21 things you didn't know you could recycle.

It's no secret that Americans are filling landfills at a staggering pace. Despite efforts to recycle, reduce, and reuse, we're still not there yet. Very often, the problem is not that we don't WANT to recycle, it's that we don't know that we CAN recycle.

Co-Op America Quarterly's Fall magazine focuses on getting to Zero Waste and offers these suggestions:

• Appliances: Goodwill accepts working appliances: http://www.goodwill.org/ Or, contact Steel Recycling Institute: http://www.recycle-steel.org/


• Batteries: Rechargable and single-use: Battery Solutions http://www.batteryrecycling.com/


• Cardboard Boxes: Local non-profits and women's shelters often accept. If you collect 100 boxes or more each month: http://www.usedcardboardboxes.com/


• CDs/DVDs/Game Disks: AuralTech will refinish them and they'll work like new: http://www.auraltech.com/


• Clothes: Wearable clothes can go to Goodwill or local women's shelters. Women's business clothing can be donated to Dress for Success, which offers them to low-income women looking for employment: http://www.dressforsuccess.org/. Unwearable clothes may be donated to pet shelters for bedding.


• Compact Fluorescent Bulbs: IKEA stores will recycling: http://www.ikea.com/. Or, you can order a RecyclePak from Sylvania for $15. The cost covers shipping and recycling at Veolia Environmental Systems: www.sylvania.com/Recycle/RecyclePak


• Compostable bio-plastics: Find a municipal composters: http://www.findacomposter.com/


• Computers and Electronics: Find a RESPONSIBLE recycler (one that ensures the e-trash is not shipped overseas, dismantled under unsafe conditions, and the remainder burned in landfills, exposing people to toxic chemicals): www.ban.org/pledge/Locations.html


• Exercise videos: Swap them at http://www.videofitness.com/


• Eyeglasses: Local Lion's Club or eye care chains may collect. The lenses are reground and given to those in need.


• Foam package peanuts: Local pack-and-ship stores often taken them for reuse. Plastic Loose Fill Producers Council can direct you to drop-off sites: 800-828-2214. For foam blocks: Alliance of Foam Packaging Recyclers www.epspackaging.org/info.html.


• Ink/toner cartridges: http://www.recycleplace.com/ pays $1 each.


• Miscellaneous: When you have unwanted items, find a local Freecycle. Or list on http://www.craigslist.org/. Or give them away at http://www.throwplace.com/ or sell them at http://www.ireuse.com/


• Oil: Used motor oil hotlines: http://www.recycleoil.org/


• Phones: Donate cell phones at Collective Good and they will be refurbished and sold to people in developing countries. http://www.collectivegood.com/. Call To Protect will reprogram cell phones to dial 911 and gives them to domestic violence victims: http://www.donateaphone.com/. To recycle single-line phones: Reclamere http://www.reclamere.com/.


• Sports equipment: Resell or trade at Play It Again Sports: http://www.playitagainsports.com/


• "Technotrash": Recycle CD's, jewel cases, DVD's, audio, video tapes, cell phones, pagers, rechargable and single use batteries, PDAs, ink and toner cartridges in one easy box. For a small fee, GreenDisk will send you the box, in which you can ship 70lbs. of the above "technotrash". The fee covers the box, shipping, and recycling. http://www.greendisk.com/


• Tennis Shoes: Nike's Reuse-a-Shoe program turns old shoes into playground and athletic flooring. http://www.nikereuseashoe.com/. One World Running will send still-wearable shoes to athletes in need in Africa, Latin America, and Haiti: http://www.oneworldrunning.com/.


• Toothbrushes and Razors: Buy a recycled plastic toothbrush or razor from Recycline and the company will take it back to be recycled again into plastic lumber. Recycline toothbrushes and razors are made from used Stonyfield Farms Yogurt Cups: http://www.recycline.com/.


• Tyvek Envelopes: Call 866-33-TYVEK. Depending on quantity (over 25 or under 25), you can ship them directly to Tyvek.


• Stuff you can't recycle: "When practical, send it back to the manufacturer with a copy of William McDonough's book _Cradle to Cradle_, and tell them they need to close the waste loop."

Ok, the last suggestion may be a little over the top, but the intent remains the same. We really need to close the waste loop. According to award-winning architect and designer, William McDonough, 80% of what we purchase is designed to be thrown away after a single use, and that final products contain on average only 5% of the materials and energy that went into creating it. That means 95% of what went into making it is wasted.

McDonough's definition of sustainable design really sums up what we're trying to do:

"What we're looking for is a kind of fecundity, a celebration of abundance
rather than a simple bemoaning of our limits. We're not looking at being
just efficient with limited resources, we're talking about being effective with
abundant resources."

Look around yourself and marvel at our abundance. It's our responsibility as stewards of that abundance to effectively manage it and celebrate it.

Recycle something today.