Recycling electronics - in answer to Anonymous and Michelle Oldroyd
Some companies will take their products back if they are broken and reuse the nonbroken parts or refurbish them. But if the company of your cell phone, battery, computer parts, etc. won't take your electronics that don't work anymore, find a local BestBuy and they'll take it - no matter what it is! Go to this website and it'll tell you everything you need:
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Global-Promotions/Recycling-Electronics/pcmcat149900050025.c?id=pcmcat149900050025&DCMP=rdr0001422
Where to Return old, used Propane Tanks - in answer to Anonymous
Propane Tanks can be dangerous when just sitting around, even when they're empty. So difinitely do something with them. I suggest recycling them! You can drop them off at a scrap yard for the metal to be used again, or check if your local recycling center will accept them. Here's a link to Exchange Options and Recycling Options for propane tanks:
http://www.ehow.com/way_5990396_do-old-propane-canisters_.html
Where & Cost of Recycling Long Fluorescent Tubes - in answer to Carla
As far as I could find out, recycling/returning long fluorescent tubes (CFLs?) is free, or may require a small fee at a waste collection agency. At this website, there is a lot more information on where and how to recycle them - and why it is important to. In answer to your other question about water usage vs. landfill space, I couldn't find any studies. However, I do know that it does take water to rinse the objects you are recycling, but not a super huge amount. It just can't have huge globs of food all over it still.
Saturday, May 14, 2011
More Answers
Examples of Re-used Items - in answer to KaeLynn
It makes me very happy that you can show this blog to your grandkids and they can really understand about recycling! As you asked, here are some projects they can do to reuse things:
(Made from empty egg cartons)
(Made from the top of a plastic bottle)
Hope these ideas help. Here's a website with all kinds of ideas for kids crafts using recycables: http://familycrafts.about.com/od/craftsbyproduct/a/trashcrafts.htm. Enjoy!
How can an Average Person like me do better at Recycling? - in answer to TheSandyCastle
As an average college student, I would suggest you look for a recycling center near you to drop off your recycling every once in a while. Also, with those of you without convenient recycling bins you can put on the curb every other monday, simply search online for the nearest recycling center. Keep your recycling items in one place - a box or bin of your own to keep on the side of your house - and then periodically drop them off.
Friday, May 13, 2011
The Answers You've Been Waiting For!
So sorry for the delay in answering for those of you who had questions. Yesterday, I took my first AP exam (World History) and lets just say that I basically had no free time and I feel very relieved and free that it's over. :)
First of all, I want to thank all of you who commented and looked at this blog! I really appreciate it and am glad that most of you learned something. There were a lot of questions (which is a very good thing, don't get me wrong), but too many for me to answer in one post. So I will post a few and then make a new post with a few more, and so on. I'll start with the earlier questions and progress to the more recent ones. They'll be titled by the question each person had.
Remembering to Recycle - in answer to Liz H.
I think it's great that you love to recycle! I know it can be hard to remember to put a recycable in a different place than you're used to, but I know your husband can do it! I would suggest setting aside a place (bin, counter space, wherever you feel like) to put all of the things you are going to recycle. Whenever you accidentally throw something away, physically take it back out and put it in the recycle spot. It's hard to break a habit (30 days of consistently doing it), I know, but I you can help your husband work at it and eventually it will be harder to not put things in the recycle place!
True or False: Some of what we recycle ends up in a landfill anyway. Which materials are most likely to be easily recycled & really help our environment? Is it really worth the effort? - in answer to Karon
There is so much information I could give you on filling up landfills with recycable items, but itstead I'll just give you the link to this news post about this very thing!
http://www.news-gazette.com/news/environment/2010-09-26/some-recyclables-may-end-landfill.html
Also, here is a link to a website about the costs of recycling. I learned a lot from this!
http://www.disabled-world.com/artman/publish/recycling.shtml
So, as it happens, recycling does take extra energy and effort, but the little bit we can do sure does help!
First of all, I want to thank all of you who commented and looked at this blog! I really appreciate it and am glad that most of you learned something. There were a lot of questions (which is a very good thing, don't get me wrong), but too many for me to answer in one post. So I will post a few and then make a new post with a few more, and so on. I'll start with the earlier questions and progress to the more recent ones. They'll be titled by the question each person had.
Remembering to Recycle - in answer to Liz H.
I think it's great that you love to recycle! I know it can be hard to remember to put a recycable in a different place than you're used to, but I know your husband can do it! I would suggest setting aside a place (bin, counter space, wherever you feel like) to put all of the things you are going to recycle. Whenever you accidentally throw something away, physically take it back out and put it in the recycle spot. It's hard to break a habit (30 days of consistently doing it), I know, but I you can help your husband work at it and eventually it will be harder to not put things in the recycle place!
True or False: Some of what we recycle ends up in a landfill anyway. Which materials are most likely to be easily recycled & really help our environment? Is it really worth the effort? - in answer to Karon
There is so much information I could give you on filling up landfills with recycable items, but itstead I'll just give you the link to this news post about this very thing!
http://www.news-gazette.com/news/environment/2010-09-26/some-recyclables-may-end-landfill.html
Also, here is a link to a website about the costs of recycling. I learned a lot from this!
http://www.disabled-world.com/artman/publish/recycling.shtml
So, as it happens, recycling does take extra energy and effort, but the little bit we can do sure does help!
Saturday, May 7, 2011
Fun Recycle Facts!
Here are some facts about recycling that I thought were interesting! They just might change your mind about throwing your items in the trash or recycling bin. I know they did for me.
*It takes 80-100 years for an aluminum can to decompose (break down) in a landfill.
*Aluminum cans can be recycled into: soda cans, pie plates, license plates, thumbtacks, aluminum foil, and many other items.
*Recycling one aluminum can can save enough energy to power a tv for up to three hours!
*In the year 2000, 13,500 aluminum cans were recycled every minute in California.
*Glass takes over 1,000,000 (one million) years to decompose in a landfill. (So be sure to recycle these ones)
*Glass can be recycled into jars, jewelry, bottles, dishes, drinking glasses, coffee mugs and many other items.
*It can take up to 700 years for plastic to decompose (break down) in a landfill.
*PET plastic can be recycled into: clothing, fiberfill for sleeping bags, toys, stuffed animals, rulers and more.
Citation: "Recycling Facts." www.recyclingfacts.org. RecyclingFacts.org, 2008. Web. 7 May 2011. <http://recyclingfacts.org/content/fun-recycling-facts>
*It takes 80-100 years for an aluminum can to decompose (break down) in a landfill.
*Aluminum cans can be recycled into: soda cans, pie plates, license plates, thumbtacks, aluminum foil, and many other items.
*Recycling one aluminum can can save enough energy to power a tv for up to three hours!
*In the year 2000, 13,500 aluminum cans were recycled every minute in California.
*Glass takes over 1,000,000 (one million) years to decompose in a landfill. (So be sure to recycle these ones)
*Glass can be recycled into jars, jewelry, bottles, dishes, drinking glasses, coffee mugs and many other items.
*It can take up to 700 years for plastic to decompose (break down) in a landfill.
*PET plastic can be recycled into: clothing, fiberfill for sleeping bags, toys, stuffed animals, rulers and more.
If there is anything specific you would like to know about recycling, leave a comment and I'll figure it out for you! Check back in a day or two and I'll have posted it. Thanks!
Citation: "Recycling Facts." www.recyclingfacts.org. RecyclingFacts.org, 2008. Web. 7 May 2011. <http://recyclingfacts.org/content/fun-recycling-facts>
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