Things You'll Need:
- Separate garbage cans for recycling and regular garbage
- <br>Soap
- <br>Water
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Step 1
Check if anything can be reused before you throw anything away. If it is paper--yes. If it can be washed, then it can likely be reused.
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Step 2
Know what cannot be recycled. Food that is bad..such as smelly cheese, rancid lettuce, moldy bread, yes you get it..anything that looks like a science experiment. Anything else can be recycled, but it's your choice if you want to make the extra effort or see your junk in the landfill.
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Step 3
Learn which plastics can be recycled. They all come with a number on them. Most community or city recycling programs take plastics with the numbers 1 and 2, but not all take 3 through 5. You will have to check with your local recycling service. Sometimes they will take 3 through 5, not with your regular recycling, but only on certain days. With all plastics, you must wash out any drink or food that is in the container.
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Step 4
Know that now there are categories for papers to be recycled. Again, you will need to check with your local recycling program, but they are generally divided into three categories: glossy-magazines, greeting cards; regular--any type of regular paper you would write on and newsletters, cardboard-corrugated and the cardboard from items such as your cereal boxes. These papers should be clean of any food debris.
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Step 5
Clean all glass. It can be recycled and is often kept with plastics.
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Step 6
Consider the bigger items which cannot be recycled ordinarily, but it is worth it for the sake of the environment to find places that deal specifically in recycling these. These items include any electronic item that is no longer working, especially computers. These contain items that can be dangerous and they should be taken care of properly. Look for e-cycle events in your community to recycle these items.
