Envelope recycling 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.
Sticky Labels
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.
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
Compost Old Envelopes
Remove any plastic windows, shred the envelopes an more...1 point
Make Pet Bedding
Use only the unglued parts of old envelopes, shred more...1 point
Make Notepads
Cut out the parts of old envelopes that have no wr more...1 point
Shopping Lists
One of the simplest and quickest methods of reusin more...1 point
Use as Bookmarks
Instead of buying laminated bookmarks just stick a more...1 point
Use Envelopes for Storage
Keep small, easily lost items in old envelopes; th more...0 points
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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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
- Recycling facility upgrade sought
- By RENEE STEVENS A decision to reject a plan to truck paper and recyclables from the regional waste facility to Colchester County may have saved jobs, ...
- Food waste recycling off to flying start in Olympia
- ... Olympia's curbside recycling program, more than 6250 city residences use the organic recycling bins for yard waste, food scraps and food-soiled paper, ...
- Environmental Friendly Technology Can Remove Ink Stains In Paper ...
- 30, 2008) ? The greatest challenge in paper recycling is removal of polymeric ink and coating; and the most difficult paper is mixed office wastepaper. ...
- Recycling increases in Warrenton
- Holy Rosary generates between $80 and $100 a month from paper recycling, according to principal Mike Etter. "It's been pretty steady," he said, ...
Recycling
Do you recycle? Have you got a recycling or environmental lens? if you do please feel welcome to link to it here.
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greenmaniac
more thoughts on recycling paper items to use as pet bedding.... Posted July 05, 2008 |
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spirituality
I use envelopes as bookmarks too :) Listing this on my Environment lensography Posted June 17, 2008 |
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chemrat
Nice lens. You might enjoy my solar energy lens at http://www.squidoo.com/solarpowerlens Posted June 14, 2008 |
