Recycling plastic bottles and cans is a great way to eliminate waste. Organizing and cleaning can often lead us to throwing a lot of things away. In the midst of the cleaning, we usually get rid of products we don’t need or want. We all have our moments when we feel the need to declutter, but here are 5 ways to recycle products that would usually end up in the trash
1.) Recycle your mascara wands.
Instead of throwing away your mascara wands when you finish a tube you can upcycle them! In order to upcycle them properly you have to wash them with liquid dish soap to remove the makeup. Once they are completely clean and dry you can wrap them and mail them to the Wands for Wildlife. According to Wands for Wildlife, “The wands are shared with wildlife rehabilitators to use in their work to save injured and orphaned wild animals. They use the wands in many ways including removing fly eggs and larva from the fur and feathers of wild animals. They work great because the bristles are close together.” This is a simple but extremely beneficial way to reuse a product instead of throwing it out. In addition to mailing the wands, please fill out this form.
Wands for Wildlife
P.O. BOX 1211,
Skyland, NC 28776
2.) Create new makeup wipes.
Removing make up or simply cleaning your face can involve a large number of disposable makeup wipes or pads. There is a simple solution: use old clothing. If you find an old towel, cloth, or article of clothing, you can cut the article into 3 x 3 inch squares and continue to wash and reuse the piece! By using fabric, it could help remove the makeup or dirt from your face.
3.) Save crayons of all sizes!
At the bottom of drawers, or backpacks we tend to find broken or unwanted crayons. The Crayon Initiative in California makes it easy and rewarding to donate any unwanted crayons. Crayons of any condition and size can be mailed, following these instructions, to The Crayon Initiative. The initiative recycles the crayons by melting them down, which eliminates the waste, and makes new crayons. The most rewarding part of the donation process is through the distribution process. The new crayons are packaged and donated to children’s hospitals all over the country. Sending old and unusable crayons can bring great happiness to so many children.
4.) Recycle toothpaste tubes, toothpaste boxes, and toothbrushes.
Brushing our teeth can lead to a great amount of waste, especially with the need for new toothbrushes and toothpaste. To improve the life cycle of the product packaging, Colgate partnered with Terracycle. Terracycle is a company that aims to eliminate the production of waste by encouraging recycling. This program allows you to sign up and send in donations as well as set up collection bins. The program does not require the donated products be Colgate. The toothpaste products are recycled into a variety of items.
5.) Glass Food jars
Everyone has purchased some type of food item in a glass container from the store. Instead of simply recycling the jars, they can absolutely be reused. Once you clean your jars to eliminate food residue, you can use the jar for a variety of reasons. The jar can be used to store foods for easy storage. By using glass as a storage method it eliminates the contact that food has with plastic. The harmful chemicals in plastic can be easily avoided because the glass has been washed. The jar can also be used to hold other household items such as pens, brushes, or even plants!
There are countless ways to recycle everyday household items without throwing them away, even the ones we may not know about. Simply researching different products to recycle will help inspire creative recycling habits, and eliminate extra waste.