Recycling

Recycling may be one of the first ways that people help the environment, without even realizing it. Recycling can involve complex issues, but some forms of recycling are simple, including most personal recycling.

Recycling is simple the process of separating material from things you are about to throw away, and setting it aside to be made into new materials, or re-using it yourself in some way.

STEP #1: Begin with the Bottles, Cans and Bins

You've probably seen recycling bins around for beverage cans and bottles - but are there enough of them? It's an easy thing to take for granted. But don't assume there are enough recycling containers around -- it's all a matter of how many cans and bottles wind up in the regular garbage. Chances are, if there's not a recycling bin next to a garbage can, then material is being wasted.

Here's a great video animation that shows two waterfalls: the amount of containers we recycle and the amount of containers we discard:

One of the easiest ways to help recycle more material is to find ways of increasing the number of recycling bins that are available. If there's not a service that automatically collects from these bins in the building where you want to put one, you can form a simple club, or take care of it yourself. It may take some effort to take the cans and bottles to a recycling center, but the effort is worth it.

Curbside Recycling Bins

Many communities around the world have adopted recycling programs for their communities, and many more could do so. Curbside recycling is a modest yet significant victory in the fight against waste.

Why recycle? Why bother, many feel.

The problem is that most of the materials that get thrown away that can be recycled, come ultimately from limited resources, like fossil fuels, or metals. Most if not all plastic comes from petroleum, which is based on fossil fuels - a finite resource.

STEP #2: eCycling - Begin with the Batteries

A lot of people have a lot of batteries sitting around, and if they don't get recycled, the material inside them eventually goes into the ground, and the chemicals in some batteries can be harmful to the environment. In general, in the U.S. at least, batteries manufactured after 1997 have reduced toxic levels (but it's still probably good to recycle them). Rechargeable batteries of any kind, and any non standard batteries should also be recycled (ex: anything other than AA, AAA, C, D or 9v batteries).

There are a number of retail chains where you can take batteries; in the case of cellphone batteries, find the nearest cell phone store and they will probably have a battery recycling program.

U.S.: Alltel, Batteries Plus, Best Buy, Black & Decker, Cingular Wireless, The Home Depot, RadioShack, Sears, Staples, Target, US Cellular, Verizon Wireless, and Wal-Mart.

Canada: Battery Plus, Bell Mobility, Canadian Tire, FIDO/Microcell, Future Shop, The Home Depot, Home Hardware, London Drugs, RadioShack Canada, Revy, Sasktel, Sears, Telus Mobility and Zellers.

Elsewhere: Please feel free to email cftwgreen[AT]gmail[DOT]com if you know of similar locations in a country outside of the U.S.

(Source of retail list: http://www.ehso.com/ehshome/batteries.php)

STEP #3: Recycle old Computers

eCycling is an awesome thing to get involved in. eCycling involves getting rid of old obsolete computers in an environmentally responsible way; there are increasing numbers of events being held in local communities around the world, and at first glance, you might think, what's the big deal? It's just one old monitor, or one old computer.

The problem is when 1,000 people throw away their computers, or 10,000, or 1,000. Eventually 99.999% of computers are thrown away, and that's a lot of computers. The materials and chemicals in computers are *not* good for the environment.

This Computer Recycling and Giveaway program is VERY cool. Not only are the old computers recycled, but they are given to people who can really use them:

For more information on eCycling see the eCycling category in the LINKS section on www.rgbgreen.org

Ok I've completed Steps 1-3. Now what?

Now you win a mystery prize! (Take pictures of the things you're going to recycle and claim your mystery prize by emailing some pictures to cftwgreen[at]gmail[dot]com or see below and send a link to your blog). The details of the mystery prize cannot be divulged at this time, but by the time someone emails in the details will be determined!

Other than claiming the mystery prize, the next step in recycling is to make a blog about it, very simple - get a free email address at mail.google.com, then go to blogspot.com and use your gmail address to log in and make a blog. Ideally take some pictures of the stuff you've recycled, before you get rid of it.

Then, after you've recycled and blogged about it, try to get your friends to do it. And offer them a mystery prize upon completion.

You will probably realize during your personal or family recycling drive that there are a lot of things that can be recycled, and recycling doesn't have to mean just getting rid of stuff.

Recycling can also mean finding ways to repair, re-use, and creatively re-purpose what you already have, instead of throwing it away.

On www.rgbgreen.org, in the LINKS section, there are some links in the Recycling category that can help you go on from there.

RELATED LINKS

For a directory of helpful green links, including free online videos on renewable energy, organizations and related books, see the LINKS section on www.rgbgreen.org, including the Recycling category.

Wikipedia on Recycling: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Recycling

Suggested Topics/Questions to Explore/Discuss

Local: Wow much recycling is going on in our town? What kind of things can businesses recycle?

In the home: What can we do to recycle more and waste less in our home?

eCycling: How can I recycle a cell phone or old batteries?

Materials: What kinds of things can be recycled?

Metal: How much metal/plastic has been recycled each year since 1980 from can and bottle recycling?

Organic Plastics: What are the prospects for bioengineered or organic plastics that don't come from a fossil-fuel petroleum base?

HINT: See the "Recycling" section under the LINKS tab at www.rgbgreen.org

Learning Techniques

Try searching for more information using Google, YouTube or Wikipedia, by coming up with words and phrases for questions or concerns. You can also add depth to your learning by pursuing opposing viewpoints.

Ex: Try searching for "recycling" on YouTube, or "oppose recycling" on Google