Recycling Aerosol Cans

Given my new found love of spray paint, it got me to thinking about how to dispose of my used-up cans.  I found the following information on the Earth 911 website ( earth911.com ).
 

Tips for Recycling Aerosol Cans

Recycling aerosol cans depends upon whether the container is empty or still has liquid inside of it. If the product is empty, you have the option of dropping it off in a bin designated for steel or aluminum at your local recycling facility or in your curbside bin if it is accepted. More than 5,300 communities across the U.S. have household residential and curbside drop-off and buy-back programs (they will give you a few cents for each returned can). First, here are some key points to remember:

    * Be sure that the can is empty. This means that all of the product has to be used up.

    * Dispose of the empty cans using your curbside pick up service or by visiting your local drop off centers. It is best to touch base with your local centers to be sure they accept this type of product for recycling.

    * NEVER throw aerosol cans in roadside dumps or trash fires. These cans are still pressurized and can explode.

But what happens if your container is not empty? If your product is defective, many times the manufacturer will allow you to return the product to them, free of charge so that they can supply you with a replacement product. As long as there is liquid in the container, the aerosol can is not considered waste, but product.

If  your container is not defective, there are very few options. Do not puncture cans, drain, rinse and then recycle. This is dangerous since the contents in the can are under pressure. Once the container is punctured, you could be injured. Another option would be to contact your local recycling facility to see if they will accept partially filled cans. Many times, they may have a way of draining these containers. You may also contact a hazardous waste facility for proper disposal.

It is extremely important that aerosol cans are recycled for a number of reasons. However, one of the most important is safety. When aerosol cans are thrown into landfills, they become a hazard. If a fire were to break out, these contains could explode and cause physical harm to landfill workers and fire fighters. Therefore, please take the extra step to recycle. 

Good to know!

Reusable Shopping Bags

So I am very proud to say that I have not taken a shopping bag from a retailer or grocery store since November!  I have a TON of reusable bags that were given away at conferences I attended, as well as some that I have purchased, but they are all very stiff and bulky, so I wanted to find one of those cute nylon bags that can fold into a neat little pouch and not take up too much room in my purse.  A quick search found at least three major producers of just such a bag:

Baggu

Baggu ( www.baggu.com ) $9.00 per single bag

Chico Bag

Chico Bag ( www.chicobag.com ) $5.99 per single "Original" bag

Flip & Tumble

Flip & Tumble (www.flipandtumble.com ) $10.00 per single "24-7" bag

I like the look of all of them, especially the Flip & Tumble two-tone option.  What really disturbs me is that all of them, including bags made by Reusit ( www.reusit.com ), are all manufactured in China.  All of the websites that I visited made a point of saying that they only deal with "Fair Trade/Fair Wage" companies, but I still wish they were made domestically.

Chalkboard Paint

Oh how I love Chalkboard Paint!

Here is an example of upcycling a mirror from the Goodwill into a chalkboard.

I simply took the mirror out of the cheap plastic frame, painted the backside with chalkboard paint and spray painted the frame a fun color.  If you ever decide not to use the chalkboard, you can always turn it around and have a very "Snow White/Evil Queen" mirror instead!

DIY Kids Gift

I saw some amazing home accent pieces by Ryan McElhinney and was inspired to make a fun lamp for my nephew Finn.

I started with a basic lamp from IKEA and some castoffs from my kids as well as some things I picked up at a local thrift store. 

I roughed up the lamp so the contact cement would work better, and after I got everything attached, I was tempted to leave it as it was.

Since the contact cement, and the sanding on the lamp were so obvious, I went ahead and spray painted it - and LOVE the way it turned out. 

My sister was thrilled, she had just painted the desk in his room red, so the new lamp should fit in perfectly!