Do you recycle?

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Priced_Out_IT_Guy_IHB

Priced_Out_IT_Guy_IHB

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Where I grew up we always had two bins: a black barrel for trash and a blue one for recyclables. I can remember how my grandmother, who lived through the depression, used to scold me for throwing newspaper and glass into the trash bin instead of the recycle bin. As a kid I always thought it funny how those who lived through hard times like the depression took so much notice of their "garbage."



Many years later after moving to Irvine, I noticed that, strangely, there are no recycling bins in the trash facility of my apartment complex. After a little investigation and email correspondence with the city, it turns out that there are a handful of recycling bins, scattered few and far between the complex of hundreds of apartments. Having spoken with some residents I know, most of them aren't aware of the bins, and as a result the recycling program gets little use.



I found this to be quite ironic since Irvine is supposed to be an environmentally friendly city, and being on the cutting edge of technology and urban planning and all. Apparently it doesn't matter how clean a city's streets are, or how well the hedges and grass is trimmed as a city can still be a polluter if its programs aren't managed properly.



Do you recycle? Does your apartment community have a recycling program? How about you lucky homeowners?
 
I'm lucky enough to have my own blue bin and I recycle everything. I hate going over friend's houses when they don't participate in recycling....always makes me feel guilty.
 
I have always been a recycler. My family started recycling before the majority of Irvine was even thought of. Hell, I have been known to take the cardboard of the toilet paper rolls to the recycle bin. When I lived in a TIC apartment they had a trash dumpster, and a recycle dumpster. So... do you live in a TIC apartment, or another landdevil? The recycle bin in the TIC complex was across the way from my unit, and yes, the leasing agents neglected to mention the recycle bin when I moved in. However, when I went to drop off my recycle items the bin would usually be overfilled, so it was known. But, if the leasing agents informed every resident like they should, then they would have had to create another recycle bin area. In fact, the complex I lived in did. So, if you live in a TIC complex, the more you and others make a point about the recycle bin/s the more likely you will get another.
 
A few things you may not know. For condos and homes that have to pay for their own trash through Waste Management, you have to pay for service by the size of your trash bin, but recycling (and I think green waste) removal are free. We use the smallest trash can, and two large recycle bins (although we typically only fill up one unless we have received a lot of packages or go on a declutter spree).



For mixed trash that goes out, the trash typically will be taken to a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Materials_recovery_facility">"MURF" (materials recovery facility)</a>, where the recyclable materials are separated from the non-recyclable, partially by hand. So even if you don't segregate, the trash company will.



My Dad was recently complaining that after nearly 40 years in his city, they were requiring them to segregate their trash. I told him he was lucky that he didn't live in <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2005/05/12/international/asia/12garbage.html?ex=1273550400&en=b553034e23553073&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss">Yokohama</a>, which requires its citizens to segregate their garbage into <a href="http://www.notcot.com/archives/2005/06/yokohama_recycl.html">10 different categories</a> (and I think it was recently upped to 18). :bug:



Good info on OC recycling (including tips and progress of each city) <a href="http://egov.ocgov.com/portal/site/ocgov/menuitem.4981dc715fc6e27bdadd603d100000f7/?vgnextoid=01e345f36dce8110VgnVCM1000005b00610aRCRD&vgnextfmt=default">here</a>.
 
We try and recycle as much as possible. We recycle more than we throw away in the trash.



We keep a plastic storage bin in the kitchen and all the recycleables go in this bin during the day. Then every other night or so we bring it outside to the recycle bin. It has worked out nicely.



When we lived at an Irvine Complex, the recycle bin was in the same area as the trash bin. It was always full with recycleables.
 
I definitely do. But I too am kind of disappointed with how its implemented in Irvine in apartment and office complexes. Where I lived back East recycling it was stressed a lot more and our county actually made money on recycling and that was a few years ago before the price of metal went up significantly.



I laughed when graph said he recycles the toilet paper roll cardboard core. I always do that. I actually have the fiance doing it now too. Hahahaha.
 
<blockquote>I laughed when graph said he recycles the toilet paper roll cardboard core. I always do that. I actually have the fiance doing it now too. Hahahaha.</blockquote>
We do this too. Although, I didn't think it was weird. :red: I thought everyone did this.
 
Not weird Calgal. It shows your dedication!



Actually my most overzealous recycling involves the mail. You know those envelopes with the little windows? My fiance said those aren't recycleable b/c of the plastic so I tear off the window part and recycle the rest. He thinks that's insane but he knows I'll get pissy if I see the envelopes in the regular trash so he leaves them in a stack for me to tear off the window and recycle the rest of the envelope.
 
[quote author="NewToOC" date=1219187508]Not weird Calgal. It shows your dedication!



Actually my most overzealous recycling involves the mail. You know those envelopes with the little windows? My fiance said those aren't recycleable b/c of the plastic so I tear off the window part and recycle the rest. He thinks that's insane but he knows I'll get pissy if I see the envelopes in the regular trash so he leaves them in a stack for me to tear off the window and recycle the rest of the envelope.</blockquote>
Good to know about the plastic window. I never thought of that.



Also, I just learned that the caps to water bottles cannot be recycled.

So, before you recycle your bottles, take off the caps. :-)
 
Astute - your "bottle roaches" comment is spot on. We have so many "entrepreneurs" raiding the blue bins in L.A......most pushing shopping carts around, but many also in cars filling up their trunks. Technically, once the recyclable bin is placed on the sidewalk the contents become the City of Los Angeles'. So, raiding the bins is actually "theft" from the City. We do make money on the recyclables, but I think the "profit" mostly pays for the service itself.



I used to save my cans in order to feed them into those recycle machines (.05 cents a can), but it got to the point there weren't many machines left. I finally just started putting them in the bins.
 
