The first person to recycle was Mother Nature, who, over 65 million years ago, turned dinosaur remains into fossil fuels. Recycling has come a long way since then, and we can now recycle products such as paper, plastic, and metal items.

Those are just the basics, however, as factories around the United States have been hard at work developing ways to recycle almost anything.

Yogurt containers, plastic coffee lids, and regular batteries are among the lesser known recyclable items, but the list doesn’t end there. Car batteries, tires, CDs and DVDs, iPods and cell phones, and computer parts can also be recycled.
Almost anything can be recycled!

Many companies are springing up around the US that turn old pieces of furniture, clothing, even license plates into new merchandise! Be inventive with your belongings. Old coats and hats can be patched up or made into totally new clothing items. License plates can be melded together to form great purses. Bathtubs and broken toilets can be turned into garden decorations. There are literally hundreds of different ways to recycle old belongings.

One person’s trash is another person’s treasure. The problem is, many people don’t realize what products are recyclable. The average individual in the U.S. produces an estimated 3.5 pounds of trash a day. The sad part is most of what gets thrown away can really be recycled.

Some of the lesser-known items include aerosol cans and deodorant. Aerosol cans can actually be recycled along with regular metal and aluminum cans. Remove the plastic cap and make sure the can is completely empty before recycling. Antiperspirants and deodorant sticks can be recycled along with plastics. The bottom dial, however, may be made of different material than the rest of the container which would require separate recycling.

Carpets are a trouble area. Billions of pounds of carpeting ends up in landfills each year. To find out what to do with your old carpet, go to CarpetRecovery.org and click on “What can I do with my old carpet?” The company can weave old carpet fibers into new fibers which are then used to create new rugs and carpets. Recycled content carpet fiber is more resilient and colorfast than “virgin” fiber carpet.

The American Birding Association accepts used backpacks, which members then use while out tracking birds. You can visit their website to donate.

Couturecycle.com turns old t-shirts into cute designs. You can donate your old shirts or purchase recycled ones on their website.

Though, to date, there is no way to recycle luggage, suitcases, or purses, there are alternatives. The Salvation Army will take most used bags, as well as Goodwill and other nonprofit organizations. You could even dress-up an old handbag yourself, and use it again. To avoid dealing with bags altogether, you can purchase eco-friendly, biodegradable ones online. A great site is to try is Globalgoodspartners.org.

Old vehicles such as boats, cars, jet skis, and motorcycles can also be recycled. Their material is still valuable and can be reused in other machines. Junkmycar.com will remove your unwanted vehicle or equipment for free, and take it to a scrap yard where the metal will be stripped and used to build new machines.

Cell phones are another problem area. Only about 20% of used cell phones are recycled a year. The Wireless Foundation accepts all old cell phones, refurbishes them, and gives them to domestic-violence survivors. Cellphonesforsoldiers.com accepts all old cell phones, which they then turn into pre-paid calling cards of over 12 million minutes. These phones are then shipped overseas to soldiers fighting in Iraq, so that they can call home to their families. Other cell phone charities can be viewed at Recyclewirelessphones.com.

Computers can be returned to their manufacturer for recycling. For a list of companies, go to Mygreenelectronics.com. Many charities, such as Sharetechnology.org and Cristina.org, collect computers for the less priviledged. The site Nextsteprecycling.org will repair your broken computer and give it to a family in need, an underfunded school, or a nonprofit.

Some items, such as batteries and CFLs (compact florescent lights) contain dangerous chemicals, and must be disposed of in a particular way. Follow this link to find out how to safely recycle CFLs.

Car batteries contain lead and are extremely poisonous, but almost any retailer selling them will also recycle old ones. Recycling non-rechargeable batteries can be difficult, but some recycling centers do accept them. Think Green From Home offers a battery recycle kit, which you buy and store used batteries in. Once the box is full, simply mail the package, which includes a pre-paid return shipping label, to Think Green’s address. To purchase a box, click here.

Another alternative on the market is rechargeable batteries. Take a look at the kinds available here. Rechargeable batteries are recyclable. The Rechargeable Battery Recycling Corporation’s website will take spent batteries off your hands.