Archive for the 'Recycle Furniture' Category

Should People be Required to Recycle?

Published on October 12, 2011 in Green Junk Removal, Recycle Furniture, Recycling, get rid of junk and junk king. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , .

There are a few issues that prevent states, cities, and towns from levying heavy fines against those who carelessly toss plastic and textiles into the trash can instead of the recycle bin. Despite volumes of evidence that disposal of these items in landfills and incinerators is killing this planet, there are still those who claim regulation is somehow an infringement on their rights as Americans. What about the rights of our children? Don’t they have the right to breathe clean air, drink clean water, and grow food in non-toxic soil?

There are two sides to every story of course and enforced regulation is never really a good thing without some type of temperance. Most believe that recycling should be pushed by local government but not required. There’s too much room for graft and abuse once you start levying fines to those using curbside trash pick-up. Enforcement would also add additional costs to the service and force communities to raise fees and taxes. No one wants that. Opponents of recycling laws consistently use this potential pitfall as a “resounding reason” to vote against any attempt at reform in this area.

If costs do go up as a result of recycling legislation, one alternative for homeowners is to utilize a junk removal company with an eco-friendly junk removal policy, like Junk King. Folks around the country are already using Junk King to haul away and recycle their couches, appliances, old tires, refrigerators, construction waste and a number of other items.

So, if we can’t make recycling mandatory, how can homeowners be pushed to do it on their own? The best way to encourage voluntary recycling is through education. There are many campaigns running now that promote the benefits of recycling and shed light on the consequences of not doing it. Towns and cities across the country are supplying bins in addition to regular trash barrels so residents can recycle their plastic and paper goods. It is actually mandatory in many of these communities, but enforcement is typically lax and opposition to it is strong. What’s the bottom line? If recycling isn’t voluntary, it doesn’t work. We can’t force people to do it; they need to want to do it.

Whether you use town or city waste removal or hire a company like Junk King, recycling is important. If it wasn’t, there wouldn’t be so many millions of dollars spent every year trying to educate people about it. Plastic doesn’t break down – ever. Textiles contain toxic chemicals and dyes. Paper goods will degrade, but then new paper goods require that more trees get cut down and our woodland areas and rain forests disappear. You may not think it’s a big deal when you throw that soda bottle in the trash can, but what if everyone on earth did that every day? That’s nearly seven billion plastic bottles a day thrown into landfills. Imagine that.

Recycling – It’s More than just Re-using Someone Else’s Trash

Published on September 30, 2011 in Green Junk Removal, Landfills, Recycle Furniture, Recycling, junk hauling and junk king. 0 Comments Tags: , , , .
Why exactly do you call a junk recycling service like Junk King to get rid of those bulky items when you could call a regular trash pick-up service instead? There are those who do it so they can feel environmentally friendly (some actually are) and there are those who do it out of a genuine desire to help others. Those old appliances can be re-used by someone in need, right? Isn’t that what recycling is? The answer to that is yes and no. Recycling is re-using someone else’s trash, but it’s also much, much more than that.
To understand the importance of recycling, you must first look at the results of not recycling. These results are easy to see if you just visit your local landfill or watch the incinerators’ smoke stacks emit toxic fumes into the air. Plastics and other materials that are not recycled are causing irreparable damage to our soil, air, and water supplies. In the case of landfills, the land that they rest on will be unusable for decades, even centuries to come. There are some items that will degrade in time. Others never will.
Next, look at items that can be recycled. Appliances often contain toxic chemicals which can cause significant damage if discarded without proper precautions being taken. When appliances are recycled, part of that process is getting rid of harmful fluids and fuels in a responsible manner. Landfills, transfer stations, and incinerators don’t do that. They simply dispose of the entire appliance in whatever manner they dispose of everything else that is brought to them.
Recycling centers don’t dispose of anything. They find a new use for each and every item that comes through their doors. If you call Junk King to to haul away your old appliances or stereo equipment you can rest assured that the parts or the whole of the item will be in use in someone else’s home in no time. That should give you the incentive you need to do some recycling. Just think of all the jobs you will create just by recycling your appliances and electronics.
In cases of electronics, the originals can be broken down into many parts to create new items in the same or different categories. That old radio you recycled five years ago may have been used to create the CD player you just bought or it could have been recycled into an automobile dashboard. Either way, it wasn’t wasted. It also didn’t get buried in a landfill where the plastic will never break down and will be useless after a few years. It’s hard to recycle an item that is melted or fused together with other items.
Go back forty years and everyone took their trash to the dump. Consideration was never given to the fact that those dumps would eventually fill up and have to expand. It was just assumed that trash would break down and disappear. Much of it has, but newer items, made from materials that are made to be indestructible, never really do. That’s why recycling is so important, and why it’s so much more than just re-using someone else’s trash.

