Recycling Oddities: Can that really be recycled?

I find it amusing that, no matter what I ask her to put in the trashbin, my 5 year old niece will always ask, before throwing anything away, "Auntie, can we recycle this?". While I am grateful that at such a young age, she already has the social conscious that is lacking in many adults, it has, on many occasions, led me to think...wait, can we recycle that? So, I did some research, and came across some unusual things that can be recycled or repurposed for a good cause. Of course, cloth diapers have always been recyclable, but few American's use them anymore. However, since 1999, a British company called Knowaste, has been pioneering the recyling of disposable diapers. Which is a good thing, because the average baby goes through about 6,000 disposable diapers before they are potty trained. What ever happened to going au naturale?

Did you know that Americans throw away over 15 Million bicycles a year?? For many people of the world, a bicycle is basic transportation--not recreation--but still a luxury they can't afford. Providing bicycles for those in Third World Countries can change lives for the better. So, I totally commend Bikes for the World, a non-profit organization that is striving to keep these bicycles out of the landfills and place them in the hands of people who really need them.

When a Prince's kiss can no longer wake us from that deep sleep, why not try a recycled coffin to spend eternity in? I know, no one likes to think about the inevitable D word, but it's gonna happen to us all. So, go out with a statement and buy not only a less expensive coffin, but also a more eco-friendly one, many of which are made from 100% recycled materials, like the ones offered by Woven Wicker Coffins.

Okay, so I can't really sink my teeth into this one (ha,ha), but I remember my grandpa's old dentures, and they were not a pretty sight. However, every year there are 3.5 million sets of dentures manufactured in the world, and they all contain some gold or silver. Most unwanted dentures are thrown away, but a non-profit (based out of Japan) was created to recycle the metals found in used dentures, and to date, it has raised over $250,000 in proceeds to donate to UNICEF and other children's organizations.

I have to give Kudos to my friend, M.A., for this one....Just when you thought you'd heard the weirdest of all recyclable items, here's one that, to some of you, may not be that weird. The folks at Recycle My Sex Toy, are in the business of doing just what the name implies. Apparently, their mother never told them, "Don't play with that thing. You don't know where it's been."

So, the next time you think you should throw it away, doing five minutes of reserach online might give you a better alternative to disposing of that item, whatever it may be!! Have a great weekend everyone. Hugs, Laura.