Recycling Re-Imagined in D/FW:

After an hour or more on the phone one day talking to a very helpful lady from Waste Management-who took the time to look up the city's recycling resources-and then to a lady at the Fort Worth Recycling Center-who was more rude than she was helpful-I realized how hard it is to recycle here in Fort Worth. It struck a chord with me as to why something so detrimental to saving the environment is so complicated. I was told by the Fort Worth Recycling Drop-off center that they would not take my recyclable items-they wouldn't even allow me through the gate-simply because I did not have water service in my name. Yes, I had a local driver's license...yes, I had a local address, and still, my efforts to help save our environment were refused.

Recycling had been easy when we lived in an area with weekly curbside pick-up of recyclables, trash, and yard waste. But what about those of us who live in apartments, who are just passing through D/FW, or who don't have water service in our name? Never one to give up easily, I started searching for drop-off bins around town, or perhaps an alternative solution. It was suddenly very clear to me why more people don't take the time to recycle the items that so easily get tossed into the trash...into the land-fills. I knew there had to be an easier path to saving Mother Earth.

To begin with, the lack of cooperation from the city's recycling station did not deter me from finding places that would take the renewable-waste consumers seem to use the most: glass, plastic grocery bags, plastic water bottles, even polystyrene egg cartons. I soon discovered the abundance of stores that have plastic bag drop-off bins at their store front, and bins for newspaper recycling all across Fort Worth. Aluminum cans were no problem either, except I would be driving all over town to different drop-off sites for each recyclable item. But then I heard about a positive solution...new to the D/FW metroplex; a place accepting multiple items at one drop-off site.

A Cutting-edge...Alternative Solution to Recycling Plastic Soda/Water Bottles and Aluminum Cans is the new Reimagine Recycling Machine-the first of its kind in the world-located in the parking lot of Kroger at Fielder Rd and Pioneer Pkwy in Arlington, TX. Finally...somebody gets it! Americans are mostly about convenience, and this machine is convenient...innovative, and then some! The result of the collaborative efforts of Coca-Cola Recycling, LLC and Environmental Products Corporation (Envipco), Reimagine Beverage Containers are the newest innovation in beverage container recycling.

Arlington being a halfway point between Dallas and Fort Worth, recycling enthusiasts, like me, can only hope they will bring another Reimagine machine here to Fort Worth where it is desperately needed. Not only would it save recyclers from having to drive all over town to multiple drop-off locations, but it would keep us from having to sort through and divide different types of plastic bottles, not to mention the aluminum cans. Accepting all brands of PET plastic bottles and aluminum cans; simply pour into the intake tray: No sorting, no fuss. Reimagine does everything for you. Go here to see how it works.

As for other recyclables, here is a list of where to take your items in the Fort Worth and Dallas area. Give them a call or visit them online for a listing of items accepted.

*Target Super Centers: Target has helped make recycling more convenient to consumers by placing a permanent four-bin recycling center in all of their stores nationwide. Target accepts aluminum, glass, plastic PET bottles and bags, electronic items like cell phones, MP3 players, printer ink cartridges, and batteries. Target also offers a nickel-a-bag savings for customers who bring their own re-useable grocery bags.

*Lowes: Since September 2010, Lowes has had recycling centers in 1,700 of its stores. They accept rechargeable batteries, cell phones, CFLs (compact fluorescent light bulbs), and plastic shopping bags.

*Walmart: Accepting recyclables is old-hat for Walmart and Sam's Club. They accept numerous items in their stores, such as plastic bags and hangers, water and soda bottles, aluminum cans, loose plastic wrap, cardboard, office paper, paperback books, and even recycle old tires into Majestic Rubber Mulch, to be sold in Walmart Garden Centers everywhere. Walmart recently teamed up with Samsung Direct Recycling Program to recycle electronics as well.

*Walgreens: Recycles cells phones and printer ink.

*UPS: Takes packing material for recycling, such as polystyrene packing peanuts.

*Metro Foam Recycling: Recycles polystyrene products such as egg cartons, meat packaging/backing, Styrofoam products and cups, plates, etc.

Recycling Centers (Med-Large Items & Heavy Haul)

* American Recycling

*All Computer Recycling

*Tex-American Recycling

*The City Of Fort Worth-Recycling Sites Listing

*OurEarth.org

WORKS CITED:

http://www.tampabay.com

http://www.environmentalleader.com/2010/04/06/target-goes-for-eco-credibility-by-adding-recycling-bins-to-all-stores/

http://www.marketwatch.com

http://www.target.com

http://www.walmart.com