What We Can Do for Recycle

What You Can Do to Reduce Waste
There are many actions we can take to reduce the amount of waste we generate or that we send to the landfill. Challenge yourself, your family, and even friends to to see just how much waste you can reduce from your weekly curbside pickup. Can you reduce your weekly waste by 25%, 30%, or even 50%? Below are some tips to help you. * Reuse products. If you do not have a recycling program in your community or if the material or product is not currently recyclable, try to find another use for the product rather than throwing it away. * Compost organic material. Composting yard trimmings, food scraps, and other organic wastes can dramatically reduce the amount of waste being sent to landfills. To learn more about how to set up your own composting bin, the EPA has developed an online "Composting Is Easy" guide. * Use your own re-usable bags to carry home groceries and other purchases. * Sell or donate products you can no longer use, such as clothing and furniture. * Recycle, recycle, recycle!!! Take advantage of your community's recycling program, if one is available. If your community does not have such a program, volunteer to start one. * Strive to support recycling efforts by using products made from recycled material whenever possible. * Use rechargeable batteries. Using rechargeable batteries not only helps to reduce waste, but it also helps keep the toxic metals found in some batteries out of landfills. * Donate old or unwanted electronics such as computers and TVs. Many electronics contain materials that are considered toxic and should not be disposed of in a landfill. If your community doesn't have a recycling program or center for used electronics, contact the manufacturer of the product (or the manufacturer of the new one you just purchased or plan to purchase) to see if they have a recycling program for obsolete units.