Reduce, reuse and recycle when moving and heading back to school

REDUCE, REUSE AND RECYCLE WHEN MOVING AND HEADING BACK TO SCHOOL

August 14, 2012

MADISON -- August has arrived, which for many families means back-to-school shopping or, for college students, a move to a new city or apartment. Although shopping for new school supplies and packing up an old home can both generate extra waste, state recycling specialists say a little planning can help people reduce, reuse and recycle more and throw away less.

To assist people in shopping or moving, Department of Natural Resources recycling specialists have put together tips on reducing waste and finding recycling and reuse options.

"We know it's a busy time for students and their families," said Elisabeth Olson, DNR recycling outreach coordinator. "But with just a little planning, you can reduce waste and save money."

Back-to-school suggestions include:

Reuse paper, folders, backpacks and calculators from last year if possible. If purchasing new supplies, look for those made from recycled content, and those that use minimal packaging.

Use reusable food and beverage containers for school lunches.

Donate or recycle clothes and supplies that are still in good, usable condition.

Recycle old electronics. E-Cycle Wisconsin, a DNR program, makes recycling electronics easier by providing a list of collection locations across the state for items like computers, printers, cell phones and more. See the program's website for more information.

Talk to your children about the importance of waste reduction and recycling, and to their teachers about teaching and using recycling principles in the classroom. For potential recycling activities, see the EEK!—Environmental Education for Kids! pages of the DNR website.

Moving suggestions include:

Develop a plan to pack and organize what to keep and what to get rid of. Approaching moving with a plan will give people more time to think about what to throw away or donate, what to reuse and what to recycle.

Reuse boxes, cloth bags or plastic containers from move to move and use reusable or recyclable materials (including newspaper, T-shirts and others) to package fragile items.

Donate or recycle old electronics, furniture and other household items. Check with your local recycling program to see if they have a special recycling or reuse collection event to make it easier to reuse and recycle.

More information is available on Recycling for all seasons page of the DNR website.

FOR MORE INFORMATION: Contact Elisabeth Olson, DNR recycling outreach coordinator, 608-264-9258

Last Revised: Tuesday, August 14, 2012