88. Avoid putting non-recyclables in the recycling bins.

Just how incendiary would it be to put non-recyclables in the recycling bins? 

Does this action inflame ire? 

Who would dare ‘poke this bear’?  

Would a poked Smokey the Bear say - 

“Only you can prevent dumpster fires!”

Okay, commingling recyclables/non-recyclables would not necessarily constitute the proverbial “dumpster fire,” but it would maybe create something closer to a ‘recycling bin smoker.’

To cool everyone’s flames, our friends at the Washington Post doused a few myths surrounding ‘avoid putting non-recyclables in the recycling bins” in this article below this week:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-solutions/2024/05/13/can-you-recycle-pizza-boxes/

To help you ‘Avoid putting non-recyclables in the recycling bins’, here’s a simple 2-step process:

1. Read the labels
2. Put it in … WAIT! NOOOO! STOP!!!!!  Uh… too late. Didn’t you read the… (gasp), whatever, maybe next time…

Your Future You has 20/20 vision because it’s seen the past. As a salve to your ‘current self’s’ recycling concerns, Your Future You is coming in hot with a message to not worry so much about commingling what is recyclable with supposed ‘non-recycable’ items in the future. Because, in the future, with enough heat, everything is recyclable. Even rock melts at 7800 degrees. 

P.S. - It’s been reported that Corporate Housing Companies help ‘Avoid putting non-recyclables in the recycling bins’ by embracing recyclabilty efforts and clearly labeling several different types of recycling bins to prevent commingling items that should not be cross-contaminated. This should make it bear-able for those who get heated about this stuff.  And remember:

“Only you can prevent ‘recycling bin smokers’.

Why does this ‘Future You’ Series exist? What’s it about?  Vvt is

1. Promote easy, quirky sustainable practices that are NOT preachy, or guilt-ridden and without a focus on the ‘saving the planet’ (hint: the planet is going to survive no matter what we do). 

2. A playful post of simple ways to sorta improve our lives, and the lives of those we love. Also improve our future lives… by taking playful action today. 

3. Still reading? Cool. We think you’re amazing and full of joyful zest. 

This series is based off ‘105 Simple Sustainable actions’ - from Stephane Omsanski’s article in Parade from 2021.

https://parade.com/1300935/stephanieosmanski/ways-reduce-carbon-emissions/

88. Avoid putting non-recyclables in the recycling bins.

After all, recycling only works if you do it properly. By adding non-recyclable items to your recycling bin, you could be messing up a whole batch of recycling as it goes down the belt.