Benefits of Recycling Old Furniture, Large Trash and Everyday Items

Published on September 13, 2011 in Green Junk Removal, Landfills, Recycle Furniture, Recycling, junk king, junk recycling, large trash pick up and trash removal. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , , .
There isn’t really any doubt in anyone’s mind that recycling is beneficial to us all. Just take a look at all the landfills in your area that are filled with plastics and other materials that will never break down. Those blue bins the trash company provides you with for separating bottles, paper goods, and cans for recycling should be a regular part of your daily routine. No one should even have to think about it anymore.
Certain substances can only be recycled; they do not degrade. If you’re planning on doing some cleaning in your home, make sure you know which ones they are. Textiles like rayon fall in this category, as do plastics and polymers. They’re built to be indestructible and they are, so make sure the junk removal company that takes them away is going to be recycling and not just dumping them. That old couch could become a new piece of furniture or a garment for someone. It still has a use. Throwing it into a landfill would be a waste and could poison the soil. Those dyes and wood preservatives they used to manufacture it are usually toxic.
If you’re not able to see the environmental benefit of recycling, consider the financial impact it has on our economy. Every year, hundreds of trees are cut down for paper goods and thousands of pounds of harmful emissions are released into the air by plastics factories. The economic impact of just these two actions is staggering. The trees need to be replaced because they’re our source of oxygen. The factories need to be refitted to lower emissions. Accomplishing either of these costs money – both the actual cost of the actions and the legislation and lobbying required for them to happen.
Some states have bottle bills that require a deposit on all plastic bottles and cans. The deposit is refunded when you return the empty containers, a good incentive for people to recycle. With the economy being the way it has been, you don’t even have to cash them in yourself. In most cities if you place your cans on the sidewalk in a paper bag someone will come by and get them. There are plenty of folks out of work who are happy to make their money five or ten cents at a time.
It’s important to recycle. There is also a responsibility that comes with doing it. Use the bins the way the trash removal company instructs you to because doing otherwise it will cost you and them more money.
When you have a large piece of furniture that you need taken away, don’t just leave it out for the trash trucks. Consider calling a junk removal company like Junk King that specializes in recycling and can bring the item someplace where it can do some good. The end result of actions like that will be cleaner air, land, and water, not to mention much-needed job creation in the recycling industry.

