Monday, November 12th, 2007...7:34 pm
Thinking Outside the Recycling Bin
Where I used to live, my nemesis was the recycling pick-up guy. There were many Fridays (garbage day) when I would put out bags and bags of paper, and he would pick and choose how many he wanted to cart away–in the process, leaving many behind. Eventually I called the trash removal company about this problem–and they removed this guy from my route. Now, I know that we probably recycle more than the average bear (or Behre), but that doesn’t mean that we should be penalized.
This is one of the reasons I’ve started trying to think outside of the recycling bin so that I’m not relying on my trash collection company only in taking away my recyclables. I realize that it’s more important to reduce my use and reliance on certain items–you know, the old reduce, reuse, recycle–but if you’ve got stuff you no longer need, it’s better to reuse or recycle it than to throw it away.
Here’s what I’ve come up with so far (some of which I’ve mentioned before):
* Taking boxes to the UPS Store. I just got finished writing a story for which I received a lot of product. And what did that product come in? Cardboard boxes. Since our trash company doesn’t recycle cardboard, I’m loading up my car today with all of the leftover cardboard boxes and taking them to the UPS Store. I realize that I will not receive a financial benefit in doing this–such as a discount on a future shipping service, though that would be awfully nice–but it will make me feel better to know that these cardboard boxes will be reused instead of relegated to a landfill.
* Bagging up paper to drop off at my daughter’s school. As I’ve blogged about before, my daughter’s school participates in the Abitibi Paper Retriever program. This encourages local residents to recycle their paper by bringing it to the Abitibi “dumpsters” on the school’s campus, and then the school earns money based on how much gets recycled each month. I’ll be loading up bags of used magazines, newspapers and office papers, along with shredded paper from the shredder, to drop off today.
* Bringing plastic bags back to the supermarket to be recycled. Not only can you place plastic grocery bags in the recycling bins you find outside of supermarkets but also dry cleaner bags and deflated plastic air pillows that are used in shipping.
* Donating magazines to doctors’ office. It didn’t dawn on me to take my already-read magazines to my chiropractor’s office until I realized that all he was planning to stock in the waiting room were car enthusiast magazines. So last week I slipped in a few back issues of Gourmet. This week, I’m probably going to drop off the House & Garden issues I know I’ll never get to (and with the magazine folding last week, there’s really no hurry).
I would love to hear other people’s ideas for how to think outside of the recycling bin.
In Vermont, I have not found a place like this in Mass yet, there was a placed called Restore. They sold anything from old boxes to leftover ribbon or yarn. It was basically a recycled craft store. Of course they accepted donations and once or twice a year there was a free day, when they became over loaded. It is worth looking up to see if there is a place like this in your area.
I called my local UPS store to see if I could donate my boxes for reuse. They said that boxes they use for shipping have to be new for insurance purposes. But they do collect boxes for recycling. I’m still looking for a place that will reuse.