by Liz Morrison

Recycling has become a part of most people’s everyday lives, but it’s not always clear which materials are okay to recycle and which ones aren’t. The City of San Diego’s Environmental Services Department offers these tips:

• Recycle all your plastic bottles and jars, except those that contain hazardous materials such as motor oil, anti-freeze, pesticides, cleaning fluids, paint, etc. If your plastic item is not a bottle or a jar, it doesn’t go in the blue bin.

• Plastic grocery bags and other film plastic like dry cleaning bags and shrinkwrap do not go in the blue bin. Many grocery stores and pharmacies have collection areas for these materials.

• Most types of packing peanuts can be recycled at mailing stores like Mail Boxes Etc. or UPS. Biodegradable materials are not accepted, however.

• Put yard waste – shrub clippings, grass, and leaves – into 32- or 45-gallon rigid container, and it will be picked up curbside on the same day as recyclables are collected. Do not put banana leaves, palm fronds, dirt, large branches, or trash of any kind in with your yard waste.

By following the City’s or County’s recycling guidelines, you can do your part to fight global warming by reducing greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide and methane. Every effort helps. You can find out more about recycling and other environmental initiatives in the San Diego area by visiting I Love A Clean San Diego online at www.ilacsd.org.