Throwing away unwanted items in the home is no longer socially or environmentally responsible. Millions of people around the world could benefit from the items so carelessly discarded by others, whilst the environment isn’t helped as landfills swell to match the greed of consumers. There is a solution to both problems, of course, but it involves a collective effort to recycle or upcycle household junk. Provided below are various items that can be found in the home and saved from the scrap heap.
Mobile phones
These relatively small electronic devices might not take up much space, but there is usually little need to hang on to old technology; in fact, there is every reason to recycle old mobiles. Generous souls who have seen the light in the form of the smartphone might be inclined to give their old mobile phones away for free to charities such as the Red Cross and Cell Phones for Soldiers, whilst others might prefer to pocket some cash by selling handsets through Envirofone, Mazuma and other such sites.
Cardboard Boxes
Many people hang on to cardboard boxes in case they need to move home at some point in the future. Such foresight ought to be commended, but a large collection of boxes can take up a large area of space, especially in cupboards and attics that are already brimming with junk. Cardboard boxes can be recycled in the same way as any other form of cardboard packaging, but they can also be upcycled. Upcycling can be described as putting to use in a better or different way something that would otherwise have been thrown out. Cardboard boxes are great for upcycling, especially when it comes to arts and crafts with the kids (think haunted houses at Halloween, nativity displays at Christmas, etc.).
CDs and DVDs
Old media rarely spends time off a shelf or out of a storage box. Whilst collections of George Michael CDs and Hollywood B-movies were once treasured, they tend to lose meaning and importance over time. It is possible to sell DVDs online along with music CDs and video games. Auction sites such as eBay offer a relatively convenient way for people to sell old CDs and DVDs online, but complications can arise with bidders, postage fees, failed listings and so on, which is why some people prefer direct services such as Music Magpie.
Televisions
Television sets age quickly these days. Perhaps too quickly. The latest LCD-screen, HD-ready, internet-enabled televisions are necessary for enjoying other technological developments, such as Blu-Ray discs, Sky+ HD and the Xbox 360. Old televisions simply cannot cut the mustard in this digital age, which is why they ought to be donated to charity rather than gather dust in a spare room, attic or garage. Freecycle is an excellent place to start to find a new home for old televisions.
Computer Hardware
Computers sometimes fail, but not all components are dead and buried when a machine stops working. It is often the case that hard drives or graphics cards fail whilst all other parts remain perfectly usable. If a PC has been consigned to landfill, it is sometimes prudent to salvage first any components that can be used again. Processors, motherboards, sound cards, networking cards, memory and other such parts can come in handy for replacement in other machines. It is also possible to build another computer from the ashes of one or two that have bitten the dust. If computer parts are deemed not to be worth saving, hardware should be donated to Computer Aid International and other such charities (or sold online for a small fee).
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About The Real Supermum
Not to mention, don’t forget to recyle outgrown shoes, coats, and clothing, as you are cleaning out your closet and getting ready for the winter. I not only helps to reduce your environmental footprint, but also will help those who are in need.
I have to admit, Im awful at recycling. Our recycling bin got stolen (yes, stolen) although I did put some old shoes in the shoe bin in town the other day! And Im always one for keeping toilet roll tubes, cereal boxes and egg boxes for making things! x
Places such as Phones 4 u – will also give you money back off your own phone when you are getting a new phone in some instances.
Very good post.
Such foresight ought to be commended, but a large collection of boxes can take up a large area of space, especially in cupboards and attics that are already brimming with junk. Cardboard boxes can be recycled in the same way as any other form of cardboard packaging, but they can also be upcycled.
Love this too, I’m currently getting some items together to take to our local childrens ward at our local hospital x
I go OTT on the reduce, reuse and recycle mantra. Seriously anything that can be recycled does. Whether thats food waste or newspapers in the compost or whether it’s donating old magazines to the gp surgery or donating books to the library/school or old people’s home. Everything that can be taken to a recycling point does. I even make my own cleaners so i don’t have to buy the extra packaging, I buy meat in bulk to save on packaging and any excess packaging gets taken straight off at the till in the supermarket. I try and buy second hand rather than new on a lot of things to save on the environmental impact. I must say i love music magpie, never had a problem with them.
ive recently cleared out my wardrobe and took everything down to the charity tips at the local tip, and got a new laptop – my other ones a bit dodgy, so selling it to a shop for them to fix and sell on! where we use to live we had a bin for cardboard and plastic, bin for paper/glass, bin for food waste and then a normal bin, but none of them took plastic bottles?? :S was too many bins for me! now where i live its too bins, one for any recylble and then one for non recyleable things, much easier and i recyle more now.
I’m forever recycling items around the house x
Well it’s a good initiative and i hope it will spread awareness in the society. Disposal of waste is one of the most important thing because we can see the excess of waste things in our society. So if we regularly recycling our house hold waste then it’s better to us. Charity is a best thing and it really helps them who need those items. I really appreciate your work “mikayla gunner”. Most of the times i give my old cloths to the poor people so it makes me feel better.
I got my 6year old cousin when he was staying to paint and decorate an old cardboard box to use as a toybox for my son!
I recycle whenever I can. I take clothes that the children have outgrown to the charity shop, I collect boxes, toilet roll tubes, yoghurt pots for the kids to make things with, on Monday I usually have the shopping basket of my pram full of glass bottles and jars ready for the bottle bank on the way to school. When I am shopping, I try not to buy fresh produce that is packaged in the plastic boxes as these take up so much room in the bin and I don’t think they are recycable. I’m teaching my kids to reduce, re-use and recycle!
i’ve recentky started to recycle things, going through load of my old stuff and with my old d’s i sent them off o musicmagpie
they dispose of and send money! x
Certainly it is demand of nature to use recycled products. I am using recycled cardboard it is cheap as well. Recently Nokia organize a camp for recycled mobile phone, I gave my mobile. We all should do like these.