Plastic PET (PETE)  and HPDE are the two most commonly recycled plastics recycled today. To read more, see the American Chemical Council's Resin Identification codes. These show what items are made from them and into what they can be recycled. Pay attention to the guidelines provided by your recycler. Not all recyclers accept all plastics, such as polypropylene.

Paper has been recycled for years. There are limitations however. Wet paper, plastic coated paper, paper with food waste, etc. Check with your local recycling center or recycling company for details. 

Electronics recycling programs have developed recently in major cities. There have been local recycling efforts for some time. The final disposition of the recycled materials was never clear. Organized collections by municipalities and take back programs offered by distributors and manufacturers manage these in an environmentally sound manner. Items include PDA, cell phones, cordless phones, pagers, computers, digital cameras, keyboards and mice, alarm clocks, stereo equipment, TV, VCR, DVD, and other electronics.

Batteries -if you're not using rechargeable batteries, be sure to recycle these especially; NiCd (nickel cadmium), Mercury, Silver Oxide, Nickel Oxyhydride, 

Learn more about e-recycling.

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Glass isn't recycled as often as is should be. There are many uses for it, such as reflective paints, a component of asphalt, a replacement for sand, glass jewelry and other items.

Aluminum and other metals are currently at an all time high. We've recycled aluminum cans for years. There aren't many other metals which homeowners can recycle. If you have other scrap metals, check with your local scrap dealers for details on what they will accept and the conditions. Some homeowners may have unneeded copper pipes from a renovation. Old cars, washing machines, 

Yard and Kitchen waste can be composted, and yard waste, like grass clippings, can also be used as mulch. Composting is simple. See the Outdoors page.

Clothing should be mended, handed down or donated. If you wear them out like I tend to do, then make rags out of them. If you'd like to make some cash, talk to a store that sells clothes on consignment.

Furniture should also be repaired, handed down, donated or sold on consignment. Click the logos to see if there are any groups near you. 

Fluorescent Light Bulbs should be recycled. The trash is not the best place for that mercury, even though it seems like a tiny amount. More companies are developing programs for home owners, such as Waste Management.