The average American generates nearly 5 pounds of waste every day.  When you multiply that by 300 million (the approximate population of the United States) you can see why we have a serious garbage problem.  Landfills are filling up rapidly, and no one really wants one practically in their backyard.  For that reason, Americans should look at various ways to cut down on the waste they produce.  One good way of doing this is to find those small ways to recycle; they might not seem like big steps, but they can make a huge difference in waste generation.  With that in mind, here are some common household items you should look at recycling instead of throwing away.

Junk Mail

Did you know that junk mail and cards can be recycled?  Instead of pitching those pre-approved credit card offers, letters about cremation services, and grocery store circulars in the trash can, toss them into the recycling bin.  Better yet, sign up for paperless statements for bank accounts, credit cards, and other accounts to further cut down on envelopes and papers you would need to throw away.

Books

Tired of those old romance novels that are sitting in your nightstand drawer?  Kids outgrow their old books?  Donate them to schools, libraries, or thrift stores.  Got Grandpa’s old collection of 1960s hardbound books?  Those might be worth something to book collectors on eBay, Etsy, or other sites.

Waste Paper

If you’ve gone through and shredded your old documents, you might be able to toss them in your recycling bin and leave it to be picked up curbside.  If you’ve used a cross-cut shredder (which makes shredded paper pieces too small to reuse), you might add those shredded paper pieces to your compost pile.  An added bonus is that compost piles also cut down on food waste.

Ink Cartridges

Do not simply toss out ink cartridges; they often contain toxic materials that can leach out in a landfill.  Instead, take them to your local office supply store.  Not only will they accept them for recycling, you’ll often get a small discount toward the purchase of new cartridges.

CD and DVD Cases

Consolidating your CD or DVD collection?  You’ll likely have a bunch of leftover plastic jewel cases.  The good news is that most disposal companies will accept them for curbside recycling.  If yours doesn’t, you can always take your empty cases –along with any electronic waste- to your local Best Buy.  They have bins near the entrance for recycling these items.

As you’re performing Spring cleaning and looking at recycling things you don’t need, the independent agents at Pizano Insurance want to remind you to make sure your homeowner’s policy is neat and tidy as well.  Contact one of our agents to go over your homeowner’s insurance and ensure it still meets your needs or speak to an agent about signing up for a new policy today!