Think Outside the (blue) Box for Ways To Recycle
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In a way, recycling has been around for thousands of years. Ancient cultures began making metal products (pots, swords) that they could melt into new ones. During World War I and II, collective efforts were made to ensure people participated in paper drives and metal drives. The scarcity of resources placed huge importance on recycling key materials to better help the war effort. This “waste not, want not” mentality really formed the basis of what has become our modern ways to recycle. It’s a shame we didn’t continue what those more difficult times had taught us. When did we start thinking that these resources would be infinite again?
During the 1940 and 1950’s recycling became less popular as landfilling was a cheap way to get rid of trash. Luckily, modern recycling of glass, paper, cans, etc became popular in the 1970’s with drop-off recycling centers, and in the late 1980’s and 1990’s with curbside collection. Nowadays, recycling is readily available in most areas and has grown to include plastics and Styrofoam in some cases. Along with the expansion of the actual items that can be recycled, the concept itself has expanded as well.
If you’re looking for more creative ways to recycle, you may want to consider:
Precycle
Wikipedia describes it as “the practice of reducing waste by attempting to avoid bringing into the home or business items which will generate waste…[This] includes such practices as buying consumables in bulk to reduce packaging, buying consumables in recyclable packaging over non-recyclable packages , avoiding junk mail, and using electronic media for reading materials, especially throwaway items such as magazines or newspapers. Basically saying the best way to recycle is to reduce your consumption of products (or by-products) that will ultimately wind up either in a landfill or recycling depot.
Upcycle
From the book Cradle to Cradle: Remaking the Way We Make Things by William McDonough and Michael Braungart, upcycling is described as “the practice of taking something that is disposable and transforming it into something of greater use and value”. This process allows for the reduction of waste and virgin material use. A more resourceful way to recycle for sure.
Freecycle
The act of giving away or getting stuff for free now has its’ own term. Now, you can join the Freecycle Network that manages the flow of goods in each community. As the Freecycle Network site puts it: “[This is] a grassroots and entirely nonprofit movement of people who are giving (and getting) stuff for free in their own towns. It’s all about reuse and keeping good stuff out of landfills.” We here at Planet Forward became members of our local Freecycle Network when we were exploring new ways to recycle. Whatever shipping material we receive that we can’t use ourselves will most likely get freecycled. Teachers join free cycle for items to use in arts and craft for students.
E-cycle
According to IEEE Spectrum “Six billion humans generate an awful lot of e-waste in the form of discarded computers, monitors, cellphones, and other electronic gewgaws. The process of recycling their components or metals is called e-cycling (or often ecycling), and it’s been getting a lot of press lately and generating a lot of new lingo. Indeed, e-scrap has the dubious honor of being the fastest growing segment of the garbage system.” That’s concerning but hopefully with being tempered with yet another new way to recycle it all won’t find its way to the landfill.
There are sure to be more ways to come but in the meantime, if you’re looking for the best ways to recycle, you might want to consider precycle, upcycle, freecycle, ecycle. It’s the new reduce, reuse, recycle. Together we all can make a difference.
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2 Comments
July 12th, 2009 at 2:32 am
Great post Angela, it’s a crying shame that the awareness people had due to rationing during the World War(s) and the years after was gradually erased by convenience and laziness in the decades since.
We’re not fighting fascists now but this new war is to save our environment - just as important I’m thinking. If people reduced their weekly commitment to reality TV by just 15% and spent that time recycling who knows how far we might progress!
Tim
July 12th, 2009 at 2:40 am
Thanks Tim. But how would that 15% impact Donald and Sir Alan?