Dear Recycle Lady,
Here is a suggestion for protection from all those “invitations” received in the mail to sign up for a new credit card. I tear out the code numbers or the code words that are used as identification when completing the application for the credit card. When I have them all, I tear them into small pieces and put them in my compost bin. No one can find them there!
Composter
Dear Composter,
Thanks for a great suggestion. It’s a safe way to protect yourself from fraud and it’s good for the compost. I received a credit card “invitation” today, so I used your method to dispose of the codes. Unbelievably, I found six of them in various locations. They are now in my compost bin. Hopefully, you tore off the square QR codes as they also contain information. One word of caution; if the number, word or QR code is printed on glossy paper it should not be put in your compost pile. The surface of glossy paper is coated with chemicals that shouldn’t be added to compost. Tear them into small pieces and add them to the magazine/slick recyclables.
Dear Recycle Lady,
What are neonics? Why are they so harmful to bees?
Confused
Dear Confused,
Neonics, or neonicotinoids, are a family of pesticides that, according to xerces.org, are highly toxic to pollinators, beneficial insects, and aquatic invertebrates. Bees exposed to neonics can get confused and be unable to find their way back to their nests or they may get very sick, even paralyzed. If the bees bring the contaminated nectar and pollen back to the hive, even small doses of neonics start to effect baby bees’ brains. Even with all this damage to bees and other pollinators, neonics are one of the most widely used class of insecticides in the world. When sprayed, the neonicotinoids can drift from the original plant or target area, thus exposing bees and contaminating nearby plants, soil, and water. Its widespread use results in the pesticide being found in both water and soil samples throughout the country. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “about half the U.S. population is exposed to at least one type of neonicotinoid on a regular basis, with children ages three to five having the greatest exposures.” It will take a ban by the EPA to eliminate the use of neonics and protect our pollinators, our health and the ecosystems.
Dear Recycle Lady,
Before I put a steel can into the recycle bin, I remove the label. These labels appear to be a slick. Can they be recycled with magazines?
Steely Can
Dear Steely Can,
Yes, labels on steel cans can be recycled with magazines/slicks. However, labels do not need to be removed from steel cans prior to recycling. Steel cans are processed at such a high heat that labels are burned off. However, labels on aluminum cans must be removed before recycling as cans as are processed with a much lower heat. The labels on aluminum cans can also be recycled with magazines.
Interesting Information: Bison in Romania are helping to reduce climate change! According to This Week Junior, they influence their environment in several ways. Bison fertilize the soil with their poop, they help plants reproduce and spread to other areas when seeds caught in their fur blow free, and, due to their heavy weight, they press the soil down so hard that it stops carbon dioxide from being released into the air. One Bison study estimates that 20 square miles in a Romanian grassland are absorbing an extra 54,000 tons of carbon dioxide each year, thanks to the Bison!
Have questions about recycling, or interesting information about recycling? Send questions or requests to Recyclelady7@gmail.com. Dear Recycle Lady is sponsored jointly by the Greenbrier Recycling Center and Greenworks Recycling.
