The matter of looking after our environment is becoming more and more pressing, and scientists are telling us with more urgency that we need to start taking actions to preserve and protect the planet.
One of the most effective ways of doing this is by cutting down on the amount of resources that we extract from the earth – which means having to find those resources elsewhere. This is where recycling comes into the equation. Not only is it a great way of reusing old materials, but it means less of a burden on the environment.
The problem that many people have with recycling is the lack of information. We know that we need to recycle, but we’re not told exactly what we can recycle. There are the basics, such as plastic, glass, metal, and paper, but much of this can’t be used for recycling purposes, and it can become cheaper for many recycling plants to just toss the material instead of sorting through it.
These are some of the more basic home materials that you can recycle successfully, so you have more time for television or exploring the variety of betting sites available online.
Metal
Metal is considered a natural and finite resource, and because of that, there’s been a big push for more people to start recycling the metal that comes into their homes. Most of it is in the form of food and soda cans, and it’s speculated that recycling metal items saves up to 74% of the energy it would take to extract them.
- Aluminium Cans
- Aluminium Foil and Bakeware
- Steel and Tin Cans
Glass
Glass is made from a combination of sand and other materials that are fused together through heat. Most glass today is made of at least 30% recycled glass, meaning it’s a great way to save on the process of making entirely new glass products.
- Clear Glass
- Brown Glass
- Green Glass
Plastic
Plastic is responsible for some of the worst destruction to the environment, especially in the oceans, where most plastic tends to end up. Plastic is a flexible material, however, and can be easily recycled and repurposed into something new.
- Bottles, Jars, and Jugs
- Most “Clean” Plastic
- Recycle by Shape
Paper
Made from lumber, paper has had a huge impact on the planet as more and more land is converted into commercial forest. But we’ve made some serious headway in paper recycling, and it’s estimated that around 63% of paper is recycled in the United States, a country that uses an incredible amount of paper.
- Corrugated Cardboard
- Magazines
- Office Paper
- Newspapers
- Paperboard
- Juice Cartons
- Phone Books
Batteries and Light Bulbs
It’s important to remember that batteries and bulbs should not be added to normal recycling, and instead should be taken to a specialised recycling dump.
- Car Batteries
- Household and Button Batteries
- Rechargeable Batteries
- Incandescent and LED
- Compact Fluorescent