Organized A to Z Blog

How Can I Get My Family to Recycle?

February 19, 2009

It’s not always easy to get everyone on board when you want to start or expand recycling in your home. It’s easier for some family members to throw things in the trash rather than sort recyclable materials. Here are a few tips that might help you build the recycling habit and responsibility in your household:

1. Start by finding out what kind of recycling is available in your area. Not every site will accept any type of material. If you can decide what you can easily collect and dispose of, your more likely to follow through.
2. Distinguish a specific place for recyclables in your home. Set it up in your garage, on your porch, or in another easily accessible place from your kitchen, since that’s where so many of your recyclables will come from.
3. Educate your family by showing them examples of materials to recycle and explaining how to prepare those items – washing and rinsing, removing labels, lids, etc.
   

   Tread Bins

4. Use bins or containers that are specifically labeled. Have one for plastics, glass, newspapers, magazines – whatever you decide to collect. Choose bins with handles so you can easily transport your recyclables. Our Tread Bins are perfect for this purpose!
5. Find out if there are recycling pick-up services in your area. You may have to pay a few extra bucks a month, but these services make it so easy to recycle. Sometimes you don’t even need to sort! Here are a few sites that might help: http://www.recyclingcenters.org/,  http://www.kab.org/, or search Google with the phrase “recycle in (your town or state).

Remember – the more convenient you make recycling, the faster your household will jump on the bandwagon.You’ll be teaching your children responsibility and you’ll be making a difference for the environment as well!

Filed under: Green Organizing,Home Management,Kids