Dear Recycle Lady,
Yesterday we were at a restaurant to get takeout food and drinks and our drinks were put in a pressed cardboard carrier. Can pressed cardboard be put in with the corrugated cardboard?
Not a Cook
Dear Not a Cook,
Yes, pressed cardboard drink holders can be put in with regular cardboard. Egg cartons (not plastic ones), card stock and paper towels tubes are a similar type of cardboard. Making new cardboard from recycled cardboard creates 35% less water pollution and 74% less air pollution than paper pulp made from virgin materials, according to www.onegreenplanet.org.
Other new products made from recycled cardboard create half the pollution that would be created in making the same products out of virgin materials. Cardboard can be recycled up to five times, and then it can be put in your compost bin. Some of the many items made from recycled cardboard are new cardboard, chipboard, cereal boxes, paper towels and tissues.
Dear Recycle Lady,
I have some old pots and pans that I no longer use. Are they recyclable? Owner of New Pans
Dear Owner of New Pans,
Great question. Yes, pots and pans will recycle at the Recycling Center. Not only will they recycle, but the Recycling Center will also pay you per pound for any aluminum or stainless-steel ones. If your pots and pans are still usable, consider donating them to one of the second-hand shops in Caldwell, Ronceverte or Lewisburg. Goodwill in Fairlea and ReStore, opposite the Rosewood Cemetery in Lewisburg, also accept usable items. All income from items donated to ReStore goes to Habitat for Humanity to build low-income housing.
Dear Recycle Lady,
What are Swedish dishcloths? Something New to Me
Dear Something New to Me,
Swedish dishcloths are a great addition to your cleaning supplies. They are made of cellulose and cotton, thus are a sustainable cleaning choice. They are inexpensive, super absorbent and environmentally friendly. They can be reused then thrown in with a load of laundry or dishes. Just don’t put them in the dryer, as they will shrink. Swedish dishcloths were created in 1949 and have become a highly effective alternative to paper towels and can be used for a countless number of cleaning jobs. One Swedish dishcloth will replace 17 rolls of paper towels – good for your wallet and good for the planet!
Kudos to the Greenbrier County Democratic Women for sponsoring the Earth Day Fashion Forward Style Show to be held at the Greenbrier County Public Library at 3 p.m. on Saturday, April 22. Get your creative juices flowing and create an article of clothing or an accessory made using recyclable material, maybe cardboard, newspaper or plastic. Perhaps you have an old piece of clothing that was made from something unusual or has been reused or repurposed in a unique way. There are fashion categories for both children and adults. For complete information on categories, being a sponsor, a participant or to purchase tickets, go to www.edfashionforward.com.
Readers: If you know of any other Earth Day activities, please email me (recyclelady@greenbrier-swa.com) with details and I will spread the word.
Have questions about recycling or interesting information about recycling? Send questions or requests to recyclelady@greenbrier-swa.com. Dear Recycle Lady is sponsored jointly by the Greenbrier Recycling Center and Greenworks Recycling.
