By Steve Davies, Healthy Planet Columnist
As someone who has recycled for almost as long as I can remember, I still see so many other ways where we can do more. I see things in recycling bins that don’t belong there, products that could honestly be packaged more earth-friendly and so many places like retail stores where even though there are bins, they do not include easily understandable directions.
One such example regarding those city recycling bins is when I saw someone in our neighborhood with a plastic grocery bag full of items stuffed in their bin. Now granted, the items in those bags may or may not be recyclable but, I also know that since they are in that bag, there’s a good chance they will be simply tossed into the trash.
A time where I came across one of those items lacking in environmentally friendly packaging was just recently when I went to a popular store here in town where I was looking for deodorant for my son but unfortunately, they only came in packages of two, wrapped in a sheet of plastic. My oldest goes through a lot of tissues and those are frequently packaged in groups of three, also wrapped in plastic.
Now last but, not least, regarding that same store and their recycling bin for their plastic bags. In addition to the bin being hidden, with no signage, I also noticed that while most of the stores in town have plastic bags with the number 2, their bags have no recycling number on them.
I think it’s safe to say, there are ways we can all do more to help, be it us the consumers, the companies who produce those products or those that sell them to us. As a side note, I’ve also always been under the impression that those plastic numbers were there to help us as consumers recycle when I actually discovered that it’s the Society of Plastics Industry, now known as the Plastics Industry Association, that started this numbering system to identify the plastic resin content.
So, the question is, what can we do now? Well, if you have questions regarding your city’s recycling program, then ask your city those questions. As far as stores with a lack of environmentally friendly packaging, refuse to buy those products or shop elsewhere and in regard to those plastic bags, use your own bags. Meanwhile, while it still seems overwhelming at times, there’s no day to start like today.
Then if you want to feel good about it, get out and celebrate on November 15, otherwise known as America Recycles Day or National Recycling Day. It’s also the day after my birthday, so there’s that too.