Dear Recycle Lady,
When is Earth Day this year?
Forgetful
Dear Forgetful,
This year Earth Day is Tuesday, April 22. First held in 1970, this year will be the 55th Earth Day celebration. Worldwide it is estimated that there will be over a billion people participating in the largest secular observance in the world. Nationally there are several very large events taking place. The Canopy Project will be planting 550,000 trees for Earth Day, and the goal of The Great Global Cleanup is to remove 7,500,000 pounds of waste from the environment. It will be sorted into trash, recyclables, and hazardous waste for proper disposal. Everyone can participate in Earth Day by just changing a few habits. For example, taking your own reusable bags for shopping instead of using the store’s single-use plastic bags, buying plastic-free alternatives, supporting local businesses, using companies that ship plastic-free, or supporting those companies that are working towards becoming carbon neutral.
Dear Recycle Lady,
I have a plastic core from a roll of Scotch Tape. There are no markings on the core, but is it recyclable?
Wants to Know
Dear Wants to Know,
The plastic core from a roll of Scotch Tape is recyclable in large cities, but not locally. The good news is that the two-piece refillable dispenser and the core within the roll of tape are both made from 100% recycled plastic. Scotch Tape has also collaborated with TerraCycle to keep used tape dispensers and cores out of landfills. Scotch Tape is now making a stainless-steel refillable dispenser and Scotch Magic Tape made with 66% plant-based adhesive. It comes in 100% recycled Kraft paper packaging that has no shrink wrap, so the packaging is also recyclable. Scotch Tape is also now making a greener invisible tape that is 53% plant-based and can be written on with a pen or marker to create labels.
Dear Recycle Lady,
Do #1 and #2 plastics need to be put in separate bags for curbside pick-up? What about newspapers and magazines?
Separator
Dear Separator,
Plastics #1 and #2 do not need to be put in separate bags for curbside pick-up. They can be put in the same bag. However, if you decide to take them to the Recycling Center they must be separated. All #1 plastics go into the bin labeled #1 plastics.There are two kinds of #2 plastics. There are #2 plastics that are clear (can be easily seen through and are not colored), which go into the bin labeled #2 clear plastics. Secondly, #2 colored plastics that go into the bin labeled #2 colored plastics. If doubtful as to which bin to use, check out the many examples of #2 plastics on the shelf above the bin. Newspapers and magazines should be put in separate bags for curbside pickup and put into either the newspaper or magazine bin, if taken to the Recycling Center.
Happy Earth Day! Enjoy one or both of two local events that celebrate Earth Day. The first one is the Open House at the Greenbrier Recycling Center at 450 Monroe Avenue in Ronceverte on Tuesday, April 22, from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm. There will be tours of the Recycling Center and explanations or demonstrations of all the equipment. Free hot dogs (with chili and all the extras!), chips and drinks will be available from 11 a.m.- 2 p.m. The second Earth Day celebration is the Sustainable Fashion Show, previously known as Earth Day Fashion Forward. It will be held on April 26, 2025, at 5:00 at the Lewis Theater in Lewisburg. According to RealWV, “the show spotlights fashion that reuses and repurposes existing fabric and clothing made from sustainable textile manufacturing, decoration, and care processes.”
Have questions about recycling, or interesting information about recycling? Send questions or requests Recyclelady7@gmail.com. Dear Recycle Lady is sponsored jointly by the Greenbrier Recycling Center and Greenworks Recycling.
