RECYCLE
RIGHTExperts estimate that
only about 9 percent of
the world’s plastic gets
recycled. Follow these
steps to make sure your
local recycling plant
can accept the plastic
in your bin.Visit your city’s web-
site to learn what your
local recycling plant
can take.Clean and dry your
recyclables. (If items
are covered in food
and grease, they might
be sent to the landfill
instead.)Screw the lids back on
containers like soda
bottles, shampoo
bottles, and mouth-
wash containers to
ensure that the lids
get recycled too.Put all of your items
into the recycling bin
separately, not in bags
or containers.Plastic grocery bags,
bubbled plastic, and
Styrofoam can gum up
the sorting machines,
so keep these items
out of the recycling
bin. Instead, take
Styrofoam packing
peanuts to a mailing
center to be reused,
and bring the rest to
the grocery store to
be recycled separately.GetSQUEAKY
CLEANwith a
bar of soap
instead of bottled
liquid wash.Decorate
for a
BIRTHDAY
BASH with
colorful banners,
streamers, paper
confetti, and
pom-poms
instead of
balloons.Sip store-bought
drinks out of a
CAN INSTEAD
OF A PLASTIC
BOTTLE.Even
better? Ask your
parents to buy
it in a cardboard
case instead of
a plastic six-
pack ring.27
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Instead of
packaged
treats, snack
on STOVETOP
POPCORN,
nuts, trail mix,
cereal, and candies
bought from the
bulk-foods section
of your grocery
store (and
gathered in
reusable bags).Trying to reduce
the amount of
plastic that you use
can feel overwhelming.
It’s OK if you can’t do
everything—just
getting started is the
important part.