How to Stay Green While Removing Your Junk

Here, there, everywhere in your home, all your not-so precious possessions take-up space. So much space that you don't have an ounce of it to spare and now, you've decided to get serious about getting rid of it. Perhaps you're moving or you've inherited a property that's stuffed wall-to-wall. Junk removal is your top priority, but you don't just want to carelessly throw it out.  If you do, you're likely to get an unpleasant visit from code enforcement or a little note from the city stating it's your responsibility to properly dispose of it in an environmentally friendly matter.
 

Junk is Harmful to the Environment

all use the term "throw away" but don't spend much time dwelling on the irony surrounding it. When you throw something out, particularly non-organic garbage and junk, you're only transferring it from one location to another.

Trash taken to the landfill, is spread, crushed, and covered with ash from the waste-to-energy plant. Though there are some things that are not burned, and sometimes we can’t burn our garbage if the waste-to-energy plant is down for repairs or maintenance, most of our waste (85%) is recycled or made into energy in the waste-to-energy plant! -- Pinellas County Utilities

At some point, it has to be dealt with in an eco-friendly way and that's why municipalities have landfills. Much of what we dispose of is organic, it breaks down naturally, like food. However, old televisions, furniture, appliances and the like don't magically degrade. That's why you should stay green while removing your junk and garbage.
 

Ways You can Stay Green While Removing Your Junk

There are many ways to dispose of your unwanted stuff in an environmentally friendly manner. Here are five things you can do:

1. Give usable, unwanted items to charities and thrift stores. They'll get a new lease on life with someone else and you'll enjoy a small tax deduction.
2. Sell things you no longer want and/or use. Another way to declutter is to sell your stuff. Here again, they'll be put to use and you'll make some extra cash.
3. Take any hazardous products to the local collection facility. Some things, like propane tanks, pesticide cylinders, and other hazardous materials should be taken to a local collection facility.
4. Recycle old appliances responsibly. If you're getting rid of large household appliances, call your local municipality to schedule a pick-up or find out where to drop them off yourself.
5. Call a junk removal service. Should you have a lot of things to offload, you can simply phone a removal service and they'll do all the work for you. It will save you time and be less expensive than paying dumping fees.