Garbage. Americans produce more and more of it every year, when we need to be producing less. Even the most waste-con-scious among us can feel overwhelmed by the amount of household waste that goes beyond what municipal recyclers and compost bins can handle. That’s why our editors spent the summer of 2007 investigating the state of waste management in our country, putting this list togther for you, explaining how we can get serious about the three R’s – reducing, reusing, and recycling — and divert more waste away from landfills.

1. Appliances: B-thrifty accepts working appliances, www.bthrifty.com, or you can contact the Steel Recycling Institute to recycle them. 800/YES-1-CAN, www.recycle-steel.org.

2.Batteries: Rechargeables and single-use: Battery Solutions, 734/467-9110, www.batteryrecycling.com.

3. Cardboard boxes: Contact local nonprofits and women’s shelters to see if they can use them. Or, offer up used cardboard boxes at your local Freecycle.org listserv or on Craigslist.org for others who may need them for moving or storage. If your workplace collects at least 100 boxes or more each month, UsedCardboardBoxes.com accepts them for resale.

4. CDs/DVDs/Game Disks: Send scratched music or computer CDs, DVDs, and PlayStation or Nintendo video game disks to AuralTech for refinishing, and they’ll work like new: 888/454-3223,
www.auraltech.com.

5. Clothes: Wearable clothes can go to B-thrifty, call 703.496.5100. Donate wearable women’s business clothing to Dress for Success, which gives them to low-income women as they search for jobs, 212/532- 1922, www.dressforsuccess.org. Offer unwearable clothes and towels to local animal boarding and shelter facilities, which often use them as pet bedding. Consider holding a clothes swap at your office, school, faith congregation or community center. Swap clothes with friends and colleagues, and save money on a new fall wardrobe and back-to-school clothes.

6. Compact fluorescent bulbs: Take them to your local IKEA store for recycling: www.ikea.com.

7. Sports equipment: Resell or trade it at your local Play It Again Sports outlet, 800/476-9249, www.playitagainsports.com.

8. Computers and electronics: Find the most responsible recyclers, local and national, at www.ban.org/pledge/Locations.html.

9. Exercise videos: Swap them with others at www.videofitness.com.

10. Eyeglasses: Your local Lion’s Club or eye care chain may collect these. Lenses are reground and given to people in need.

11. Foam packing: Your local pack-and-ship store will likely accept foam peanuts for reuse. Or, call the Plastic Loose Fill Producers Council to find a drop-off site: 800/828-2214. For places to drop off foam blocks for recycling, contact the Alliance of Foam Packaging Recyclers, 410/451-8340, www.epspackaging.org/info.html

12. Ink/toner cartridges: Recycleplace.com pays $1/each.

13. Miscellaneous: Get your unwanted items into the hands of people who can use them. Bring them up to B-thrifty, located at 13412 Jefferson Davis Hwy., Woodbridge, VA.

14. Oil: Find Used Motor Oil Hotlines for each state: 202/682-8000, www.recycleoil.org.

15. Phones: Donate cell phones: Collective Good will refurbish your phone and sell it to someone in a developing country: 770/856-9021, www.collectivegood.com. Call to Protect reprograms cell phones to dial 911 and gives them to domestic violence victims: www.donateaphone.com. Recycle single-line phones: Reclamere, 814/386-2927, www.reclamere.com.

By July / Food, Laughter and Happily Ever After/blogspot.com

I’ve said it before and I will say it again a million times… I LOVE John and Sherry of Young House Love! I look at their blog daily… sometimes twice a day! Last Friday they issued a challenge based on the new Macklemore song.

Step #1. Go to a thrift shop with – just as the chorus of the song says – “$20 in your pocket” and take a picture.

I visited B Thrifty in Woodbridge, Virginia (13412 Jefferson Davis Hwy Woodbridge, VA 22191) this was my first time at this thrift store and after such a successful shopping trip it will not be my last. I was armed with my $20 and my trusty shopping partners (Hunter and my mom) and boy did we make out!

I mean how we could not find something good…look how massive this store is! Also, look at all of that furniture!

Step #2 was to spend your $20 any way you’d like and photograph your spoils.

The first thing that caught my eye was this gorgeous bronze bowl… With a little rub n’ Buff I’m sure that I can get this thing shinning. I plan to use it on the counter in my bathroom. it can either hold small soaps or jewelry that I take off at night. At only $4.99 it was already a steal but I managed to only pay $2.50! ** more on that discount later!

Here is what I did end up purchasing…

This great solid wood trashcan was only marked $5.99… I got for $3… I plan to paint the sides a pink color and will add Emma’s monogram in purple vinyl.

Brand new scented drawer liners for $4.99… I Paid $2.50. This will be perfect in Emma’s room as well

This large grey plastic elephant was only 99 cents! I scored for 50 cents!!!
The best purchase of the day however was this GREAT chair!!! It was $9.99 and I paid $5.00! I couldn’t pass it up! I had been looking for a desk chair for Emma’s room for over a month and I knew that I could make this one work the second I saw it.

Here is my final bill!

Yes I got all of this… for only $15.75.

I received a 50% discount because the cashier asked what I was taking photos for and I mentioned that I was doing it for this blog! They are actually looking to start a blog themselves about projects that people have done from items found in their store and I plan to provide them with photos of what I did. I’m so excited to share all of the fun things that I will be able to do with the items I purchased…

Do you want a discount??? B Thrifty offers 30% off every Monday!!! I bet you can guess where I will be every Monday!