Making use of your mountain of plastic bags:

- Use them as bin liners.
- Place them in the bottom of plant pots and hanging baskets - they act as great drainage systems.
- Children can use them for carrying PE gear to school.
- Scrunch them up to surround items when you're packaging as an alternative to bubble wrap.
- Use them in the garden to hold your grass cuttings and hedge trimmings before transfer to a compost bin.
- Use them when packing for a holiday to keep dirty/wet clothes and shoes away from dry clothing.
- Use them as 'doggy doo bags' when out walking your dog!
- Some supermarkets recycle plastic bags, so you can return plastic bags to them.
- Re-use washed zip lock bags for sandwiches and snacks rather than using plastic wrap.

Ideas for recycling paper:

-After children's drawings and paintings have been displayed for a while they can be used to wrap presents - this also makes the present special.
- Discarded A4-sized paper can be cut and stapled together to make notepads. Alternatively, if you save five reams, it will cost you about $5 to get a print company to convert this paper into 'proper' notepads.
- Use the envelopes you receive in the mail a second time by placing a new address label over the last address. Old envelopes can also be used for scribbling down shopping lists, to-do lists, and notes.'
- Resealable envelopes can be reused many times:
- Old calendars, colorful pictures, etc. can be used to make your own envelopes. You can unstick a used envelope and use it as a template for making envelopes.
- Old rolls of wallpaper can be used for childrens' drawings.
- Junk mail can be used as scrap paper, or as bedding for pets.
- Cardboard cartons can be used to collect paper for recycling, instead of plastic bags (even breakfast cereal cartons are good).
- SPCA and pet shops appreciate old newspapers.
- Toilet roll centers can be recycled - they're made of cardboard.
- To fill in a rainy day get a paper recycling kit and get the kids to rip up old used paper to make recycled paper, it can be great fun.
- Old magazines are appreciated by:
- Doctor and dentists' surgeries
- Break room at Work
- Friends

Ideas for recycling household waste in the garden:

-Aluminum trays from pies and cakes make ideal 'drip saucers' to put under pot plants.
- Old tires can be used outside for plant pots - especially good for plants that like warm soils as they trap the heat.
- The following waste items can be modified and used for planting seedlings:
- Egg cartons
- Tetra-pak cartons
- Plastic bottles
- Plastic containers for cherry tomatoes
- Plastic containers for takeaways
- The cardboard centers from toilet rolls
- Plastic ice-cream containers.
- Lawn clippings can be used to cover weeds and keep from growing in the garden through winter.
- Broken crockery can be used as drainage at the bottom of pot plants.
- Tin cans can be used as:
- Water reservoirs for new plants and trees. Tape a piece of hose pipe in a can and fill the can with scoria or pumice. Then, when you plant a new tree or plant, bury the can below the root level and leave enough hose poking out of the ground. You can water the plant in summer by pouring the water into hose pipe. If the hose is short enough it can be mowed over on a lawn and does not look obtrusive.
- Pot plant holders. Decorate the outside of the can to your liking, put some soil in it and plant away. (Make sure you put some drainage holes in the bottom of the tin before you start potting the plants.)
- Old newspapers (including those gathered from your friends) can be used to mulch and weed control the garden. Wet newspaper and place thickly on the garden. Cover with bark or stones.
- Plastic milk cartons can be used to hold snail bait and are pet proof.
- Old stockings can be used to tie up plants in the garden.
- Plastic ice-cream containers can be cut into strips for seed labels.

