RECYCLE CORNER
Wondering how to recycle more? Here are a few ways to learn about how you can recycle as much as you can locally, and become a better friend to the environment:
“GOING GREEN” in BUFFALO CRITERION
The following RECYCLE articles by Lesley Haynes have appeared in the Buffalo Criterion. Click on the links below to read the full articles.
NOVEMBER/2018 – Remember the 4 R’s and Buy Locally, This article by Lesley Haynes appeared in the Buffalo Criterion.
JUNE/2018 – Plastic does not go Away – It Just Accummulates,This article by Lesley Haynes appeared in the Buffalo Criterion.
JUNE/2017 – Buffalo Public School can do a better job at recycling. This article by Lesley Haynes appeared in the Buffalo Criterion.
APRIL/2017 – We can conserve more this spring. This article by Lesley Haynes appeared in the Buffalo Criterion.
DECEMBER/2016 – Get ready for holiday recycling with this article. This article by Lesley Haynes appeared in the Buffalo Criterion.
OCTOBER/2016 – Tips on making your automobile more energy efficient. This article by Lesley Haynes appeared in the Buffalo Criterion
SEPTEMBER/2016 – Get ready for Fall with these ideas for making your home safer and more energy efficient. This article by Lesley Haynes appeared in the Buffalo Criterion
MAY/2016 – May is national bike month and time for responsible spring cleaning.This article by Lesley Haynes appeared in the Buffalo Criterion.
APRIL/2016 – Keep America beautiful month.This article from the Buffalo Criterion by Lesley Haynes gives continues providing us with suggestions to make a positive impact on the health of the environment.
MARCH/2016 – World water day and smart use of water. This article by Lesley Haynes appeared in the Buffalo Criterion.
JANUARY/2016 – Have a happy environmental New Year.This article by Lesley Haynes appeared in the Buffalo Criterion.
SEPTEMBER/2015 – Defining popular environmental terms. This article by Lesley Haynes appeared in the Buffalo Criterion.
AUGUST/2015 – Raising children who are responsible to the environment. This article by Lesley Haynes appeared in the Buffalo Criterion.
JULY/2015 – Going Green help make our homes safer from harmful chemicals. This article by Lesley Haynes appeared in the Buffalo Criterion.
JUNE/2015 –Going Green changing old habits. This article by Lesley Haynes appeared in the Buffalo Criterion.
APRIL/2015 – Remember the 4 r’s: reduce, reuse, recycle, repair. This article from the Buffalo Criterion by Lesley Haynes gives suggestions everyone can use to make a positive impact on the health of the environment for Earth Day.
“RECYCLE CORNER” in TRAILBLAZER NEWSLETTERS
The following RECYCLE articles by Ron Missel have appeared in the Trailblazer. Refer to “Newsletter” on the HOME page or click on the links below.
JANUARY/2016 – “Is RECYCLING the Right Thing To Do?” Reviews a Fall/2015 NY Times article suggesting that recycling does not have the financial impact we thought it would, including a rebuttal. Here are links to the referenced articles: The Reign of Recycling by John Tierney ; Is recycling as awful as the New York Times claims? Not remotely By Ben Adler
OCTOBER/2015 – “Those Pesky Plastics…(Part 2)” – A look at how to recycle common plastic items that cannot be placed in the recycle tote, like CDs, credit and ID cards, etc.
JULY/2015 – “Electronics – Small Devices” – Discusses how to recycle iPads, smart phones, cell phones, etc.
APRIL/2015 – “RECYCLING – How It Works and What You Need To Know” – Provides an update on how recycling works, specifically in WNY. (NOTE: The title is mislabeled.)
JANUARY/2015 – “Metals” – Reviews the types of metal, their value and how to recycle them.
OCTOBER/2014 – “Used Clothing” – References the need for improved clothing recycling and the derived benefits for the community.
JULY/2014 – “Ever Changing and Mostly For The Better” – Reviews trends, changes and improvements in recycling.
