STYLETHREAD -- LET'S TALK SHOP!

Hermione · Kate Spade

Recycling?

atlgirl · Gucci

When we lived in an apt. complex in AZ, we'd load up the recycling in the car and drive to the nearest housing development (for us it was just across the street) and just put it in their recycling containers when we knew they'd be out for pickup. Sometimes the household dog would bark, but no one ever complained (we did this for at least two years). What are they going to say - "don't use our recycling container"? No one ever did. It was a little more work for us, but IMO totally worth it.

Our apt. complex in GA used to take newspapers and cans, but no glass or plastic. So we'd (again) load up the car and haul it to the nearest recycling center once a month. Gas was cheaper then...we may have undercut the idea of recycling by having to drive the rec. center (a few miles away), but I still think it was worth it. Of course it was closer distance than yours, so that might not really work out in your case. But steal the space in your neighbors' containers if you can!

It's too bad more apt. places don't have regular recycling! This seems like a big loophole that someone could get behind and make a major change - having apartments in your area really get on board with a recycling program. :)

-- Edited by atlgirl at 23:14, 2008-05-10

-- Edited by atlgirl at 23:14, 2008-05-10

cahabo · Kate Spade

I think it's pretty easy where I live. Round trip to the recycling center is about 30 minutes too, but I'm used to driving that far since I live in a rural area. We have large trash bins that we use to separate the recyclables and take them to the center when they are full. Sometimes it seems like such a hassle, but it seems weird to me to throw away something that I know can be recycled.

Kelly · Hermes

I agree that it seems kind of counterproductive to use all that gas to drive to recycle something. But I like altgirl's idea of sneaking it into other people's recycling :)

ETA: I don't know how you google-searched it, so maybe you're right that the closest place is that far away. But around me, a lot of grade/high schools, churches, community centers, etc. have huge recycling bins for the public. I drop things off there when it's easy because I think it's some kind of fundraising

-- Edited by ttara123 at 01:39, 2008-05-11

littlebean · Kate Spade

I just wanted to add that it might be worth asking your apartment manager if they would introduce recycling. In an increasing number of towns and cities, it's actually mandatory for apartment complexes to offer recycling bins. I'm surprised that there are still some apartment complexes that don't have recycling bins and it might be worth telling them that residents would like it if they would introduce them.

Grace · BCBG

littlebean wrote:

I just wanted to add that it might be worth asking your apartment manager if they would introduce recycling. In an increasing number of towns and cities, it's actually mandatory for apartment complexes to offer recycling bins. I'm surprised that there are still some apartment complexes that don't have recycling bins and it might be worth telling them that residents would like it if they would introduce them.

This is what I was going to suggest. Talk to your landlord or whoever it maybe and request recycling. It just floors me that this is not available for everyone.

Hermione · Kate Spade

I like the idea of checking out the local church/ school situation - and you girls who suggested I bring it up with the complex? Normally I would do just that, but the owners here are horrid. That is another story though!

greendiamond · Marc Jacobs

A lot of fire stations around here have recycle stations, so while you are calling churches, etc., try the fire houses too.

Hermione · Kate Spade

thanks for the suggestion!

Cortney1982 · Chanel

I'm quite surprised recycling isn't more available where I live considering it's close to Seattle and all. Aren't urban cities suppose to be into recycling? The Northwest is suppose to be green and pretty!

Anywho, I looked online and supposedly they have recycling bins at the waste center. But they don't take the items that are my main problem: frozen dinner boxes and plastic bags! They only take items that are profitable to them. I think I might just invest in reusable bags even though it would be slightly awkward showing up with my own bags.

Kelly · Hermes

Cortney - my grocery store (Kroger) actually takes plastic bags back, maybe yours does too? And I bring my own bags to the grocery store. I'll admit that I felt a little weird at first, but not anymore. My all the grocery stores around here (Kroger, Remke's, even Target) actually sell biodegradable reusable bags for really cheap ($1) and at some stores I get a discount for using my own. I love them because they can carry 3-4 times as much as a plastic bag. I know you probably don't have the same grocery chains as I do, but I just mean that it seems to be a trend here so I'd be on the lookout if I were you. I just carry them around in my purse or my cart and use the U-Scan, or just put it in the front of my groceries at the regular checkout. No cashier has ever made me feel awkward about it :)

Elle · Hermes

Cortney - Winco takes back plastic bags if you have one nearby, and New Seasons takes various plastic recycleables and plastic bags that you can't leave curbside. Both are NW chains, but I don't know how far out you are from a city ...?

I have 8 reusable grocery bags now (I got mine at Fred Meyer/Kroger - they're the largest, cheapest, and have nice long straps). I've never gotten any weirdness at all from people, in fact I get asked where I got them and how much they are at least once everytime I shop. I also get 6 cents back for each bag every time I use them, so they even paid for themselves in just a few months.

Suasoria · Chanel

Hermione:

If your apartment building uses a private company to remove trash (versus the municipal services) then they may already have a recycling program at their plant. Many states have implemented mandatory trash reduction programs and private companies are subject to the same rules. So what you dump in their bin might be sorted out on their end. Would be worth finding out - call the number on the bin sometime.

In some neighborhoods I've lived in, people will dumpster dive for recyclables to cash in. This is a win-win, I guess.

Cortney:

Yeah, plastic bag recycling is extremely rare. Nationwide there are only a handful of facilities for recycling plastic bags and plastic sheeting. That's partly why it's so evil.

The bigger grocery store chains are the best bet - ours have bins near the entrances for bags. As for the frozen dinner boxes...aren't they just paper?

Kelly · Hermes

The frozen dinner boxes are considered paperboard, so I can't recycle them, either. They don't fit in with the paper and they don't fit in with the corrugated cardboard.

relrel · Marc Jacobs

The problem with frozen tv dinners (paperboard) is that they are sprayed with or the fibers of the paperboard are mixed with chemicals to keep it from getting soggy when wet/frozen. Other paperboard products (non-frozen products), like take-out dinners, are often used to store food and paper recylcling can't have any food contamination. No matter how much you rinse those things, some sort of food is going to be in there.

Suasoria · Chanel

Wow, I had no idea. That's another reason not to buy frozen dinners, I guess.