Do you recycle during spring cleaning? It’s that time of the year. Here are some tips on how to recycle to reduce landfills this time of year.
Time to Purge
According to rightathome.com,
“It’s spring-cleaning time and with that comes your yearly clutter purge. But before you start tossing unneeded items in the trash, consider putting them to better use. From eye wear and electronics to clothes and furniture, the following organizations accept a wide range of basic and unexpected goods that can benefit others in need. Plus you’ll be helping to keep these items out of landfills, and, in many cases, you could get something that’s hard to pass up—a tax deduction.
1. Athletic shoes
At Nike Reuse-A-Shoe facilities, worn-out sneakers (of any make or brand) are broken down and converted into usable materials for new, top-of-the-line athletic surfaces for communities in need. Visit Nike Reuse-A-Shoe for shipping instructions or to find a drop-off location near you.
2. Books
Through Books for Soldiers, you can send “care packages for the mind” to troop’s stationed overseas—providing priceless respite from undoubtedly tough surroundings. Another organization that will help free up your bookshelves is Books to Prisoners, which encourages rehabilitation through reading. Or do what member Helen R. (Londonderry, NH) does and recycle old books, CDs and DVDs in your community by donating them to local libraries.
3. Cell phones and electronics
The handy brand-by-brand guide on greenergadgets.com offers resources for recycling various types of electronic devices; it includes an extensive, useful section on cell phones. Phones 4 Charity reprograms used phones for basic communication and safety use in the U.S. and developing countries, while Cell Phones for Soldiers provides phones for soldiers wanting to call home—certainly worthy reasons to dig through your closet for that old phone you’ll never use again. Just be sure to clear your personal information before sending it out.
4. Eyeglasses
Your unused or outdated eyeglasses could give someone clearer vision for the first time in his or her life. Lions Clubs International offers a kit that makes it easy for you to mail them out. Because glasses are fragile, and you want them to travel through the mail without breaking, it’s best to wrap them in a small sheet of protective bubble wrap and then tuck them into an easy-to-close Ziploc® Brand Storage Bag.
5. Furniture
Big Brothers Big Sisters of America will put old furniture to use in one of their many youth-mentoring program centers. Visit their site to find your local chapter. Goodwill Industries is another option—and will actually pick up furniture that you can’t transport yourself.
Note: Donated furniture must be in good, presentable condition. Surface imperfections and wear are okay, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t apply a bit of TLC before giving it away. A quick pass with Pledge® Multi Surface Wipes easily removes dust, fingerprints, smudges and smears from furniture surfaces.”
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Eco Friendly Cleaning Services
At White Lotus, we provide eco friendly cleaning services because our company is concerned about the health of our environment. Now that you’ve recycled items that you no longer need, the next step is to do some cleaning. Contact White Lotus Exquisite Home Cleaning for more information and estimates on our green cleaning services.