APRIL/2014 – “Prescription & Over-The-Counter Medication Disposal” – Discusses the issues and provides drop-off locations.
JANUARY/2014 – “Junk Mail” – A known problem with suggestions on how to reduce or eliminate.
OCTOBER/2013 – “Disposing of Household Hazardous Waste” – Discusses how to properly dispose of chemicals, cleaners, oil paints, batteries, etc.
JULY/2013 – “What’s Happening In Buffalo?” – Provides an update on City of Buffalo recycling efforts & improvements.
APRIL/2013 – “Plastics” – Discusses the proliferation of “plastic” and the potential impact if not recycled properly. (NOTE: The title is mislabeled.)
JANUARY/2013 – “The Other Stuff and What to Do With It” – Reviews recycling and proper disposal of items that cannot be placed in your curbside recycling bin.
Also here is an article that appeared in the Buffalo News, January 2015. Another Voice: Old clothing should be donated, not thrown away Opinion – The Buffalo News By Ron Missel.
“RECYCLE CORNER” in Amherst Bee
The following RECYCLE article by John Szalasny has appeared in the Amherst Bee. Click on the link below.
DECEMBER/2016 –“Make Recycling a Priority this Holiday“ – Reviews the special concerns of recycling those special holiday items.
TRASH DAY RECYCLING
All of us are familiar with the recycle box provided by our trash hauler, and most of us separate waster from recyclable items. However, here are some things you should know:
- The recycle programs vary between municipalities and trash haulers. An item that’s recyclable in a neighboring municipality may not be in yours. For example, yogurt and similar food containers, even though they carry a #5 recycle label cannot be recycled in some municipalities.
- Recyclable items should NOT be placed in plastic shopping bags or tied up with string. The bags and string can jam the sorting machinery.
TIP: Your municipality web-site or city/town/village offices will have a list of items that will be accepted for recycling, including how to prepare them if required.
EVERYTHING ELSE….
So you visited your municipal web-site and you know what will be picked up on recycle day. Now what about everything else? The following web-sites will tell you what to do with a wide range of items – many that customarily end up in the trash because we’re not aware of the options available to us. Become familiar with the items on the following lists. Understand that some of these items will have to be taken somewhere in your community, or sometimes mailed/shipped, to be properly recycled.
- www.earth911.com – Log into the site. Then key in the item in question along with your zip code. The site will advise if the item is recyclable and where to take it locally, or elsewhere if there isn’t a local option.
- http://www.ppgbuffalo.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/how-to-recycle-in-buffalo-niagara.pdf is a link to an article entitled How to Recycle in Buffalo-Niagara. There are a great many items on this site that can be kept out of a landfill.
ADDITIONAL CONSIDERATIONS
- Recycled items/materials are often made into something else, which means energy is expended to create the new item. Whenever you can, reuse or repurpose the item in its original form and extend its useful life.
- You might resurface a kitchen countertop rather than purchase one that’s pre-made. If you decide to replace it, acquire a new one made from recycled materials. Then create another workspace with the old one in your garage or basement, or give it to a friend or relative.
- Buy reusable bags for groceries and other shopping. They’re about a buck apiece and will last for years.
- Certain hazardous items, like medicine and paints/solvents, aren’t recycled but need to be disposed of properly. Use the web-sites to determine what to do with them.
- PRE-CYCLE – Think about what you’re going to do with an item when you’re finished with it before you acquire it. Do you really need it? Is it recyclable? Is it packaged with recyclable materials?
- Buy recycled goods. The list is endless – countertops, decking, cabinetry, clothing, greeting cards, paper, and so on. TEN THOUSAND VILLAGES, a retail outlet, sells some amazing, useful, “fair traded” gifts and crafts, many made with recycled cans, juice containers, newsprint, scrap metal, and other materials. And you’re helping lift these artisans out of poverty.
Adopt the mindset that everything can be recycled or reused until proven otherwise. Use the available web tools to help determine that.
Sierra Club Niagara Group 