year end summary of recycling

at the end of the year, i am clearing out my closet and cabinets of anything no longer useful to the household.   instead of wasting resources and adding to the landfill, i will always google what can be donated and what can be recycled.

here is a comprehensive list of items which can be reutilized by someone else and NOT end up in the landfill.  it's a list i've built up during the year and most of these items are not goodwill friendly.

used eye glasses

take your used eyewear to any LensCrafters, Pearle Vision, Sunglass Hut, Target Optical, Sears Optical or participating Independent practitioner.  To find the nearest location, check out: http://www.onesight.org/northamerica/na/

used coats

coats will be given away to anyone in need. to find the nearest location, check out: http://www.onewarmcoat.org/

used towels and bedsheets

these items are usually are on the wish lists of a local animal shelter.  towels and sheets to help cushion cages and crates of homeless animals. 

used pillow cases and used pillows

the stuffing from the pillow can be pulled out, stuffed into the pillow cases, and sewn up to be pet beds like this one: http://www.phsspca.org/education/justforkids-projects.htm 

used greeting cards

St. Jude's Ranch for Children are accepting any type of used greeting cards from November 15, 2008 to February 28, 2009. You can mail the cards to:

St. Jude's Ranch for Children
Card Recycling Program
100 St. Jude's Street
Boulder City, NV 89005

new but unwanted personal hygiene products

check with your local homeless shelter to see if see if they have a need for such items.   

used books, magazines, vhs tapes, and dvd's

check with your local library or hospital to see if they have a need for such items.

used textbooks from college

if you can't sell your old text books online and don't want them to taking up space, you may consider donating them to an organization like Bridge to Asia (http://www.bridge.org) which ships text books to china.  

used cookware

if you purchase cookware from calphalon one family, then you can send back your old cookware (regardless of name brand)  in the box of the new cookware back to calphalon at their expense.   they take care of recycling the cookware and you get a $50 calphalon colander.

used packging supplies and used wrapping paper

got a package in the mail?  you can reuse the packaging for another shipment.  my husband and i always reused at least some portion of packaging we get in the mail and reuse it for the padding and delivery of our ebay shipments: packing peanuts, padded envelopes, boxes, etc.

used undewear

hmm, i haven't figured that one out yet. that's a little bit too personal to reuse.  ew.  :P