How to Start Recycling at Home

Below we have a guest article from Francesca Moretti at Recycle Track Systems: a certified B-corp focused on improving waste management and sustainability. Be sure to check out their guide about the circular economy. If we look at the consumer goods industry alone, about 80% of the $3.2 trillion worth of materials used each year is not recovered and of the 300 million metric tons of plastic produced globally each year, only 12% is reused or recycled! This offers huge potential to capture untapped value, but we need to break down the barriers and make more people aware that a circular economy is possible.

Aluminum takes up to half a century to decompose on its own in nature. Each year, over a billion trees’ worth of paper ends up in landfills. While some light bulbs can be recycled, most just end up in a heap somewhere. New York, on its own, produces around 14 million tons of e-waste. Those are just some of the many recycling facts and statistics that barely anyone is paying attention to. If those numbers sound alarming to you, that’s only because they are. And if we don’t start doing something about it, things will definitely get worse. But what can you, as an individual, do to reduce the amount of waste? Well, since an average person produces almost 4.5 lbs of waste on a daily basis, the best thing you can do is try to reduce that number. And what better way to do that than by recycling in the comfort of your own home?

In this article, we will show you just how effectively you can recycle items and reduce your carbon footprint. The process is quite easy, and all it requires is that you change a few habits and invest in a few items.

Recycling at Home in 8 Easy Steps

Step #1: Make a List and Keep It Visible

Before you do anything, you need to familiarize yourself with the facts. The first obvious step is to learn what you can and cannot recycle. Once you have that figured out, you will need to make a list. Jot down everything you can and should recycle, and make the rules for recycling as clear for you to understand as possible. In addition, keep it in a spot where you can see it every day, with no obstructions in the way. It will remind you of what you need to recycle, when, where, and how.

Step #2: Prepare at Least One Recycle Bin

Generally speaking, you can live a green life with just one recycle bin. Once you feel confident enough in your recycling capabilities, or once you have room in your home, you can buy a few more. When you get a bin, place it next to your regular trash can. That way, whenever you approach it to throw something away, the recycle bin will remind you of what doesn’t go to the landfill. In fact, the visible recycle bin and the recycling list are the perfect combo for newcomer recyclers.

Step #3: Composting Is Good for You

Most modern homes that are into recycling own one or two composting bins. After all, why throw away food scraps when they can feed your plants and vegetables? Composting bins are excellent tools. They allow the leftover food to decompose in such a way that you can reuse it in the garden or the flowerpot as fertilizer. In addition, most have tight-seal caps that prevent any foul odors from getting out. In other words, getting one of these bins will help you greatly, both with recycling and gardening.

Step #4: The Magic of Eco-Bricks

Eco-bricks are just plain awesome. Imagine using your waste that you can’t recycle and turning it into a piece of furniture or even an entire home for someone who needs it? Well, that’s what eco-bricks are, in a nutshell. Basically, all you need to do is grab some non-biodegradable items, clean them, stuff them in a clean plastic bottle, seal it, and use it as a building material. The process is so simple that anyone can learn how to do it.

Step #5: Phone Reminders and Digital Archiving

You will not be a perfect recycler from the get-go. In fact, it might legitimately take you months before you get the hang of it. So, if there are specific dates when you need to take your recycling waste out, use a calendar to mark them. The better option is to use your smartphone and set up alarms for every day when you need to take your garbage out. But don’t just use your phone as a reminder tool. You can actually use an app to jot down everything you’ve recycled and maintain an intriguing recycling log. Furthermore, you can list the amount of trash that you use, both before and after you started recycling. It will serve as proof of your progress and as a guide to your future efforts.

Step #6: Engage Your Local Community

Take a look at your immediate environment. Is there a lot of garbage lying around? Are people using single-use plastic and other harmful materials? Then don’t be afraid to talk to them and start a good recycling initiative. Of course, don’t be smug or pushy about it— remember, these are your neighbors and friends you’re talking to. You need them to be on your side, and you will always catch more flies with honey than with vinegar. Now, it might not surprise you that your neighborhood already has a recycling initiative. If so, make it your goal to join them and contribute as much as possible.

Step #7: Visit a Local Recycling Plant

Depending on where you live, there might be a recycling center or a recycling plant nearby. Give it a visit and talk to the experts there. They might be able to help you out with useful advice on recycling. In addition, you can take a look at the inner workings of the plant. That way, you can understand how recycling works, what can and cannot be recycled, and how much effort they put into it. The knowledge will help you figure out how your own recycling efforts need (or don’t need) to change.

Step #8: Lifestyle Changes

Recycling is important, but it’s just one part of a complicated, never-ending process. If you want to continue making a difference, you will need to think beyond simply recycling. For example, try to apply a few zero-waste practices to your daily life. Instead of buying single-use items, buy glass or ceramic containers for your food and hard plastic or resin bottles for your water. Also, don’t order from restaurants that don’t follow green practices. Next, you could try lowering your carbon footprint by walking or by taking only a single drive for all of your errands. The list is endless, and you don’t need to do everything at once. One or two lifestyle changes will be enough at first, and when you’re ready, you can implement more.

Recycling at Home: Conclusion

As you can see, recycling at home isn’t particularly easy, but you don’t need to take any drastic steps to achieve it. Simply approach recycling with an open mind and a clear plan forward, and soon enough you will be protecting the environment simply by living your life the right way.

Written by Francesca Moretti of Recycle Track Systems