Staying on our recycling theme, this week’s HV Shred blog aims to inspire readers to make recycling a New Year’s Resolution. In addition to the increased ease of single stream covered in last week’s blog, there are other items to consider:
Last month we touched on hazardous items such as electronics, automotive batteries, chemicals and rechargeable batteries should be taken to a Household Hazardous Waste collection event or taken back to the manufacturer under Product Stewardship regulations. The main idea is to think about what you put in a garbage can. Before you throw it away, take a look at the material and ask:
- Can this be sold or donated for someone else’s use?
- Can I put this in my recycle bin?
- Is it harmful to the environment if it is buried in a landfill?
The motivations for recycling are many. First and foremost, it is good for the environment. It takes less energy to create new items from recycled materials than it does to create new products from raw materials. Mining minerals and milling trees into lumber require vast amounts of energy. Runoff from landfills, and metals like mercury, find their way into streams, rivers and oceans.
These are the most common materials that are recycled. Come back again for part three next week for more inspiration.
For more tips on secured document destruction as well as recycling resources, please visit www.hvshred.com