Hey Everyone, with the holiday season upon us, we are all making room for new toys, visiting relatives, and the new year! You might already know about the city-sponsored monthly recycling program, “Going Green” and Tree-cycling, but if you don’t, here’s a list of some handy ways you can reduce your footprint on our landfills during the holidays!
Take Advantage of the “Go Green Campaign!
Frequently, the city sponsors recycling sites (there’s one coming up this weekend!) across the island that will accept non-disposal items. The list below contains tips on the usual items collected at these events, but check the city & county website for a specific monthly list of collections.
- Scrap Metal: Used bikes, appliances, and other scrap metal can be dropped off for recycling.
- Propane Tanks & Fire Extinguishers: Both of these have expiration dates, which can create hazards. Check your tanks and if they are too old for usage, drop them off for recycling!
- Computers, TVs, Scanners, Printers: Don’t ever throw these in the trash! They contain deadly chemicals that will leak from the landfills into our water supply. Bring them to the recycle day, for proper disposal!
- Other Electronics like Cellphones, Game Consoles, and Tablets: If they still work, you can probably sell them on eBay or Craigslist! If they are broken, bring them to recycle!
- Ink, Batteries, CFL Lightbulbs: Being so small, they are very easy to just dump in the trash. But, with so many chemicals in all of these items, it’s best to save them in a box and drop them all off once a month!
- Cooking Oil: Mama always told me to keep my used cooking oil in a jar in the fridge. Don’t keep it forever, drop it off!
Donate Used Clothes to Charity!
- Most “Go Green” drop-off days will accept used clothing to be re-purposed. Items like prom dresses, eye glasses, and business attire are especially needed!
- Donate to a local charity! Many charities, like Big Brothers, Big Sisters even allow you to schedule pickup to have them come to collect your donation!
Recycle Your Christmas Tree! – TreeCycling 2015
Of course, the most eco-friendly option is to buy a fake tree and reuse it every year. But, if you’re like me and you think fake trees are “blasphemy!!!”, then your next best eco-option is to “TreeCycle.”
- Site collections have been discontinued, so the only option is to cut up your tree and place it curbside. If you have the green bins, cut up your tree and fit it inside the bin for normal green-bin collection.
- If you don’t have green bins, then you can cut up your tree and leave it curbside for normal green waste collection.
- If cutting up your tree is too humbug, then take your whole tree to any of the city’s collection centers and throw it in the green waste area.
Holiday Parties & Cardboard from Toys – Blue Bins
- Having a big holiday party? Don’t forget to collect bottles, cans, and other HI-5 recyclables. If you have a blue bin for curbside recycling, make sure you stick those items in there for collection. If you have too many for your bin, or don’t have curbside collection, take them to any city recycling center!
- Did your big toy come with big cardboard? Recycle it by cutting it down and putting it in your blue bin for recycling! Again, if it can’t fit, or you don’t have blue bins, take them to any city recycling center!
Of course, the main thing is that you have a safe and healthy holidays! The purpose of this post is not to add stress to your holidays, but to inform you of your options if you want to be eco-friendly! Happy Thanksgiving, Merry Christmas, and Happy New Year everyone, 2015 is going to be a big year for me, and I hope it is the same for all of you too!
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