This post about America Recycles Day was sponsored by the Carton Council as part of an Ambassador Activation for Influence Central. All opinions expressed in my post are my own.
Did you know that America Recycles Day is coming up on November 15th? In fact, did you even know that recycling HAD a national holiday? Well, America Recycles Day is a day to promote and celebrate recycling in the United States. This is YOUR day, as a green living ambassador, to spread the message about reducing your carbon footprint by recycling. In fact, the Carton Council would like you to START by recycling cartons and sharing the message with others!
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Yes, You CAN Recycle Cartons!
Carton recycling is a great way to celebrate America Recycles Day. When doing your grocery shopping, make sure you look for food and beverage containers that can be recycled, like those cool food cartons!
Nowadays, it is common to see soups, milk, wine, water, coffee creamers, and many other items packaged in food cartons. They are a very sustainable food packaging system and can help you reduce your carbon footprint at home.
Food and beverage cartons are made mostly from paper. They have a thin layer of plastic and sometimes aluminum in the inside. These cartons are lightweight and compact. Food cartons use a low amount of material… only 7% of the item you buy is packaging and 93% is actual food product. The fact that they have a low carbon footprint and can be recycled makes them a great choice of container when you shop for groceries.
Did you know you can recycle cartons like this at home? Carton recycling is available to more than 62% of U.S. households in over 13,500 communities. And that number continues to grow every day.
To check if carton recycling is available in your area, use the zip code locator at recyclecartons.com. You can also call and ask your local trash or recycling handler. If it isn’t available in your area, make sure you ask for it! If carton recycling isn’t available in your area, you can mail your cartons to one of these locations:
- Altogether Recycling, 645 W 53rd Place, Denver, CO 80216
- Firstar Fiber, 10330 “I” Street; Suite 100, Omaha, NE 68127
- Tidewater Fiber, 1958 Diamond Hill Road, Chesapeake, VA 23324
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Other Ways to Celebrate America Recycles Day
Besides grocery shopping and buying food in cartons, there are plenty of other ways to celebrate America Recycles Day this year. Here are just a few ideas you may find helpful:
- Declutter your home. And what will you do with all those unwanted Tshirts and kids toys? Bring them to your local thrift store of course! Or, have a garage sale, show them how to trade in old electronics instead of throwing them away, or donate old books to the library.
- Investigate Textile Recycling: If you have a ton of clothes that are no longer good enough to give to a second-hand store, consider recycling old clothing. Clothing recyclers will turn your worn-out clothes into useful household items.
- Bring a reusable bag when you shop. There is no reason to bring home dozens of plastic bags when you grocery shop. And if you are only buying one or two items, consider saying ‘no thanks’ to the plastic bag. Its a great way to reduce your plastic footprint.
- Talk to your kids about recycling. They are the future of our planet and if they don’t recycle, we are in real trouble! Consider volunteering at your child’s school for a recycling drive or just read a children’s recycling book to their classroom.
- Join a community wide event. America Recycles Day is a big deal so get involved in community recycling events. If there isn’t one happening, consider starting one yourself!
- Buy something upcycled or made of recycled materials. Just making more sustainable choices when you shop is a great America Recycles Day activity!
- Find something to reuse in your home. From empty spice bottles to old calenders, upcycling and recycling is easy!
Start Recycling just ONE thing!
This blog has always been about taking baby steps on the road to green living. All you need to do to start reducing your carbon footprint is to recycle just ONE item. And food cartons are a great way to start. With every carton you recycle, you’re helping keep our environment greener. Recycling cartons helps you conserve resources, reduce landfill waste, and save energy.
You know what happens to those recycled cartons? They go on to become other paper products or environmentally friendly building materials.
And recycling cartons is EASY! Just place them into your recycling bin. No need to rinse, as long as it is empty! Caps can even stay on and there is no need to crush them. In fact, they are recycled more efficiently when left in their original shape.
Watch the video below to learn how recycled cartons become new products.
See? It is EASY to get started recycling and America Recycles Day is just the push you (or your friends and family) need to get started on reducing your carbon footprint!
Want more information about carton recycling? Check out the Carton Council on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.
How will YOU be celebrating America Recycles Day on November 15th?
Diane is a professional blogger and nationally certified pharmacy technician at Good Pill Pharmacy. She earned her BS in Microbiology at the University of New Hampshire and has worked in cancer research, academics, and biotechnology. Concern over the growing incidence of human disease and the birth of her children led her to begin living a more natural life. She quickly realized that the information she was learning along the way could be beneficial to many others and started blogging and freelance writing to share this knowledge with others. Learn more about her HERE.