Great Green Idea: Green Living: Repurpose or Recycle

Repurpose or Recycle

Situation: We all need to be a little greener, and learning how to repurpose and recycle would be a good place to start. Our waste materials, such as used batteries, plastics, and paper, pollute water systems and increase the chance of flooding; therefore, they should be recycled. We need to keep an eye out for things we can re-use, as one person's waste can be another person's gold.

Task: We need to be conscious of how we dispose of our trash. We also need to learn how we can repurpose existing items into newly useful items.

Actions:

* Know and follow the recycling practices in your area. Use recycling bins properly. For example, in Canada, there is a blue bin for paper and cardboard, a black bin for general rubbish, and a green bin for compostable garbage. In Toronto supermarkets and shopping malls, it costs 5 cents to use a plastic shopping bag. People are encouraged to bring their own recyclable bags to reduce if not totally eliminate the use of plastic bags.

* Learn how to dispose of glass and plastic properly. Some countries require them to be brought back to the supermarket. In many countries, such as the U.S., Canada, and most European countries, you will receive a small amount of money when returning plastic and glass bottles to supermarkets, and in some places, you can even get a few cents for each can. A machine at the supermarket adds up the value of what you return, gives a refund in the form of a receipt that you present at the supermarket checkout.

* Use rechargeable batteries and discard or recycle one-time-use batteries. All batteries contain toxic content that leaches into the environment if left in landfills. Old batteries are normally collected by supermarkets, at schools, and at other locations. There are cylindrical bins for these near the entrances.

* Look out for items in garage sales or second hand stores. Examples can be wooden boxes, used corkboard, and blackboard. Wooden boxes can be painted to make useful jewelry boxes or general storage boxes. By attaching the corkboard and blackboard on the sides of a multipurpose chest, you can combine storage and activity space to solve a common problem in many children's rooms.

* Donate or recycle old clothes, shoes, and toys. Children grow fast, and you need to empty their closets frequently to make space for age-appropriate replacements.

* Buy items that use recycled materials. If you open your eyes to wider horizons and read the labels, you can find nice items made of recycled material. People should realize that they could make a difference by their shopping habits.

* Learn to repurpose items. Take something out-dated, old-fashioned, or unappealing and transform it into a great new item. You can use old cloths, packing material and other household equipment you don't use anymore and give it a new purpose.

Result: By recycling, we extend the lives of natural resources. By repurposing items, we lessen our need to buy new items. Recycling and repurposing both reduce trash disposal needs.