Common Recycle: Batteries, Magazines, and Shoeboxes

Common Recycle

Have you ever wondered how to recycle those everyday things? Well, I sure have, and I hope many others have, too. In this first post of the Common Recycle series, I will talk about how to recycle three common items.

Batteries

Now, I'm talking about those single-use batteries that you use in everyday electronics like remotes, flashlights, toys, and cameras. Most are dumped in the trash, but this can be a problem. Certain chemicals can leech into the landfills and further contamination. In order to prevent this, go to earth911.com, enter "batteries" into the search box, define your location, and poof! you'll be given a local business that recycles batteries (most likely Batteries Plus).

Chargeable batteries are a little different. Most are Nickel-Cadmium batteries and cadmium is a toxic metal. Therefore these batteries must be disposed of properly. A search at earth911.com will likely give you the result of Radio Shack, even Best Buy.

So overall, batteries ARE recyclable. Just save used batteries in a small bag and drop them off on one of your trips into the town.

Magazines

Yes, paper is recyclable. But I know of a better way to recycle old magazines: package filler! I recently came across this discovery when my parents were out of filler tissue for a care package. I took a magazine out of the trash, ripped out the pages, and stuffed them inside the box. Perfect! So instead of spending money on filler tissue for gifts and packages, just use old magazines. It's very original and prevents extra spending and allows further use of an otherwise trash-bound item.

Shoeboxes

As a student, I often don't have the money to buy typical storage containers. Therefore I utilize shoeboxes, a great form of storage! I use some to store winter clothes (like scarves, gloves, beanies, thermals, etc.), some to store DVDs (most shoeboxes are the perfect size), and just all-around junk. They're box-ish, and therefore easy to stack and store in a closet or under the bed. These shoeboxes would eventually hit the recycle bin but using them as storage containers prevents the purchasing of other containers that require more resources and energy to manufacture.

Reusable Bottles, Goodbye Plastics

I'm sure more people these days are using reusable bottles instead of plastic ones than five years ago. The truth about BPA (bisphenol-A), the introduction of stainless steel bottles, and the realization that bottled water isn't that special (most comes from tap) has changed how society looks at refreshment. This is one achievement I believe we should all be proud of. Yet, there is always room for improvement.

I personally have three Camelbak bottles (2 were given to me for free) and one stainless steel bottle. In the past year, I can only recount several instances where I used plastic water bottles (and were for sure recycled). An impressive streak, if I'm not too bold to say. I hope everyone has a similar story and on a daily basis refuses plastic in favor of reusability.

The following are several trusted brands of reusable water bottles I suggest you to check out and possibly purchase:

• http://www.camelbak.com/
• http://mysigg.com/
• http://www.nalgene-outdoor.com/
• http://www.kleankanteen.com/

And of course, if you just visit your local store there's bound to be reusable bottles on sale and perhaps for a cheaper price than these national brands. But as a precaution, do check to make sure that it does not contain BPA or other harmful chemical. Most bottles are labeled "eco-friendly," "BPA free," and "no harmful chemicals."

If you're having difficulty convincing yourself to buy one, look at these facts from Earth911.org:

• Americans buy an estimated 29.8 billion plastic water bottles every year.
• Nearly 8 out of every 10 bottles will end up in a landfill.
• Less than 1 percent of all plastics is recycled. Therefore, almost all plastics are incinerated or end up in a landfill.

Also, bottled water these days tend to cost around $3 per dozen, or $.25 a bottle. Reusable bottles have a price range from around $8 up to $20. It's safe to say the average person drinks at least 2 bottled waters a day, which adds up to over 700 bottles a year, or around $200 a year. That's a lot of money for something that you can get out of your tap/fridge/filter at home, which you already pay/paid for. If an average reusable bottle bought around $12 were used in place of those 2 bottles, you would recoup the cost in roughly a month. So, here's the math again:

So according to the numbers, common sense, and a good sense of responsibility, you can infer that buying a reusable bottle to replace the plastic ones you periodically buy is the right choice.