Recently attention has been drawn to the importance of keeping everyday resources out of the landfill. Many items such as paper, cardboard, glass and plastic can be reused or recycled. Recycling bins are located in various places throughout Cache Valley. You can also recycle items in your own home.
You don’t have to wait to start recycling to use the containers, say, for planting seeds in them in the spring. You can start now by collecting items so that you have them when you need them.
When Terri Linden of Fairview, Idaho, saw a children’s show on television many years ago, it showed how a family recycled everything they could for one year. She was the Cub Scout master at the time and thought that recycling would be a good project for the Scouts to do. “So I taught a lesson on recycling emphasizing it was one way to help save the earth by not taking up the land, plus it was economical to recycle and would also save money,” Linden said. “I grew up with the old saying ‘Use it up, wear it out, make do, or do without’”
Linden has been recycling ever since teaching the Cub Scouts, especially when she’s learned that the recycling bins used to take everything from plastic to paper don’t take them all anymore. “Now they only take #1 and #2 plastics, newspaper, paper, cardboard, metal and aluminum cans,” she said. “I have had to implement ways to do something with the rest of the items I have rather then put them in the trash can and fill up the landfill area.”
Nick Coats, Franklin County Landfill supervisor, offers instructions when putting items into the recycling bins. “While the big focus is on paper such as newspaper and magazines, items such as aluminum cans, rinsed out plastic milk jugs, water bottles and cardboard (clean and broken down) can be put into the recycling bins,” he said.
Coats added that they do not accept food-contaminated items, such as yogurt cups, etc.
“Keep the recycle bins, especially the cardboard bin, as clean as possible by not putting in garbage, dead animals, and no styrofoam. Put in only what is clean,” he said.
Here are some items that Terri Linden recycles and what she does with them:
Egg cartons
“My neighbors have chickens so I give the cardboard and the foam egg cartons to them as they can be used again and again,” said Terri. “Also, the cardboard egg cartons can be used to start seedlings in.”
Linden instructs that when the seeds begin to sprout, you can cut them apart and plant them in the ground, carton and plant. The carton creates a mulch in the ground.
Yogurt cups
She also saves the plastic yogurt cups and plants seeds in them. “They can be kept year after year and reused to plant seeds in,” she said. “If you buy flowers or plants, save the plastic pots and reuse them when starting seeds indoors.”
2-liter pop bottles
Here is a fun way for kids to learn about recycling as well as an easy way to take care of plants that reuses 2-liter pop bottles. Clean the bottle, cut in half, add potting soil and water, plant seeds in the potting soil and lightly water.
“I also use my 2-liter soda bottles to store water in. I clean the bottle with soap, rinse thoroughly, fill with water and add 1 or 2 drops of unscented bleach for drinking water. Label them for drinking or water to be used to flush the toilet or to use to wash, or wash body or hair, etc.,” Linden said.
Newspaper
Newspaper can be used for cleaning windows as it keeps them from streaking compared to using a rag. “Newspaper can also be used for compost or a weed barrier in-between plants. Use several for thickness and at the end of the growing season, just till the paper into the soil,” Linden said.
Cardboard boxes
Cardboard boxes can be used for storage. “They also make great toys for kids and pets. Who hasn't seen a child have more fun playing in the box than a toy came in? Kids can get creative with them and when you are done, take them to the recycling bin,” Linden said.
Harvest seeds
After the growing season has ended, harvest the seeds, Linden suggests. “My marigolds reseed every year, and rather than buy more seeds, I collect them. You can do this collecting with flowers and with vegetable seeds. Then you have them when you are ready to plant them in an egg carton or yogurt cup the next year,” she said.
Denim jean quilt
Maybe you have worn-out clothing that no longer fits or want to retire denim jeans rather than throw them away. Here’s Linden’s advice for these items:
“I save my family’s old clothing and make quilts out of them. I cut any usable parts into three-inch squares and save them until I have enough to piece together. The kids like looking at the pieces and remembering the clothes that they used to wear. I do the same with old jeans but I use larger pieces of denim and piece them together. I keep the completed denim quilts in our van so that I have them when we go on picnics, to the beach or watch fireworks. I can just throw them on the ground. They are great for those kinds of activities because you don’t have to use any matting for the quilt, they are durable, and can be thrown in the washer when dirty.”
Terri encourages families to recycle. She concludes: “Each of us is responsible for the impact we have on our environment. Take some time to look around your home and see how you can help by reusing or recycling. It's easier than you think!”
