Closing the loop

A circle has no beginning and no end , and all the points on its path must meet to complete it ! The recycling loop is much the same . In order for all of its points to meet , people need to recycle , as well as buy recycled things . Just reducing , reusing and recycling is not enough . After a product is recycled , people must choose to buy it over products that are not .



In good shape !

When people buy recycled items they make a huge contribution not just to the planet but also to other human beings . Water , land , minerals and forests are the earth 's limited natural resources . Some of our resources like oil and coal once used , can never be replaced again . Each time a products such as a furniture , paper and glass bottles is made , natural resources are used up . Buying recycled products means saving resources earned ! The waste that is created when things are made from scratch goes into the ground , water supply , air or landfills . For every fifteen thousand tonnes of waste that is sent to landfills only one job is created for people . However , when that waste is recycled , it gives a chance to nine people to earn a living .

Affordable and available

Many people believe that recycled products are more expensive . That might have been true some years ago , but today , recycled products are affordable and easily available . In fact , most cereal boxes are made from 100 % recycled paper ; they are grey in colour on the inside . Whether people can tell or not , hundreds of things in their homes , schools and at work are made from recycled materials . Some of the things you would never expect to see recycled into air : fleece jackets from plastic bottles ; mouse mat from rubber tyres , pencil from plastic cups and even teddy bears from 100 % recycled knitwear .

What 's recyclable and what 's not

There are many things that you can recycle . Some of these things may need extra effort to get them to their correct recycling centre , yet for our planet 's sake it is all well worth it .

Batteries 

Primary batteries such as those used in radios , toys . cameras , torches , watches , computers , calculators and hearing aids cannot be reused . Secondary ( rechargeable ) batteries , which are used in camcorders , portable radios , laptops , mobile phones and remote - controlled toys can be reused . The bad news is that most household batteries end up in landfills because people cannot identify the different battery types to recycle them accordingly . Those that are marked as nickel cadmium ( Ni - Cd ) , nickel meta hydride ( Ni -MH ) , lithium ion ( Li - ion ) , and small sealed lead ( Pb ) are recyclable .

Plastics 

Plastics bottles are labelled with a number that stands for the material they are made of . Bottles numbered one , two , three , four five and seven are usually containers for soda , cooking oil , milk and detergent . These are recyclable . It is very difficult to recycle polystyrene found in bottles that are numbered six . 

....and many more 

Cell phones , old computers , fluorescent bulbs , used motor oil , aluminium and steel cans and containers . tyres , wood , plastic bags , paint , building materials , cardboard egg cartons , empty aerosol cans , tissue boxes and wrapping paper are some of the many things that can be recycled .

It 's all back ... recycled !!!

Once paper , aluminium cans , glass and plastic are trashed in recycle bins they are taken to recycling centres . It is there that the recycling process begins .

Glass - see through recycling !!!

• Glass is separated according to colour . 
• It is then taken to a glass unit , where it is cleaned . It is crushed into a small pieces called cullet . 
•  The cullet is mixed with sand , soda ash , and limestone . This mixture is heated and turned into a liquid . 
• The liquid is poured into moulds to make new glass products such as bottles , floor ties , kitchen counters and even glassphalt for road surfaces .

Aluminium - you can ! 

• Aluminium cans are taken to a recycling plants .
• They are shredded and melted in giant furnaces .
• The melted aluminium is cooled and shaped into a block called ingot .
• The ingot is turned into sheets that are then sent to factories that makes cans , foils , furniture and more .
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Paper - don't write it off !

• Paper is first sorted . It then goes to paper mill , where it is turned into pulp by running it through water and some mechanical processes . 
• Air bubbles are passed through the pulp , which help remove the ink . It is then soaked in chemicals to remove glue and other diet .
• The pulp is beaten and then fed into a machine that rolls out sheets of paper ,which are dried before they can be used . 
• The recycled paper is made into newspapers , magazines , printing paper , cardboard and toilets rolls .
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Plastics - long live plastic !

• Plastics bottles are containers are sent to a facility where they are washed and checked . 
• The plastic is cut into tiny pieces that are melted into liquid in a furnance . The liquid is then turned into long strands . 
• The strands are cut into pellets , which are sent to factories to make new items 
• Recycled plastic is turned into the most imaginative products - tables , chairs , stationary and packing material . 
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Eee - ks waste !!!

When electrical and electronic gadgets such as computers , televisions , DVDs , cellphones , and refrigerators are trashed , they make up e - waste . in European countries and the US , e - waste makes up 1% of the total solid waste , and by 2010 , it will grow to 2 % . In the European Union , each person makes about 14 kilo grams of e - waste every year ; in China and India , if it is less than 1 kilo gram per person in a year . 

Is it all waste ???

By the end of 2007 , we had made forty million metric tonnes of e - waste , which could fill up a line of trucks , bumper to bumper , halfway around the world ! So , you may wonder , where does all this waste go ?? In many countries e - waste ends up in landfills . In Hong Kong , 10 % - 20 % of old computers go to a landfill . E - waste is also taken apart and burned to get metals , such as copper , from it . It is also sold to be dumped in other countries .

My trash is your trash 

Up to 80 % of the US 's e - waste , which can be recycled , is sent to China , Nigeria , India and Pakistan . The us would have to spend 25 dollars to recycle a computer , where as sending it to India costs only 2 to 3 dollars .

Isn't that a good thing ???

If all the e - waste that is export by the Us and European countries were recycled , it would be good for our planet . But this is not what happens . In Guiyu , China piles of e - waste clog the Lianjiang  river . In Accra , Ghana , e- waste from the Us and China is ripped apart for its useful parts and the rest is burned or dumped . Dumping , burning and even stripping e - waste for their parts is harmful to humans and the environment . The chemicals from e - waste enter human bodies , water , soil and air and are known to cause diseases like cancer .

