The simple fact of the matter is that the landfills in which we deposit our trash are quickly running out of space. Our over-strained landfills also create public health risks by polluting ground water and surrounding soil.

Keeping your various recyclables separated is easy with the butterfly recycler from simplehuman. Featuring dual removable buckets, the butterfly recycler keeps your cans and bottles neatly organized.

Below are a few common household recyclables and tips on how to responsibly dispose of them. Remember to reduce, reuse and recycle and help conserve our natural resources while taking some of the burden off of our crowded landfills.

newspaper
Newspaper is, and has been, one of the most widely recycled consumer products. Newspaper is made of a uniform consistency making it particularly valuable to recyclers. Check with your municipal government to see how papers are recycled in your neighborhood. Most major metropolitan areas now offer door-to-door pickup for newspaper, aluminum and other common recyclables.

glass
Many of the glass bottles and containers that we use on a day-to-day basis are easily recycled. Recycling symbols are often shown prominently on the bottom of these containers. Follow your local city ordinances closely, because many areas do not allow mixing of different types of glass, such as auto glass, tableware and mirrors, because some may contain different elements. It is no longer necessary to remove labels for recycling.

aluminum
Aluminum cans are amongst the most widely recycled solid wastes. Americans have recycled some 600 billion cans since the early 1970's, and recycled two out of every three cans produced in 1993. Recycling cans is both environmentally and fiscally responsible, as recycling cans has earned Americans more than 6.4 billion dollars. Compact your cans to save space and be sure to rinse them out unless you want to attract ants into your kitchen!

mixed paper
Mixed paper recycling is becoming increasingly commonplace. In order for paper to be recycled, it must be clean, dry and free of food, plastic, wax and other contamination. Generally, plastic window envelopes and staples don't interfere with the recycling process and do not need to be removed.

cardboard
Although cardboard recycling programs are not yet as widespread as glass, aluminum and newspaper programs, it is still easily recycled. If such a program is not available in your neighborhood, take your excess corrugated card to local supermarkets and warehouses where it is often stored and reused. Contaminated cardboard, such as an oily pizza box cannot be recycled.

additional facts:

• The 53 million pounds of aluminum recycled in 1972 is exceeded on a weekly basis today.
• Every minute, nearly 120,000 aluminum cans are recycled.
• Americans have recycled about 600 billion cans since the early 1970's, earning Americans more than $6.4 billion.
• 2 out of 3 aluminum cans were recycled in 1993.
• Recycling one aluminum can saves enough energy to keep a tv on for 3 hours.
• A recycled aluminum can returns to the shelf in as little as 90 days. This means a consumer could purchase the same can 4 times every year!
• Recycling glass requires 25-30% less energy than making the glass from virgin materials.
• Recycling all of your home's waste newsprint, cardboard, glass and metal can reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 850 pounds a year.
• Every Sunday, nearly 500,000 trees are wasted in the United States because only 10% of newspaper is recycled.
• One tree can filter as much as 60 pounds of pollutants from the air every year.
• The average American generates 4.4 pounds of waste per day.
• Recycling and composting recovered around 24% or 49 million tons of solid waste in 1994.