1. Click on the GREEN WISDOM link at right.
2. Read the booklet.
3. Then, let us know what you think!

Note:  Janice Wells is the author of Green Wisdom and founder of goodgreenhabits.com.

If you’re like many of us, you probably end up with a pile of unwanted but usable items after you clean your closets or garage: a collection of golf balls, stuffed animals, wicker baskets and a broken but fixable lamp. Should you place these unwanted treasures in your recycling cart at home? The ecofriendly answer to this very good question is oftentimes NO.

You can only place items in your recycling cart if they have a market value at recycling facilities that do business with your garbage company. Although many garbage companies accept a variety of items in recycling carts―paper, glass, leaves, yard clippings, certain types of plastics and sometimes food waste―markets are still somewhat limited.

However, there’s a good chance your collection of unwanted items still might be recyclable! An item is recyclable if an individual or organization wants it for any reason. Not only does this mean that one person’s trash is another person’s treasure, it also means that commercial markets for recyclables are continually changing.

Good Green Habits to Find Out If Items Are Recyclable

Here are going-green steps to take  when you want to know if an item is currently recyclable:

• Call your garbage company to ask if they accept your specific item in their recycling program―and request a service brochure with your next bill.
• Donate gently used and clean/washed items to schools or organizations such as Salvation Army.
• Place your unwanted items in a box marked FREE outside your home.
• Use your zip code at Earth911 to discover nearby markets for unwanted items.
• Post your item at Freecycle to give it away (or get an item you need) for free.
• Offer your items on Ebay or Craigslist to make some money.

Going Green Bottomline:  When you find a taker for your unwanted stuff, you’ve recycled it―and kept it out of the landfill.  The earth will thank you for your efforts.

Copyright © 2009 Good Green Habits – All Rights Reserved

Good Green Habits for Common Eco Words

Recyclable means the material in a product can be reused or remanufactured into other products because it may still have useful physical or chemical properties after serving its original purpose.

• Place recyclable items in your recycling cart, including cans, plastic bottles, and other items accepted by your garbage company.
• Visit earth911 to find nearby recycling center locations.

Recycled means the material in a product has already been separated from the waste stream, remanufactured into a new product, and is available for consumer purchase.

• Read labels to find out if a product is made from recycled materials.
• Then, purchase items made from recycled materials whenever possible, especially items such as toilet paper (which can only be used once) and office paper (which can be recycled many times).

Reduce means steps are taken to use fewer natural resources, materials and products to produce less waste.

• Buy products without extra packaging.
• Purchase only what you need in the near future.
• Use less than the directed amount of products, such as powder and liquid detergents.

Reuse means that you use items more than once or find new ways to use old items. Here are many easy ways to reuse:

• Choose reusable bags instead of plastic bags or reuse plastic bags.
• Compost unwanted food at home or use your garbage company’s compost program.
• Donate unwanted items to people you know or to charity.
• Purchase refillable pens and pencils.
• Repair and/or clean items instead of buying new.
• Reuse or share cardboard boxes and packing materials.
• Save empty food containers for storing for craft supplies and leftover food.
• Set your table with cloth napkins.
• Take your own coffee mug to Starbucks.
• Use dryer sheets more than once.