I am amazed by the amount of trash bags that leave our house every week. I am really going to work on cutting back.

I think the easiest way to get that going is to start recycling. Since this will be a relatively new venture for my family, does anyone have any advice on the best way to do this?

Setting up bins, organizing, what can be recycled and what can't??? What works best for your family?

We have bins.
We actually take our cans once a month to some recycling center. Metal has gone way up lately and you get money back this way so I figure that's cool.

Other stuff is separated in boxes or bags to be dropped off at the dump.

I forget the plastic numbers but I bet there's info on the Marion County site on what numbers are and are not recyclable here.

I am about to start a compost pile next. That will be my new crunchy adventure.

Elizabeth - when you say metal, do you mean soda cans? Or other cans as well? And where do you bring them you get money back?

We've been going to the recycling spot on SE 31st Ave (where all the big bins are) and recycling newspapers, magazines, cardboard, glass, and plastic bottles.

--Jenn

Yes, soda cans, aluminum, etc.... My mom mentioned the money in it when we had been discussing why the Ronald McDonald house collects soda can tabs. The value on them is increasing lately.
So we put mainly soda cans in bags and once a month I make DH take them. There are several places -- I think I looked under the yellow pages to find them under recycling. DH takes them to some place out toward teh western side of town -- like near FedEx I think?
I know there's also one on 441.
I make my mom give me her cans, too. (I kinda feel like a homeless lady collecting all these cans but once I found out I could get money back basically on stuff we'd bought, I got hooked....)
One month (I think it was more than a month's worth, more like 2 or 3) we got $16 back. Leave the tabs on though since they weigh them down more.

Oh -- and to help w/ garbage -- we're supposed to be getting a trash compactor from my grandparents. The compactor lost out to a second dishwasher when they redid their kitchen.
Whenever we can get to Melbourne and have space in the car, we'll bring it back some year, and that helps cut down on the physical size at least.

Found this site...has good info. on it...

http://www.nrdc.org/cities/recycling/gsteps.asp?gclid=C...zjo5MCFQLBsgodUyusnw

Ah recycling! One of my favorite things to do... I actually hate doing it but i know it's good for our Earth so I do it.

Here's the page that states what can and can't be recycled.

http://www.marioncountyfl.org/sw423/SW_Recycle.htm

Thanks Summers Mom! That's exactly what I needed to know!

You're welcome Coopellie!


I live less than 5 minutes from the main dump (Baseline) so I pretty much know what you can and can't recycle. But I did learn due to that site that #1 thru #7 plastics can be recycled. I know there for a long time the Baseline dump was only taking #1 & #2 plastics so I'm glad to see that they have expanded that.

Here's another great site I found.
http://www.eartheasy.com/live_recycling.htm

Also, has anyone found a 3 bin system that would look nice enough to leave out in the kitchen? (and doesn't cost a ton)

i just separate into boxes, we have bins from another town that picks up recycling. I thought I recently read that Marion County may have recycling pick up? (I don't get much reading in these days I'd be very happy if my tax dollars went to that or jeez I'd pay a fee if some independent company came into town. Oh if only I were an investor. We recycle at Sams on the SW end of town and they no longer pick up cardboard, does CFCC pick up cardboard now? Anyone have scope on this? Thanks.
Warmly,
Melinda

Thanks for your insight Melinda! That would be great to have pick up at your front door. I'm sure more people would recycle that way. Unfortunately, I live in the boonies, so I would prob. be exempt!

Recycling! YAY!! I also heard that Marion County might start picking up. Instead of picking up trash 2 days a week....... pick up trash once a week and recycling pick up once a week. Whew, that would be nice! This is the only place we've ever lived that did NOT pick up at your house with the trash service. Hmmmmmmm. Sounds like a GREAT idea to me!!!

When we converted our garage into a game room for my son (last summer's project!), we looked for containers that were designated for recyling but found that they were expensive and not always easy to come by.

We ended up buying some stackable drawer units from Target and these turned out to be an excellent way to organize all the cans, bottles, etc that used to take over our garage. They hold quite a bit and it looks neat , we definitely like that part!! I think they are a standard item there if anyone is still looking for ideas.

Right now we're using bulk diaper boxes and they are overflowing out of our laundry room. That sounds like a great idea.