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Recycling and Conservation Tips

This page contains ideas for ways to recycle, reuse, and otherwise conserve resources and reduce trash to preserve Earth for many future generations. Thanks to visitors for sharing their own ideas!

Crayons

Broken crayon pieces can be made into new crayons with the Crayola Crayon Maker. Accessories for the crayon maker are available at CrayolaStore.com including vehicle and animal crayon molds, and crayon labels. (Search for coupons at Google.com by entering "crayolastore coupon".)

Gift Wrapping

Greeting Cards

Junk Mail Envelopes

Save the envelopes from junk mail to be reused for many purposes

Old Road Maps

Junk Mail CDs

Everyone gets these from AOL and other Internet service providers.

Plastic Film Canisters

Ink Jet Cartridges

Postage paid mailers are available for recycling used printer ink jet cartridges. I was able to get them from my local post office, but have not been able to confirm whether they are available in all post offices.

You can also recycle ink jet cartridges and hold a fundraiser at the same time through EcoPhones. Cell phones and ink jet cartridges are collected and sent to EcoPhones for recycling. Each phone and ink jet cartridge can earn $1-200.

Cancelled Postage Stamps and Phone Cards

Cancelled postage stamps and phone cards can be packaged to sell to collectors by non-profit groups. I have a contact who prepares these for sale by non-profits, including Tubfrim. Tubfrim is a Norwegian organization which raises money to help disabled children.

Send postage stamps and phone cards to:
Stamps for Non-Profit
2811 Glendevon Circle
Henderson, NV 89014-2205
For more information about Tubrim, see The Official Tubfrim web site

Other uses for cancelled postage stamps -

Magnets

There are many uses for the advertising magnets that many businesses give away.

Cellular Phones

When you replace your cell phone with a new one, you can donate the old one to help victims of domestic violence. See more information about HopeLine at the Verizon Wireless.

Another way to recycle cell phones and and hold a fundraiser is through EcoPhones. Cell phones and ink jet cartridges are collected and sent to EcoPhones for recycling. Each phone and ink jet cartridge can earn $1-200.

Photography

Digital photography eliminates the need for photo processing and therefore the use of chemicals used for film photography. In addition, with digital photography, you have the option of deleting pictures you don't want and just printing those you do want. Even worse for the environment are single use cameras for which the entire camera is thrown away after the film is developed.

While digital cameras are still more expensive than comparable film cameras, they have definite advantages.

Kodak DC4800 Zoom Camera - Order or get more information from Amazon.Com
I chose this particular camera because it includes a great selection of features, the reviews for it are good, and it is available at a great price for a 3MP camera. Following are some links I found helpful:
Kodak DC4800 Zoom Camera Specifications
Short courses on digital cameras
Digital Camera Resource review
Steve's Digicams review
Viking 128MB Compact Flash card - Order or get more information from Amazon.Com
I bought this 128MB CF card so that I would have more storage space for pictures on my camera. This particular card is available at a lower price than many other comparable cards.
Paint Shop Pro - Order or get more information from Amazon.Com
Photo editing software by JASC. One of the best affordable packages available. I use this for my own photo editing and am very happy with the ease of use and the available features. Frequently gets great reviews.
Amazon.com/Ofoto photo processing and web photo albums - Sign up or see a sample album
This is a great web photo service. I really like the software that they give you to prepare and upload your images. It allows you to upload multiple images with one click. It has a slide show option which makes it easy to sift through the pictures taken with a digital camera. It has a cropping option which makes it simple to crop a picture to a 4x6" size. This photo service also has a nice web photo album so that you can easily share your digital pictures.

Babies

Breastfeeding and using cloth diapers are ways that you can help the environment when you are caring for a baby. For more information, see my Baby Tips page.

Miscellaneous

Reusing Items for Craft Projects

Many recyclable and non-recyclable items make great materials for kids craft projects. If you don't have kids in your family, check with local schools, churches, and nursing homes to find a place that will accept donations of recyclable and non-recyclable items for reuse in craft projects. Items to donate include:

* These items are also great for kids or adults who do miniature work with a doll house.

There are quite a few books available through the library on using recycled materials for crafts (call number J745 at my library). The following books are aimed at kids, but many of the crafts are also appropriate for adults.

