Clifton Park NY - Recycle Me Please!!!
I don't consider myself a "tree hugger" but I try to be a good steward of our natural (and un-natural) resources. Often times I may have something I consider junk and in years past I would have simply thrown it in the garbage can. Now, I think twice.
For example, last year I removed some wooden lattice work from the bottom of my deck and replaced it with 1x4s. Instead of just throwing the lattice in the garbage, I posted it on the FREE section of craigslist.com. I got 7 legitimate emails from people who wanted it. Many of them had camps up north and they only needed a little for their decks.
Three years ago I cleaned out my basement. I'm the kind of guy that always saves the boxes and packing material from electronic equipment. While cleaning up, I amassed a HUGE pile of polystyrene. This is the "Styrofoam" that TVs, computers, radios, and all sorts of electronic things are packed in. I had enough to fill up 4 cardboard boxes that large TVs come in. Now that is a lot of polystyrene to throw in a landfill!!!
After extensively searching the Internet and calling a couple of local garbage collection companies, I couldn't find anyone that would take it for recycling. Then it dawned on me; the local mail and shipping store BUYS this sort of stuff to sell, so why not ask them if they would re-use it. They were happy to take it and use it for shipping material.
So, help the environment and help a local business by saving and donating your used polystyrene, packing peanuts, and bubble wrap. Thank you!!!
Lewis - There is a local shipping and mail box store that accepts my styrofoam 'peanuts' in my effort to recycle, reduce and reuse. Glad to hear you're doing it too.
I cut the bubble wrap into sheets and use them between my stored dinner plates as a cushion.
SUZANNE - I never thought of using the bubble wrap for "seasonal" or fine china.....Thanks for sharing.