Clean Wisconsin Asks You to Participate in America Recycles Day on November 15

With America Recycles Day right around the corner (November 15), it is time for all of us to remember the importance of waste reduction and recycling.  America Recycles Day (www.AmericaRecyclesDay.org) is an annual event started in 1997 to encourage Americans to recycle and purchase recycled goods.  Increasing household recycling is one of the easiest and most effective things you can do to help the environment.

Clean Wisconsin, an environmental advocacy organization, wants to share twelve suggestions on how to increase and encourage household recycling:

1. Review the guidelines for your local municipal recycling program.  Many programs were updated recently to include more products.

2. Ask the gas station you frequent most, to put out a recycling container.  Many drivers clean out their cars while they fill up at the gas station; this is a good opportunity to collect more recyclables.

3. Ask the car wash and grocery store you frequent most, to put out a recycling container.

4. Reuse packing peanuts or bags.

5. Use gift bags instead of wrapping paper for presents.  Also ask your family to only use gift bags and then reuse them.  Or, when giving a gift that doesn’t fit in a gift bag, wrap it in grocery bags and have your children decorate the package.  Kids love drawing pictures or stamping their hands on the gift.

6. Recycle household items.  Habitat for Humanity Restore accepts quality used building materials.  There are two Restores in Wisconsin and many across the United States (http://www.habitat.org/env/restore.aspx).  It’s very easy to donate items, such as countertops, roofing materials and lighting fixtures.   

7. Call your city or county recycling department to see what else you can recycle.  Many cities sponsor computer, cell phones, appliances, and other household products recycling programs.  Another resource is Cascade Asset Management (www.cascade-assets.com) who recycles computers and other office technology electronics.

8. Compost your yard and kitchen waste.  Nearly thirty percent of the wastes homeowners throw away each year can be composted.  If you don’t compost, then use your garbage disposal as much as possible for kitchen waste.

9. Resell, pass on or donate items your household no longer uses.  You can resell items in resale shops, online auction sites or rummage sales.  You could also donate items to charitable organizations for reselling or reusing.  Find good homes for your kids’ outgrown clothes and toys.  Most items are still in “new” condition because they outgrow them so quickly.

10. Use a canvas bag when shopping.  If you have a small purchase tell the clerk you don’t need a bag.  If you occasionally forget your canvas bag, keep a couple of groceries bags in the trunk of your car.

11. Purchase products with a high-recycled content, even if they cost a little more.

12. Purchase quality products (even if they cost more) that last longer.  Landfills are cluttered with inexpensive small appliances and other electronics.

These are some simple ideas to encourage recycling and reduce waste in your household.  One small change at your household could make a significant impact on the amount of waste in our landfills.  The state of our landfills is a statewide concern.  Recently, Governor Doyle named appointees to the Task Force on Waste Material Recovery and Disposal.

“The Task Force will be investigating economics of solid wastes, minimizing waste materials, and the role of municipalities, businesses and residents in waste management,” stated Keith Reopelle, Task Force appointee and Program Director of Clean Wisconsin.  “Residents play a vital role in waste reduction.  We have seen a leveling off of recycling in Wisconsin over the past couple of years.  The more a household can recycle the less waste in landfills.”

While the Task Force on Waste Material Recovery and Disposal will be looking at the long-term effects and solutions to landfills and solid wastes, each citizen should be doing their part to increase recycling and reduce waste.

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Clean Wisconsin, an environmental advocacy organization, protects Wisconsin’s clean water and air and advocates for clean energy by being an effective voice in the state legislature and by holding elected officials and corporations accountable.  Founded in 1970 as Wisconsin’s Environmental Decade, Clean Wisconsin exposes corporate polluters, makes sure existing environmental laws are enforced, and educates citizens and businesses. On behalf of its 10,000 members and its coalition partners, Clean Wisconsin protects the special places that make Wisconsin such a wonderful place to live, work and play.  Phone: 608-251-7020, Fax: 608-251-1655, Email: info@cleanwisconsin.org, Website: www.CleanWisconsin.org.