Showing posts with label Reusable Items. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Reusable Items. Show all posts

Monday, September 16, 2013

Reusing Plastic Water Bottles

Boro-Wide Recycling Corp.
Maspeth, NY 718-416-1656

The three big "Rs" are Reduce, Reuse and Recycle.  Reducing can be accomplished by consciously purchasing an eco-friendly, and keeping it to refill instead of buying new bottles.  As for recycling, almost every community has some type of curbside recycling, or local place you can take your used plastics.  The creativity really comes in to play with the third R, reuse.  Statistics say only about 20 percent of plastic water bottles are actually recycled.  which leaves about 80 percent in landfills or the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, which is an island of garbage that stretches for hundreds of miles in the Pacific Ocean. 

There are countless ideas for reuse that range from décor to function to gardening and much more.  You can keep your garden hydrated with a recycled water bottle lawn sprinkler, create a year round cutting garden for your kitchen with a recycle bottle indoor herb garden, or protect your iPod with a recycled water bottle iPod holder.  You can find directions and examples of all of these projects at http://goo.gl/2JrTzp

Follow us on Twitter and Like us on Facebook for more great tips and ideas like these for everyday recycling!

Tuesday, June 11, 2013

10 Backyard Items to Reuse this Summer!

Boro-Wide Recycling Corp.
Maspeth, NY 718-416-1656
www.BoroWideRecycling.com

Part of keeping our environment healthy and green, includes recycling as well as reusing things that we have purchased.  Although backyards may not accumulate as much junk as a garage, many people do acquire plenty of reusable items for the yard like furniture, gardening supplies and other materials.  After withstanding Mother Nature for a few years, you may decide that you need to replace these items.  Once you no longer need these items or decide it is time for a change, what can you do with these items?  You should always reuse or recycle.  Here are a few ways to reuse or recycle ten common backyard items

Garden Hoses: If you wish to recycle most communities have drop off recycling programs.  For those who would rather reuse many clever options exist like poking holes to turn it into a sprinkler or cut it to make a handle for something heavy.

Patio Furniture: Donations are usually the best option for recycling even if its not in great condition.  Depending on what the materials are made of you could bring it to a scrap yard and cash it in.

Grills: If your grill still works they are easy to sell.  Grills can also be taken to the scrap yard for a profit.

Yard Waste: If you are someone who composts food scraps, dealing with things like grass clippings, branches and leaves is easy.  Just add them to your compost and it provides carbon.  If you are not a composter most municipalities provide special curbside pick up for your yard waste.

Fencing: For Fencing you may need to seek a specific recycling solution.  For example metal fencing you can scrap, and plastic fences can be taken to a center that accepts large amounts of plastic and wood can be taken to local woodworking organizations.

Kid’s toys: Good Will always accepts toy donations as well as many other organizations like Second Chance Toys. 

Potting Soil: Potting soil can be donated to local gardens or neighbors starting gardens.

Sand: You can add sand to compost as well, it also helps with drainage  if added to the bottom of pots and used to fill holes in your yard.

Insect Repellent: If you use citronella candles in your back yard the candle may seem useless after the wick has burnt out.  You can melt the left over wax onto a new wick and reuse it. 

Scrap Wood: Scrap wood can be reused even if it is treated for painted.  It can be stripped and used for other projects or firewood.

Are there any other backyard items that you reuse? Let us know on our Facebook page.