Crushing down plastic soda bottles, crushing aluminum cans, putting your empty bottles in a can; taking all of this down to the recycle store, this is what people call RECYCLING. But, there's more to it. Nowadays recycling has become reincarnation for these used products; you can turn medicine bottles into life jackets and old running shoes into new playgroun 00004000 d surfacing. Discover how and where to recycle everything you never thought you could...

Clothing

Goodwill provides job training to people with special needs, and affordable clothing and other household goods. Pick-up service is typically provided, but you can also drop off clothing at any location. Use the ZIP code locator at www.goodwill.org to find a location near you.

Salvation Army runs many social service programs such as homeless services and disaster-relief efforts. Drop off your items at any of its thrift stores nationwide, or arrange to have them picked up. To find a location near you go to www.salvationarmyusa.org
Fleece

Patagonia's Common Threads Garment Recycling Program will recycle your used Patagonia fleece, Polartec fleece from other manufacturers and Patagonia organic cotton t-shirts. Please make sure you wash them first before you take them to any Patagonia store.

Did you know? Patagonia will also recycle your Patagonia Capilene underwear, washed of course.
Formal Dresses

The Glass Slipper Project collects new and almost-new formal dresses and accessories and provides them, free of charge, to high school students who are unable to buy their own ensembles for Prom.

Shoes

Turn in your old athletic shoes, any brand, to Nike's Reuse-A-Shoe program so they can be ground up into new material and used in a different way to make new sports surfaces and playground surfacing.

Recycle your old Crocs and they will be shredded to make padding for children's playgrounds. Mail them to: Crocs 1510 Nelson Road, Longmont, CO 80501 and clearly mark the outside of the package with "RECYCLE!"

Gently worn shoes can be donated to Soles4Souls which is a nonprofit organization that will clean them and distribute them worldwide to those in need. Recently more than 900,000 pairs of shoes were collected in a coordinated relief effort for donation to victims of the Asian Tsunami, and Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. So round up those shoes that are taking up space in your closet, bind each pair together with a rubber band, and send them to one of Soles4Soul's two warehouse facilities.
Wedding dresses

By donating your dress to "Brides Against Breast Cancer" you will enable brides-to-be to find one-of-a-kind gowns at discount prices and the proceeds will help grant a wish for a woman with terminal breast cancer.

Nearly New Bridal is an online marketplace where you can buy or sell new or nearly new wedding dresses and accessories

Work Clothes

Dress for Success is a group providing a business suit or other clothing appropriate for the workplace to women needing outfits for job interviews and, after they get the job, a second suit to wear to work. There are 66 chapters in the U.S. and 78 in other countries. Donate business clothing, coats, shoes, handbags, and briefcases that are in excellent condition and no more than five years old. Clothing in size 14 and up is especially welcome.

Electronics

The Electronics Industry Alliance (EIA) maintains a listing of organizations nationwide that accept donations of working electronics products. You can also donate electronics in working condition to Salvation Army or Goodwill or trade them in exchange for a Circuit City gift card.

To recycle non-working electronics search Earth 911's database for electronics recycling, also known as ecycling, in your area.

ElectronicsRecycling.com is an online marketplace, where you can buy or sell used electronics or pieces of electronics.
Batteries

All single-use (alkaline) or rechargeable batteries can be taken to any Whole Foods Market or Radioshack for recycling. Rechargeable batteries can be recycled at any recycling kiosk within Best Buys nationwide. Rechargeable Apple product batteries can be recycled at any Apple retail location in the U.S.
Cell phones

Verizon Wireless retail stores accept phones in any condition, from any service provider. The phones are either refurbished or recycled. With the funds raised from the sale of refurbished phones, Verizon donates wireless phones and airtime to victims of domestic violence.

Did you know? If you don't want to leave the house, the number one hassle free way to recycle your phone is through Charitable Recycling. Print out a nifty prepaid mailing label on your home computer, paste it to an envelope and drop your old phone in.
Computer

Some local Goodwills train workers to refurbish and de-manufacture equipment and resell systems and components. Find out what types of electronic equipment may be donated at your local Goodwill.

With Hewlitt Packard's Trade-In program you can send in used HP products and get cash back when upgrading to new ones. HP does their own in-house recycling. Apple offers free take-back and recycling of your old computer and monitor, regardless of manufacturer, when you purchase a new Mac.
Digital Cameras

Donate older models of digital cameras to a good cause. Operation Home Front distributes cameras to military bases and military family support groups so that families can trade images and stay in contact.
iPods

Recycle it for free at any Apple retail store, where they offer environmentally friendly disposal and a 10% discount on the purchase of a new iPod.
Printer

Hewlitt Packard's simple and environmentally sound take-back program is your best bet. Return any piece of computing hardware from any manufacturer, including printers to Hewlitt Packard who will recycle your old items for you.
Printer cartidges

FedEx Kinko's accepts used Inkjet and Toner cartridges. Staple's accepts used Inkjet or Laser Toner cartridges. Simply return your printer cartridges to a FedEx Kinko's or Staples retail branch and they will take care of the recycling for you.

Stereo

For a nominal fee, Best Buy will haul away televisions, computer monitors, and appliances when new purchases are made or delivered. Best Buy also hosts a series of weekend recycling events at its store parking lots across the U.S. Find a Best Buy recycling event in your area.
Televisions