Are you recycling right? A new viral TikTok is shedding light on three essential steps to ensure your recyclables actually get recycled instead of ending up in a methane-spewing landfill.
The scoop
Zero-waste lifestyle influencer Love of Earth Co. (@loveofearthco) took to TikTok to share a bite-sized tutorial on how to recycle correctly.
@loveofearthco 3 things you should do to Recycling CORRECTLY✅♻️💚 you got this!!!🌎 #recycleawareness #recycle #zerowaste #lowwaste #ecofriendly ♬ Sia - Xeptemper
"Here's three things you should do to make sure you're recycling correctly," Love of Earth Co. says in the video.
The first tip? "Look up your city's website and make sure that they still recycle. And if they are, you'll find a beautiful chart just like this one that'll tell you what exactly is recyclable and what is not."
Tip two: "If your town is still recycling, you must make sure all of your recyclables are clean and dry before recycling them."
And finally, "Never toss trash bags into the recycling bin. If you do, you guarantee all your recyclables will end up in a landfill."
How it's helping
Recycling can have a positive impact on both your wallet and the planet. By diverting waste from landfills, recycling reduces the methane pollution that triggers extreme weather events and sends temperatures skyrocketing.
Recycling also conserves natural resources, saves energy, and prevents pollution by eliminating the need to collect new raw materials. The EPA estimates that recycling one ton of office paper saves the energy equivalent of consuming 322 gallons of gasoline.
What's more, recycling can put a little extra green in your pocket. If your city doesn't recycle, try recycling old clothes in exchange for cash and shopping credit on websites like For Days, thredUP, and GotSneakers.
The more we recycle, the less waste ends up in landfills, which releases methane or pollutes our oceans.
What everyone's saying
The recycling tips earned praise on TikTok. Many commenters chimed in to share additional advice.
"REMEMBER THAT RULES DIFFER BETWEEN COUNTRIES AND IN US POSSIBLY BETWEEN STATES!" one user emphatically pointed out.
Others emphasized the importance of preparing recyclables properly.
"This is for [people] who aren't zero waste, pls pls cut all bottle plastic holders, chip bags etc just anything animals can be trapped in," another commenter urged.
Some lucky TikTokers already have helpful resources from their local waste management providers. "The previous owners of our house were nice and have a cheat sheet on the recycle bin of what can and can't go in," one user shared.
By taking a few simple steps to recycle smarter, we can all do our part to reduce waste and create a more sustainable future. Every bottle, can, and cardboard box counts.
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