We all know and understand the need to be green, and National Recycling Week 2012 is the perfect time to celebrate the recycling we do well, and to think about what we can do better. During National Recycling Week Planet Ark aims to increase the environmental benefits (including greater tonnage and less contamination) of kerbside, industrial and community recycling programs. Keep your eyes open for paper and mixed recycling bins promoted by TropEco in JCU Library branches. Recycle, and help Planet Ark reach their goal.Recycle more effectively at home with Planet Ark kerbside recycling tips:
- When you put materials into your recycling bin, don't ever put them in a plastic bag.
- Don't put oven-proof glass, drinking glasses or ceramic mugs in your bin. Just 25g of oven-proof glass can contaminate one tonne of normal glass, making it useless for recycling.
- Keep recycling those newspapers and magazines! Last year, we recycled the equivalent of 1 billion newspapers into newsprint and other paper materials. When it comes to newspapers and magazines, we are arguably the best recyclers in the world.
- Rinse out containers, jars and bottles before putting them in your recycling bin. They don't have to be spotless, just give them a quick clean.
- Remove the lids from bottles and jars before putting items your recycling bin.
- Pizza boxes, paper bags or cardboard boxes containing food also need special treatment before putting them into your recycling bin. Take out all food items before recycling and remember if the cardboard/paper box or paper bag is too soiled or greasy it cannot be recycled.
- 47% of Australia's household waste is made up of organic waste like food scraps and garden cuttings. That's a huge amount of waste to add to landfill so if you have a bin for garden cuttings or your council runs an organic waste collection service make sure you utilise it. Better still, invest in a compost bin, bokashi bin or worm farm to make good use of your organic waste and keep it out of landfill.
Check out the Planet Ark website for more information about recycling and going green.TropEco at JCU is our local organisation working towards greater sustainability on Townsville and Cairns campuses. To get involved, check out the TropEco Go Green website.
Happy recycling!
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