Ideas for recycling organic/garden waste:

-Local pig farmers often appreciate any kitchen scraps that you can offer them. If you know of any in your area, get in touch with them and find out if they are interested in your kitchen scraps.
- Avoid using kitchen waste disposers and compost food scraps instead. This reduces the load on sewage treatment plants and local government can concentrate on the treatment of real sewage.
- If you need leaf mulch for your garden approach a local school and ask what they do with the leaf litter. Some schools throw theirs away.
- Get a couple of hens for the household. They eat all the kitchen scraps and provide fresh eggs as a bonus.
Ideas for recycling other items:
- Old or broken household goods such as toasters, transistor radios can be used by others for parts. Sell them cheaply at a garage sale.
- Carry a supermarket bag with you when you go walking so that you can pick up glass, litter or other plastic bags.
- Crèches, schools and kindergartens often need boxes, plastic bags, old buttons, used wrapping paper, greeting cards, ribbons, tiles, crockery and other materials for art resources. They may also want old phones, keyboards, etc as learning toys.
- Wrapping paper, bows, ribbons, and boxes can be used to wrap someone else's presents.
- Recycle jars by using them for home preserves.
- Batteries from toys and other electrical items can be saved and taken to the hazard-mobile once a year for recycling or they can be taken to Radio Shack in small quantities for recycling.
- Ice cream containers can be reused around the home in a number of ways:
- Storing food in the freezer
- As a container for toys, crayons, clothes pegs
- Biscuit container
- Yoghurt containers, egg cartons, and film canisters can be kept and used by the kids to 'create stuff'. This is a great way to keep the kids amused.
- An upside down bottle with small holes in the top can be used to provide water for your pets while you are on holiday.
- People in rest homes can also use larger pieces for patchwork and crafts.
- Use ice cream and other plastic containers to put kids toys in. Also good for nuts and bolts or clothes peg containers.
- Stronger plastic bottles can be used to hold tools and nails etc in the shed. Simply cut three sides and leave one side longer and nail to the wall in the shed.
- Old furniture, clothes, kitchen gear, and bedding are always wanted by organizations like Goodwill and the Salvation Army.
General tips for recycling and avoiding excessive trash:
- Buy a smaller trash can for the kitchen. This makes you to remember to recycle.
- Make sure bottles and tins are clean before putting in the recycling bin. This prevents flies both at home and the recycling station.
- Reorganize the kitchen so it has an efficient recycling area with good-sized bins to help with sorting and holding. This will encourage other members of the household to contribute and help share the work instead of it being reliant on one person.
- Cutting both the tops and the bottoms off tin cans (and placing them inside) and squashing them makes them smaller to fit into the recycling bin.
- Spread the word. By telling other people and helping them to get started, we increase the savings that can be made. Also get your children involved – if we can educate them early, they will grow up and appreciate waste reduction and will be able to apply these skills in later life.

NOTES:

- Recycling one ton of cardboard saves over 9 cubic yards of landfill space.
- The largest single source of waste paper collected for recycling is corrugated boxes.
- Americans throw away enough wood and paper every year to heat five million homes for 200 years.

Composting is nature's own way of recycling. It is the controlled decomposition of organic material such as leaves, twigs, grass clippings and vegetable food waste. Compost is the soil amendment product that results from proper composting. Whether it's done on site, at the point of waste generation or in a large-scale, centralized facility, composting helps to keep the high volume of organic material out of landfills and turns it into a useful product. On-site composting reduces the cost of hauling materials to those landfills.

Bin/Pile Information

Composting can be practiced in most backyards in a homemade or manufactured composting bin or simply an open pile (some cities do require enclosed bins). Businesses, schools, and other facilities can also easily compost. Contact your city or county government for information about free composting workshops and discounted or free composting bins.
Homemade bins can be constructed out of scrap wood, chicken wire, or even old garbage cans (with holes punched in the sides and bottom). Manufactured bins include turning units, hoops, cones, and stacking bins. These can be purchased from retail or mail order businesses. Take the time to consider your options and then select a bin that best fits your needs.
Ingredients

While a multitude of organisms, fungus and bacteria are involved in the overall process, there are four basic ingredients for composting: nitrogen, carbon, water and air. Composting is a lot like cooking, and the easiest compost recipe calls for blending roughly equal parts of green or wet material (which is high in nitrogen) and brown or dry material (which is high in carbon). Simply layer or mix these materials in a pile or enclosure; chop or shred large pieces to 12" or shorter. Water and fluff to add air. Then leave it to the microorganisms that will break down the material over time.
Nitrogen

Green materials such as grass clippings and landscape trimmings are ideal sources of nitrogen for composting. Vegetable and fruit trimmings and peels can also provide nitrogen. To reduce the potential for pests or odors, it is best to avoid meat or dairy scraps and bury any food scraps deep within the compost pile.

