Most of us know how important recycling is to our planet. Other than just bringing a canvas tote bag to the grocery store or separating your papers from your plastics at home, here are five BIGGER ways to incorporate recycled items into an even greener life. Sophia Evans of Soph Called Life reached out to me and and asked to share this amazing guest post about recycling. Thank you, Sophia for all these great ideas to how to make your life greener!
#1 Buy a recycled engagement ring.
Brilliant Earth is an engagement ring conflict-free diamond company that is dedicated to recycling metals like gold, silver, and platinum. They refine the metals back into their pure states, mix them with alloys, and cast them into new, beautiful fine works of art. This process reduces the overall demand for newly mined metals and helps to lessen the effects of “dirty” gold and other questionable mining practices. So when you are ready to move on from your old pieces of jewelry, just remember they are recyclable and you will feel better about giving up those unique pieces knowing you are helping the environment.
#2 Recycle your old designer shoes.
Nike offers a shoe-recycling program that turns scraps of rubber from old shoes into playground turf. By taking your old, worn-out shoes back to the store, you will be helping to make playgrounds safer for children and reducing the amount of new rubber that is created each year. Nike also offers organic clothing, a plan to trim waste from production, and is in the process of switching to more sustainable materials.
#3 Donate your old bike to a charity.
In most countries, bikes are not a form of recreation; they are the normal mode of transportation. Before you throw out your old bike, consider donating it to a charity such as Bikes for the World. The main goal of this company is to keep these bikes out of landfills and to put them into the hands of people in Third World countries who need them.
#4 Buy recycled furniture.
Many lotion bottles are made out of a durable material called HDPE plastic. Once recycled, this plastic can be turned into highly durable outdoor furniture. By recycling these bottles and buying furniture that is made from recycled plastic, you can help to decrease demand for new plastics and other environmentally detrimental materials.
#5 Take your own coffee mug to work.
Cutting back on your usage of disposable cups is a great way to lower your impact on the environment. The average office worker uses 500 disposable cups per year. Take your own coffee mug to work, save the company some money, and keep that waste out of the landfill.
We can do a lot to help our environment. By taking these new ideas to heart, you will be helping to impact the planet in a positive way. We owe it to ourselves, and future generations to do all that we can to preserve and protect our home.
For more ideas on how to live a greener life, check out Sophia Evans' blog, Soph Called Life.
