Archive for the 'Recycling' Category

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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.

America’s Recycle Day

Published on November 12, 2010 in Green Junk Removal and Recycling. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , .

America’s Recycle Day falls every year on November 15th.  Since 1997 this day has been promoted as a grassroots movement to recognize the various recycling programs across the country.  The essential message is that on this one day per year we can really get hyped about recycling.  Although to make a big difference recycling is a job for every day of the year, it also helps to have a centralized time that we can all rally around.

So, what are some things you can do on America’s Recycle Day to help out?  Here are a few:

- Make Your Recycling Resolutions: Just like when people make New Years Resolutions on the 1st day of the new year, America’s Recycle Day can be when you set your recycle resolutions for the upcoming year.  This means setting a schedule – determine what, when, and how you are going to regularly recycle at home, at the office and on the go.  What actions do you need to take to make recycling a habit?  Do you need to get up earlier, walk a different route, or shop at a different store?  If you make a comprehensive and realistic game plan your Recycling Resolutions can become a reality.

- Spread The Word – Use the modern technology at your disposal to spread the word about recycling.  Although simply talking about recycling with your family and peers can make a difference, technology can make the conversation a lot easier.  Whether it be Facebook, Twitter, or your personal blog; link to some relevant and interesting recycling content to get people interested on America’s Recycle Day.

- Work With Your Local Community:  There are many planned community events that are expected to happen on America’s Recycle Day in your local area.  Try to take part in these events to raise awareness on recycling as well as to actually put in some hard work for our environment.  Beyond that, try to work together with your neighbors to set a community wide recycling policy (beyond whatever city-wide polices are already in place).

Junk King fully supports America Recycles Day and is standing by to pick up and recycle those large items (couches, mattresses, refrigerators, washing machines, trunks etc.) that are too big for you to recycle. Simply call 1-800-995 JUNK to a book a free on site estimate, and save $30 when you book online.

SF Giants Help Out with Bay Area Recycling

Published on October 13, 2010 in Bay Area Junk Removal, Green Junk Removal, Recycling, Uncategorized, junk hauling, junk hauling business and junk king. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , , .

Those of us who live in the San Francisco Bay Area have been really excited about something recently: the San Francisco Giants.  Earlier this month, the Bay Area hometown team won the National League West Division for the first time since 2003 and since they’ve gone on to defeat the Atlanta Braves in the first round of the playoffs.

Not only are the Giants giving Bay Area fans a sport to root for in October, but they are also are helping out California’s environment with a monumental recycling program.  The Giant’s home field, AT&T Park, boasts a recycling program that recycled nearly 75% of all its collected waste last year.  That’s approximately 1,750 tons of junk that was recycled and avoided ending up in a landfill.

From Reuters: “The Giants are the best in the West, and just might be the best recyclers in all of baseball,” SF Environment Director Melanie Nutter said in a statement. “This level of recycling is incredibly high for a ballpark and may even be the highest in the country for this type of facility.”

Getting the recycling program at AT&T park to such a high performance level wasn’t easy.  Not only are there more than 100 recycling receptacles in public areas throughout the ballpark, but the Giants management team also has made a commitment to training its custodial staff in sorting out recyclable materials.

The Giants aren’t the only Bay Area organization that has made a commitment to recycling.  Junk King, the Bay Area’s greenest junk hauling company, also has an award winning recycling program.  To date, Junk King has saved nearly 2,282,500 tons from local landfills due to its environmentally friendly hauling practices.  Junk King’s professional hauling teams have been trained to make sure that the household items they pick up end up in a recycling facility instead of a landfill.

Today, Junk King franchises around the country are starting to spread the green outlook by taking these eco-friendly practices to cities outside of the Bay Area.  So, if you see one of Junk King’s red trucks in your local community – get ready for a ‘green overhaul.’

The Three States of College Transition

Published on September 23, 2010 in Furniture Pick Up, Old Furniture, Old Furniture Pick Up, Recycling and junk removal. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , , .

In a variety of ways, college kids can generate a great volume of junk.  Whether they are leaving home for the first time, changing their dorm rooms, or moving out of  their first apartments, there always is a ton of waste left in their rear view.  These times of transition are often very hectic, both for the kids involved as well as their parents.  I’d like to take a look at the ‘three states of college transition’ and how the waste left behind can potentially be put to good use.

1.  Home to Dorm Move

The transition of an 18 year-old to their college dorm can leave their parent’s home in a state of disarray. First of all, their old room is in limbo: should it be transformed into a guest room, exercise center, study, or entertainment mecca?  The old bedroom is not the only affected area of the house.  There are pieces of furniture, old toys and clothes, TVs, bikes, hobby sets, as well as ping pong and pool tables that will no longer be used by the college-bound freshman.

It’s left up to the parents to navigate the waters from here.  The first step is to take inventory of everything that will no longer be necessary – the clutter and junk items.  The next step is to plan what do with all of the extra room.  Is new furniture required?  Is a total redecoration in order?  The final step is to figure out how to haul away all of that junk.  Many of the old clothes and toys can be donated to organizations like the Salvation Army.  Larger items can be sold for reuse if they are in good condition on a site like Craigslist, or otherwise hauled away to be recycled at the proper facilities.

