Single use items, what a waste. Used once and in a landfill for years.

If they recycle that stuff, then fine. Our newspapers are recycled. But straws and stirers are not. It's great that you're doing recycling. Paper mache, if they aren't recyclig newspapers, there are websites and probably youtube videos to show you how. There are youtube videos to show how to recycle most things. I saw one on how to make a bath mat out of an old towel. If you type in recycle crafts on the internet and what you want to recycle, there are tons of things that will come up, usually, some things, there won't be. So go to youtube and learn whatever craft you want to keep thins out of the landfills. It's good that you can get money for cans. You've got a great start! Read other responses below and you'll get even better.

Sorry it seems I didn't had to use the codes. Here are the urls again :). www.wikihow.com/Category:Plastic-Straw-Craft www.instructables.com/id/IKEA-Ice-Straws/

I do look into how to recycle stuff quite often. I find that when I go to youtube and look up a recycled craft project, I do better because I can see how to do it. Wkihow is good, too. Thanks and take care. I'm trying to urge other people to do more. Like refuse the straws in the first place or if you take them, reused them. I hope people learn from all the responses here today. Thanks and take care.

I look thru the junk mail for a self-addressed free postage envelope. If there is one with free postage or postage paid by the company. I stuff as much of the junk in there as I can and send it back to them. I look to see if there is a phone number or email address to stop the unwanted mail. Sometimes there is. I got a very explicit dirty magazine one time. I found the number to call and told the woman I did not want this magazine (I'm a teacher of children, really need that in may mailbox, NOT). I called the company and told them not to send it. The lady on the other end of the phone apologized. She said she would take my name and address of their mailing list immediately and that they did not want to upset, embarass or cause any problems to anyone. She thanked me for calling. I know how I got it. I ordered fishnet stockings and the next thing I know, I got this dirty mag. The address had my name messed up the same way as the fishnet stocking order. In the states, there is a place published once a year, where you can write to them and tell them that you want to be taken off mailing lists. If you haven't bought anything from a company in the last year, then they're supposed to take you off the list. Takes two weeks to a month. If they don't, you send their name and address to the companty that gets rid of unwanted junk mail and they'll contact them personally for you. I'm not sure if there is such a place in Canada or not. You could also do a search of how to get rid of unwanted junk mail and start your own discussion. That would help lots of people. Thank you very much for bringing this up. We may have helped a lot of people today.

Terrific! This discussion wasn't so much for you as for people who haven't even begun to think! I know, about the medicine containers. We have 10 with coins we're saving. But there are only so many coins you can save. I think I will have to tell servers to quit giving me straws at food places. They automatically give them to people. I don't think of it until they set them down in front of me. Then once they're given out, it's too late. I have to either take it or they'll throw it away. Thanks, I hope lots of people read this. I will be buying veggies from a CSA, so I return packaging each time. So the brown bag this time goes back next time and the brown bag next time goes the following time. We can keep reusing the same bag. Since the veggies come from the ground and are dirty anyway as well as the egg csrtons, I keep bringing those back. Here,sometimes when you buy in bulk, like spices, you can reuse the containers and fill up the spice containers again. I'm thinking about buying a Swiss Army knife or just carrying cop sticks. Thanks and take care.

I use dental floss, but that's a single use item, too. Jars, that's a good start. Are there any other things that could be used more?

I'm going to try to avoid more now, too. Your teeth must be farther apart than mine. There is no way I can get stuff out without dental floss. The problem is that some places give you a straw before you even think to tell them not to.

Yes, I reuse glass jars, too. Esp. when I pick and dry mint. Other things that I've gathered like seeds from the wild. There was a little bit about jars and a little bit about bags, but yours goes beyond and I'm encouraging people to read as much as they can to get more ideas. The number of people who use and recycle crystal light containers was a surprise. But I'm glad they do. Piggy bank idea for that was cool. Glad you read others so that if there are more ideas, you can get them. I reused twist ties something fierce. Hadn't thought about that because I just do it without thinking. Thanks, I hope we helped some people today.

when it's that pervasive and automatic, that's what it's all about. That's what I'm hoping for the future for more people.

I recycle newspapers, bottles, cereal boxes, and cans. Also reuse Christmas wrapping for another package and the bows for family members.

Great! Reusing wrapping paper and bows may be new to some people and that would save a lot of landfill. I use Christmas bags and people usually reuse those for the next person.

So what single use items do you recycle? The topic is not about ones you don't. I understand that some single use we can't, but what about the ones we can? The idea is to increase the reuse of single use items and to get ideas for that.

Yes, I'm going to have to talk to the restaurants we go to. They put this stuff out before we even ask them. You would think they would ask if we need a straw or a stirer. I don't think of it until after they give me one and then they have to throw it away if I don't use it and that makes it worse than single use, that's no use!

I give stuff like that back immediately. They are generally wrapped in some sort of protective sleeve so can be reused as long as it´s intact.

Maybe you can give other people ideas as to what they can reuse them for? I'm hoping people read each others ideas and get more ideas. Some of these ideas are great! Thanks very much. That's a lot of resue of boxes. Thanks for the landfill, too.

I've had husbands who thought I was going to leave them because I wanted to save boxes. Idiots!

Whatever that was it didn't work.

Terrific! Lots of great ideas. I hope people read and try some of yours. There are about 3 of you here who are going to make it very difficult to pick a best response!

True, can you give examples to help other people learn this better?

There have been lots of uses for Crystal Light containers on here. Glad so many people are reusing those! I'm not saying don't use straws because some people's teeth are sensitive and I used them when my 4 front teeth were smashed. What I'm saying is using them once and then throwing them away is a waste and taking up tons of landfill space. So find a way to use them again. Like using them to weave something or weave them into something. Or Cut them, flatten them and use them for a picture frame, something. Think. Read. Research. Figure something out so they don't go in the landfill. Also please check out other people's ideas for how to reuse items that are normally single use. These ideas might also save you money.

Good, keep that thinking up! Hope you check out other people's ideas here,too. You might find more ways and more things that you have that can stay out of the landfill. Thanks and take care.

I use a crystal light container to keep water in for my steam iron. I can't think of other ways to use them other than holding straws. I feel guilty throwing them away. I also have the Walmart brand of Crystal light.. they have a really neat shaped container.. easy to pour water from... I know.. I could make a vinaigrette and keep in one of them... that would be good for veggies and salads.

I find if I have time, I don't have money and it's easier to reuse and reduce then. But If I don't have time, I have money and it's harder to reuse and reduce. Check out some of the ideas others have given for reducing and reusing here, some you may be able to add to your repetoire or you may think of more for yourself.

The metalic candy wrappers, I roll them into a ball. I put then in clear Christmas ornaments. Then I either hang the ornaments up or give them away. The clear wrappers that are tinted, they can be used on cards. Like red for Valintines and so on. Yes, I think one recycled project per week would be a wonderful idea. I have a jar full of wrappers. Very colorful. Thanks and take care.

Yeah, I'm going to be creamated, too. Hydrogen peroxide, food grade, used in dentists' offices would probably clean the toothbrushes well and be better for you. There are some other great ideas here,too. I'm trying to encourage people who do just one thing to think outside the box and think of what more they can do.Pergrammo is pushing me to think more, too. We all can increase what we do.

All great ideas for single use items. I hope lots of people check out your ideas and use some of them. Paper towel rolls make good places for candy. I bet Crystal Light does make a great bank, I hadn't thought of that. Straws can also be used for science projects. I forgot about that. Thanks for the ideas, I hope people read your responses and I hope you read other people's too so you can get more ideas. Take care.