Three Rs at school

Learning to do what is right for the planet is as important as going to school . And , practising the three Rs at school is as simple as learning the alphabet ! Saving energy , money and the earth are all worth your time and effort .

Going to school 

Use the school bus or car pool with friends to reduce air pollution and save fuel .

Plastic bags 

Recycle . Cut into one - inch strips and join to make yarn . Knit a new , stronger plastic bag . Abut sixty bags make a new one .

Printer cartridges 

Refill them . Many manufactures collect old cartridges and pay money .

Cafeteria 

Place a recycling bin and a composting bin . Food waste can be used for composting 

Shredded paper 

Avoid shredding . If it must be done , then use the shreds in a compost bin to absorb water in a soggy pile .

Stationary 

Buy long lasting plastic folders instead of paper ones.Buy refillable items like ens and pencils .

Put notices on bulletin boards instead of making paper copies .

Cardboard boxes 

Reuse for craft projects . Collects and store recyclable items in them .

Recycling bins 

Place separate recycling bins for paper and metal and throw trash in the correct bins .

Paper sheets

Use both sides of the paper . Use scrap paper for taking notes .

Celebrate an Eco - Day 

Fix one day in a month to clean up litter . Learn about reusing materials , reducing waste , recycling ,and composting .

Books 

Cover school books with cut - up brown paper bags or newspapers . Decorate creatively . Pass on used textbooks to junior students .Donate your story books to the school library .

Art class 

Use non - toxic vegetable - based inks and water - based paints .Have a creative art sculpture lesson . Use recyclable items such as plastic bottles , wood , paper , hangers and containers . 

Classroom

Switch off lights and fans when not in use .Set up a reuse box in the classroom for pencils , pens , folders , and other items that are still usable .

Composting with crawlies

In forests , leaves , fruits , flowers , and seeds from trees fall to the ground and rot on their own . They turn into compost , which helps plants to grow. This happens all the time and without the help of humans . Nothing is wasted and everything is recycled back to nature . In cities , people make more waste than nature can manage . But with a little help from human hands wastes , waste can be turned into rich soil . Composting is  a cheap way to reduce and recycle waste to make natural nutrition for soil .

How it works 

Compost is made when different kinds of living creatures such as worm , beetles , insects , bacteria , and fungi feed on waste . It needs air , water , carbon , and nitrogen . Carbon is found in ' brown ' materials such as dry leaves , straw , wood chips , and cardboard . ' Green ' materials contain nitrogen gas , which is found in living things like grass , plants , and vegetables .

 When these ingredients are mixed in the right quantities in a pile or a container , the waste begins to rot . Too much of green material can turn the pile smelly . Too much of brown material can make the pile rot very slowly . The waste pile will turn into compost over a period of time even if it is not checked . The heat from the sun and air are all that are needed . However , if the pile is stirred from time to time it will rot faster . Finally , the waste will turn into a sweet - smelling humus , or compost . 

Worming it up 

Compost can also be made using worms . This is called vermiculture and it can be done is small spaces using just a container . Since worms are omnivores , meat leftovers from the kitchen can also be added to the pile . The compost that is made by worms is of very high quality and can be used in the garden soil or potted plants .

Food for the ' soil ' 

Compost is a health food for grass , plants , and soil . Chemical fertilisers have to be used in the right quantity so that plant roots do not burn . That is not a problem with compost . The soil can take in and use as much as is put into it .

At home with recycling

Practicing the three Rs at home can be fun and exciting . The only tools you need are a caring heart and a thinking mind . Make more with less and use less to make a big difference to planet Earth . 

Cupboard 

• Paint , decorate , repair or donate shoes . Some shoe brands accept used shoes and reuse them to make surfaces of tracks and courts ! 
• Donate clothes , pass them on to siblings or make quilts , cushions or cleaning rags .

Lights 

• Switch off lights when not needed .
• Use compact fluorescent lamps to save energy .

Taps 

• Turn off taps while brushing your teeth . 
• Use a glass of water when rinsing your teeth .
• Wash clothes in cold water . Air - dry and sun - dry them wherever possible .
• Use the energy - saving settings on your dishwasher and let dishes air - dry .

Kitchen 

• Wash dishes in cold water .
• Use egg shells for composting .Place leftover seeds and bread crumbs in the garden as bird food .

• Reuse plastic and glass bottles as containers . Recycle what is not needed .
• Wash fruits and vegetables and rinse dishes in a plugged sink or bowl instead of under running water . 
• Use reusable grocery shopping bag .
• Buy cereal boxes and juice cartons in bulk to reduce buying more packaging .
• Use cleaning clothes instead of paper towels .

Garage

• Recycle the mental parts of a bicycle . 
• Handle - bars , chains , inner tubes , and seats are useful for artist and designer .

Living room 

• Clean , repair , or donate carpets . Cut them up into floor mats for the home or car . Use as compost bin cover in winter .

Study 

• Use newspapers magazines to wrap presents . Recycle the rest .
• Turn off the computer when done . The 'stand - by ' mode uses electricity .
• Donate books to a charity or library . Sell them online . Books cannot be recycled because they are bound by glue .
• CDs : Recycle or cover with felt and use as coasters . Make a wind chime with old CDs .
• Hang them from plants to keep birds away .
• Recycle envelopes , junk mail , catalogues, and coloured paper .

Garden 

• Wash vehicles , outdoor furniture , and the family Pet on the grass - this will water your lawn . 
• Use a trigger nozzle on your garden pipe . Add compost instead of fertilisers to grass and potted plant .