Top 5 Summer Recyclables

Published on July 27, 2011 in Recycle Furniture, Recycling and junk king. 0 Comments Tags: , , , .
What happens when summer is over and you need to get rid of those old air conditioners, extra refrigerators, and freezers? You can’t just put them out on the curb and expect your local waste disposal company to haul them away. They don’t do that anymore. You can’t just throw them into a landfill. That would add to the pollution we already have in our soil and water supply. In most cases, its best to just recycle them so someone else can get some use out of them.   (If you don’t know how to recycle these items on your own, give Junk King a call and let them handle it for you).   Here is our list of the top 5 summer recyclables.
1.  Appliances: The machinery and cooling elements in summertime appliances can be reused again, even if it seems to you that they’re at the end of their road. Those who specialize in appliance recycling know how to get the most out of every part – sometimes repairing and reselling the appliance as is, sometimes breaking it down and selling it piece by piece. When you see all those extra appliances hauled off at the beginning of fall, you should be certain that they are heading to a recycling center of some kind.  That way, you make sure the environment is protected.
2. Lawn and Gardening Equipment: If you don’t buy a new lawnmower during the off-season when prices are low, chances are you’re going to use the one you have until summer is over and then recycle it. Come September and October, people will be getting rid of hundreds of lawnmowers and other yard maintenance machinery and recycling it with small engine repair shops. There they will be repaired and resold or stripped for parts.
3. Your Used Car: Most folks don’t think of getting rid of a used car as recycling, but that is exactly what it is. The definition of the word is to “find a new purpose for” and selling your old Chevy to a young kid just starting out in life is exactly that. You could also have it hauled away for parts. Automobile graveyards are pretty common and can be a great place to find parts if you’re doing your own repairs. Some of them even drain and dispose of the fluids properly so the toxic chemicals don’t pollute the soil.
4.  Anything Plastic: Plastics do not break down when put into a landfill so they just pile up and take up more space every year. If you’re throwing bottles into a trash bag, please stop. You’re doing incredible damage to the earth every time the trash truck comes. Put them aside in a separate container and recycle them. Do the same with all those plastic toys you throw out at the end of summer. Just because they’re broken doesn’t mean they can’t be useful in another form.
5.  Aquatic Beach Equipment: This is a pretty broad category and many items in it could be tossed into the previous four categories we mentioned, but it all gets bunched together when homeowners throw it out. How many times have you seen an old row boat loaded with water skis, inner tubes, beach balls and broken Styrofoam boogy boards? People tend to throw those out in batches. Don’t do it. Summer might be over, but the life span of many of those items can be extended through recycling.

Holiday Recycling: Keeping it Green

Published on December 16, 2010 in Green Junk Removal, Recycle Furniture, Recycling and junk removal. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , .

The holidays are a great time for celebration.  It’s the time of year when family and friends come together, sometimes traveling from long distances. What’s not to celebrate? People around the country will be having a good time and not worrying about those everyday mundane things that normally occupy them throughout the year.  Although its always nice to let loose a little, we should always remember that the environment cannot be put on hold.  Recycling during the holidays is just as important, if not more important, in the ongoing battle of keeping our planet healthy for future generations.

So, without further adieu, I’d like to provide a few tips for Holiday Recycling:

- Recycle Your Gift Wrappers: We see it every year: the explosion of wrapping paper that flies across the house as excited kids voraciously dig into their presents.  Just because so much is going on, many of us simply collect all of those gift wrappers in a bag and forget to separate it for recycling.  That wrapping paper adds up – if every household does its part in recycling this it can make a big difference.

- Recycle Your Christmas Tree: Yes, your Christmas tree can be recycled and put to good use elsewhere.  If you bring your tree to the right recycling center it will get a new job after displaying ornaments and providing a home for your presents.    Your tree might be placed in a wildlife sanctuary to provide refuge for animals, or re-processed to create mulch.

- Recycle Your Holiday Cards: Just like gift wrapping, holiday cards can add up when put together (especially if you have twelve brothers and sisters, all with kids of their own, who are keen on sending cards for every occasion).  It’s as easy as separating the cards and making sure they end up in the recycling bin.

- Recycle Old Toys: Every holiday season, tons of old, broken, chipped and ripped toys get replaced with new models – the fancy, shiny, brand new items that will put a smile on any kid’s face.  This doesn’t just happen with kids, or toys.  Adults also get new gifts that replace their old items: a flat screen TV to replace that old boxy set or a brand new washer drier pair that puts the old clunky ones to shame.  We don’t often think about recycling these old, large items – but it’s just as important as the smaller things.  Although it can be a pain to haul our old toys out of the house and to the right recycling facility, it can make a big difference and is definitely worth it.

For any items, large or small, Junk King is here to serve you and our environment during the holidays.  Junk King is proud to offer eco-friendly hauling services during the holidays so that you can celebrate and get on with your life.  Simply call 1-800-995 JUNK or book a free on site estimate online.

Recycle…or face the penalty?

Published on August 24, 2010 in Recycle Furniture and Recycling. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , , .

Cleveland, Ohio is implementing a unique approach to ensure their citizens recycle on a regular basis.  Recycling bins in Cleveland will be outfitted with high-tech RFID Chips that let the city monitor if a bin is taken to the curbside on a regular basis.  If city officials see that the bin isn’t getting used regularly, they will allows trash collectors to check curbside garbage bins for properly sorted materials.  Incorrect sorting (finding materials that should have been recycled) will result in a $100 fine.

