[Free] Things I Collect to Give Away

I am a compulsive recycler. I have said it. It's out there. I can't help it. A while back I wrote a blog post, Convicted, to discuss that it's more than just a good feeling. When I see something that has good use left in it and I no longer need it, I try to donate to an appropriate source that will find use. I make two exceptions when it comes to wasteful consumption:
1) Bathroom Items
2) Stationery. I think that the impact you can make on someone's life with a random card, a Christmas greeting, a hand written note, or a congratulations for outweighs the environmental impact. I've been known to buy cards made of out recyclable material from time to time... but really that isn't such a valiant thing. I just think it's worth it.

To make up for it, I collect a bunch of random things because I think it's eco-friendly (reduces further consumption) or it will benefit others. I am pretty sure my husband HATES this. I feel bad because clutter is annoying. I even hate clutter but I hate waste 10x more than I hate clutter. So I collect things and then at the appropriate time I recycle a box and send it off. We're all universally recycling cardboard boxes? Right? It's a pretty simple thing to do and it's so recyclable... like.. we're all doing this? Just say yes.

Here are some examples:

Egg Cartons
Lots of people have their own chickens and need containers for their eggs. My parent's neighbor posted once that she needed egg cartons. When my parents visit I send them home with a paper bag full of egg cartons that they leave on the neighbor's porch. I don't think there's even an exchange, but I think she knows that my parents dropped them off. Or we have some neighbors that live by my parents farm place that could also use them. I think my mom just leaves them in the back of their truck. Then one day they found a dozen farm fresh eggs laying in their own truck. Isn't that adorable? Neighbors just taking care of each other?

Pop Tabs
You know the little ring you use to open your beer soda? Well the Ronald McDonald House collects those and recycles them to help support their program which provides a place to rest, eat, and get cleaned up for families who have children in the hospital. This organization pulls at my heart strings and I am more than willing to do anything to support them, especially with something as simple as pulling off a pop tab before recycling a can. This is also my sorority's national philanthropy. I bet you 8 times out of 10, if you walk into an Adeepi's house, you can ask them where their pop tab jar is and they'll show you.
When I have collected a zip lock bag full or so, I give it to the local Adeepi chapter or someone that I know will be visiting the RMH house soon.

Batteries
You should not throw batteries in the trash. As they break down in the landfill, they leak chemicals which leak into groundwater and contaminate it. Yes, areas around landfills are already plenty gross with all of the things people throw away when they shouldn't. But really, do you want to be part of the problem?
So what do you do with them? We have an old Eskimo Joe's cup in the garage and over time we just put them in there. After the cup is full we dispose of them properly. My friend Jessica lives in Moore and they have a daily drop off site for batteries there. So I give mine to Jessica and she graciously drops them off for me. Luckily, I have only ever had to ask her once.  Other communities hold Hazardous Waste Days where you can take old prescriptions, paint, batteries, etc so they can be disposed of properly. I encourage you to look up when your community's next Hazardous Waste Collection Day is. It will be a good way to give rid of clutter and have a good conscience about it!

Make-Up Containers
I hang on to my make up containers when they're empty. I keep them in the door of my car and when I find myself at Dillards, I walk by the Origins counter and drop them in a box and they recycle them. If you turn in 6 MAC make up containers, they'll give you a free lipstick. So that's cool!

Glass Jars
When we are done with a spaghetti jar or pickle jar, I run them through the dishwasher and store them in the laundry room. Come summer when I have tons of tomatoes and onions, I make big batches of salsa and give them away in the old jars. They don't seal like canning, so you have to eat it within a week, but I haven't had anyone say they had a problem with that. I just ask that they recycle the jar when they are finished with it.
One time I had way too many jars and I was pushing the threshold of husband tolerance so I posted that I had jars of a variety of sizes on Freecycle. The woman that asked for them happened to work nearby a place I needed to shop so I dropped them off. She told me that she was having a Harry Potter birthday party so she was using the jars to decorate. Sounds good to me!

Baby Jars
It's easy to think of things to do with baby jars. I reuse them and send the food I make myself in them to school with Cline. Of course these don't seal again so I only do it for a couple of days. Matt has taken a stash and is going to put loose tool items like screws in them. Now that I have a pretty good collection I have posted them on FreeCycle and I am meeting a woman later tonight to deliver them. I'll have to ask what she plans to do with them. Button storage? Spice storage? Who knows.

Box Tops and Campbell Soup Labels
My child isn't in school yet, but it doesn't take much to realize that schools can use all of the financial help and resources they can get. So if I buy something that has Box Top for Education (by General Mills) then I just tear it off and put it in an envelope in a kitchen drawer. When a teacher friend has a drive for them where the kids will get some prize I just pop 'em in the mail. The cost is a $0.49 stamp. I'll say well worth it.
And then sometimes you get something like this in the mail:

That easily makes it worth it. What a good feeling! This has been hanging on my fridge for a really long time. Come to think of it, I have another batch I need to send to that school.

Also, Campbell soup labels are helpful. To find out a location near you that could use them, go to this website and type in your zip code. It's that easy.

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