To learn more about the following information, visit www.GreenAmerica.org

 

10 Things You Didn't Know You Can Recycle:

1. Appliances:  Many stores will recycle your old appliances when you purchase a new one.  Goodwill accepts working appliances.  Go to www.goodwill.org, or you can contact the Steel Recycling Institute to recycle them at www.recycle-steel.org.

2. Athletic Shoes: One World Running will send still-wearable shoes to athletes in need in Africa, Latin America, and Haiti. Nike's Reuse-a-shoe Program turns old shoes into playground and athletic flooring.

3. Batteries: Contact www.batteryrecycling.com

4. Clothes: Wearable clothes can go to your local Goodwill outlet or shelter.  Donate wearable women's business clothing to the nonprofit Dress for Success, which gives them to low-income women as they search for jobs: www.dressforsuccess.org.  Offer unwearable clothes to local animal boarding and shelter facilities, which often use them as pet bedding.

5. Compact fluorescent bulbs (CFL): Take them to your local IKEA store for recycling: www.ikea.com.  For information on recycling lamps and ballasts, click here.

6. Computers & electronics: To find the most responsible recyclers go to www.ban.org/pledge/locations.html

7. Foam packing peanuts: Your local pack-and-ship store will likely accept these for reuse.  Or call the Plastic Loose Fill Producers Council to find a drop-off site: 800-828-2214.  For places to drop off foam blocks for recycling, contact the Alliance of Foam Packaging Recyclers at 410-451-8340 or www.epspackaging.org/info.html.

8. Ink/toner cartridges: Donate your used ink and toner cartridges and earn credit toward your next ink or toner purchase @ Quill.com. 

9. Oil: Find used motor oil hotlines for each state: www.recycleoil.org.

10. Phones: Donate your phone for world health at Hope Phone or donate to Secure the Call who will reprogram your old phone to be an Emergency Access Phone for those in need. Or, check out Verizon's phone recycling program here.

 

 

10 Things You Should Never Buy Again:

1. Styrofoam cups
2. Paper towels
3. Bleached coffee filters
4. Bottled Water
5. Chemical pesticides and herbicides
6. Conventional household cleaners
7. Toys made with PVC plastic
8. Plastic forks and spoons
9. Farm-raised salmon
10. Teak and mahogany

 

8 Body Care Ingredients to Avoid:

1. Mercury - also avoid the mercury preservative "thimerosal"
2. Lead - listed as "lead acetate"
3. Nanoparticles
4. Placenta
5. Hydroquinone skin lightener
6. Phthalates
7. Petroleum by-products, ex. 1, 4-dioxane
8. Fragrance

 

 

5 Things You Should Always Buy Green

1. Paint: Look for low or, ideally, no-VOC paint
2. Paper: Look for paper products with a high post-consumer recycled content.
3. Light bulbs: Look for compact fluorescents.
4. Appliances:  Look for appliances with the Energy Star label.
5. Fruits and Vegetables:  Look for organic, local, in-season produce.

 

10 Fair Trade Products to Look for:

1. Chocolate
2. Spices
3. Sugar
4. Rice
5. Wine
6. Vanilla
7. Olive Oil
8. Coffee
9. Tea
10. Handicrafts

 

10 Worst Corporate Criminals You Should Avoid:

1. Wal-Mart
2. ExxonMobil
3. Coca-Cola
4. Nestle
5. Monsanto
6. General Motors
7. Hanes
8. Citigroup
9. Shell Petroleum
10. McDonald's
(To learn what they're doing wrong - and how you can stop them - go towww.GreenAmerica.org, and click on "Responsible Shopper.")