Envelope Recycling Labels
Recycling envelopes has caused some people real problems, with some local authorities deciding that stamps, gummed edges and the dreaded plastic windows mean that envelopes are not suitable for recycling. After reading about the dilemma of envelope recycling I decided to investigate a much better way of dealing with this problem - REUSE them.
It is often forgotten that recycling is lower down the waste management hierachy than reusing and luckily there are organisations that are ready to help us reuse our envelopes. This lens contains a list of envelope recycling label suppliers.
Reuse, Reduse and Recycle
The Three R's: Reuse, Reduce, Recycle (What Do You Know About? Books)
Amazon Price: $6.99 (as of 07/06/2009) 
Sticky Labels
A few friends of mine introduced me to this idea, which is quite disingeniously referred to as envelope recycling labelling by some, when in fact it is envelope reusing. The idea is just to stick a new label over the old address or plastic window, write on the new address and use tape to close the envelope and use it again!Brilliant! No need to waste energy processing the envelope for recycling, just use it again, and again, and again. I guess, however, there is a point at which it eventually becomes unusable.
Don't Throw It Out, Recycle, Renew and Reuse
Don't Throw It Out: Recycle, Renew and Reuse to Make Things Last
Amazon Price: (as of 07/06/2009)
Suppliers of Envelope Recycling Labels
The great thing about these labels is that a whole range of charities and worthy causes supply them, just choose your favourite cause and buy!Here is a list of suppliers of envelope recycling labels:
British Trust for Ornithology; 200 labels for £3.50
World Wildlife Fund; ? labels for £4.50
Recycled Paper Supplies; 50 labels for £2.75
Green Party of New Zealand; 100 labels for $7 NZ
Trees for Life; 100 labels for £3.50
Friends of the Earth; 50 labels for £2
Free Tibet Campaign; ? labels for £3.50
Thatu; 50 labels for £2.50; 100 labels for £4; 500 labels for £15
Bat Conservation Trust; 100 labels for £1.95
British Trust for Conservation Volunteers; 50 labels for £1.20
Barn Owl Trust; 50 labels for £1.40
Northern Friends Peace Board; 100 labels for £2.50
Woodland Trust; 100 labels for £3.99
Common Ground; 100 labels for £3.50 (£4.50 outside UK)
Northern Sun; 100 labels for $2 US
Baby Milk Action; 100 labels for £2.50
Progressive Resources Catalog; 100 labels for $4 US
St Tiggywinkles; ? labels for £3.50
Irish Peatland Conservation Council; 50 labels for 5 Euros
Waste Watch; 100 labels for £4
Spokes - The Lothian Cycle Campaign; 120 labels for £3
The Land Is Ours; 100 labels for £3.75
Women's International League for Peace and Freedom (NZ); 100 labels for $5 NZ
Ecotopia; 50 labels for £1.99
Natural Collection; 100 labels for £2.95
Recycled Paper
Envelope Reusing/recycling Tips
If you would prefer to recycle or reuse your envelopes without ordering sticky labels then here is a list of alternatives.
Please vote for your favourite method and add your own tips: remember, reusing is preferable to recycling.
Ackowledgements: A number of these tips came from How can I reuse or recycle used envelopes at recyclethis.co.uk
Shopping Lists
One of the simplest and quickest methods of reusin more...4 points
Use as Bookmarks
Instead of buying laminated bookmarks just stick a more...3 points
Make Pet Bedding
Use only the unglued parts of old envelopes, shred more...2 points
Use Envelopes for Storage
Keep small, easily lost items in old envelopes; th more...2 points
Compost Old Envelopes
Remove any plastic windows, shred the envelopes an more...1 point
Sticky Notepads - thepromohut.com
A nice eco friendly web site http://www.thepromohu more...1 point
Re-use by attaching Bulk Mailing Labels
I receive a high volume of envelopes in my home bu more...0 points
Recycling Lenses
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Recycle Ink Cartridges
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That is nearly One Million Ink Cartridges per Day! That figure is unacceptable! In order to reduce the number of ink cartridges that end up in the trash we need to recycle them. The good news? Each year approximately 20 million ink cartridges are be...
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Recycle Yourself
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Most of us are doing something to help protect our environment and learning to recycle everything that we possibly can. But many of us are not "recycling" the most important things. Our organs! Recycle Yourself is here to help inform everyone...
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Beer Can Solar Heater
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In spite of the goofy trend of people practically worshipping this rock called earth, I'm still in favor of conserving our natural resources. I'm also in favor of drinking beer - and not conserving it. On this page, we're demonstrating...
