Recycling Tips

I can be a bit of a recycling Nazi and came across an article the other day with some creative recycling tips for things that many of us have around the house. For those of you with school-aged children, some of these would be great to get the school involved in to help donate to charity and raise awareness about recycling.

• Backpacks: Donate them to www.americanbirding.com. The American Birding Association uses them while tracking neo-tropical birds.
• Cell Phones: www.calltoprotect.org or www.recyclewirelessphones.com. The Wireless Foundation refurbishes phones for domestic violence survivors
• CFL's: check Home Depot
• Computers: www.mygreenelectronics.com, www.cristina.org, www.sharetechnology.org, www.nextsteprecycling.org
• Crayons: www.crazycrayons.com. Crayons are melted down and used to make new ones.
  
• Crocs: The company that makes crocs recycles and donates to underprivileged families. Send to: Crocs Recycling West

3375 Enterprise Ave.
Bloomington, CA 92316

• DVD's, CD's, Jewel cases: Swap them at www.zunafish.com or recycle at www.greendisk.com
• Eyeglasses: www.neweyesfortheneedy.com or drop them off at Target Optical or LensCrafters and they send them to www.givethegiftofsight.org.
  
• Formalwear: www.operationfairydust.org, catherinescloset.org
• Gadgets: mp3, PDA's, etc.--www.recycleforbreastcancer.org. They send you a pre-paid label, then recycle what you send them and donate proceeds to breast cancer charities.
• Glue: www.elmersgluecrew.com
• Hangers: call your local dry cleaner or laundromat about wire hangers, donate plastic hangers to local thrift stores.
• Hearing Aids: www.sotheoworldmayhear.org. Go to www.donateglasses.net/hearingaids for a collection center near you.
• Holiday Cards: www.stjudesranch.org. Abused and neglected youth cut off the front, re-attach them to new backing and sell. Much better than just recycling!!
  
• Juice Bags: www.terracyle.net/brigades. TerraCycle turns them into purses, totes and pencil cases (sold at Target and Walgreens) and donates 2 cents for each Honest Kids, Capri Sun, or Kool-Aid drink pouch, 1 cent for any other brand. Shipping is free and they send the money to a charity of your choice.
  
• iPods: take old iPod into Apple store and you get 10% off that day.
• Footwear: www.soles4souls.org