Ways to Love The Planet this Earth Day
Happy Earth Day, Kokomo! As most of you know, Kokomo has a variety of locations to get out and enjoy nature, and we want to work as diligently as possible to keep these areas clean and beautiful! Here are some resources and tips to help do our part and loving our planet, not only on Earth Day but every day!
RECYCLING
If you’re reading this, there’s a good chance that the City of Kokomo picks up recycling every other week with your trash collection. If that’s not the case, or you’re needing an alternative location to take your recycling, check out these helpful resources below!
countyrecycling.org
Howard County Recycling Drop-Off Centers:
The locations listed below are available for drop-off 24 hours a day for anyone in Howard County.
Northwestern High School- 3431 N. 400 West, Kokomo
Western High School- 2600 S. 600 West, Russiaville
Russiaville Town Hall- 250 N. Union St., Russiaville
Taylor Trustee's Office (across from Taylor High School)- 3885 E. Center Road, Kokomo
Are you curious as to what items can and can’t be taken at the locations above? Keep reading for a detailed description of things that are able to be recycled and other special instructions.
TKP Illustrations | Heidi Pruitt
Paper Products, Cardboard, Boxboard:
TIP- Flatten boxes remove all plastic liners and windows from boxes. Make sure it’s not contaminated with food.
Metal Cans & Bottles:
Steel, tin, and aluminum cans are accepted.
TIP- Rinse out cans before recycling
Glass Bottles and Jars:
Green, brown and clear glasses are accepted for recycling.
TIP- Rinse the containers - No mirror, window glass, or drinking glasses, vases, ceramics, or bakeware.
Plastics:
Did you know? Not all plastics are recyclable! The Howard County Recycling District accepts plastics 1-5 and 7. (see photo) At this time, it does NOT accept #6, (styrofoam)
1: PET or PETE (Polyethylene terephthalate) - used to make bottles for soda, water, and other drinks.
2: HDPE (High-density polyethylene)
used to make milk jugs, shampoo bottles, cleaning product containers, and detergent bottles.
3: PVC (Polyvinyl chloride)
used for a huge array of household products, including plastic tubing, kids’ toys and plastic trays.
4: LDPE (Low-density polyethylene)
used to make grocery bags and the bags that hold newspapers, sliced bread loaves, and fresh produce, among other things.
5: PP (Polypropylene)
used to make the food containers used for products like yogurt, sour cream, and margarine.
7: Other
Products stamped with a 7 are often made out of multiple plastic types or out of other types of plastic that can’t easily be recycled.
Medication
One thing that most people wouldn’t consider recycling is old and/or unwanted medication. Proper disposal of medicine and drugs can prevent the negative and toxic effects on our environment that could take place if they are flushed down the toilet, or thrown in the trash.
Happening Saturday, April 24th, Howard County residents can bring their unwanted/unused medications for proper/legal disposal. KPD, Howard County Sheriff, HCRD Staff, Community Howard Staff will all be onsite working in conjunction with the DEA.
This event is located at 3503 S. Reed Road in Kokomo. Please call 456-2274 or text 454-0517 for more information/questions
Other Ways to be Kind to the Planet:
Completing an Energy Audit
An energy audit is an assessment by yourself or a professional that tells you where and how your home is losing energy. This not only helps you with the cost of utilities, but it also helps prevent wasted resources! You can either hire someone to complete this assessment for you or with some basic knowledge, you can do it yourself. Check out this helpful resource from energy.gov
https://www.energy.gov/energysaver/weatherize/home-energy-audits
Using Less Plastic
How much plastic do you use in a day? In 2019, 79% of all landfills were made of plastic! Next time you’re out shopping for groceries, opt for reusable canvas bags or refill a bottle for another use before throwing it away. These small steps will help make a huge difference!
Pick Up Trash Along the Street or in your Neighborhood
If you’ve ever walked along the side of the road or on a trail in Kokomo, most likely you’ve seen trash. Each year over 100,000 dolphins, fish, whales, turtles, and more drown after becoming entangled in or digesting plastic litter. While Indiana isn’t necessarily surrounded by an ocean, small pieces of trash are able to travel easily, and no matter where they end up, they are harmful to the environment. So the next time you’re walking and see some trash out in nature, pick it up! Mother Nature will thank you.
Have a No-Waste Lunch Day
When was the last time you ate lunch and didn’t have anything to throw away after? One way you can be kind to the environment is to buy and use reusable containers, silverware, and napkins for your lunch! This is a small act that can make a huge impact!
We hope this blog has informed you on what can be recycled in Kokomo and where to take it! Help us #makepositivitylouder and keep our city clean!
