Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. It's a tagline we've all heard and try to live by. But, it's often easy to overlook simple household recycling opportunities. Since America Recycles Day is coming up on November 15th, our agents decided to gather some of their favorite recycling tips.  

• Know Your Local Recycling Rules 
  If you've been looking at Bakersfield homes for sale, you'll want to get familiar with the local recycling rules and pick-up schedule. You can use your blue recycling bin to recycle things like cardboard, all types of mail, newspapers, and magazines as well steel and aluminum cans, green, brown, and clear glass, and plastic containers with the numbers 1 through 7 on them. To make sure you don't ruin the rest of the recyclables, you should keep garbage, plastic wrap, styrofoam, computer parts, and other prohibited items out of the recycling bin.
  
  
• Recycle Your Yard Waste 
  Many people don't realize they can recycle grass clippings, leaves, branches, and untreated wood. If you live in Bakersfield, you'll need to put these items in your brown bin and put it out on your collection day. Just make sure to avoid prohibited items like dirt, tumbleweed, pet waste, or palms. This also needs to stay separate from garbage and other recyclable items.
  
  
• Look for Ways to Donate
  One of the best ways to recycle items is to donate them to someone else who can make good use of them. Consider dropping items off at your favorite charity thrift store or other nonprofit organization. For example, women's shelters often accept gently used clothing, children's toys, books, and more. Animal shelters are often on the lookout for used towels, sheets, and blankets. You may even be able to find a nearby reuse artist who would love that bag of buttons, old pallets of wood, bottle caps, and other items you have sitting around your home. 
  
  
• Recycle Old Electronics 
  Since many electronic items can't go in the recycling or the trash, disposing of them can be a pain. If you have some things to get rid of, consider dropping them off at an e-waste recycling facility. You may also be able to find a nonprofit that takes unworking computers and uses them to build working computers for those in need. Some organizations will happily take your old cell phones and give them to senior citizens. If you need to get rid of broken appliances, check with your local trade schools or repair shops to see if they would like them before you throw them out. 

• Return Your Plastic Bags
  Plastic grocery bags should never go into your recycling bin, as they can get tangled up and damage the machines in the processing facility. However, that doesn't mean they're destined for the landfill. Most grocery stores and big-box stores have their own plastic bag collection bins. So next time you head out to the store, bring that giant bag full of bags with you and let them recycle them for you.
  
  
• Recycle Your Water
  Physical waste isn't the only thing we should think about recycling. Looking for ways to reuse water will also help preserve our planet's resources. Try watering your plants with leftover bottled water, pasta water, or the water you use to wash your vegetables. After a party, dump your cooler full of ice out on the lawn instead of into the sink. You could also place a bucket in the shower to collect the water that would otherwise go to waste while you're waiting for it to warm up. Later, you can use it to water your garden. 

If looking for your dream home in the Bakersfield area, the experienced agents at Watson Realty are here to help! Contact us today to discuss your goals and get started.