How to recycle paper
When we look at waste in our homes one of the first things we ask is how to recycle the paper in our homes. It depends on the nature of the papers in question for example we may have glossy paper such as magazines, newspapers, thicker magazines with card inserts, etc.
Generally. we would look at each paper type and separate them into their various types and keep them in a dry bag, bin or box until you are ready to recycle them.
Knowing how to recycle papers at home is quite easy, we can begin by following the more traditional forms of recycling where we sort and store our papers and then take them to a proper facility where they can be recycled. But there can also be another way, which is upcycling.
Upcycling is where you take your recyclable paper and instead of recycling it you can learn to make cook crafts which you can give to family and friends or even sell to make some cash!
Figuring out how to recycle paper shredding is also very easy. Shredded paper has a lot of surface area so it makes it very absorbent so you can use it to put into animal cages instead of buying wood shavings or sawdust. Shredded paper is less likely to absorb the smell though so there will be a trade-off there.
You can also use paper shredding as a packaging material too so you won’t need to buy any artificial products like styrofoam so it can be a greener way to ship things.
How about baskets? Paper shredding can also be used with a nice basket or gift box to help present the contents. If the shredding is multicolored and does not match your gift then you could fill the bulk of the gift basket with regular paper shredding and then use some shredded tissue of a more suitable color on top to hide the regular shredding.
Many people ask how to recycle a book, and. is it worth it? My answer to this question is yes. There are many ways you can recycle a book rather than just toss it into the recycling bin. If the book is a regular paperback novel the first thing you could try is sharing it around to see if anyone would be interested in reading it. If you have many you could start a small book club where you circulate your books so they are read many times rather than a few times and then tossed away.
If the books are hardback then you have a chance to make something out of them. Some of the things you could try making could be lamps, hidden niches, and decorating them to give them a funky new look.
If you have a stack of old books you could glue them together in a stack so they cannot move, then you could drill a hole in them and run a cable through to make a cool reading lamp that is actually made from reading materials.
You may have a few small possessions that you want to keep secretly stored away but you don’t have a safe. You can glue all the inner pages together and then cut out a small hole inside the book. When the is closed and on the shelf, nobody will ever know you have a hidden niche where you are keeping your prized possessions.
Lastly, you could give your book a facelift by painting it a flat color like white, black, or even red. Then glue on some cool cardboard shapes like cogs and wheels and clocks to give it a cool steampunk style look. Finally, overbrush colors like gold, silver, and black to age the look so your book looks like a funky old book from a fantasy past.
How to recycle electronics
Some people wonder how to recycle a battery as the contents can be quite toxic as the batteries contain small amounts of acid and/or other corrosive materials. Luckily for us when we have a better we believe is ready for the garbage we can carefully open it up.
If the battery is a D-type battery then once opened you will notice it is actually 6 smaller AAA-type batteries inside the case, they are 1.5v batteries joined in series to create a 9v battery. You can then test each battery in turn and you may find that only one of them has failed so you can then use the other 5 in a small device like a remote.
If you have AA or AAA-type batteries you can do the same thing with them. Inside you will find 8 small disc-type batteries you normally find in much smaller electronics like calculators or watches.
Whatever battery you open up it’s important to note that the lengths of the internal batteries such as those inside the D battery may be slightly shorter and will not have polarity markings so you will need to take care when using them to ensure you insert them correctly. Otherwise, they should work just fine
When looking at how to recycle laptops you need to think about what your end goal is. If you are looking to just get rid of it then in the first instance make sure you have deleted all your data in a nonrecoverable way so your personal information will not find its way into the wrong hands.
Once you have done this then you can think about the component of the laptop. If the battery is good then you can advertise it for someone to use. If the screen is still functional then you could remove the screen and turn it into a second monitor or screen to watch movies on. There are many free online tutorials for this so you will not need to spend more than a few dollars for a stand and some small parts etc.
If the laptop is as dead as a dodo, then you may even want to turn the keys into some funky art and even disassemble the laptop to get at the motherboard to use that as a cool art piece, such as cutting it into small squares and immersing them into resin to make coasters.
How to recycle plastics
How recycling a plastic bag can be no easier than keeping them in your car and simply reusing them every time you go grocery shopping. If you have way too many then you can fold them into long thin shapes and then using some strips of bags you have cut up, weave them into a cool new large shopping bag. If you prefer something less busy then how about getting a cardboard box, cutting large holes in the sides, and then taping plain white or frosted bags over the holes to make a cheap but functional lightbox? If you are a budding photographer then you can make your images shine when using a lightbox and the best part about this one is that it’s virtually free.
