• Aerosol cans
• Batteries – put them in a hazardous waste bin
• Cardboard boxes
• Carrier bags – some supermarkets offer in-store recycling banks specifically for them.
• Clothes and shoes
• Computers – if you’ve got some electrical goods to recycle check out www.ewaste.com.au or if it’s a Dell they’ll pick it up for free.
• Drink cartons
• Drink cans
• Engine oil – check out www.recyclingnearyou.com.au to find a local oil bank.
• Envelopes
• Food waste
• Garden waste
• Glass – tops and corks removed
• Greeting cards
• Keys
• Magazines and newspapers
• Paint
• Plasterboard
• Plastic bottles
• Tin foil including milk bottle tops, takeaway trays and cigarette foil.

If you’re ever in doubt contact your local authority who should be able to tell you.

Reduce-
Cutting down on waste is the first, and most important step toward saving our environment. We have become accustomed to a lavish lifestyle where it is accepted to throw things away when we no longer need them, and this is adding to the existing large landfill.

Food is a large factor that contributes to waste in our country. Food waste takes up a lot of valuable space in landfill and rots away to produce a methane gas which is a dangerous greenhouse gas. It is not only the food we don’t eat, but the energy that goes into growing, harvesting, fertilizing, production, transportation and packaging of wasted food that all adds to the waste. By reducing this waste we can directly affect climate change and ease pressure on our resources.

Reuse-
We must try to reuse things as much as possible. Instead of just throwing it away, try to find another use for it. Remember what is one person’s trash, may be another’s treasure. Mobile phones, computers, old clothes and even excess paint and be recycled. Ask around to see if anyone needs your unwanted items.

Recycle-
Now that you have exhausted all other options it is time to recycle your unwanted goods. Recycles reduces landfill and saves limited resources and energy, all of which helps to tackle climate change.

Today it is easy to recycle our waste and there are even forms of kerbside recycling to collect common recycled materials. Aluminum is an easy to recycle and make, only producing 5% of carbon emissions.

There are many recycle centres and causes around such as Planet Ark, each aiming to help clean up our environment.

The problem with this is that computers and televisions each have around four pounds of led per unit and this cannot be broken down easily. It also means that the landfill can possibly be contaminated, and could lead to led poisoning in children and adults. There will be more risk of led toxins getting into water sources if left in waste piles.

To stop this happening and to stop health problems arising, we can look for alternative recycling options. There are other options to get rid of older, outdated technology.

The first option to recycle technology items is to check whether your community has a program to recycle old TV’s and computers. Sometimes councils will have programs where you can take your old TV’s and computers to have them recycled properly.

Many technology stores will also have special recycle waste bins where they will use the old materials to create parts for new ones. In some places electronic recycling companies will come to your home or business and collect items they can recycle. If the particular technology cant be used for refurbishing older models, it can always be dissected and even sold for scrap value, rather than leaving it to build in landfill.

It doesn’t matter how big a technology item is, there is always a way to recycle it. All you need to do is look around.

The best method is two get two separate containers and label them accordingly. Have one for plastic, glass and cardboard and if you like you can have a separate one for aluminium products. Find out where you can take the recyclables when the bin is full. Every two weeks the recycling bin should be collected. Make sure you have sorted through what is rubbish and what isn’t, and that the recyclables are in the correct place.

You should try to purchase products that you know can be recycled and are better for the environment. Reusable products work the best as you can fill them with something else when they are done.

Try and extend the recycling concept to schools and your work as well. Sometimes large places can be the worse culprits for recycling and create more waste than needed. Get those people to recognise the importance of recycling and the benefits it holds. Most of the time people need to be educated, rather than just reminded to do it.

Recycling can even extend to shopping. Try to use mesh bags or bring your own instead of using plastic. Reusing items is the best way to recycle, and you don’t even know you’re doing it.