for ones recycling container or bins should be covered in detail. Most waste management companies also offer mobile apps for your smartphone that let you check what can and cannot be recycled.
Also recycle your glass containers and bottles because they can be recycled indefinitely and do not lose their quality after being recycled a few times.
Make sure to wash organic waste from any glass or plastic food containers before placing them inside the recycle bin to aid your recycling centre and to reduce offensive odours.
School Recycling
Since 80% of the materials used in schools can be recycled, it is critical that we carry this habit into the classroom. A safer and cleaner and healthier community for all of us can be achieved by exposing kids and teenagers to the value of recycling.
Here’s how to join the recycling revolution and get your school involved:
Paper makes up the majority of the recyclables at schools. There should be a plentiful supply of paper recycling bins available in every classroom, dining area, and office.
If there are any extra school supplies at the end of the year, you can give them to pupils in need or to a neighbourhood charity that aids the poor.
Start a composting programme in the cafeteria of your school to cut down on food waste disposal. Waste compactors can be used in some cafeterias to minimise the amount of room that food waste and kitchen waste take up.
Recycling bins for plastic, paper, and metal should be available in every lunch room and eating area.
Aluminum, paper, cardboard, and plastics are typical school materials that are very simple for schools to compress into bales that can be picked up by the recycling company.
Each school administration should make an investment in efficient waste-management and recycling tools, such as automatic waste compactors that improve waste management in student-trafficked areas.
Use specialised fundraising activities for the college that encourage recycling, like the sale of personalised reusable bags.
Consider going paperless as much as you can in schools. Instead of printing out numerous paper copies for students, teachers and students can complete much of their work online, in electronic documents, and via email. The school’s staff and administration should be able to make small adjustments that can help the school’s curriculum become more paperless.
Recycling at Work
The last significant location where you can influence recycling would be at work. Here are some simple ways to increase recycling and reuse in the workplace:
Pack lunch: You can save money and the environment by bringing your own lunch and snacks to work in a reusable container (in a drawstring backpack rather than a plastic one). In the US, a typical employee needs to spend $37 per week for lunch. This could add up to $2000 or more a year.
Instead of purchasing coffee in disposable cups at the office, bring your own. Save the planet and your money.
prolong the life of office supplies. Try to use other pens, highlighters, and markers less frequently, and keep them visible so they won’t get lost in desk drawers. Additionally, keep your glue sticks, markers, and pens in a clean, dry area because heat and sunlight will cause them to dry out.
Consider reusing your office equipment. This means that before using anything, consider recycling. As an alternative to bubble wrap, you could use old newspapers to package items for mailing. Use paper clips in place of staples and keep a reusing tape dispenser at ones desk.
Make a green commute. Carbon emissions from commutes to work total 7,000 per year. By carpooling, riding a bike, or walking, you can lessen this. For many people, cutting back on driving by just 10% annually can reduce emissions of greenhouse gases by 1/3.
Reduce the amount of paper you use. In America, 10,000 sheets of printouts are used annually by each office worker. 4 million tonnes of paper are produced annually! Printing only when absolutely necessary is advised. Most office memos and communications should be done via email. When possible, also use both sides of the copy paper.
Recap of Recycling Tips
Hopefully, you’ve picked up some practical advice on how to do more recycling at home, school, and the office. Comment below and let us know how it went for you.