Share:
We’ve all heard the adage—reduce, reuse, recycle. But how can you recycle if your apartment doesn’t offer a program, and you don’t know your local recycling resources? Never fear—environmentalists are in every city or town, and want nothing more than to help you learn about recycling—or even start a recycling program of your own if necessary. Whether it’s plastic, aluminum, glass, or paper, there will be people and places that can help recycle almost anything.
The best place to start is with your local city council. Ask them if the city has a recycling program in place and, if not, whether one can be started. Find out what and when the city’s recycling program will pick up, and how you should sort your recyclables. Some programs allow plastic and aluminum to be combined, as long as they’re separated from both glass and paper; other programs require that all recyclables be clearly separated. Keep in mind, too, that there are different types of plastics and glass: opaque plastics may need to be separated from transparent and translucent plastics, and clear, brown, and green glass usually needs to be divided in separate containers.
Many apartment complexes have recycling bins for residents to use, and allow for regular city pickup of recyclables. If your complex doesn’t already offer this service, talk to your landlord and find out whether this is a possibility. Ask the city whether they will provide containers for your complex to use, and find out what services are provided for other apartment complexes. An established city recycling program shouldn’t have difficulty accommodating another apartment complex.
If your city doesn’t have a program, or only offers limited recycling, explore other options. Many cities don’t recycle the full spectrum of items that could be recycled, often declining to accept cardboard, some glass and plastic, and other metals. If your city services don’t accept particular items, find out if an environmental group in your area does, and make an effort to take your special recyclables there a few times a month. If you’re ambitious, offer to transport recyclable items for your neighbors as well. A posting or flyer should communicate your willingness to help busy people avoid trashing what could be recycled. You can also ask your recycling complex if they’ll provide a special container for unusual items if you agree to transport that container to the recycling center.
Recycling is widely available and easy to start up where it doesn’t exist. Most cities have established programs or can be convinced to start them. Extending a program to serve your apartment complex shouldn’t be difficult. Keep a positive attitude and remember the many long-term benefits of recycling, and you’ll be successful in your efforts to keep your lifestyle green.
Moving into a new apartment or rental property can be both exciting and stressful. From packing up your belongings to coordinating logistics, there’s a lot to manage. However, one aspect that is often overlooked is what to expect on move-in day regarding the condition of your new unit. Surprisingly, according to recent surveys, a significant […]
· Mar 12, 2024
On ApartmentRatings, real renters have the ability to rate and review their apartment communities based on their experience touring and or living in the communities. ApartmentRatings offers renters the ability to see what life is like at a community through a report card grade style format called epIQ. Every month we highlight apartment communities whose […]
· Feb 28, 2024
On ApartmentRatings, real renters have the ability to rate and review their apartment communities based on their experience touring and/or living in them. ApartmentRatings offers renters the ability to see what life is truly like at a community through a report card grade style format called epIQ. Every month we highlight a major city across […]
· Jan 31, 2024