2.  Dorm to Apartment Move

This second state of college transition often occurs when a student moves off-campus to their first apartment.  This means they will be buying their own furniture for the first time (another time to use Craigslist).  This also means they won’t need a lot of that ‘dorm only’ equipment that their parents helped them buy a few years back.  This includes shower caddies, mattress pads, mini-fridge / microwave combos, plastic drawers as well as a number of other novelty dorm items.  Although some universities help out with getting rid of all this junk, for the most part the fledgling apartment dweller will be required to dispose of everything on their own in a responsible manner.

3.  Apartment to Real World Move

This final state of transition happens when a college student moves out of their first apartment into the ‘real world.’ This could mean another apartment closer to a (hopeful) new job, moving in with a significant other, or transitioning to a different city.  No matter where life is taking them, this newly minted member of the workforce will be required to deal with quite a bit of apartment junk that has accumulated over the past few years.

This junk could include an old, heavy couch-set split among roommates, large boxy Televisions, Ikea-bought dining room furniture and old mattresses that certainly won’t make it to the next apartment.  With a new job on the line, our ex-student most likely won’t be fully ‘with it’ in terms of making plans to get rid of all of these items.

In fact, for any and all stages of college transition, students are going through a hectic time in their lives where they probably aren’t spending much time to think about what they are leaving behind.  That’s why hiring a professional, affordable and eco-friendly junk removal service can make all the difference in making a smooth transition. No hassles, no worries, and a guarantee that all of those useless items find their way to the proper recycling facilities.

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!

Recycling Computer Equipment

Published on March 23, 2010 in Green Junk Removal, Junk Removal Franchise, Recycling and junk hauling. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , .

It is undeniable that humans have contributed to a growing environmental crisis. Our civilization has placed an exteme burden on the planet’s natural resources and many eco-systems.  Even though it will be an uphill climb, we need to start taking action to reverse these effects before it’s too late.

There are a myriad of ways that people can contribute to the green movement: from recycling newspapers to driving modern electric cars. I’d like to focus on one specific way that people can contribute – recycling computer equipment.  Throwing away used computer hardware, laptops, LED monitors, hard drives, RAM, webcams, batteries or any similar equipment can have a devastating effect if the junk ends up in our landfills.

From nysscpa.org: Most of the environmental concerns with computers lie with the monitor, specifically its cathode ray tube (CRT). Each color monitor contains, on average, four to five pounds of lead, considered hazardous waste when disposed of, according to EPA standards. Computers also contain other hazardous materials, including mercury, cadmium (a known carcinogen), and hexavalent chromium (shown to cause high blood pressure, iron-poor blood, liver disease, and nerve and brain damage in animals).

Because of the rate of technological progression and the need to ‘upgrade’ to the latest computer equipment, people very often end up with ‘junk’ hardware sitting around the house.   Whether its that humongous computer monitor sitting in a dusty corner or a box of used keyboards and wires, it can be difficult for some of us to make the effort to properly dispose of these technological relics.  It is extremely important that when this computer junk is thrown out, it is recycled in a responsible manner so that it stays out of our country’s landfills.

For those who don’t have the time or manpower to properly dispose of their computer equipment, Junk-King offers an affordable, efficient, and eco-friendly junk removal service.

The Difficulty in Recycling

Published on February 26, 2010 in Green Junk Removal, Recycling and junk recycling. 0 Comments Tags: , , , .

Do you sometimes find it difficult to recycle?  When you face the choice of just throwing something out or recycling it, it’s almost always easier to throw things away in a conventional manner.  We’ve all been in that situation: holding an empty can or bottle without a recycling bin in sight.  We most often end up settling for a trash can.

We all know how recycling can help the environment, and especially in today’s world how recycling our waste is seen as an obligation to our neighbors and society at large.  So how do we find the proper balance between time and good-will and get in the habit of regularly recycling?  I’d like to take a moment to provide five ways in various situations that we can get in the groove of recycling more often.

  1. Make a List: It never hurts to make a list to keep track of your everyday activities.  There are often several points during your normal day where you may have an opportunity to recycle, but simply don’t.  Sit down and make a list that maps out your day and when you might normally throw out trash (on the way out the door, after lunch, etc.).  Next time you encounter that time of day you’re far more likely to recycle.
  2. Create a Habit: We all know it’s pretty hard to kick a bad habit; the same often goes for good habits like recycling.  Most of us have been habituated to throw our waste away in a trash can, just because we’ve repeatedly done that throughout our lives.  If you make recycling a game or goal, it can become easier to keep than you think.
  3. Create a Company Culture: If you are in charge of a company, or simply want to make difference where you work, creating a company recycling culture can be a great way to get a large group of people into the habit of recycling.  Think of an innovative way to make people look for those blue recycling bins: maybe everyone could initial their cans and bottles and win a ‘point’ for each recycled item, with the end goal of winning some sort of prize.
  4. Use an Eco-friendly Junk Removal Service: It’s often an even bigger hassle to recycle large or heavy items like scrap metal, old brick foundations, or computer equipment.  Junk-King provides an eco-friendly junk removal service that recycles up to 60% of the total hauled waste.  For those items that you can’t recycle yourself, be sure to consider Junk-King’s affordable services.
  5. Set an Example: You’d be surprised at how people might look up to you if you start recycling on a regular basis.  Whether it’s at the office, at home, or out and about, you can pass on the recycling ‘vibe’ by smoothly and swiftly depositing your trash in that blue bin.