[quote author="Astute Observer" date=1219199592][quote author="CalGal" date=1219196168]Also, I just learned that the caps to water bottles cannot be recycled.

So, before you recycle your bottles, take off the caps. :-)</blockquote>


So what do you do with the cap ring? I just got my nails done yesterday, and I definitely don't want to chip them.</blockquote>


I just use kitchen scissors or a knife. We wouldn't want to chip those nails. :coolsmirk:
 
Just 2 minutes ago I heard a noise outside of my place so I stuck my head out the window to look down on the alley. A fine L.A. resident was pawing through both my and my neighbor's trash AND recycle bins. I watched him for a few minutes b/c I don't mind if he takes the cans, until he started sorting through my mail that I had thrown out. That's when I shouted out him to get the h*ll out of my bin, with a few other expletives thrown in for good measures.



The mail was only junk mail, which I had removed my address from....but still, he was fishing for stuff to sell to identity thieves. Ripping open garbage bags and sorting through.



Word to the wise: SHRED EVERYTHING !
 
<blockquote>SHRED EVERYTHING ! </blockquote>
I couldn't agree more. We have two shredders - one in my home office and one on the kitchen counter (<a href="http://www.staples.com/office/supplies/p1_All-Shredders_155701_Business_Supplies_10051_SEARCH">Staples Mailmate). </a>

We even shred the address from our catalogs.



Shred, Shred, Shred - and then recycle the shreds! :coolsmirk:
 
[quote author="Trooper" date=1219205157]Just 2 minutes ago I heard a noise outside of my place so I stuck my head out the window to look down on the alley. A fine L.A. resident was pawing through both my and my neighbor's trash AND recycle bins. I watched him for a few minutes b/c I don't mind if he takes the cans, until he started sorting through my mail that I had thrown out. That's when I shouted out him to get the h*ll out of my bin, with a few other expletives thrown in for good measures.



The mail was only junk mail, which I had removed my address from....but still, he was fishing for stuff to sell to identity thieves. Ripping open garbage bags and sorting through.



Word to the wise: SHRED EVERYTHING !</blockquote>


Wow thats pretty bad. We have a ton of canners here in Irvine, especially at our complex because of the density and size of the bins (just think, you can go through 20 people's trash at one time! what a fortune to be made!), but I haven't thought about identity thieves. I would buy a shredder but my apartment is already full enough as it is. I can't wait until mail is a thing of the past and all messages are sent paperless...



Thats another project I'm going to work on soon: converting as much of my mail as possible into paperless (utility bills, bank statements, etc). Not only is it more secure but it saves resources and the head ache of sorting through even more crap at the mailbox.



I am also trying to convert the business that I consult for to go paperless with its outgoing bills. Right now we spend obscene amounts of money on postage, labor, and resources to send out monthly statements and bills via snail mail. I can't imagine what an enterprise this would be for a corporate giant like WaMu or BofA. They probably have entire warehouses devoted to it.



BTW I have two simple-human touch-free trash cans in my kitchen (purchased at Costco), one for garbage and the other for recyclables. Works out pretty well.
 
[quote author="graphrix" date=1219164535]I have always been a recycler. My family started recycling before the majority of Irvine was even thought of. Hell, I have been known to take the cardboard of the toilet paper rolls to the recycle bin. When I lived in a TIC apartment they had a trash dumpster, and a recycle dumpster. So... do you live in a TIC apartment, or another landdevil? The recycle bin in the TIC complex was across the way from my unit, and yes, the leasing agents neglected to mention the recycle bin when I moved in. However, when I went to drop off my recycle items the bin would usually be overfilled, so it was known. But, if the leasing agents informed every resident like they should, then they would have had to create another recycle bin area. In fact, the complex I lived in did. So, if you live in a TIC complex, the more you and others make a point about the recycle bin/s the more likely you will get another.</blockquote>


I live in a Shea property apartment, one of the few that aren't owned and operated by TIC, however it looks like these complexes have the same problem. There are only 5 recycling bins here but probably 20 trash bins. Since most people either don't know about the recycling program (the trash structures are not signed), or the bins are inconveniently 300 ft away and full most of the time, the program doesn't reach its potential.



What I don't get is there is room in each of the trash structures for two bins, but only one in four have both a recycling and a trash bin. Either Irvine's recycling program's administrator is asleep at the wheel or there is a foul smelling financial disincentive at play.
 
In my IAC apartment complex, for every 3 regular trash bins (green), there is one recycle bin (gray). There is no sign. So, it's very unfortunate a lot of people could have thrown more recycleable items to the gray bin.



As for larger items (old TV, printer, paint etc), I would make a trip to the Irvine Regional Household Hazardous Waste Collection Center off Sand Canyon Road near Hwy 5 (by the railroad track).



<a href="http://www.cityofirvine.us/homeowner_household.php">Irvine Household Hazardous Waste Collection Center</a> This link also shows the Collection location for Anaheim, San Juan Capistrano and Huntington Beach.



I don't throw used batteries in my trash. I place them in a jar and when I make a trip to the Collection Center, I just hand them the jar.
 
[quote author="Priced_Out_IT_Guy" date=1219323838]I am also trying to convert the business that I consult for to go paperless with its outgoing bills. Right now we spend obscene amounts of money on postage, labor, and resources to send out monthly statements and bills via snail mail.</blockquote>


If you don't yet have a vendor for this, shoot me a PM. I can refer you to someone who has done this.
 
It reminds me of my old microwave that I plan to dispose of. Do I need to take it to some place to recycle or what are the other options.It works but has problems with the timer and I got a new one already.
 
I am not sure about microwaves but electronics go here:



Irvine Regional HHW Center

6411 Oak Canyon (adjacent to the City of Irvine O.S.F.)





you don't even have to get out of the car :)
 
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