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mary Forum All-Star
Joined: Feb 17 2005 Location: N/A
Online Status: Offline Posts: 691
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Posted: May 17 2007 at 12:02pm | IP Logged
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i have wanted to recycle for a long time but know very little about how to do this. we just finished reading a book called how we use plastic and are inspired. so, how do we find out what can be recycled? do the items have to be cleaned first? can they be put into a trash bag and then taken to a place that accepts recycled items? do recycled items have to be sorted (newspapers from plastic for example?) i'd appreciate any advice!
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lapazfarm Forum All-Star
Joined: July 21 2005 Location: Alaska
Online Status: Offline Posts: 6082
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Posted: May 17 2007 at 12:09pm | IP Logged
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It really depends on how trash is handled where you live.
Do you have regular trash service provided by the city/county? If so, you could call them and see what they require as far as seperating, etc. They usually will provide special bins for the recyclables as well.
If you are rural and take your own trash, as we used to do, you will probably have to sort it yourself at the center, sticking it in the appropriate dumpsters (paper, cardboard, cans, aluminum, glass,different plastics). Milk jugs will need to have caps removed, cardboard flattened. Sometimes glass is sorted by color.lids must be removed from jars as well. My kids love to do this, running around to the various dumpsters, throwing in the stuff. Glass is especially fun as it gives a good crash when they throw it in!LOL!
We now have a private service for trash/recycle pick up and we just puit it all out in a recycle bin and he sorts it in containers in his truck. We have witnessed, however, shadier characters with trash pick-up businesses who claim to recycle, but then just dump it all in the trash dumpster at the dump.
Whatever method, I applaud you for making the effort! It is a good thing!
__________________ Theresa
us-schooling in beautiful Fairbanks, Alaska.
LaPaz Home Learning
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teachingmom Forum All-Star
Virginia Bluebells
Joined: Feb 16 2005 Location: Virginia
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Posted: May 17 2007 at 12:28pm | IP Logged
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I applaud you too, Mary! We just rinse out the containers and put them in the bin without tops on. Our trash company picks up plastic, glass, cans, newspapers, and cardboard weekly.
(My husband thinks I'm part of the secret recycling police. I have been known to reach in the trash regularly to save recylables that were accidentally thrown away. )
__________________ ~Irene (Mom to 6 girls, ages 7-19)
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JodieLyn Forum Moderator
Joined: Sept 06 2006 Location: Oregon
Online Status: Offline Posts: 12234
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Posted: May 17 2007 at 12:42pm | IP Logged
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Here all we have access to really are the cans or bottles that have the value printed on them... and we save them and various clubs and such (girls vollyball, swim team etc) come around and collect them for a fundraiser... works great imo.. they get the money and I recycle with little effort on my part
__________________ Jodie, wife to Dave
G-18, B-17, G-15, G-14, B-13, B-11, G-9, B-7, B-5, B-4
All men who have turned out worth anything have had the chief hand in their own education.
-Sir Walter Scott
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Paula in MN Forum All-Star
Joined: Nov 25 2006 Location: Minnesota
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Posted: May 17 2007 at 1:23pm | IP Logged
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teachingmom wrote:
My husband thinks I'm part of the secret recycling police. I have been known to reach in the trash regularly to save recylables that were accidentally thrown away. |
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That is so me! When my niece was staying here I finally had to tell her just to leave everything on the counter and I would determine what could and could not be recycled!
__________________ Paula
A Catholic Harvest
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doris Forum All-Star
Joined: April 24 2006 Location: United Kingdom
Online Status: Offline Posts: 1103
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Posted: May 17 2007 at 2:49pm | IP Logged
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teachingmom wrote:
(My husband thinks I'm part of the secret recycling police. I have been known to reach in the trash regularly to save recylables that were accidentally thrown away. ) |
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Me too! In fact, it drives him crazy as our garage is regularly stuffed with plastics to take to the plastics bin.
It's amazing though -- now that we recycle everything we can, compost vegetable waste and the council collects cooked food for composting too, our rubbish bin is almost empty -- we only have to put it out about once a fortnight at most.
__________________ Home educating in London, UK with dd (2000) ds (2002), dd (2004), ds (2008) and dd (2011).
Frabjous Days
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mary Forum All-Star
Joined: Feb 17 2005 Location: N/A
Online Status: Offline Posts: 691
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Posted: May 17 2007 at 5:30pm | IP Logged
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alright, here's the scoop. our trash pick up will charge us to recycle. that seems wrong to me, but i can deal with it! they give us a small red basket for recycling. it seems like it would only hold our weekly papers. i could drop off items about a mile from our home at the local vet's office - i'm not sure but i'm guessing i would have to sort then. is there some list of items that can be recycled?
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doris Forum All-Star
Joined: April 24 2006 Location: United Kingdom
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Posted: May 17 2007 at 5:48pm | IP Logged
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I think areas differ but round here the council collects paper, card, glass, tins/cans, batteries, fabrics. There's also a bin for plastics but they're not collected.
__________________ Home educating in London, UK with dd (2000) ds (2002), dd (2004), ds (2008) and dd (2011).
Frabjous Days
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