Plastic Recycling Numbers

An explanation of the meaning of the numbers in the triangular recycling symbols on plastics. (from "50 Simple Things Kids Can Do To Recycle" by The EarthWorks Group)

1 - PET
Polyethylene terephthalate; includes plastic soda bottles and some detergent bottles; commonly recycled.

2 - HDPE
High density polyethylene; includes milk jugs; commonly recycled.

3 - PVC or V
Polyvinyl chloride; includes garden hoses, plastic flooring, credit cards, and shower curtains

4 - LDPE
Low density polyethylene; includes clear packaging on cassettes or CDs, plastic sandwich bags and plastic grocery bags; recycled at many grocery stores.

5 - Polypropylene
Includes plastic lids, bottle caps, straws, and some food containers; generally not recycleable

6 - Polystyrene
Styrofoam, such as coffee cups.

7 - Mixed plastics
Several types of plastic mixed together; probably can't be recycled.

Books About Recycling

Conscious Style Home
by Danny Seo, 2001 Danny Seo Media Ventures, Inc. 160pp. hardcover
Full of information and resources for living and decorating your home Earth consciously. Color and black and wite photographs.
Order or get more information from Amazon.Com

Ecology Crafts for Kids by Bobbe Needham
An excellent book which includes a lot of information about recycling and what other kids are doing to help.

50 Simple Things Kids Can Do To Recycle
A great book with tips on reducing trash, reuing and recycling for all ages
Order or get more information from Amazon.Com

50 Simple Things Kids Can Do To Save the Earth
Ways to save energy, water, reduce waste and protect wildlife; with contact information for resources. Includes educational projects and experiments.
Order or get more information from Amazon.Com

50 Simple Things You Can Do To Save the Earth
Ways to reduce waste, save water and energy, and protect wildlife at home and work.
Out-of-print, but check your local library or an online used book seller.
Order or get more information from Amazon.Com

Choose to Reuse: An Encyclopedia of Services, Businesses, Tools & Charitable Programs That Facilitate Reuse
Nikki and David Goldbeck, 1995
An excellent source of information on how to make almost everything available for reuse. Includes information on the environment and each item's impact on it. Highly recommended.
Order or get more information from Amazon.Com

The Envelope Mill: Recycle Magazines into Beautifully Crafted Envelopes
Haila Harvey and Haila Crowell 1995 Summit Pub Group
Paperback book and templates (30 pages)
Order or get more information from Amazon.Com

Creative Crafting With Recycled Greeting Cards
Catherine Lawrence
Order or get more information from Amazon.Com

Books on card making
There are many books about making your own cards. Many of the ideas can be adapted to reuse pretty and interesting scraps of paper and found objects.

Books on paper making, collage, oragami and other paper crafts
You can use scraps of paper to make your own paper for use in card making and other craft projects. Collaging can be done with scraps of different papers and found objects to create works of art. Scraps of light weight paper, including wrapping paper, can be put to use in origami paper folding.



Recycling Web Links

Freecycle
"...a grassroots movement of people who are giving (& getting) stuff for free in their own towns" run through a network of Yahoo! Groups. Fantastic site!

Craig's List
If you want to sell items, Craig's List is the place. As opposed to eBay, Craig's List doesn't charge you to sell items. There are areas on the site for most large cities, so you can just deal with those local to you for convenience.

Environmental Protection Agency: Materials and Waste Exchanges
The EPA’s state-by-state listing of materials and waste exchanges.

Southern Waste Information eXchange, Inc.
The Southern Waste Information eXchange, Inc., links buyers and sellers nationwide.

New York Wa$teMatch
New York Wa$teMatch helps businesses in the New York City area to exchage their waste materials.

Operation: Landfill Elimination
Tons of tips for reuse of household items in order to reduce trash.

Montgomery County, MD Recycling Web Site - MCRecycles.org
A recycling newsletter (The Recycletter), and information on recycling in Montgomery County

Gaiam - www.gaiam.com
A company specializing in natural and conservation-related product sales.

Related books at Amazon.com

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Stacy Ichniowski
Email: stacy@tealdragon.net
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