Recycling

Freecycle
We think this is the mutts nuts.  It is a  site where you can post messages about things you don't want and someone  locally contacts you  to  say they want it and they come and  collect it!   We have got rid of so much stuff through Freecycle that was either not good enough to eBay or perhaps was electrical which means most charity shops will not take it.   Someone even took a pile of wood that was destined for the tip whilst collecting something else!  We love Freecycle. See www.freecycle.org for information on your local group.  Tip: we get a much better response  from the London group rather than the  more local London groups.

Junk Mail
I imagine you recycle your junk mail but wouldn't it be nice if you didn't get it in the first place?  You can stop 95% of junk mail by registering with the Mail Preference Service by ringing them on 0845 7034599 or via the website www.mpsonline.org.uk. We did this and were amazed at the results.  It takes a few weeks to kick in but is free and very effective! Alternatively you can pick and choose which companies you do not want to recieve mail from by registering with www.itsmypost.com, but this costs £4.95.  Some readers have reported that putting up a sign on the door saying 'no junk mail' has helped reduce the door to door mailshots.  Also you can tell Royal Mail that you do want to receive unaddressed mail that they deliver (about 25% of all unaddressed mail) via their website here. 

We recently moved house and got an enormous amount of junk mail in the form of leaflets/cab cards etc.  I thought about making a sign to put on the door but as it is a rented house thought the landlady would appreciate something more in keeping with the door so bought a sign from www.nojunkmailsigns.com.  £1.99 and 2 days later it was up and the junk mail has stopped - I am amazed it has worked!

Mobile Phone
When I got a new phone I sent my to be recycled via the Phones4U website and got £10 for the privilege!!  I have since found out you can send them to Oxfam and they will get the value.  Check out Oxfam's website  here.

Computers
Computers seem to be a difficult things to get rid of and everyone is buying new ones and no-one wants the old ones, especially true today of old large monitors being replaced with flat screens.  There are a number of organisations that take old computer equipment and made it good (remove all data, provide software etc.) for charities both in the UK and abroad.  I have dealt with www.computeraid.org and www.recycle-IT.ltd.uk in the past.  An alternative is eBay or freecycle (see above).  Check your council website or recyclenow.com to see if you can take it to your local tip ('recycling centre') although I think the options above would find it a better home.

Printer Ink Catridges
An estimated 350m ink cartridges are out in to UK landfill every year. Ink cartridges can be recycled just by putting it in to a pre-paid envelope.  The last ones I have bought came with a charity envelope for recycling.  If you haven't got an envelope then you can get them from PC World and other computer shops or find details of recycling on-line. 

You can recycle your cartridges for Oxfam by either ringing Reclaim-IT on 01635 587065 and asking for a pre-paid envelope to be sent to you or putting the old cartridge in the replacement cartridge packaging and then into a (used!) jiffy bag and sending freepost to: Reclaim IT, Freepost RLTR-CLEY-LEHX, Colthrop Lane, Thatcham, RG19 4NT.  You will need to clearly label the jiffy bag with FOR OXFAM. 

You can also get a box sent to your office for collecting old mobile phones, ink cartridges and laser printer cartridges.  When it is full, Reclaim IT will come and collect it and provide another empty one!  Ring Reclaim IT or see their website here for more details. 

new Glasses
Got any old glasses tucked away at the back of a drawer?  Put them to good use and donate them to people that need them in some of the worlds poorest countries. Specsavers and other opticians have schemes that do this.   

Car Boot Sales
A lot of people go to car boot sales and come back with even more stuff.  How about having a clear out and then selling it. You just need to have the attitude that it is about getting rid of things and not getting the maximum price for it. If it is collectable or has any real value put it on eBay instead. We have done a couple and go with the principle of pile it high and sell it cheap and we come back with over £200 and finish by lunchtime (although I still tease my wife for selling my CD player for £1 while I went to get the tea!). Just avoid doing what our friends did and come back with more than they went with and out of pocket!

Furniture
See Living Room.

Cardboard
Some councils have a green bin/box collection scheme that takes cardboard, other do not.  We have to take ours to the local tip/recycling centre.  Another use for larger pieces of cardboard is to use it as a weed mat in the garden.  Lay it down between your plants, cover it with soil and it prevents weeds whilst letting moisture through.  Magic!

Jiffy Bags
As mentioned under the item on jiffy bags in the Presents section 'real' Jiffy bags made by Jiffy contain shredded cardboard rather than bubble wrap but the most commonly used juffy bags contain bubble wrap so how do you recycle these?  The easiest option is to re-use them.  Anyone that sells things on eBay will take them off your hands very willingly so try putting them on Freecycle (see above).

eBay
Most people have heard of eBay  but have you used it to sell things as well as buy that  1980s computer game that you used to have?!  We have sold  lots of things on eBay, some of them I just put up there for a laugh to see if anyone would buy it - and they did!  I sold a tie pin for £5, it was about to go in to the bin!! A great way of getting paid to recycle things you don't want.

Amazon Marketplace
When you buy a book on Amazon if offers you second hand ones at a cheaper price.  You can list your own books to be sold on Amazon in this  way.  It is much easier to list things than eBay as you just select the book that is sold by Amazon and set your price (it is not an auction) and that is it. No need for a photo etc. It is listed for about 80 days but can be relisted a click of a button.  A great way of selling unwanted books.  Tip: Amazon add a set amount for postage so you may need to add some more to the price if it is not enough. Check the price of others already listed to see if it is worth listing.

What Can Be Recycled Where?!
The answer to this can be found on the great www.recyclenow.com website. Also find out where the nearest recycling centres are to you.