Bet you didn’t know you could recycle that!

Today, recycling is as much a part of most of our lives as taking out the trash; we don’t just throw things away, we interrogate them. ‘If I put you on my curb, will someone pick you up?’ ‘Can someone else use you?’ Or, ‘How could I reuse you or turn you into something new and relevant?’ So maybe we don’t actually talk to our recyclables (and if you do, don’t tell), but more of us take it seriously. But do you really know the extent to which you can recycle? Sure, there are a gazillion crafty projects with which to use every item that passes through your fingers. And while it may sound appealing to sit and cut and stick and create all day long, busy people may only have time to decide which box to place it in, and where to set that box to be picked up. Luckily for you, here’s a list of recyclable items which will amaze and astound you and turn your world upside down. Or at least make you say, “Cool.” Crayons: A quick clean out of your arts and crafts drawer or your child’s old toy bin is likely to yield a box of crayons. Believe it or not, there is a National Crayon Recycle Program operated by Crazy Crayons, LLC. The recycling program has diverted more than 47,000 pounds of crayons from landfills. Trophies: Total Awards & Promotions, has created a trophy recycling mail-in program where they recycle defunct awards by re-engraving and donating them to nonprofit organizations. CDs/DVDs/Cassettes/Floppy Disks: Remember when it took five floppy disks to save what now will fit on 1/16 of your thumb drive? Now you can unload all those antiquated little squares at either Best Buy in-store kiosks (go here to see what they actually take) or the GreenDisk mail-in program, which recycles media into new CDs and DVDs. GreenDisk also collects plastic jewel cases. Toy Parts: If your household is like mine, you find bits and pieces of toys that make you go “Hmmmm?!” Now, instead of letting it keep you up at night, just bag ‘em up and send them to liberated spaces, the brainchild of two talented jewelry designers, Shana Astrachan and Emiko Oye in San Francisco. They reuse small plastic toys, game parts, and board games in their work and are open to receiving donations as a form of recycling. Corks: Feeling guilty about chucking corks every time you pop open vino? Enjoy that glass even more, knowing you can send them to Yemm & Hart Green Materials. They’ve started an experimental cork recycling program that processes them into environmentally friendly cork floor and wall tiles. Eventually, they hope to actually pay people for their corks, but for now, invite you to give out of the kindness of your heart. Books, DVDs, and CDs: Most people don’t toss their books, DVDs and CDs in the trash, but buying new consumes unnecessary resources, so why not trade old ones for something that’s new to you? Log on to Swap.com — a web site that allows you to essentially keep a constantly fresh, rotating selection of reading material, movies, and music for exactly $0. Just sign up, list your unwanted stuff, and choose what you’d like to receive. Then, complete the swap through the mail. Shoes: Even if they look like they’ve been your dog’s chew toy for the past month, Nike is happy to take any and all rubber-soled shoes—no matter who made them—and recycle them into athletic surfaces like basketball courts and running tracks. Find your nearest drop-off location at the Nike Reuse-A-Shoe site. Foam Packing Peanuts: Believe it or not, there are people who actually want them: EPS recyclers. Holiday Lights: Making the switch from regular incandescent strand lights to LED lights? Holidayleds.com will recycle your incandescent lights for you. Mail them in and the company recycles the lights and the box they were shipped in, then sends you a coupon for 15 percent off LED light purchases through its site. Bras: Rather than let your 4-year-old wear it on his head as part of his superhero costume, you can now opt for the less embarrassing option when looking to “not throw away” your old bras. While most of us take a selection of clean undergarments for granted, there are plenty of people in need. Bosom Buddy Recycling takes old bras and gives them to deserving women nationwide including women’s shelters, transitional housing, and breast cancer survivor support groups. Prescription Medication: Did you know that flushing your medications down the toilet contaminates drinking water? Instead, donate drugs that are still usable, or dispose of expired drugs, by dropping them off at the Lidgerwood, Riverfront, Veradale and South Hill Group Health offices. Aluminum foil: Aluminum foil can be recycled. Just attempt to clean it off with cold water then take it to one of three recycling stations in your area: Earthworks, American Recycling, Clark’s Recycling. Old eyeglasses: If you could be a suspect in the disappearance of Sally Jesse Raphael’s eyeglasses, then it may be time to part ways. But they could also give the gift of sight to the visually impaired in developing countries. To donate old glasses, check out New Eyes for the Needy, the Lions Club, or visit your local LensCrafters. Metal coat hangers: Unless you lock your keys in your car a lot, you probably have more metal coat hangers hanging around than you’d like. Try taking them to your local drycleaner. Most will accept and reuse or recycle them.