How I can Recycle This? is one of the best websites that I found. Before you decide to throw anything away, visit this website. People write in and ask where you recycle random items in your home such as old ashtrays, bundled wire, and all other assorted items that you normally would not be able to recycle. Believe it or not, people answer how to reinvent uses of items in your house that you no longer want.
The website is produced by Lousia Parry and John Leach, two friends from Leeds, UK providing a positive spin on recycling. They post three times a week, Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. I even added a comment to one of their post on what can you do with straws from drinks. Use them as markers for summer bulbs that you have to dig up in the Fall, and supports for seedlings!
Like all great ideas, they are born out of simple circumstances. So how was “Recycle This” born? As the authors tell us:
“This site started from a bowl of pistachio nut shells. After we gorged ourselves on their lovely innards, they, the shells, just sat there, looking useful and versatile – but we had no idea what we could possibly do with them. Just throwing them on the compost heap seemed a waste – all the effort to make them tough and solid, and here we were just hoping they’d rot back down to mulch before the potatoes needed earthing up.
When we thought about it, we were in the same position with lots of things: leftover bits of food, old household items, empty containers of all shapes and sizes…And so this site was born.”
They also have a feature on the site if you want to suggest how to recycle a random item rather than simply ask what to do with one.
Their sister site is called Can I compost this?
So what about those nasty ashtrays that people no longer use? Well, I am not going to tell you. You will have to go and visit the site yourself. You will not be disappointed.
Diane says
A Green Living Tip:
I recently moved my three bedroom home across country. As you might imagine, I needed tons of boxes, packing materials, and mountains of materials to wrap and protect my worldly belongings. Not wanting to contribute to our land fill and waist problems I went to the Craig’s List, a couple of local online bulletin boards, and a free online news post and asked for packing materials that people might have from their own recent move. I was thrilled with the response. I collected enough boxes and packing materials to move a 3000 square foot home! It saved me money as well because I did not have to purchase any materials. After the move was completed and I was unpacked I posted my boxes and packing materials on Craig’s List and a couple of other boards and with 2 days I had more people calling for the moving materials than you can imagine! Recycle the recycled!
I author http://www.parentawarenesscenter.com I’m a mom trying to make a difference.
Stay Green,
Diane
Green Talk says
Diane, what a great tip! I love that you were able to keep the reycling mode forward. It is like the movie play it forward! Anna