Check the labels of paper, plastic, and metal products to see if they were made from recycled materials. Look for a phrase near the barcode that says something like, “This product was made from 50% post-consumer recycled material.” Some items are made from biodegradable materials. For example, some plastic and straws are made from biodegradable corn. Near your kitchen garbage can, arrange a separate waste bin or bag to hold glass, plastic, and metal recyclable materials. Place another container nearby to hold newspapers and cardboard, if your city requires these to be disposed of separately.  Not all cities require you to sort recyclables. Check with your city's recycling rules regarding sorting, pick-up times, etc. Not all plastics are the same. Some of them can be recycled while others can't. Check the numbers on the bottom of your plastic item, then refer to your city's recycling rules. If curbside pickup up of recyclables is not available in your area, locate the recycling facility nearest to your residence. Be sure to note the hours of operation, since some centers have limited access times.  For example, do an internet search for “[the name of your city or county] municipal recycling facility.” Some recycling centers pay you to bring recyclables in. Take a look at the FAQ webpage for your city or county’s recycling facility, which should list which materials that are and are not accepted for recycling. Materials such as styrofoam and some plastics are commonly turned away by recycling centers. On the bottom of plastic containers, look for a number surrounded by three arrows--the universal recycling symbol. The number is an SPI Resin Identification Code, which indicates the type of plastic. The lower the number, the more likely it will be accepted. Computers, cell phones, tablets, stereo equipment, microwaves, and similar devices contain toxic metals and other chemicals. It’s best to have these recycled to reduce their environmental impact. Check with your local recycling center about drop-off times for electronic devices. Or donate your equipment to a local non-profit, such as a community center or veterans’ association. Some computer companies, such as Dell, offer to pick up your unwanted computer free of charge for recycling. Hewlett-Packard recycles ink cartridges, laptop batteries, and cell phones, among others. Apple offers a gift card in exchange for your old computer. Instead of throwing away what you don’t eat, and tossing your landscaping trimmings, why not put them towards a compost heap for your garden? This way you’ll save on fertilizer, and spare your city some change in reduced waste pickup. You can buy a plastic compost bin at most garden centers.  Commonly composted materials include vegetable and fruit scraps, egg shells, straw, hair and fur, coffee grounds, tea bags, horse manure, grass and plant cuttings, and leaves. Avoid composting dairy products, meat and fish, cooked foods, weeds, tissues, treated or colored paper, and coal ash.
تسوق المنتجات التي يمكن إعادة تدويرها. افرز المواد القابلة لإعادة التدوير. استفد من مركز إعادة التدوير المحلي في مدينتك. ابحث عن القيود المحلية. أعد تدوير الإلكترونيات القديمة. اصنع سمادًا طبيعيًا من فضلات طعامك ونفايات حديقتك.