Stop by the store for this week’s list or open the latest package on the doorstep and consider where it came from. Not just where, but more importantly how was it made. “Mr. Rogers” was my first insight into the origin of common household items nearly 40 years ago as he regularly featured factories, farms and shops that produced everything from sugar to instruments. Though it never occurred to me then, now I wonder how much recycling factors into the products I can buy.
First, companies need a pool of recyclable material for their factories. Keep Alliance Beautiful, and other organizations and municipalities, facilitate the efforts of citizens to keep what would have otherwise been trash in the manufacturing process. Second, the same people that dropped off a bag of pop bottles or a pickup load of cardboard at the KAB recycling center can make a point to buy products that use recycled materials. Being part of the demand for these products helps “close the loop” and encourages more entrepreneurs to offer their own green wares.
Not sure where to look for items made from recycled materials or environmentally friendly sources? Check the packaging. The box often proclaims facts such as how much of the paperboard was made from post consumer content, or there is a spot that tells the product’s narrative — perhaps it was made in a carbon neutral facility or grown in a sustainable forest. Search the internet by product or company for information on green alternatives.
Price and availability are factors to consider. Check with local merchants to see if they carry alternatives from recyclable sources to what you already buy. Depending on the product, the price may be higher to switch. However, the difference in cost supports the use of fewer virgin resources. For our location in rural Nebraska some offerings may only be available online.
Staples, such as groceries, are a good place to start when researching how to transition to greener choices. Even if you cannot discover much difference you can still commit to starting the process by recycling packaging.
Occasional purchases, on the other hand, involve more thought than the week’s menu. It may be more appealing to invest in a long-term product made from recycled materials. According to cleandrecoverplastics.org it takes 10 plastic bottles for a t-shirt or 63 for a sweater. The website notes, 14 bottles create enough insulation (fiberfill) for a ski jacket, while 114 is enough for a sleeping bag. Bottles are shredded into pellets, melted and made into yarn or insulation.
It is refreshing to see the wide variety of products available online either made totally or on part from recycled content. I encourage people who are shopping for just about anything to take a few minutes and review the green alternative. In some cases there may not be much to compare, but when there is it may be just what you’re looking for. The more people who create a demand for recyclable-derived products the greater potential for variety and more affordable choices.