3. Recycle cosmetics and other toiletries
While shampoo and liquid soap bottles can be rinsed out and usually recycled in the curbside bin (they’re usually made of high-density polyethylene (HDPE), which is resin identification code #2), makeup compacts, upscale face-lotion bottles, and other cosmetics might be a little more challenging to recycle. Many cosmetics companies do their own take-back programs for empty compacts and makeup tubes. For the rest, Terracycle has a mail-in program (you have to pay, so you might want to try to share the cost with some similarly environmental-minded friends).
It’s the time of year when back-to-school sales flood the cable channels and bombard our inboxes, but not without reason. After all, little ones grow out of their clothes almost overnight, and active teens wear out their sneakers faster than you can replace them.
But, for every new back-to-school purchase you make, you’re left with an old, unwanted item that could be headed for a landfill. The simple fact is that sometimes it’s easier to replace a worn-out item than it is to repair it, but that doesn’t mean it can’t have a second life somewhere else.
Many retailers and nonprofits collect unwanted textiles, cosmetic empties, electronics and garments in order to repurpose and recycle them. From mascara tubes and ripped jeans, to backpacks and Crayola markers, almost everything you’re replacing for the school year can be reimagined into something new.
Whether you’re a teacher who needs to recycle old art supplies, a parent who has a plethora of worn-out backpacks and gym shoes, or you’re just looking to make some extra closet space, we’ve found 11 places that’ll help you get all of your back-to-school recycling done in a flash.
Here, 11 places to do your back-to-school recycling:
1
ThredUp
ThredUp
What they accept: Women’s and kids’ clothing, handbags, shoes, jewelry, accessoriesHow it works: Donating unwanted clothes and accessories to ThredUp is super easy. Simply order a free Clean Out Kit, fill it with your unwanted items, leave it for the mail carrier (or drop it off at any USPS or FedEx location), and you're done. You can earn cash from higher quality items, or you can choose to donate items to a charity of your choice. Items not selected for resale or donation are responsibly recycled. Learn more about ThredUp's Clean Out Kit.
2
Madewell
Madewell
What they accept: Jeans from any brandHow it works: Stop by one of Madewell's stores to drop off your pre-loved jeans, where it then gets turned into housing insulation for communities in need. You'll get $20 off a new pair. Find a store near you. Learn more about Madewell's Recycling Program.
3
Best Buy
Best Buy
What they accept: Electronics, appliances, batteriesHow it works: Best Buy recycles all kinds of tech and gadgets, regardless of where you bought it or how old it is. Simply bring in your unwanted electronics to recycle in store. For larger items like TVs and appliances, you can schedule haul-away and pickups for a fee. Learn more about Best Buy's recycling program.
4
Crayola
Crayola
What they accept: Markers, highlighters, dry erase markersHow it works: Crayola's ColorCycle program allows teachers and their students to learn about recycling. Inform your school about the program, set up a collection station in your school for used markers, pack them into a cardboard box with a Crayola-provided shipping label, and that's it. You've given new life to used markers.Learn more about Crayola's ColorCycle program.
5
Nike
Nike
What they accept: Worn-out athletic shoes from any brandHow it works: Nike's Reuse-A-Shoe program recycles worn-out sneakers that would otherwise head toward landfills. Bring up to 10 pairs of shoes to any Reuse-A-Shoe collection location (found at most Nike and Converse retail stores), or mail your shoes directly to the recycling facility, though Nike encourages in-person donations to offset the environmental impact of shipping them. Learn more about Nike's Reuse-A-Shoe recycling program.
6
OneSight
OneSight
What they accept: Gently used eyewearHow it works: OneSight is an independent nonprofit that provides vision care around the world. Though OneSight now only provides new eyewear to patients, they do accept eyewear donations to be responsibly recycled. Just drop off your gently used eyewear and sunglasses at your local LensCrafters, Sears Optical or Pearle Vision. Learn more about OneSight's donation program.
7
TerraCycle
TerraCycle
What they accept: Backpacks, briefcases, wheeling backpacks, hiking backpacks, messenger bags, and drawstring bagsHow it works: TerraCycle claims to have a zero waste solution for recycling backpacks and napsacks. Simply choose the size of the waste box you need, fill it with your unwanted items, ship it back, and rest easy knowing they have been given a new life. Unfortunately, TerraCycle is a bit pricey, so we recommend perhaps splitting the cost of a larger box between friends or family members to donate your hard-to-recycle items all at once. Learn more about TerraCycle's recycling program for backpacks.
8
MAC Cosmetics
MAC Cosmetics
What they accept: Empty MAC beauty containersHow it works: Return six empty MAC beauty containers in person or online, and you'll received a free MAC lipstick of your choice as a thank you. Learn more about MAC's recycling program.
9
H&M
HM
What they accept: Textiles from any brandHow it works: H&M has garment collection boxes in all of its stores. Just drop off your unwanted textiles at your nearest H&M, and you'll get a reward voucher. Find your nearest store. Learn more about H&M's recycling program.
10
Origins
Origins
What they accept: Empty cosmetic containers from any brandHow it works: Most Origins products are made from post-consumer recycle materials by renewable energy sources. To take it a step further, the brand recycles empty cosmetic containers from any brand, just simply drop them off at your nearest Origins store. Learn more about the Origins recycling program.
11
& Other Stories
And Other Stories
What they accept: Empty & Other Stories beauty containers, textiles from any brandHow it works: Return one or more of their empty beauty containers to your nearest store, and you'll get a 10 percent off voucher. The same goes for recycling textiles. Fill a bag with your unwanted dresses, jeans, socks and even towels and drop it off, then you'll receive a 10 percent off voucher. Find your nearest store. Learn more about the & Other Stories recycling program.
