When you dump something in the trash, you are not throwing it “away,” you are simply passing on the problem. Reducing waste is critical to saving our planet. By continuing to “throw things away” without recycling, is simply adding to our problem. Landfills are overflowing with materials that take forever to biodegrade, and are causing massive pollution in the process. Although recycling has become more and more mainstream, many are overlooking important recyclable materials and throwing them in the trash.
Commonly overlooked recyclable materials
Many homes and businesses are implementing recycling programs. This is a big step towards reducing waste and saving our planet. Although we fill up our recycling containers weekly, we are still missing a few common items that can easily be recycled.
Pizza box lids
Although many will say that greasy pizza boxes should not be recycled, what about the parts of the box that are clean and dry? That revolutionary plastic “pizza saver” that prevents the lid from smashing your pizza also prevents the pizza from destroying the lid. Rip off the lid of your next pizza box and toss it in the recycling bin. There, you just cut your pizza trash in half!
Composting
Food waste is a huge problem. When you throw away food in a landfill you are contributing to the production of methane gases. Methane is 23 times more potent than C02. By implementing a composting program you can reduce your carbon footprint, minimize greenhouse gases, and generate healthy and nutritious new soil for your garden.
Composting pizza box
Remember that part of the pizza box soaked in grease, sauce, and cheese? You may not be able to recycle that part of the box, but you can compost it! Reduce landfill waste by recycling the clean part of the pizza box, and composting the rest.
The pizza saver
It may not be recyclable, but you can repurpose the plastic pizza saver. If you have kids or know someone who has kids then give the pizza saver a new life as a tiny table for tiny toys. When something can’t be recycled, get creative and think of new ways that it can be used, giving it a new life, and avoiding the landfill.
Sunrise Sanitation provides waste management and recycling services to your home, business, or job-site in West Virginia and Maryland. Our mission is to make our waste management services as cost-effective, convenient, and environmentally sound as possible.