The ABCP's of Recycling

Say what? The ABCP's of recycling are important for everyone to know. Knowing and understanding what they are will help you improve the productivity of your local recycling center.

Want to know what they are?

Aluminum. Find out if your community has an aluminum recycling center and if it does or does not pay.
Bags. As in plastic bags. those little things you take your groceries home in. Or the nice big plastic bags you find at most clothing retailers. Just because it didn't carry your milk doesn't mean it can't be recycled too. Anything you take home from the mall can usually be recycled. Find a local drop that collects them.
Cardboard. Does your recycling center take cardboard?
Paper. Does your center take paper? If so what kind? Do they only take office paper or will they take newspaper?
Plastic. What number do they take? Our local recycling center only takes #1 and #2 to be recycled but I have known others to take #1, #2, #5, and #7.

Many places will also take Glass, Steel, and Batteries as well as those items listed above.

Find out what your local community can recycle and try to separate items before you haul it away. It can save you a lot of time when you arrive if everything is already separated.

Stay green,
Yasha

My New Bag

I was shopping the clearance section of my favorite store the other day and I came across a cute little bag. Since I need something to tote around extra toys for my little girl I decided to get one. I picked out my favorite flavor and headed on to the checkout.

The bag, which I have gotten many positive comments on, is made from empty Capri Suns. The company calls it upcycling and encourages students to start a campaign at their schools to collect Capri Suns and send them to be upcycled. Schools are compensated for collecting the pouches so there really is no downside to this.

If you want to start a campaign or for more information check out Terra Cycle.

Stay green,
Yasha

How I save money (or the environment) with laundry!

I've posted before that I live in an apartment. This usually means I would have 2 choices on laundry. Wash and dry in a laundromat/dry cleaners or Wash and dry at home.

If I lived in a house I could go into my backyard and use a clothesline. No backyard = no clothesline, right? Wrong! I just set one up in the living room or baby's room on days when I don't plan on having company; usually it's the day I scrub the house from top to bottom. I have my own little makeshift clothesline made of hard materials. I use a bamboo pole and 2 metal DVD racks but I will be switching to a bamboo rack once I get rid of the DVD racks. I'll post a picture of the new racks when they're built.

Line drying can be used for any type of clothing and I greatly encourage it!!! With whites it will help bleach out any stains and save cash on your electric bill. Double bonus!

Ok so who wants an eyesore clothesline in the backyard 24/7? I wouldn't. However, your clotheslines don't have to be an eyesore. Consider alternative clotheslines such as wooden drying racks which can be placed on a patio, porch, or in the home; many of these fold up for easy storage as well.

If you like to garden try turning your "eyesore" into a trellis. Two wooden posts placed about a foot and a half apart with wooden crossbeams make a wonderful base for any climbing plant. You can plant sweet peas, roses, gardenias, you name it. Just have 2 sets of these trellises spaced far enough apart to string up your laundry.

The last option is to have a clothesline that can be taken down when not in use. Similar to the makeshift type I use in my apartment, you would only need to place it outside and take it down when not in use. I hope this gives you some ideas.

May you have many sunny days of drying!

Stay green,
Yasha

For more tips on clotheslines check out these sites:
livingonadime.com: Air Drying Clothes Without A Clothesline