Recycling

“One man’s trash is another man’s treasure.” That should be the motto of Freecycle™

We all do our best to Refuse, Reuse, and Recycle, but I bet we could do a lot more if we just knew how. Take a look at the discards that you send to the curb on “trash day”. Do you think anyone could use any of it? Or look at the mound of “trash” that your not-very-green neighbor puts out on the curb practically every pick-up day. There goes a nice bicycle, you exclaim, and a vacuum cleaner in better shape than yours, and look at all the cardboard boxes!!!

Freecycle helps us do our part to reduce waste and the burden on landfills, by simply using list-serve technology to find someone who wants our discards. It may be hard to believe at first what some people would want, and drive a few miles to take. The boxes and foam packing material that your new products come in become “moving boxes” to folks who need them for that purpose. Or excess project lumber, paint, wire, carpeting, caulk, tiles, fiberglass batting, rope; even windows, doors; and those toys your children outgrew. Freecycle items ideally are those that would otherwise go to landfills, that local charities generally can’t accept. Broken down, but reparable items—yard equipment, a pressure washer, bikes, exercise equipment, tent, power tools; or stuff you can’t transport to the thrift store: sofa, refrigerator, desk, rug, blankets, large tire for a tree swing; or weird stuff, like your old trophies, Avon bottles you thought would be worth something but aren’t, dog food, magazines; the list goes on right to the kitchen sink.

You offer the item on a post; someone (often several people) request it. You email them back to say they can have it and arrange for pick up; they come out and pick it up; you both benefit, and you meet a new friend. It’s fun. Of course there are some guidelines. You will learn these upon joining.
You can also ask for items; you simply post a “Wanted”, for whatever you’d like to have.

Freecycle™ is a Yahoo site; access it at www.Freecycle.org. Find your nearest group, and join. Set your preferences to receive all posts, once-a-day compilation, or no emails (go to the site and access the messages when you want to; read them all or search for what you are looking for). Do it soon, or you may miss out on that sewing machine my wife is ready to offer up.

-- Written by Rick Krause of the Sierra Club's Georgia Chapter Greater Gwinnett Group

What is recyclable?

The following items are commonly taken by recycling centers: newspaper, magazines, cardboard, paper, aluminum cans, metal food cans, glass, plastics 1 & 2. Look on the bottom of any plastic container for a recycle sign like these:

Places to bring recyclables:

Cobb County

Schools (usually newspaper and/or aluminum beverage cans)

School district: Acworth, Austell, Kennesaw, Mableton, Marietta, Marietta City,

Powder Springs, Smyrna

Note: If your school is not on this list, they do not participate in recycling efforts, so call them and complain!! This list was created in February 2000. Information may change from one school year to the next.

Recycling centers/companies

Smyrna Recycling Education Center, Cobb Transfer Station, Southeast Recycling Company

Cherokee County

Schools (usually newspaper and or aluminum beverage cans)

School districts: Acworth, Canton, Holly Springs, Waleska, Woodstock, Outlying Areas

Recycling centers

Keep Cherokee Beautiful Recycling Center

Satellite dropoffs: Ball Ground, Hobgood Park, North Canton Fire Station, Univerter Rd

Note: If your school is not on this list, they do not participate in recycling efforts, so call them and complain! This list was created in February 2000. Information may change from one school year to the next.

North Fulton County

Roswell Recycling Center, Morgan Falls Recycling Center

Other counties in Georgia:

Link to contact information for local keep america beautiful affiliates

Links to informative sites about recycling/reducing waste:

The Container Recycling Institute

GrassRoots Recycling Network

The Internet Consumer Recycling Guide

Need to recycle your old computers and TVs? Here’s a great resource: http://www.zentech.org/

Smyrna Recycling Education Center