With resources being depleted and pollution causing damage to ecosystems that we depend on, looking out for the environment is as important as ever. Because we all share in our natural resources, it’s everyone’s responsibility to take care of our environment.
Taking on environmental initiatives will provide you a feeling of personal satisfaction in knowing that you’re doing the right thing. Here are three innovative recycling ideas that you can employ in your own home and community:
- Organize an e-waste drive
- Establish a composting system
- Establish a grey water recycling system
Organizing an e-waste drive is a great way to safely dispose of materials that are potentially harmful to the environment while raising some money for a good cause! E-waste drives are great way to raise money for schools, workplaces, church groups, or any other group you’re a part of.
There are many firms that will support your e-waste drive by purchasing the e-waste you collect. These companies may also provide a bin in which to collect e-waste over the course of your drive.
E-waste can include a wide range of electronic devices including, computers, monitors, cell phones, media players, televisions, etc.. If these things are disposed of improperly, such as in landfills, they can leach heavy metals and other toxic materials into the ground. Furthermore, many electronic devices contain metals that are rare and difficult to extract. Recycling these electronics will reduce such harmful resource extraction as these metals will be extracted from the recycled items. An e-waste drive will be a win-win.
Your food scraps can be very valuable if used as compost to fuel your garden. This fuel would go to waste if you disposed of it with the garbage and it went to a landfill.
You can compost the vast majority of your food scraps, the main exceptions being raw meat and fish scraps. Your food scraps will ‘close the loop’, contributing valuable nutrients to the soil and helping you or your neighbours grow more food in a garden.
Composting is as easy as starting a heap in the backyard; all that is needed is a tarp or wood cover. For more refined composters, a commercial compost container may be suitable and work just as well.
Water is a commodity used by every household. It may not occur to you that water can be recycled, but it can! That is, grey water, specifically, can be reused for toilet flushing or irrigation.
Grey water is the water produced by washing dishes, showering, and washing clothes. Some estimates peg 70 percent of all water produced by the typical household as grey water. While grey water is not safe to drink, or ‘potable,’ it is still ok for some purposes.
Recycling grey water can result in very significant water savings. However, grey water must be collected and treated properly before it can be reused. For existing homes, this means altering your plumbing system. Before undertaking such a project, be sure to check with the regulations in your jurisdiction concerning grey water.
These awesome recycling ideas are a great way to do your part for the environment! As an added bonus, each initiative is capable of generating real benefits, whether it be cash selling recycled electronics, delicious food from your garden, or savings on your electricity bill. Be sure to consult the regulations in your town or city to make sure any project you choose to undertake fits within the rules.