Carbon

Brown (dry) yard and garden material such as dry leaves, twigs, or hay can provide the carbon balance for a compost pile. Chop or shred large pieces to 12 inches or shorter (thick, woody branches should be chipped, ground up, or left out). Untreated wood chips and sawdust are a powerful carbon source, which may be useful if the pile contains excess nitrogen.

Water

One of the most common mistakes in composting is letting the pile get too dry. Your compost pile should be moist as a wrung-out sponge. Moisture content of 40 to 60 percent is preferable. To test for adequate moisture, reach into your compost pile and grab a handful of material and squeeze it; if a few drops of water come out, it probably has enough moisture, if it doesn't, add water. When you water, it is best to put a hose into the pile so that you aren't just wetting the top. You can also water as you are turning the pile. During dry weather, you may have to add water regularly. During wet weather, you may need to cover your pile. A properly constructed compost pile will drain excess water and not become soggy.

Air

The bacteria and fungus that are in your compost pile need oxygen to live and work. If your pile is too dense or becomes too wet, the air supply to the inside is cut off and the beneficial organisms die. Decomposition will slow and an offensive odor may arise. To avoid this and speed the process, turn and fluff the pile with a pitchfork often, perhaps weekly. You can also turn the pile by just re-piling it into a new pile; many composting bins make this easy to do by coming apart so you can easily re-pile the old pile back into the bin.

Size

Ideally, the compost pile should be at least three feet wide by three feet deep by three feet tall (one cubic yard). This size provides enough food and insulation to keep the organisms warm and happy and working hard. However, piles can be larger or smaller and work just fine if managed well.

Composting Techniques

Composting can be done "gourmet" style, requiring more effort, with quick results--or can be done more casually. Both ways will have a positive effect on the environment and produce usable compost. It just depends on how much time you want to spend with your compost pile and how fast you want the compost.
"Gourmet" compost piles that have the right blend of nitrogen (greens) and carbon (browns) and are kept moist and fluffed regularly, will heat up to temperatures of 120 to 140 degrees Fahrenheit. The high temperature will kill most weed seeds and speed up the decomposition process so that the compost may be ready in 2 to 3 months or less.
"Casual" compost piles are also quite workable since compost will "happen" even if you just pile on yard and food waste, water sporadically, and wait. The pile won't get as hot, so it won't decompose as quickly and may not kill weed seeds. Casual composting can take several months.

How to Tell When it's Done

Your compost is finished when the original material has been transformed into a uniform, dark brown, crumbly product with a pleasant, earthy aroma. There may be a few chunks of woody material left; these can be screened out and put back into a new pile.

You may want to stop adding to your compost pile after it gets to optimal size (see above) and start a new pile so that your first pile can finish decomposing (during which time the temperature will drop).
Give it a Try! Home composting is best learned by doing. Through practice and observation you will find what works best for your home situation, and you can modify the process to suit your needs. There are also a number of books written on backyard composting; check your local library or bookstore. Also check with your local government for workshops, handouts, or guides on composting.

Other Ways To Reduce Organic Waste

In addition to composting, you can also help reduce organic waste by grass cycling (leaving grass clippings on the lawn when you mow) and vermicomposting (composting with worms).

Troubleshooting:
Symptom, Problems & Solutions:

The pile smells bad: Not enough air; too much moisture. Turn the pile; add dry materials.

The pile will not heat up: Not enough moisturePile size is too smallLack of nitrogen-rich materialParticle size is too big. Add water, collect more materials and build to at least 3' x 3' x 3', mix in fresh manure, grass clippings or fruit/vegetable scraps and chip or grind materials.

The pile attracts flies, rodents, or pets: Pile contains bones, meat, fatty or starchy foods. Alter materials added to pile; bury fruit/vegetable scraps in the middle of the pile.