Did you know that America is recycling nearly 33 percent of its waste?….While it’s good not to waste, it’s even better to have waste that doesn’t go to waste.

Here are some …let’s start with

A: Aerosol cans: they can usually be recycled with other cans, as long as you pull off the the plastic cap and empty the canister completely.

B:  Backpacks:  The American Birding Association accepts donated back packs, which its scientist use while tracking Neotropical birds (www.american birding.org)

      Batteries:  Recycling batteries keeps hazardous metals out of landfills.  Many store, like Radio Shack and Office Depot accept reusable ones, as doer the Rechargeable Batter Recycling Corporation (www.rbrc.org/call2recycle)  Car batteries contain lead and cannot go in landfills, because toxic metal can leach into groundwater, but almost any retailer seller them will also recycle them.

      Beach balls: they may be made of plastic, but there aren’t enough beach ball being thrown away to make them a profitable item to recycle.  If a beach ball is still usable, donate it to a thrift store or a children’s hospital.

     Books:  Hard covers are too rigid to recycle, so we ask people to remove the cover and recycle just the pages.  In many areas, paperbacks can be tossed in with other paper.  Your local library may accept books in good condition as well.

Stay tuned for recycle hints for “C” and “D”!