Are you wondering how to recycle some of the materials used to package your shipment? The following links provide useful resources, tips, and recycling centers for you to check out. And remember, if you can reuse any materials before they get recycled, you have closed the loop on waste even more!

GENERAL RECYCLING INFO
One of the most useful sites I have found for recycling info is Earth 911. They have a recycling directory: you simply enter the material you are trying to recycle and your zip code, and Earth 911 will tell you where the nearest recycling centers are. Cool!

RECYCLING STYROFOAM PEANUTS
You may find styrofoam peanuts in your box when you receive your order. We have NOT purchased these peanuts; rather, we received them in various shipments sent to us from distributors and manufacturers. Thus we reuse them as much as possible, to close the loop on waste, and we are hoping that you, too, will find a use for them. The more they are re-used, the more we prevent new styrofoam from entering the loop. However, when there life does finally come to an end, there are various ways to recycle these foam peanuts, rather than just throwing them out and dooming them to a couple thousand years of sitting in a landfill. Check out the following links for more info:
Recycling Foam Peanuts

RECYCLING CARDBOARD
If the box your shipment arrived in is still in good shape, please consider reusing for your shipping needs. It is quite common, unfortunately, for boxes to be damaged during transport, and to become unusable. Some paper recycling programs accept cardboard; others do not. Please follow the links below to find out more about recycling options for cardboard:
How to Recycle Cardboard

Another option: Interested in composting with worms?Shredded cardboard soaked in water makes excellent bedding for vermicomposting (worm composting). Check out our blog on the subject: Adventures in Worm Composting.

OTHER RECYCLING INFO
There are some great blogs out there that discuss how to recycle various materials and provide links to resources. Just about any material or object in your house is at least partially recyclable if you are ambitious enough. One of my favorite recycling sites is
The Eco-Cycle Guide to Recycling Hard-to-Recycle Items