Going Green(er)

It's finally getting greener outside and I am loving it! The grass will soon be ready to be mowed (ew allergies), the dandelions everyone else seems to hate will be springing up everywhere and the naked trees will soon be sporting their new summer clothes (not a croc in sight). So while everything else is getting greener how about making the inside of your home a little greener too? I'm not talking plants, but if that's your thing, by all means, fill your house to the brim with plants. I myself have a black thumb and so I avoid any real plants like the plague. But if you are not cursed with this problem, green it up! 

But if you're like me, never fear. There are a lot of ways you can be greener. On days like today when I can sit outside and hear the birds singing and can admire the beautiful colors popping up everywhere it makes it even sadder when I think of how we abuse this planet that we call home. The statistics of the amount of waste we produce and don't dispose of properly are mind boggling. But maybe with this post I can inspire you too to make your home and our planet a little greener and a lot cleaner. :)

TerraCycle

TerraCycle has partnered with a lot of different brands and companies to recycle specific products that we all use on a daily basis. You can enter the type of waste you're looking to recycle along with your zip code and they'll pull up any matching programs. Just create an account and then sign up for any of their programs.

Beauty Products - I was very excited when I realized a program exists to recycle make up and other beauty products! I love make up but I hated buying beauty products that until recently, I didn't think were recyclable. You can ship up to a 10 lb box so get some of your make up loving friends involved and help give the planet that healthy glow! Just make sure to remove the excess/leftover product before shipping.

Contacts - As tiny as they are they do add up and so far, with TerraCycle's partnership with Bausch + Lomb, over 4,000,000 lens items have been recycled! Save your old lenses, their blister packs and tin foil and ship them or drop them off at a participating location.

Toys - You can always donate or sell used toys but there are always a few that are a little too rough for anyone to want. This program is geared especially for Hasbro toys and they do have a list of all their brands which is pretty extensive. They do mention in their FAQs that if you're unsure of the brand they do accept other toys and games.

Razors - I use disposable razors and before, I would just toss them out. And now, that's another item I can redirect from the landfills!

Deodorant/Toothbrushes/Toothpaste Tubes - With this program almost all of your self care products like mouth wash, toothpaste tubes, toothbrushes, deodorant containers, floss containers, etc. can be recycled. Just like their beauty products program they ask that you remove the excess/leftover product and make sure nothing is dripping when you ship.

Laundry Detergent & Paperboard Packaging - This particular program shows you local drop off locations where these products can be recycled. If you can't find one in your area they will offer you a free direct solution.

Wands for Wildlife

This program accepts your used (clean of course) mascara wands and uses them to remove fly eggs and larva from wild animals. Almost every girl I know has at least one tube of mascara in her arsenal so check with your friends before sending them off and maybe you can split the cost of shipping!

Matthew 25 Ministries

Whether you have prescription, non-prescription and over the counter pill bottles consider shipping them to this organization who in turn will ship them with medical supplies to developing countries. They also state that they will recycle any bottles that they can not ship elsewhere.

Sneakers

You can always donate or sell gently used shoes through programs like Soles4Souls and It's From the Sole. Some companies like Nike and ASICS have programs where your sports shoes that can't go another mile will be recycled and maybe even turned into soles for new shoes!

Eyewear

Almost every optometrist's office I've ever been to has offered some kind of donation program for old eye glasses and sunglasses, something I have taken advantage of before. If your local eye doctor isn't currently set up to accept donations you do have other options through programs like New Eyes and ReSpectacle.

Greeting Cards

Did you know that St. Jude's has a card recycling program? They accept card fronts from most brands in their program to provide teens with life and work skills. For even more ideas of what to do with old greeting cards you can check out this site!

Crayons/Markers

A colorful world is a beautiful world but there are some colors that should stay inside the lines. Programs like The Crayon Initiative and Crayola's Color Cycle will accept your old stubby crayons and dried out markers.

Tennis Balls

Whether you love to play the game or your dog loves to endlessly chase these spheres you can send them to Recycle Balls and help change the fact that 125,000,000 used tennis balls are thrown out every year.

Hair Dryers/Straighteners/Curlers

You can drop off items like these at any place where scrap metal is accepted. Easy peezy!

Textiles

When it comes to clothes there are endless organizations that will accept donations, thrift stores, shelters, etc. You can sell clothes online at places like ThredUp, eBay and Poshmark or take them to consignment stores. For some old clothes like torn tank tops, t shirts or worn out socks I cut them up and use them for cleaning rags or in place of cotton balls for removing nail polish. For another excellent list of suggestions you should check out this post from Trash is for Tossers.

Nail Polish

One thing I have not yet been able to find a good way to recycle is nail polish? Did you know it's considered a hazardous waste and should not be tossed in your regular trash, that it's actually illegal to do so in some states? If you're fortunate enough to have a salon in your area with a recycling program in place you might be able to drop off your old polishes. If you've found a way to recycle your old nail polish I'd love to hear it!

Well that is bringing this post to a close. For almost anything you can think of there is a way to recycle it which is pretty fantastic in my book! I'd love to hear what recycling/upcycling programs or ideas you have to share! Until next time...

Ciao!