What Can and Cannot Be Recycled

Campus California, founded in 2000, serves national and global communities with a variety of charitable services. In addition to fighting poverty, Campus California promotes and supports sustainable living and recycling practices.

Recent studies have shown that more Americans are recycling than ever before. In fact, recycling activities have doubled throughout the nation over the last two decades. However, as of 2011 only 58 percent of Americans claimed to recycle on a regular basis. While more than 75 percent of the waste Americans create annually is recyclable, only 30 percent of that trash is actually recycled. As the recycling trend continues to grow, individuals will need to learn exactly which products can and cannot be recycled.

For example, paper products rank among the simplest materials to recycle. Virtually any type of paper, ranging from white office paper to colored construction paper, can be recycled with ease. However, similar products such as napkins, tissue paper, and paper towels are not considered recyclable, as they often suffer from food contamination. Instead, households should attempt to cut back on paper towels by using cloth towels and rags whenever possible. Plastic bottle caps are another item that many people think are ready for recycling, but they should actually be removed from bottles prior to disposal. Bottle caps are constructed from a different type of plastic than that of bottles and can be disposed of only at certain facilities. Bottle caps can even pose a safety hazard to recycling plants that are not equipped to handle them.

Textile Recycling Is Key to Achieving San Francisco’s Zero-Waste Goal

Campus California is a non-profit organization focused on textile recycling in the San Francisco area. The organization provides free textile collection bins to provide convenient places for citizens to drop off unwanted clothing and shoes. Through its recycling work, Campus California is helping San Francisco Environment, a division of the City of San Francisco, pursue its goal of zero waste by 2020.

Although San Franciscans have earned status as the top city for recycling and composting in North America, citizens there still have a long way to go to achieve the zero-waste goal. According to San Francisco Environment, people of San Francisco send more than 39 million pounds of textiles to landfills each year. Recycling or reusing textiles helps reduce waste and conserve natural resources.

Currently, textiles, which include anything made of cloth or fabric, comprise 5.2% of landfill space. Many people do donate unwanted clothing and shoes to thrift stores, but do not realize that items such as mismatched socks or stained garments can also have a secondary purpose. Textile recyclers can often re-purpose used fabrics into cleaning cloths or extract fibers for many applications, such as carpet pads or insulating materials.

Moringa Oleifera Tree Offers Nutritional Benefits

A nonprofit group, Campus California supports efforts that alleviate poverty around the world. One of the organizations that Campus California partners with is the Richmond Vale Academy, located in St. Vincent and the Grenadines in the Caribbean. The academy is committed to environmental remediation efforts, like planting Moringa oleifera trees on the island of St. Vincent.

Dubbed the Miracle Tree, the Moringa oleifera tree provides numerous nutritional benefits, especially for communities in developing countries where access to healthy foods can be difficult. The tree originated in the Himalayas but is widely planted throughout South America and Africa. The entire plant is used for medicinal and nutritional purposes.

The immature pods can be consumed raw or cooked and offer essential amino acids and various vitamins. Possessing a peanut-like flavor, mature Moringa oleifera tree pods provide the same nutrients as the younger version and are typically fried before consumption. Both contain ben oil, which sustains its flavor and quality throughout its lifetime and can be used like olive oil. Other benefits of the tree include flower blossoms that are rich in potassium and calcium, and leaves filled with an exceptional amount of vitamins A and C. The leaves can be used as plant fertilizer and animal food.