Recycling… there’s an app for that

Posted on March 30, 2012 by recycleok

Recently, I found an app that makes recycling a whole lot easier. Also, it was in my price range…free. It’s called My Recycle List and it’s available in the App Store. This app allow you to “quickly find recycling locations nearby” utilizing either a GPS or zip code search. You pick from a list of items that can be recycled and the app finds nearby locations accepting those items for recycling. The app provides recycling locations throughout the U.S. and parts of Canada and includes in-app interactive maps. You can also create lists for future reference. For more information visit MyRecycleList.com

Check it out!

: My Recycle List

: My Recycle List App

: Product Page from My Recycle List

: Location and contact information for recycler

: Results Page from My Recycle List

What to do with adaptors and cell phone chargers (I’m asking)?

Posted on March 24, 2012 by recycleok

Normally, I like to give advice in my blog posts (whether it’s wanted or not), but this time I’m asking. Somehow I’ve amassed quite a collection of extraneous AC power adaptors and cellphone chargers and have not figured out what to do with them. When I sold some cellphones recently, the online buyer’s instructions were to only send the phones and not include the chargers. They said that their resellers didn’t want the used chargers. This buyer purchases hundreds of thousands of cell phones each year, so there must be millions of obsolete chargers out there.

The issue is further complicated by not being entirely sure that I won’t need one of these adaptors for something … someday. Surely I am not the only person waking up in the middle of the night wondering what to do with all of these chargers. Can you help?

Cool t-shirts become warm quilts

Posted on March 16, 2012 by recycleok

Some of my favorite t-shirts date back to the last century. I don’t really want to get rid of them, but some are too worn to be worn. T-shirt quilts are a great way to reuse old t-shirts. Several companies specialize in making these quilts. Prices for quilts using 30 to 40 shirts range from $300 to $500. These companies sometimes offer deals on Groupon and other daily deals sites, so better prices might be available.

Or, you can make it yourself. My parents made this quilt for our daughter using 20 of her old shirts. Each shirt was cut into a 13 inch square. Additional material was used for a border. The quilt measures 63 inches by 78 inches. They also made a pillow out of another t-shirt using the same border. There are several places online offering step by step instructions on how to make the quilts.

Don’t throw that ugly sweater away!

Posted on March 11, 2012 by recycleok

You may want to think twice before you throw that ugly sweater away. Ugly sweaters are again beautiful or well at least more popular than they’ve been. A Google search quickly revealed that there are several online stores specializing in ugly sweaters. Among those stores are: BuyUglySweaters.com, UglySweaterStore.com, TipsyElves.com and UglyChristmasSweaterParty.com. At the time of this writing there were 4,303 matches for ugly sweaters on eBay. There are even ugly sweater parties. Hold on to that ugly sweater, your social schedule may demand that you have it.

Half Pint Library

Posted on March 8, 2012 by recycleok

Half Price Books provides a good option for donating “gently used” children’s books through their annual Half Pint Library Book Drive. They match each book donated with an additional book and give them to local nonprofit organizations. Books may be dropped off at any Half Price Books location. This year’s drive runs from February 20 – March 31, 2012.

Another good way to recycle aluminum cans

Posted on March 3, 2012 by recycleok

While the benefits of recycling aluminum cans have been known for years, it was only recently that I learned that the Oklahoma City firefighters have created an additional benefit from recycling cans. They collect aluminum cans then use the proceeds to help children who are victims of burns from fire, hot water, severe sunburns and other causes. The funds are used for medical bills, clothes, toys or anything they may need to help Cans may be dropped off at Oklahoma City fire stations.

For more information on this program, see Vallery Brown’s article on NewsOK.com: “Oklahoma City area firefighters collect cans to assist burned children”.

What can you do with all those books?

Posted on February 20, 2012 by recycleok

This bookcase was made by artist Jim Rosenau. Photo used with permission.

You could create great furniture out of books like that of Jim Rosenau in Berkeley, California. You owe it to yourself to visit his site, This Into That to see more of his artwork.

Or you could donate them to one of the libraries in the Metropolitan Library System. Books donated to the library are then sold in the annual Metropolitan Library’s Friends of the Library Book Sale. According to a story by Annette Price on NewsOK.com, the Friends of the Library has contributed grants totaling $2.9 million dollars to the Metropolitan Library System since the first book sale in 1981.

This year’s sale is from 9:00 am to 5:30 pm on Saturday, February 25 and Sunday, February 26 at the State Fair Park in Oklahoma City. Admission is free.

RecycleOK

What to do with all your stuff…(so you won't wind up on Hoarders)