If you ever wonder how to recycle milk cartons then you are in luck. Like many food containers, they often are made of cardboard but have a thin layer of plastic coating inside. Many containers are made like this to stop the food from leaking out or spoiling but it creates a problem for us when we want to recycle them but can’t.
If you are interested in crafting then you’ll find that you can cut the top off leaving a square base that is perfect for turning into a nifty stationery holder, a plant pot, a house for a train set, or a kid’s toy.
Maybe you want to know to recycle pill bottles after you have finished with them. You will find many uses for them if you think hard enough. If you have a lot of small components, like tiny screws, bolts, or even electrical components these will be perfect to keep them separated without taking up too much space. If you are a budding clothing designer, you can keep all your small beads, buttons, sequins, etc tidy.
You could even be spring cleaning and are wondering how to recycle hangers you no longer need as they are just cheap plastic. Well, you could use them to make a cool mobile for an infant rather than spend a lot of money. Infants react to shiny shapes and colors and really don’t worry that much about the price (Kids love to play with the cardboard box the toy came in right?)
If the hangers are of a rounded cross-section then you could even consider cutting the hangers along the straight edges and the curves to make pipes or other decorations for models or dioramas.
How to recycle mixed waste
How to recycle tire waste. Old tires can be a bit of a burden as well as an eyesore, most of us have passed a junkyard or garbage dump and have seen thousands upon thousands of tires. We can recycle them individually by cutting them in half to make a planter for veggies or even bolt a few of them together to make some rudimentary stools and tables. If you have access to quite a few and you have the space for them then why not make a small structure like a shed out of them? You can stack them into rows and fill them with earth. Then with a large tool like a sledgehammer, you can pound the dirt tightly into the tires and create strong eco-friendly walls that will keep the inside cool in the summer and warm in the winter.
How to recycle CD waste. We have all bought hundreds of CDs in the past but now they are falling out of fashion due to modern devices having huge amounts of storage. Gone are the days when a wall full of CDs was your pride and joy but now that 10 cubic meters of plastic cases and CDs now fit into your smartphone.
Recycling CDs is easy. You can make wind chimes or a cool mobile. You could make cool mosaic picture frames or other interesting designs.
How to recycle a light bulb safely. Generally most lightbulbs today are either LED or energy-saving which may contain mercury, If you have those then take them to a recycling center that is equipped to deal with them properly. If you have the old-style incandescent bulbs then you could try, with care to make a mini garden, with tiny herbs or plants inside, you could make a small art piece like a hot air balloon, or you could simply fill them with a little water and put some flowers in. Care needs to be taken as the glass used for light bulbs is very thin and can break easily.
How to recycle generally
If you are looking to find out more about the ways how to recycle then you are at the right place. Most of us hate waste and are becoming increasingly aware of what we can do to avoid creating more waste and recycling what we have already.
Having a look at your recycling, in general, will give you an idea of where you need to focus. You can look at the types of recycling you have, for example, you may find you have more plastic waste from food containers if you shop at grocery stores often. Conversely, you may have more cardboard waste if you shop online more often than you go shopping in regular malls and stores.
Having a look at your recycling, in general, will give you an idea of where you need to focus. You can look at the types of recycling you have, for example, you may find you have more plastic waste from food containers if you shop at grocery stores often. Conversely, you may have more cardboard waste if you shop online more often than you go shopping in regular malls and stores.
When you are looking for ways how to recycle, having your recycling presorted into separate bins should be one of the first steps on how to recycle. After you have sorted your recycling into the correct containers ensuring you have not mixed anything together you should not have then the next step is to decide what you want to do with it.
If you want to simply dispose of it quickly then you can search for your nearest center that will accept all of your recycling. Once located you can then drop it off and get ready for your next load in the future.
If you want to make a few dollars then you will need to search a little harder for a recycler that will pay you for your items. Then you can make a trip every week/month and make a few dollars to boot.
If you want to make some serious money and maybe even turn it into a career then consider setting up a crafting business if you feel you have the skills or if you want to learn.
If you have access to a lot of cardboard, plastic, glass bottles, or cans then you could begin to build what can become a great business you would love to do.
Looking to make money from crafts?
Click here to learn how with our step-by-step guide showing you everything you need to know.