This new recycling system will be implemented for all Cleveland residents (480,000 people) within the next several years.  The system was previously tested with a pilot program of 15,000 households, starting in 2007.  Although the measure is already receiving some criticism due to concerns of privacy invasion, Cleveland’s administration is steadfast in its new program.

There was plenty of incentive to cover the program’s projected bill of $9 million.  From TriplePundit.com:  “For every ton of trash taken to the landfill, the city pays $30; on average, the city nets about $26 for each ton of recycled materials. “

Although punitive measures seem extreme – an increase in recycling ends up being better for everyone. The city, economy, citizens and environment all benefit from a boost in everyday recycling.   As more junk is recycled and reused, less junk ends up our country’s landfills.   In addition, more recycling means less of a need for the production of raw materials like paper.

Although ‘recycle monitors’ haven’t yet spread to cities across the country, it could end up that way as cities look for ways to save money and increase environmental awareness.   Let’s be realistic – people who don’t regularly recycle aren’t necessarily anti-environment,  but simply might not have the time or knowledge to get it done.  The sudden influx of eco-friendly marketing in the media could also be overwhelming to some people who are just trying to get by.

The best way to recycle is to take it one step at time: learn what types of materials can be recycled on an everyday basis.  There are several guides online that can help with the details of recycling.  Some larger items (furniture, appliances, construction waste) are harder to classify as recyclable (especially when broken up). These items also can’t simply be placed in the recycling bin and placed on the curb; they need to be hauled to the correct recycling facility.

For these large items, a reliable and eco-friendly Junk Removal company like Junk King can be useful by saving a homeowner a lot of time and trouble.  Junk King provides a professional and affordable hauling service that recycles up to 60% of all hauled materials.

Bay Area Junk Recycling

Published on August 11, 2010 in Bay Area Junk Removal, Junk King San Carlos, Recycle Furniture and Recycling. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , .

The San Francisco Bay Area is truly a beautiful part of the country.  Every year, millions of tourists visit the San Francisco Bay Area to check out historic sites like the Golden Gate Bridge, Fisherman’s Wharf, Chinatown and Golden Gate Park.  Not only does the Bay Area have man-made attractions but also a plethora of natural wonders. Curvy roads run up and down the coast, cutting through quaint beach towns and providing incredible views of the Pacific. To the North of San Francisco lies Marin County, which is home to Mount Tamalpais, a variety of old growth Redwood Forests and a pristine coastline.  To the South lies the Peninsula, which boasts even more natural wilderness contained in the Santa Cruz Mountains.

One thing that Bay Area residents are particularly known for is their resepect for the environment around them.  This tendency makes sense, considering the natural grandeur that surrounds most Bay Area communities.  Recycling is big in the Bay Area.  The standard citizen makes a point to recycle their waste on a regular basis.  In addition to respecting the environment, many Bay Area laws further a green agenda, pushing landlords, businesses, and people to sort their trash by composting and recycling.

Although Bay Area resident have a hold on recycling their everyday waste, such as food, cardboard and cans, they still can find trouble with recycling larger items.  Walking around a standard San Francisco street you might see couches, desks, and other old furniture items on the curb. Especially during the summer moving months, many large items are discarded while people are in transition from one home to another.

People don’t mean wrong by leaving these large items on the sidewalk.  Their line of thinking is: “although I don’t want this piece of furniture anymore, someone else could possibly still use it.” However, these large items often don’t end up in the right places.  If they aren’t picked up for use by another resident, they can be broken up over time and scattered across the city.   These plastic, wooden and metal furniture parts can end up in the city’s parks, soil, and natural environments.

A Bay Area resident that really wants to make sure their heavy furniture items end up in the right place should call on a Bay Area Junk Removal professional.  A junk hauling company can efficiently pick up heavy items and make sure they end up in the correct recycling facilities.  These are bonded professionals who care about providing a good service to customers while also respecting the environment around them by recycling junk.

