By now, I can safely (and hopefully) say we are all avid recyclers. Or, at least we SHOULD be. We should be accustomed to putting milk cartons, paper towel tubes, and glass and plastic items in the RECYLE bin. But what about bigger and bulkier items like computers, cell phones, fax machines and stereos? Those items can all be recycled, too. In fact, it’s now the law in many states, including Illinois.
The “electronics recycling law” is meant to protect the environment from deadly toxins and heavy metals contained in those “old” products, while at the same time preventing the loss of component materials that can be re-used. Violating the law could result in a fine of $25 for a first offense — and $50 for subsequent offenses. About 33 million pounds of electronics were recycled in Illinois in 2010, but according to the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency, a lot more probably was thrown away. Their goal is to keep up to 60 million pounds of electronics from landfills by 2013. This means YOU, as a responsible consumer, will have to make a little more of an effort to recycle TV sets, computers, cell phones, video recorders, and other electronics. Some stores will accept the equipment, others will recycle it for you when they deliver new items like TV sets or refrigerators. And, the best part is that most companies won’t charge you for recycling your old goods.
The best advice is to call ahead, ask specialty stores if they recycle or call your village or township office to ask where you can go to drop these items off, so they don’t end up sitting in a landfill. You can go to this website: www.illinoisrecycles.org for a list of drop off-locations!
Good luck and happy recycling!
Attention holiday shoppers! By now, you all know that being green isn’t just trendy, it’s the right thing to do. So, I’ve come up with a few ways to keep your holidays filled with red and plenty of GREEN.
First of all, if you’re deciding between a real tree or an artificial tree, the Sierra Club recommends going au natural. A native evergreen, fir, or birch is always an environmentally-friendly choice, and it makes your house smell oh-so-wonderful around the holidays. The same goes for wreaths that you can hang on your front door. The best part of buying a real tree or wreath is that they can be recycled after the holidays. Most cities or towns will take your tree off of your hands and give you either a seedling back or the mulch, so you can spread around your plants and in your garden when the snow melts. It’s a perfect way to have Christmas year-round! In fact, the city of Chicago has a great recycling program that collects trees for several consecutive weekends after Christmas and multiple locations across the city.
