Archive for the 'Recycling' 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.

Things you can do for Earth Day 2011

Published on April 13, 2011 in Earth Day, Green Junk Removal and Recycling. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , .
Earth Day 2011 is fast approaching on April 22nd. As most of you probably already know, earth day is a time where people can appreciate the earth and natural environment around us.  Earth day is also an opportunity to become more aware of our currently fragile eco-system, how we’ve impacted it, and what we can do to make things better.
For that reason, we’d like to provide a list of several things we all can do in 2011 to help the cause and make sure that future generations inherit a clean earth.
Start Recycling Now – This one seems like a no-brainer, however a surprising percentage of the population still does not participate in regular recycling.  Reusing recyclable materials is one of the keys to cutting down on our overall eco-footprint on the earth, so this one is really important.  Don’t wait another day – start recycling right away.
Get Your Kids Involved – In many cases our children tend to follow in our footsteps.  That’s why we really want to make sure that those footsteps are green!  Getting your kids involved early with recycling can help them carry those activities on when they finally go off to college.  Also, providing your children with an eco-friendly mindset will give them a valuable knowledge base for their futures (which may very well depend on clean energy and green technology).
Host a Paper Shredding Party –  You’d be blown away at how much paper is sitting around the average person’s house.  Think about your own house – how many stacks of old schoolwork, junk mail and bills are just sitting around the house.  Although we all mean to recycle these items, they can often get thrown in the wrong bin in a frenzy of cleaning chaos.  That’s why making a fun group activity aimed at recycling, like a paper shredding party can prevent any possible paper mishaps.
Start Composting - Most people think of food waste as ‘organic’ so they think it doesn’t matter where it ends up.  However, waste that ends up in a landfill can contribute to hazardous chemicals in our environment. Composting might seem like a very daunting task to those who aren’t familiar with it.  However, the basics of it are fairly simple.  Check out on online composting guide or do some basic research and you’ll be composting in no time.
Adopt a Pet from a Shelter - People across the country are buying new pets – dogs, cats, rabbits, birds or any other type of domestic animal you can think of.  Although we like to be able to pick the exact breed and type of pet we get, it’s far more humane to adopt a needy pet from a shelter.  You won’t have the same variety or breadth of choice, but these animals can be just as loving and fun; plus, they need a home.  So if you’re thinking about getting a pet any time soon, make a great earth day 2011 choice and adopt from a shelter.

Recycle Your E-Waste Today!

Published on April 4, 2011 in E-waste Removal, Green Junk Removal, Recycling and junk recycling. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , , .

The Chicago Tribune recently published an interesting article regarding the status of electronic waste, or e-waste in this country. From the Tribune: “On average, each U.S. household has about 24 electronic gadgets, according to the Consumer Electronics Association. About 2 million tons of unwanted electronic items accumulate every year nationwide, but less than 20 percent is recycled, according to the EPA. The rest end up in landfills, where toxic materials such as lead, mercury and beryllium can leak, posing human health and environmental problems.”

One of the reasons why e-waste is such a prevalent problem lately is because of the tremendous pace of technological advancement. A five-year old computer is now considered outdated – although it might be able to do the basics like word processing it will probably have trouble trying to perform any advanced functions like playing movies, games or viewing high-bandwidth websites.

The same trend goes for printers, copy machines, shredders and televisions.  In fact, televisions are one of the largest sourced of e-waste as people toss out their old boxy sets for flat screen and HDTVs that are rapidly dropping in price.  This rate of technological progression, coupled with the round-the-clock marketing campaigns by manufacturers to ‘upgrade’ your electronics, has made e-waste the fastest growing portion of garbage in the United States.

This trend certainly isn’t going to slow down anytime soon either.  All signs point to a continued rate of advancing rate technology (as well as marketing), which translates to more and more e-waste over the next decade or so.  Although US local and federal agencies like the Environmental Protection Agency are pushing legislation to curb irresponsible disposal of e-waste, this simply won’t be enough.

People around the country need to take a stand and realize that e-waste ending up in landfills can dramatically affect the environment and eco-system around us.  The decisions that citizens make today will truly make a difference in the quality of life of the next several generations.

So what can you do?  Walk around your house and label all your old electronics with a post-it note.  These are the items that are sitting around, not getting used and are bound for the trash can or dump at some point without prior intervention.  On a weekend, gather all of these items and find a nearby recycling center that you can bring them to.

Don’t have the time or manpower to haul out these items?  Give Junk King a call at 1-800-995-JUNK.  Junk King will make sure to responsibly haul away your e-waste items by bringing them to the correct facilities.

A Bit of Green Reading: The Best Green Blogs & News Sources

Published on March 10, 2011 in Bay Area Junk Removal, Green Junk Removal, Recycling, green blogs and junk recycling. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , .

The world around us getting a fresh layer of paint – green paint that is.  Everywhere you look, from TV commercials to news stories, green and eco-friendly initiatives are taking center stage.  Although companies around the world are trying to harness the ‘green revolution,’ this isn’t a bad thing.   If small and large companies make it both their civic and corporate duty to become a little bit greener, it will benefit both our environment and economy in the long run.

One problem, however, is the amount of information we’re all getting bombarded with on “what’s green.”   Is being green simply recycling your plastics on a regular basis, bringing a reusable bag to the grocery store and riding your bike every so often?  Or is green a total change in your lifestyle; always thinking about your ‘carbon footprint’ and how much effect your actions will have on the environment around us?  These questions are really up for every individual person to answer, however, we aren’t alone in making our decisions.

