We all have dreams. At Selikor, we dream of a world in which zero waste is transported to landfills. Reducing, reusing and recycling all help to cut down waste and with our recycle services it's even easier for you to do your part.
Already a pro at recycling?
At our waste drop-off center Kaya di Medioambiente you can dispose of most household trash, such as plastic bottles and aluminum cans, in a responsible manner. And it’s convenient too! Simply drive through the recycling area and drop off your trash in the designated containers. Make sure you separate your trash at home for easy drop-off.
The Kaya di Medioambiente is located at Malpais. Drop off your recyclables on Mondays through Fridays between 7:00 and 17:00.
Want to learn more?
Click here to head over to our Learning Center to discover more about the importance of waste prevention, waste reduction and recycling.
While charitable donations and volunteering are the first things many people think of with regard to giving back to their communities, there are additional ways that conscientious men and women can give back if they don't have the time or money to donate. One such way is to protect the planet. Everyone benefits from a healthy planet, and adopting a more eco-friendly lifestyle is a great way to give back to your community and benefit the people who live there now and those who will live there in the generations to come.
Here are some tips to get you started
Reuse, RePurpose, Recycle
The following are some creative ways to repurpose items around the house:
- Turn old books into shelves. Rather than placing books on shelves, make the books the shelves! With a few shelving brackets and some sturdy, hardcover books, you now have interesting shelves to display other items. Ladders and even old folding chairs also can be repurposed as shelves.
- Design unique planters. Just about any vessel can be turned into a pot to house a plant. From teapots to cups to mason jars, items can be cleverly transformed to display greenery.
- Transform shirts into shopping totes. With some modest sewing skills, you can turn an old shirt into a reusable shopping tote. Seal the bottom of the shirt securely. You may want to slip a piece of cardboard in the bottom to make it more durable. Then either sew or tie the sleeves of a shirt to make handles.
- Craft cans into bird feeders. Cut a sturdy can in half and punch holes into either end. String rope through the holes and tie to create a hanger. Place in a tree branch and watch the birds stop by for a treat.
- Sew a pocket organizer. Before you discard old jeans that are torn or no longer fit, remove the square of fabric surrounding the back pocket. When you have several denim squares, sew them together to make a hanging pocket organizer to hold everything from small toys to crafting tools. Old jeans also can be turned into knapsacks and doll clothes.
- Turn doors into decor. Old doors can be put to use all over the house. Attach legs and transform a door into a coffee table. Secure a door to a wall and it instantly becomes a piece of art. Take out a door frame and use it to hold a mirror. Plus, doors can be used to craft headboards and footboards for beds.
When thinking creatively, you can find many ways to breathe new life into items that may be on their way to the trash or recycling bins.
Recycle glass
Many people already recycle plastic, but recycling glass, whether it's a bottle, jar or other glass item, helps to dramatically reduce both air and water pollution. Many communities now mandate that glass waste be recycled, but even if you live in a community with no such regulations you can still recycle your glass by taking it to the community recycling facility. Go the extra mile and encourage your neighbors to recycle their glass as well, even offering to take their recycled items to the recycling center to further motivate them to recycle.
Buy local
Buying local is another way for everyone to give back to the planet. Locally produced items don't have to be transported across the globe, drastically reducing the fuel needed to get those items into your house. In addition, because they don't have to be transported long distances, many locally produced items are not as heavily packaged, cutting back on the use of potentially harmful or wasteful plastics.
Use a clothesline
Using a clothesline instead of a clothes dryer to dry your clothes can dramatically reduce your energy consumption. Also, clothes that hang dry won't be subject to the same amount of wear and tear as those dried in a dryer, meaning they will last longer, saving you money and cutting down on the demand for new clothes that must be produced and transported, oftentimes from overseas, at a heavy cost to the planet.
Do less laundry
It's not just how you dry your clothes that affects the environment, but also how frequently you wash those clothes can influence the size of your carbon footprint. Washing machines need a substantial amount of water and energy to operate effectively, and using them to wash anything less than a full load is wasting both water and energy, not to mention raising your utility bills. Only launder clothes when you have a full load.
Stick to showers
Much like there are ways to save water when washing your clothes, there also are ways to save water when washing yourself. Forgo baths for showers, which consume roughly 50% less water than baths. When showering, keep it quick, as each minute you're in the shower, you are using as much as five gallons of water.
Opt out of paper statements
Paper statements, whether it's your monthly bank statements or utility bills, can increase your risk of identity theft, especially if you live in an apartment complex where mail is not delivered directly to your door. But opting for e-statements not only makes you less susceptible to identity theft, it also drastically cuts back on paper consumption, saving trees and improving air quality along the way.
