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Recycling Made Easy in Many Ways

Man with a poster at a recycling pink up depot in NE calgary

When people think of recycling, they typically think about recycling bottles and cans at the bottle depot. While this is a great way to recycle, it is not the only way, in fact, far from it. There are many ways to recycle. Here are a few things to consider when deciding to repurpose items.  

First…

Why is Recycling Important?

Some of the benefits of recycling are:

  • You can earn extra cash by getting back deposit money on bottles and cans at the local depot. Instead of throwing stuff away, try selling items on Kijiji to earn some extra dollars.
  • Creativity is expressed when you repurpose materials and re-make them into something new and beautiful. For instance, an old glass bottle can be made into a mosaic picture or used as a candle holder.
  • Reducing the need for raw materials helps save the environment from being depleted of its natural resources.
  • Bottle drives are a great way to promote awareness within your community so others can become great recyclers.

Recyclable Goods – How to Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle

Reduce

  • Purchase Second-hand Products – Instead of shopping in stores that sell new products, try your luck in vintage or thrift shops. You will find an array of beautiful clothing, jewellery, and even furniture pieces. Shopping sustainably allows you to appreciate eclectic pieces and feel good about your purchases.
  • Say “No” to Plastic Containers – Instead of drinking from plastic water bottles and then throwing them out, get a reusable to-go cup. Landfills are overflowing with plastics that take years to break down. You can reduce the negative impact on the environment by avoiding single-use plastic.  Carry your items in cloth tote bags instead of plastic bags that rip after one or two uses. Not only are cloth bags stronger to carry your groceries in but this eco-friendly option helps eliminate plastics from ending up in the waterways.  
  • Use Technology – Technological advancements have made it easier to reduce waste. You can send e-mails instead of paper notes which helps to save trees and energy. Think before you print your documents. Filing electronically eliminates unnecessary waste and eases the need for raw materials.
  • Switch to a Plant-Based Diet – Help reduce animal waste by foregoing your reliance on them to nourish your body. Eating vegetables and grains helps reduce the carbon footprint by lessening the number of natural products required for the production of the meat industry.

Few recyclable items at a table in a bottle depot in NE Calgary

Reuse

  • Get Artsy – Reuse your old bottles and cans by creating something new out of them. Metals and glass can often be reshaped and reformed into something like a piece of art or some new furniture. Get creative with what you have lying around.
  • Donate – Do you have things just sitting around and collecting dust? Clear out some space in your home and donate to a good cause. Instead of watching items just go to waste or eventually be thrown out you can give them to those in need. Charitable organizations welcome a variety of products that still have a lot of life left in them. You can make a difference in someone else’s life.
  • Double Sides – Hand in a double-sided paper for your English Lit. class. Printing on both sides will significantly reduce the amount of paper used by 50%. Bonus, your professor will appreciate not having so many pages to carry around during exam week!  
  • Turn Waste into Food – Not everything that appears as waste is. Coffee skins can be dried and made into delicious fruit-like snacks. Yum!

Recycle

  • Cardboard and Paper Recycling – All cardboard and most (un-shiny) paper can be recycled. Break down cardboard boxes to make it easier to recycle. This type of material can be used to create more boxes or eco-friendly wrapping paper.
  • Ink and Toner Cartridge Safety – Keep the environment safe from harmful substances that leech out of ink and toner cartridges. Local office supply stores will find ways to recycle these items and many of them can be refilled.  
  • Recycling Bins – Add recycling bins to each room in your home or office to really get on the bandwagon of recycling. This will remind everyone to recycle everything from take-out containers to the weekly flyers.
  • Cut Plastic Can Holders – Chop plastic can holders into pieces so there is less of a choking hazard. Wildlife die because incidental amounts of plastic end up blowing out of recycling machines and end up around the neck or beak of an unsuspecting creature.  Small pieces are less of a danger when they go astray.  

The Three R’s

When you reduce, reuse, and find ways to recycle you are helping the environment be trash-free in the future. Do your part today for a better tomorrow. Do you have recyclable goods? Check with us at Happy Can Bottle Depot to see what we recycle. We have suggestions for items that don’t meet our criteria.

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