There are some great online sources on green information: providing tips on recycling, clean energy technology, composting, and pretty much every other environmental subject you could think of.   Using these up-to-date blog and news sources, we can be more informed on how to be green, and in turn make the right decisions throughout our lives.   So, without further ado, here are a few great picks for green blogs and news sources:

SFGreen from SFGate.com: The San Francisco Bay Area may be considered the hub of the green revolution.  Bay Area citizens and businesses not only preach an eco-friendly lifestyle, but they also back up those words with real actions and change.  The Bay Area’s primary news source, the San Francisco Chronicle, and it’s online presence SFGate.com, reflect this commitment to the environment.  SFGate.com has a specialized eco-friendly section called SFGreen, which provides current news stories on the latest and greatest green trends and research.

Waste and Recycling News: Waste and Recycling news primarily concentrates on businesses around America, and the current effect they are having on our environment.  From breaking news on environmental legislation to providing bios on those companies that are making a difference, Waste and Recycling is another great source to follow.

The Daily Green: For those of us that are most concerned with our own everyday actions and how we effect the environment, the Daily Green is a fantastic blog to keep informed.  With sections like ‘The Greenest Celebrities’ to show those stars who are really making a  difference in the world, the Daily Green provides the perfect mix of entertainment and information to keep you reading on a regular basis.

Junk King’s Recycling Section: You might not know it, but the Junk King blog has an entire section devoted to junk recyling and green living.  The section covers a variety of topics, from how to recycle large appliances like your refrigerator to current events in the world of recycling.   Stay tuned to the Junk King blog for continued coverage on our ongoing battle to preserve the environment around us.

Old TV Disposal – Let the Pros Handle the E-Waste

Published on March 2, 2011 in E-waste Removal, Recycling, TV disposal and junk removal. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , , .
Way back when, (actually just a couple of years ago) the first generation of plasma TVs hit the market and quickly became all the rage. They also came with a very hefty price tag. Even a small screen version would set you back around $10,000. Today, that same size television could be yours for less than a thousand dollars. How the times have changed!
The moment you unplug that old set to replace it with the high-grade, high-def set it has become e-waste. The “e” stands for electronic and the waste, well, you know what that means. There’s one thing about e-waste that not many people realize: it can be extremely hazardous. Yes, that little box that has brought you hours upon hours of entertainment can actually turn deadly if just tossed on a scrap heap. That’s why when it’s time for a new television, you should get rid of the old one the proper way with a company that specializes in TV and e-waste disposal.
Busting a television screen can release some noxious fumes. If those chemicals are inhaled or allowed to seep into the ground that’s going to be bad. This is why e-waste needs to be handled like the hazardous material that it is. You’re not in any danger from a television until it is busted open. Even without the bad chemicals, shards of glass and pieces of circuitry boards are extremely dangerous. This has become a serious problem for poorer countries that take the e-waste and dump in outside their cities. People then pick through the garbage looking for parts to sell themselves and they end up with some serious health concerns.
When you hire a licensed junk removal company they should be able to tell you exactly where your television is going to end up. You shouldn’t have to settle for “don’t worry, we’ve got you covered.” If you are getting rid of your television the right way, then it might also be time to go through the house and see what other e-waste could be disposed off. Old computers, monitors and even cell phones can all be put into the e-waste category. Basically if you had to plug it in to power it and now it’s broken then its e-waste.
Some people have tried putting old televisions on the street with a sign: “It’s free and it works.”  That might be okay for an hour. Any longer than that and you’ve got increased chances for sun damage, rain, dog marking or even a curious bystander knocking it over. Then nobody will want it and you’re right back where you started from. Do it right from the beginning by calling in the pros.

Junk King is on standby to handle all your old tv disposal and e-waste removal needs.  Simply call 1-800-995 JUNK or book a free on site estimate online.

A New Age of Recycling Your Refrigerator

Published on February 23, 2011 in Pick Up Old Furniture, Recycling, Refrigerator Disposal, Refrigerator Recycling and junk hauling. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , .

General Electric just announced a groundbreaking program that will hopefully help reduce the amount of waste in our country’s landfills as well as prevent some toxic chemicals from getting released into our environment. GE’s program specifically is related to recycling refrigerators across the country.

There are approximately nine million refrigerators thrown out in the United States every year. Many of these refrigerators can contribute to releasing dangerous chemicals such as hydroflourocarbons into the atmosphere.  GE’s new program will attempt to cut these emissions down drastically.

From Earthtechling.com: “General Electric joined with Appliance Recycling Centers of America (ARCA) to supply used-refrigerators from a six-state region to ARCA’s center in Pennsylvania, where the discarded machines will be put through a sealed and fully-automative system that captures harmful elements from the insulating foam found in used appliances.”

GE is smart to tap into an eco-friendly trend that is sweeping across the country.  Consumers are now more likely to buy appliances like refrigerators from companies that are making a commitment to helping the future environment.  GE’s commitment to properly recycling refrigerators as well as other appliances in the future is a big step for a major US corporation.

Junk King is another corporation that has made a commitment to properly recycling household appliances.  Every year Junk King helps consumers and businesses across the country get rid of their clutter and junk in an eco-friendly manner.  Much of this junk consists of large household items that are hard for people to haul off on their own, such as refrigerators, washers, dryers, grills and hot tubs.  Junk King’s professional hauling teams not only provide the man-power to whisk such items into their trucks, but they also have the know-how to bring these large items to proper recycling facilities.

If you need to get rid of your refrigerator (or any other appliance) in an eco-friendly manner simply call Junk King at 1-800-995 JUNK or book an appointment online.

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.