Reduce, Reuse, Recycle: Surprising Items You Can Repurpose
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When it comes to recycling, office paper and empty Coke cans are the gold standard. But the nature of recycling—the reuse of products that you no longer need—means that, in reality, nearly everything can be recycled. Here are some of the most unique, and surprising ways you can repurpose household items you thought were bound for the landfill.
1. Cell phones
Like most new electronics, cell phones tend to become outdated quickly. But even if a phone doesn’t have all the features you want anymore, it might be a big upgrade for someone else. Organizations like Flipswap will give you cash and plant a tree when you trade in your old phone, and groups such as Donate a Phone will retain a phone’s 911 capabilities and give it to a victim of domestic violence.
2. Computers
Like a cell phone, your computer is liable to become obsolete or break, but unlike with a cell phone, it’s hard to just throw your computer in a drawer instead of tossing it in the trash. Various resources exist specifically to recycle computers; the Environmental Protection Agency has a list on its website.
3. Sneakers
Ever get to that point with a pair of shoes where the sole is falling off or the color has changed to dirt-brown, and they just can’t be worn any longer? Instead of trashing the shoes, send them to Nike. Through their program Reuse A Shoe, your old trainers will be ground into raw material to be reused as rubber, padding, and foam.
4. Styrofoam
One of the most notoriously unrecyclable materials, Styrofoam has long been thought to be a hopeless substance for green efforts. It also makes up a huge percentage of landfill content because of its large size. However, Styrofoam can be utilized over and over as packing material, and if you don’t have a use for it, various local agencies may. Other companies exist to compress and diminish leftover Styrofoam, so you can always find a better use for it than just taking up space!
5. CD-Roms
There are tons of creative ways to reuse old CDs. They can amplify lights, serve as mirrors, turn into lamps, and much more, as described in this extensive list on Squidoo.
6. Hangers
Styrofoam isn’t the only thing that clogs landfills in disproportionately large numbers. According to the Hanger Network, every year 3.5 billion hangers end up in the trash—the equivalent of 60,000 cars. But at Crest Cleaners, we’ll recycle your used and discarded hangers; just ask for a cardboard caddie at one of our locations, and you can use that to store and return your hangers. If you’re not located near Crest Cleaners, look for a dry cleaner who offers something similar.
Almost anything can be recycled or reused—sometimes it just requires a little ingenuity. If you can’t send an item to be recycled curbside, repurpose it. We’d love to hear how you recycle surprising items here in the comments.
P.S., if you want to teach the kids about reducing, reusing, and recycling, this Youtube video from Jack Johnson is a great start!
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