Recycled Toilet Paper
Green Forest Unscented Bathroom Tissue, 100% Recycled Paper, Whitened Without Chlorine, Case Pack, Eight 12 Roll Packs
Amazon Price: (as of 07/06/2009)
Medline Green Tree 2 Ply Toilet Tissue 100% Recycled / Paper Case of 96 Rolls
Amazon Price: $78.75 (as of 07/06/2009)
Marcal(R) Single-Ply Recycled Toilet Tissue, Case Of 40 Rolls
Amazon Price: $49.47 (as of 07/06/2009)
Earth Friendly Products Bathroom Tissue, Unscented, 2-ply, 175 Sheets per Roll, 4-Count Packages (Pack of 24)
Amazon Price: $49.71 (as of 07/06/2009)
SEV13714 - 100% Recycled Toilet Paper
Amazon Price: $15.03 (as of 07/06/2009)
New Igo GREEN Tip of the Day
Recycling Websites
- How Can I Recycle This
- Ask and Answer Questions for Suggestions on Recycling.
- Recycle Now
- Advice and Ideas on Recycling.
- Recycle More
- Help and advice on all aspects of recycling at home, at school and in the workplace
Recycling on Blogs
- GreenFiber wants your trashed paper products
- By Jennifer W. Sanchez Julio Ocampo, left, and Bob Burke of the Greenfiber paper recycling company remove magnets from phone books. ...
- Still more questions on pay-as-you-throw
- Certainly today's paper recycling plants can handle a little grease. I hope residents of Concord work hard to make this program a success; however, ...
- Paper lives again
- Recycling is what it was called for years and Niagara Fiberboard has been at the game for almost a century. The company buys paper that had previous uses ...
- City's recycling bins arrive
- are mixed together in a collection truck, instead of sorting paper items from plastic and glass, which is referred to as dual-stream recycling. ...
My Other Environment Lenses
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Adopt a Wild Animal for Conservation
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Animal adoption has become a popular way of supporting charities that care for threatened species. By adopting a wild animal one can help finance conservation research, the upkeep of the animal, anti-poaching patrols, habitat protection and restorati...
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Save the Rainforests
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If you have ever been to a rainforest then you will know what an amazing habitat it is, full of life, thick with vegetation and hot and humid. Rainforests come in a variety of types; tropical and temperate rainforests, cloud forest, lowland rainfores...
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Methane and Climate Change
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Greenhouse gases are gases in earth's atmosphere that trap solar radiation and warm the atmosphere in the same way that a greenhouse increases the temperature within its bounds. Carbon dioxide is probably the most well-known greenhouse gas and the b...
Recycling
Do you recycle? Have you got a recycling or environmental lens? if you do please feel welcome to link to it here. Alternatively just comment on the lens.
CheekyMonkey wrote...
I have been using an old envelope as a bookmark for the last 9 months - I think it has just about worn out now. Maybe time to compost?
Posted September 28, 2008
Mortira wrote...
I'm always leaving my bills lying around, so the envelopes usually get used as shopping lists. It's so much better to reuse before you recycle! Thanks for the great lens! *****
Posted September 11, 2008
more thoughts on recycling paper items to use as pet bedding....
First off- this is a GREAT way for your PETS to GO GREEN!
I volunteer at my local animal shelter and they use shredded paper as temporary bedding for puppies and kittens that are quarantined. Volunteers bring in large bags of paper shreds from their homes and offices- REDUCE-REUSE-RECYCLE!
View more green tips like these on my lens
a< href="http://wwww.squidoo.com/greeningpets">www.squidoo.com/greeningpets
Posted July 05, 2008
spirituality wrote...
I use envelopes as bookmarks too :) Listing this on my Environment lensography
Posted June 17, 2008
chemrat wrote...
Nice lens. You might enjoy my solar energy lens at http://www.squidoo.com/solarpowerlens
and my environmental blog at http://greenchemistry.wordpress.com/
I've already included your "methane is a greenhouse gas" lens in the group http://www.squidoo.com/groups/Sustainability
Posted June 14, 2008
About The Lens Author
Lensmaster nickupton, aka nick upton, has been a member since June 23 2007, has rated 77 lenses, favorited 62, and has created 49 lenses from scratch. This member's top-ranked page is "Thailand Travel Advice: 10 Things To Avoid Doing In Thailand". See all my lenses
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