Every year, tons of material that could be recycled isn’t, and ends up clogging our already overwhelmed dumps, waterways and roadsides. Most people think it’s a difficult task to organize a recycling center at home. However, with some creativity and commitment, it can easily be done. And most people feel better about doing their part to care for the environment as a result, too.
Find a convenient place in your home or apartment for the center. It shouldn’t require much room for your recyclables. The garage, a storage closet, corner of the kitchen, or under your kitchen sink, all make great locations. Find and clearly label containers in which to store your recycled materials. Plastic buckets, storage containers and trash cans work great depending on the amount of room you have available and the amount of items you can recycle.
Get your family actively involved in the recycling process. Make sure they all are aware of which products can be recycled. Teach them the difference between the aluminum can bin and the tin can container. While doing their weekly chores, teach family members to be on the lookout for recyclable material lying around the house, and encourage them to place it in the proper storage bins.
Encourage them to come up with ideas for reducing the amount of recycled material that’s consumed by your household. Invite them to accompany you to the recycling center in your neighborhood so they can witness the process firsthand. Show them how they can reuse recyclable materials in their homes. A large cardboard box can double as a bin for shoes; a coffee can be repurposed as a penny bank.
by teaching your family that money that can be both saved and earned from recycling and reusing products, they’ll have developed an environmentally healthy and thrifty habit for life.
