Recycling Americans Trash Recycle Things Live Put Recyclables

Most Americans who live in "urban areas" (areas in or near a city) participate in "curbside recycling programs," where they put their recyclables in containers in front of their house once or twice a week and special trucks come to pick them up and take them to recycling centers. Americans who live in areas that do not have curbside recycling programs need to take their recyclables to recycling centers. There are also many other ways to recycle in the United States.

For example, when Americans have the oil changed in their cars, there are usually programs to recycle the used oil. Similarly, when Americans buy a new computer, they often take the old one to a recycling center that recycles some of the computer parts. Americans can also recycle old cell phones and other types of technology.

Of course, it is better to "reuse" (use again) things as many times as possible before they are recycled or thrown away. Websites like www.freecycle.org help people get rid of their old things by finding people who want them and can use them, instead of having them be sent to "landfills" (dumps).

As recycling has become more popular, many artists have started using trash in their artwork. For example, famous shoe designers have put old "ticket stubs" (the part of a ticket that a person is allowed to keep) and "receipts" (small pieces of paper showing that one has paid for something) inside their shoes. Some "sculptors" (people who design three-dimensional objects for art) use garbage instead of new "materials" (things used to make something). And many children are encouraged to make art projects out of things that would otherwise be thrown away.