Must-Have Recycle Tips

With climate change affecting the world, we are in desperate need to make environmental changes at home and work. This doesn’t mean you should throw out your electronics or cars just yet, but there are several every-day adjustments you can make that can really help make an important difference. To help, we have provided a selection of helpful recycling top tips below we believe are simple and effective.

1. Have recycling bins around your building

Having easily accessible recycling bins around your office and home means it will be very convenient for people to recycle their waste, than dispose of it in the bin. It can be even more beneficial if you have different recycling bins for paper, plastic and metal, with handy labels so everyone understands the difference between them.

2. Look out for the recycling option on labels

While shopping, try to look out for the recycling symbol on packaging. This can make a huge difference to the amount of landfill produced. You can also possibly try to encourage your friends and colleagues to do the same as well.

3.  Re-use Hot Drink Cups

Although this might seem odd, a lot of waste is created through tea and coffee cups since they often can’t be recycled. You can re-use your coffee cup throughout the day, or even choose to use your own mug when and where you can.

4. Recycle old newspapers

Offices are usually full of old newspapers and magazines lying around. Make sure to recycle these once you or your colleagues are done reading them. This is also the same for paper you may not need anymore.

5. Buy re-manufactured ink and toner cartridges

These are a lot more environmentally friendly than alternative ink cartridges as each re-manufactured cartridge allows approximately 2.5 pounds of plastic and metal to be taken out of landfill sites. They also save around half a gallon of oil, so definitely invest in these cartridges. Remember to also recycle your old empty ink and toner cartridges once you have finished with them.

6. Recycle old technology

There are many ways to recycle old technology, and some companies may even buy these from you so they can re-manufacture it into something better. If the technology is not too outdated, you could consider selling it or passing it onto someone who might be able to find a use for it.

7. Buy recycled paper and print on both sides

If you recycle one ton of paper, you will save 17 trees, approximately 7,000 gallons of water and more than 3 cubic yards of landfill space. That is a lot of resources, so recycling your paper is extremely important, and by buying recycled paper to use is advised as well. Make sure when printing, that you print on both sides as this will be less expensive for you since you won’t have to buy as much paper and will be beneficial to the environment.

8. Choose long-lasting materials

It can be tempting to buy convenient items, such as coffee cups mentioned earlier, but if you opt for long-lasting items this can save a lot of money and help the environment much more. Try using re-chargeable batteries rather than regular ones, buy a few reusable shopping bags instead of plastic ones, and also pick reusable water bottles. Although it may take a while to get used to the habit of recycling, it is highly beneficial to the environment and can offer cost saving solutions to you.