Junk King is the leader in Bay Area Junk Removal and Hauling, providing efficient and eco-friendly services since 2005. If you live in the Bay Area, keep an eye out for the signature royal red Junk King trucks: you’ll see the great service they provide to local residents.  If you’re intersested in scheduling a free on site junk removal estimate, call 1-800-995 JUNK or book online.

Recycle Old Furniture

Published on June 10, 2010 in Green Junk Removal, Old Furniture Pick Up, Pick Up Old Furniture, Recycle Furniture and Recycling. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , .


There comes a time in every household when old pieces of furniture need to be disposed of.  Maybe it’s when the kids go off to college and you decide to buy some more upscale furniture.  Perhaps the new puppy went to work on those couches and coffee tables and replacements are in order.  Either way, replacing furniture means getting rid of the old stuff.  The question is: can getting rid of old furniture be done in an eco-friendly way?

Making the decision to recycle your old furniture is a big one, because it can end up impacting the environment around us.  Here are a few reasons why recycling old furniture is eco-friendly:

  • Recycling old furniture prevents the need for new material to be created and harvested from forests – your old furniture will end up getting scrapped and reused instead.
  • Recycling old furniture prevents all of the parts of your couches, chairs, tables and beds from ending up in a landfill.  If materials like cotton, wood and foam end up in a landfill they can decompose and release harmful chemicals and greenhouse gases into our atmosphere.
  • Recycling old furniture will end up saving precious energy – the amount of power necessary to recycle your old furniture is less than what it takes to build something from scratch.

So how do actually go about recycling your furniture?  Here are a few ways:

  • Break the furniture apart yourself and reuse parts for other projects around the house.  The wood from a table could be re-purposed for a building a new cupboard, and the upholstery from a couch could be used for designing new drapes.
  • Break the furniture apart yourself and drop it off at the proper recycling centers.  There are recycling centers around the country that accept various materials to be reused.  Just make sure you find the right center for the right materials.
  • Call in some furniture removal specialists who offer a recycling program.  Junk King, the best in old furniture removal and pick up, also makes sure that old furniture end up where it can be reused responsibly.

If you are interested in getting rid of your old furniture the green way, call Junk King at 1-800-995-JUNK or book a free on site appointment online.

Earth Day: How to Help

Published on April 22, 2010 in Earth Day, Green Junk Removal, Recycle Furniture and Recycling. 0 Comments Tags: , , , .


Earth day began in 1970 as a grassroots campaign to encourage people to respect the natural environment around us.  Since then, the annual holiday has gained a great deal of momentum. Today, a wide variety individuals and companies are making their own effort to give back to the earth.  There are a number of Earth Day causes and events that you can participate in to give back, however, it’s the little things that really matter.

Here are a few small things you can start doing on Earth Day to give back:

  • Eat and Buy Food Consciously: Buying organic and locally produced foods supports local growers and farms. This practice also helps prevent the unnecessary use of pesticides and energy for transporting foods over long distances.   Eating organic and locally grown foods also helps lessen your contribution to animal cruelty that takes place in centralized ‘factory farms.’  Not to mention, it’s often healthier and tastier.
  • Turn Off Your Electronics that aren’t in Use: A vast amount of energy is needlessly expended when electronic appliances are left on or plugged in.  Some primary types of electronics that contribute to wasted energy are TVs, phone chargers, computers and more.  Taking a moment every day to make sure a device is completely turned off and unplugged can really make a difference.
  • Save Water: Try taking a shorter shower or turning the water off while you are brushing your teeth or doing the dishes.  These small acts can accrue and help save precious water – which is fast becoming our planet’s most valuable (and scarce) commodity.
  • Use Reusable Grocery Bags: Help save a ton of paper and plastic by bringing along a few reusable grocery bags on your next shopping trip.  It’s really as simple as keeping a few spare bags in your car and carrying them into the store with you.
  • Get in the Habit of Recycling: Since 1970, recycling has come a long way, but it still has quite a way to go.  Everyone needs to help out and make sure they recycle whenever possible – it’s as easy as creating a separate waste container in your home or business or looking for the blue bin elsewhere.  For larger recycling jobs, it’s as simple as giving Junk King a call – we recycle up to 60% of the junk we pick up from your home or business and pride ourselves on being a green junk removal company.

HAPPY EARTH DAY!