Recycling used to be so easy.  Throw all of your plastics, cans, papers and glass in one big tub and once a week a big truck came to take it away.  Then things changed and now people are unsure about what they can recycle with their community programs.  We are here to help!

If you wonder why the rules have changed, the Cuyahoga County Solid Waste District explains it on their website:

“The economics of recycling are rarely discussed but are at the center of the issue of recyclability. Currently supply exceeds demand mainly because of recent restrictions China has placed on the materials they will import. China is tired of being the world’s dumping ground and now demands cleaner, sorted recyclables which they use to produce the goods we buy here at home.”

In general, you can put ONLY the following in your curbside bins :

• cans (empty and rinse)
• cartons (like milk or juice cartons–empty and rinse and put the cap back on)
• glass (empty and rinse)
• paper, newspaper, and boxes (flatten boxes)
• plastic bottles and jugs–containers that have a neck that is more narrow than the body (empty and rinse and replace cap)

That’s it. Those are the only items.

That means the following DO NOT go in the curbside bins:

• Plastic Bags (you can recycle those at Giant Eagle or Marcs)
• Styrofoam food containers
• Solo Cups
• Plastic cutlery
• Berry or produce clamshell containers
• Plastic tubs (those with a #5 designation can be taken to Whole Foods for recycling).
• Garden hoses
• Broken cutlery
• Tires
• Old toys
• Computers and electronics
• Paint

For more information on how and where to recycle other household items, please visit the Cuyahoga County Waste District website at cuyahogarecycles.org.

This post contains affiliate links. For more information, see our disclosures here.

Looking for an easy way to reduce your waste?  Look no further than the ever popular, plain ol’ Mason Jar (or canning jar).  We literally have dozens of these in varying sizes around the house.

Did you know they come in sizes ranging from 4 oz to 1 gallon? And even in different colors of glass. Of course, they are traditionally used for canning, but they can also be used for so many other things, like: 

• Storing things – In our home, we have all sorts of things stored in mason jars like herbs from the garden, nuts, beans, quinoa, buttons, grains, change, push pins, etc.
• Making salad dressing (put the top on and shake!)
• Chia pudding (again, put the top on and shake)
• Freezing stock
• Storing leftovers
• Crafts
• Mixing small amounts of paint
• Beverages to go (you can get opening/closing lids for the jars!)

The list goes on … these are our favorite and most used household item. But the best thing about Mason jars?  They can be used over and over and over.  If the metal lids get rusty, you can recycle them and buy some new lids for pretty cheap.  There are also different kinds of reusable lids you  can use over and over again. Zero. Waste. Life.