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Back-to-school time is almost upon us, and that means you’re probably in the midst of amassing school supplies for your kids. You may have markers on your shopping list — markers for coloring, markers for labeling your kids’ backpacks and more. Just remember that when those markers dry up or run out of ink, you can do more than just throw them away.
Did you know that markers can actually be recycled? In case you didn’t. this Hawaii-based mom has taken to social media to raise awareness around this recycling opportunity. Hali McCloud posted a friendly reminder to Facebook, and it has since gone viral. The post has been shared over 300,000 times, so this is clearly an update that parents needed to hear.
“15 pounds of dead markers that will not end up in Maui’s landfill or ocean,” the mom captioned a photo of a box full of markers.
She went on tell parents about a way they can recycle these products to make sure they never wind up in a landfill or natural area, through a program called ColorCycle.
“Did you know that Crayola has a program called ColorCycle?” she writes. “If you collect the dead markers, they’ll send you a free shipping label and you can ship them back to Crayola to be recycled! My kids found out about this and were so excited to set up boxes at their schools.”
According to the post, these markers were collected in just three months — so just imagine how many markers schools across the world go through in an entire school year. According to The University of Southern Indiana, 1.6 billion pens wind up in landfills each year.
If the recycling haul at the preschool McCloud’s kids attend is any indication, there’s a huge need for recycling programs like the one Crayola offers. Thankfully, ColorCycle isn’t the only program of its kind out there.
Other Recycling Options
Recycle Nation reports that markers are difficult to recycle at home because doing so requires that the felt tip and ink cartridges be removed. But companies exist that are willing to do that work for you.
In addition to ColorCycle, the Prang Power Recycling Program offers collection and recycling services for Prang-branded art markers, and TerraCycle is great for schools or other entities with large amounts of markers ready to be recycled. They’ll send packages to fill up with your dried-up markers and will even host recycling events so people can bring their recyclables from home.
Visit these companies’ websites to find out how to get those pre-paid shipping materials for your old markers. Or share this information with a school official and see if you can get your child’s school involved!
Somehow it’s almost back-to-school time once again and that means your kids will need new supplies for the new year. But before you head out to add to the estimated $83-billion spent on back-to-school shopping this fall, here’s how you can make the whole experience easier on the planet and your wallet.
Think before you buy all those new notebooks and folders - Chances are your kids have leftover notebooks they didn’t finish off last year, so tear out and recycle the used pages and let them use the rest to start the year off. And when it’s time to get new ones, there are eco-friendly options like Sustainable Earth sugarcane notebooks and folders made from 100% post-consumer recycled paper, so you can save some trees.
Reuse backpacks - Instead of running out to get a new backpack every school year, play around with fabric paint, patches, or stickers to spruce up last year’s. And when you do need a new one, consider getting one from places that offer a lifetime guarantee, like Patagoniaand JanSport.
Go for a PVC-free binder - If you want to avoid PVC, a plastic that lingers for decades in the environment and has been linked to health concerns, check out alternatives from Naked Binders that are made from earth-friendly materials like wood and recycled plastic.
Make lunchtime more sustainable - You can skip those single-use items, like plastic baggies and water bottles, in kids’ lunches if you have the right essentials. A small reusable water bottle and reusable bagsmade of silicone that can hold snacks and sandwiches go great with a plastic-free lunch box and they’re kinder to Mother Earth.
Be mindful of tossing last year’s stuff - Don’t just throw old school supplies in the trash if you can recycle them. Elmer's will take old glue sticks for you and TerraCycle will take used pens, pencils, and markers.
TerraCycle, the company known for recycling the 'unrecyclable,' offers easy, environmentally friendly recycling options for life's most common waste items. Through the company's Zero Waste Box platform, consumers looking for new ways to reduce are invited to make an impact with TerraCycle's most popular solutions.
TerraCycle is offering easy, environmentally friendly recycling options for life's most common waste items... Through the company's Zero Waste Box platform, consumers looking for new ways to reduce are invited to make an impact with TerraCycle's most popular solutions.
Des chercheurs ont trouvé une manière insolite de recycler les mégots de cigarettes. En les intégrant dans un nouveau type d’asphalte, ces déchets pourraient non seulement disparaître mais améliorer aussi les performances de nos routes.
2h du matin, samedi soir à Paris. Devant les bars ça discute mais surtout ça fume et rapidement le sol fini par être jonché de mégots. Côté fumoir, les cendriers débordent pendant que les traits de notre ami en face s’estompent dans une brume toxique. Finalement, qu’on se retrouve à fumer dans cet espace exigu ou par -5 dehors, les ravages sont les mêmes et les déchets s’accumulent.
Trois conseils citoyens (centre, stade parc, terrasse Basly), se sont réunis ce lundi soir afin de valider leur projet. Une première à Bruay. Pour encourager les fumeurs à adopter un comportement civique, 3 800 cendriers de poche customisés et personnalisés au nom de chaque conseil, seront distribués aux habitants de leurs quartiers.
As part of the program, Lotus employees are utilizing TerraCycle’s All-In-One Zero Waste Boxes.
Lotus Pictures, a New York-based production company, has launched a zero waste program in an effort to divert more of its waste from landfill.
“Lotus Pictures wants to reduce our footprint and adopt environmentally friendly measures wherever possible,” said D. Michael Aspite, partner and executive producer of Lotus Pictures, in a statement. “Right now, we’re a small company, but we believe small steps can make a significant impact.”