Hey you! As you probably know, our household was accepted to be apart of Hennepin County's Zero Waste Challenge. We've signed up for 9 months of education, training and challenging our own behaviors. I've been really nerdy and sharing tips via twitter along the way and I thought I would compile there here as well. To be clear, it's important that you know your own local area recycling rules - and it's great to research what facility actually processed your waste streams and ask your questions to them for the straightest answers! Most of there are general & applicable everywhere, but some might be our area specific.
#recyclingtip the goal should be to recycle all of your waste that is recyclable, it should never be to 'recycle more'. Refusing excess packaging is number 1 priority.
#composttip the goal should be to compost all of your waste that is compostable, it should never be to 'compost more'. Reducing food waste is number 1 priority.
#recyclingtip for plastic films, if you can easily stretch it over your thumb, it can be recycled alongside plastic bags. Clean and dry bread bags, plastic wrap, shipping air pillows, TP packaging - can all go with your plastic shopping bags
#recyclingtip most curbside recycling do not accept plastic bags, but they are technically recyclable. Use the link below to find a drop off location near you. Most are grocery stores. www.plasticfilmrecycling.org
#recyclingtip tiny bits and pieces are difficult to recycle because they fall through the sorting machines. Small items, like lids, can be put inside a larger vessel of the same material to help them travel to the right spot.
#recyclingtip plastics have a low market value and take a lot of resources to renew. Try reducing your plastic consumption. Reach for glass, metal or paper to recycle instead.
#recyclingtip #composttip think about your disposable food container choice... will it be soiled by greasy, wet food thats hard to rinse? = compostable is the way to go. Will it be dry or easy to rinse clean? = recyclable material is a better option.
#recyclingtip did you know that frozen food boxes are trash and cannot be recycled? The cardboard is coated in plastic due to temp and moisture conditions.
#recyclingtip labels on glass or metal containers do not need to be removed. They get burned off in the melting process.
#recyclingtip the average person generates 4.4 lbs of waste per day, how much of yours can you recycle?
#composttip if you have a #compost pile or need to find one, check out @ShareWaste. It's community composting https://sharewaste.com/
#recyclingtip only 1/3 of phone books are recycled, 2/3 end up in the landfill. While technically recyclable, consider opting out instead https://www.yellowpagesoptout.com/
#composttip you can #compost inside with a worm bin! No smell and less space. It's a great option for apartment living
#recyclingtip next time you make a run to your local material drop off site, see if friends or neighbors have anything you can bring along. Might as well make a carload and encourage others to dispose properly.
#composttip did you know roughly 2/3 of household waste could be composted?? Composting is a great first step to reducing trash
#recyclingtip the chasing arrows and number on plastics does not actually indicate recyclability. The number identify the type of plastic.
#recyclingtip not sure where to recycle that thing? Use earth911 to find your closest drop off site https://search.earth911.com/
#composttip if you can't have a compost pile or if there isn't municipal compost collection in your city, talk to your friends and neighbors - maybe they have a pile you can contribute to
#recyclingtip not sure if that paper or cardboard is recycable? Do the water drop test - if the fibers absorb the drop of water it is recyclable. If it runs off it is likely coated in plastic = trash.
#composttip in the compost vs recycle debate of which is better, remember compostable uses energy to create a single use product
#recyclingtip typically plastics #1, 2, 4, 5 are recyclable.
#composttip if your yard compost pile smells, add more browns
#composttip for your yard pile. Browns = dry leaves, torn up paper, straw, twigs, dryer lint, woodchips. Greens = grass clippings, kitchen scraps, coffee grinds.
#recyclingtip 95% of e-waste is recyclable. Don't throw it in the garbage!
