Easy ways to recycle at the barn!

With the many recycling options out there, it can be really easy to recycle bottles and cans, and maybe make a little money in the process! Every barn is going to have a different situation, usually dependent on the availability of curbside pick up from the local waste companies. But – a few ideas.

• Have designated bins around the farm for commonly used things. Such as, oh, say water bottles and coffee cups! These can then be collected as needed for easy disposal.

These handy little boxes can be placed where people hang out the most – arena, barn aisle, tack room.

• Have separate bins in a common area, like the laundry room or break room, to easily get rid of everything recyclable.

• Some areas accept all types of recyclables, so you don’t have to sort. This is the easiest way to do things, just pile it all in a central location!

• For specialty recyclable items, you can collect them until your city has a collection event. This is usually the case for electronics and hazardous items, such as paint.

• Take turns going to the recycling center if you don’t have local pick up. Many grocery stores can take your recyclables, some can even give you money for them. I have seen machines in front of supermarkets that give you a voucher for groceries for every bottle or can you turn in.

• Think about other farm things that can get recycled. Some industrial recycling centers take your common paper, glass, and plastics, and can also take metals, including steel. This may be an alternative to disposing of horseshoes if you can’t seem to decide on what type of sculpture to make.

What does your farm do for recycling? Any great ideas out there?