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Month: October 2019

What Goes Where? The Recycling Conundrum

What Goes Where? The Recycling Conundrum

What Goes Where? The Recycling Conundrum

We all know recycling is good for our environment and our communities, but
it can get confusing. How do you know what can be recycled? And how should you
recycle it? Check out the recycling tips and website links below to answer
these questions.

Paper: Paper is recyclable. Include mail, office paper and envelopes, booklets
and magazines cardboard (free of food waste), cake, cracker and cereal boxes
(remove the insert that held the food and flatten the box to save space). Paper
you cannot recycle includes carbon paper, wax paper and tissue paper.

Plastic: Plastics with a 1 or 2 on the bottom of the container are usually
recyclable. These include beverage bottles*, shampoo bottles, cleaning bottles,
and some food containers. Plastics not usually recyclable include margarine and
yogurt type containers and plastic cutlery.

Aluminum: Recycle soda and juice cans, aluminum foil, pie tins, bottle caps, and
other aluminum items. To recycle cans, rinse them and remove any labels.
Crushing them will create more space for storage.

Glass: Glass bottles and jars may be recycled once the lids and caps are
removed. No need to remove labels. Typically, treated glass (like broken plates
and colored glass), window glass and incandescent light bulbs are not accepted.

Cell Phones: Recycle your used cell phones by taking them to your
service provider or a store such as Staples or Best Buy, which has a drop bin
for phones. You could also find a local charity that takes used cell phone
donations. Either way, make sure you clear all personal data and information
from the phone before recycling it.

What about composting? If you live in the CIty of Seattle,
put all your food scraps, moldy leftovers, greasy pizza boxes and dirty napkins
in your Food & Yard waste cart. It gets turned into rich compost, which
closes the loop – feeding the soil to help grow more food and support the
environment.

Still confused? (You’re not alone.) Check out the SPU
website search set up to help you figure out Where It Goes.

Still have questions? The Seattle Public Utilities website has more answers.

If you prefer mobile apps, “Recycle it” is a smartphone and tablet app that offers Seattle Public Utilities solid waste customers convenient access to information about their recycling, compost, and garbage services. Customers can find their collection day, get answers to common recycling questions, and report some service issues.  iPhone users can download the app from the App Store and Android users can download the app from the Google Play Store. You can also search either store for “Seattle Garbage and Recycling.”  

Thanks for doing your part!

Improve Your Indoor Air Quality

Improve Your Indoor Air Quality

Now that Fall is officially here and a chill will soon be in the air, we naturally spend more time indoors and less in the fresh air. There are a few simple things we can do to improve the indoor air quality in our homes.

1) Change your air filters.

If you have an HVAC unit, you have air filters. These hardworking filters sift out impurities in the air so that they don’t wind up in your lungs. If you’re super sensitive and live with furry friends, replace your air filters every month or two. If you don’t use the heating and cooling system often, you can stretch that to twice per year. You could also purchase air purifiers for your home to keep pollutants down.

2) Dust and vacuum often.

Dust doesn’t just look bad, it’s made of pet dander, human skin cells, dirt, grime, pollen and a lot more unpleasant stuff that causes all sorts of health issues. Suck it up!

3) Inspect for Mold.

Mold spores are everywhere, but when living in your house, they can trigger pesky allergies and make you miserable. To ensure your home doesn’t have any dangerous mold growth, do a walk-through and know where to look. Mold loves humid, damp areas. This means your bathroom, washing machine, kitchen, attic and basement are prime real estate for all types of mold. If you spot a suspicious area, use an at-home mold testing kit to determine if it’s harmful. You can treat most molds with a bleach solution, proper drainage and a dehumidifier. Very few types of mold are actually harmful, but it’s best to be on the lookout to keep your home comfortable.

4) Install a Smart Thermostat.

Smart thermostats do so much for your home. Not only do they help you save money on energy, but they can also monitor your air quality.  They can even send air quality alerts to your phone.

As always, if you want to know more, contact me at 206-708-9800 and/or Alice@AliceKuder.com. I’m here to help!