GoGreenTriad.com - The Triad's resource for eco-friendly living

Did you know that North Carolina fills enough trash bins to reach from Greensboro to Greenville every 23 days?

Or that volunteers in Guilford County pick up nearly 10 tons of trash each year from our roadsides, streams, neighborhoods and public areas?

What's fit for the trash heap these days: The idea that we can afford to throw away the majority of our consumer items without paying a hefty price in environmental degradation. Both consumers and corporations are starting to realize that better stewardship of the earth's resources should include "cradle to cradle" product design that keeps goods out of the garbage. In the meantime, we need to curtail the trash hauled off to the landfill.

The steps to do that are as follows - Reduce, Reuse and Recycle:

Step 1: Reduce (Precycle)

This means limit the amount of future waste coming into your home, business or organization. This practices saves both money for you over the long term and fossil fuels, materials and chemicals needed in manufacturing process. Products and packaging also generate 44 percent of the nation's greenhouse gas emissions, according to the Product Policy Institute.

For example, use cloth napkins, diapers and shopping totes instead of paper towels, disposables and plastic bags. Buy food staples such as grains, nuts and cereals in bulk instead of individual packages. Carry mugs with you to coffee shops and washable carryout containers to restaurants.

Also, re-think what you buy. Do you really need that 12-pack of sugary drinks, even if the aluminum cans are recyclable? Could you switch out bottled water for that purified at home?

Another way to reduce is to buy things that have multiple purposes. For instance, white vinegar and baking soda can be used for both cooking and cleaning. Catnip is both a treat for cats and an insect repellant.

Step 2: Reuse

Extending the life of existing products keeps them out of the landfill and saves you money too. You can reuse by maintaining and repairing what you have, purchasing durable or second-hand goods, borrowing or renting, or getting for free through exchange sites such as Freecycle. Some reuse ideas.

Note: Some places accept used prescription bottles (clean and label-free). Those places include The Teacher Supply Warehouse in Guilford County and Dignity Products, a durable medical equipment store in Winston-Salem. You can drop off the bottles at the store at 1409 Plaza West Road, Suite E, or at the Appearance Boutique on the second floor of the Outpatient Comprehensive Cancer Center at Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center. The bottles are sent to missions doctors who use them to prescribe medicines overseas.

Step 3: Recycle

Making new products from recycled materials saves energy and natural resources. Recycling in North Carolina is a growing part of our state's economy, employing more than 13,000 North Carolinians statewide, and recycling jobs have increased about 48 percent in the last 10 years.

Find below how and where to recycle in Guilford County. (Also, Forsyth County, Randolph County and Rockingham County information, with other counties coming soon.)

Note: Residents in the Triad area can recycle natural and sythetic wine corks through Smartcork Recycling. Visit the Web site for details. Also, find here companies that will take hard-to-recycle items, such as yogart cups and bottle tops. 

Guilford County

Residents who live outside Greensboro, High Point and Jamestown city limits are encouraged to recycle through their garbage collection service provider. Call 641-3792 for more information.

The county previously offered a pilot program that allowed county residents to drop off recyclables one Saturday a month at a Greensboro facility. It stopped the program in May of 2009 because of lack of participation and budget concerns.

For more information call Susan Heim, Environmental Services Coordinator, at 641-3792.

Greensboro

The city picks up recyclables from the brown bins at homes every other week. Find out which week applies to your house at this map (pdf) or Web site. If you live in an apartment or condo, check with your property manager or homeowners association.

The city has 17 public recycling bins that may be used by both residents and businesses. (View sites on Google map.)

Those locations:

Fire Station #2 - 5107 North Church Street, first parking space next to the ‘no parking' bars in the middle parking area in rear parking lot.

Fire Station #7 - 1064 Gatewood Avenue, at the corner of East Wendover and Gatewood Avenue.

Fire Station #14 - 3633 Summit Avenue, next door to Sanctuary Deliverance Church.

Fire Station #17 - 6405 Old Oak Ridge Road, in painted lines under the first light pole in rear parking lot.

Fire Station #19 - 6900 Downwind Road, between Exxon and the credit union near the intersection of West Friendly and West Market. The recycling dumpster is in the rear parking lot near the fuel pumps.

Fire Station #20 - 8404 West Market Street, make right turn behind station, first parking space near hedges.

Fire Station #21 - 2870 Horse Pen Creek Road, first parking place under the light pole in rear parking lot.

Fire Station #41 - 4504 Lake Brandt Road, first parking space on the left when you turn into the rear parking lot off Penton Ridge Court.

Fire Station #43 - 4854 Lake Jeanette Road, last parking spaces on your right as you turn into parking lot off Lake Jeanette Road.

Fire Station #48 - 1400 West Vandalia Road, first parking space next to storage building.

Costco - 4201 West Wendover Avenue, in the parking lot near the right rear side of the store.

Grimsley High School - 801 Westover Terrace, in the student parking lot. Use driveway entrance across from Westover Terrace and Whilden Place.

Guilford County Cooperative Extension Services - 3309 Burlington Road, use second driveway entrance; dumpster is in the parking lot at the rear of building.

Jaycee Park - 3110 Forest Lawn Drive, off Pisgah Church Road, in the parking lot across from Stoner White Stadium. Please use the recycling dumpster at the end of the parking lot.

Lindley Elementary School - 2700 Camden Road, located at the intersection of Northridge Street and Camden Road. Use the entrance to faculty's parking lot off Camden Road.

Smith High School - 2407 South Holden Road, use driveway entrance on South Holden Road across from Stonesthrow Apartments. Dumpster is near the bus parking lot.

Windsor Community Center - 1601 East Lee Street, located at the intersection of East Lee Street and South Benbow Road, in the rear parking lot.

All recyclables may be put into the same recycling bins. If you are ever in doubt about whether an item is recyclable, throw it out in your garbage can. Incorrect items in recycling containers are costly to remove. Call 373-CITY with questions.

Gibsonville

449-4144; www.gibsonville.net

Recycling: Collected every other week, alternating with large item pick up.

High Point

883-3111; www.high-point.net

Recycling: Collected once a week on the same day as garbage, yard waste and bulk trash.

Jamestown

454-1138; www.jamestown-nc.us

Recycling: Deposit in community bins (rear parking lot of town hall).

Oak Ridge

644-7009; www.oakridgenc.com

Recycling: Collected weekly curbside. Waste Industries 668-3712

Pleasant Garden

674-3002; www.pleasantgarden.net

Recycling: Residents may contract individually with any private company licensed by Guilford County. Visit the county web site at www.co.guilford.nc.us or call 641-3792 for a list of licensed garbage collectors.

Sedalia

449-1132

Recycling: Collected weekly curbside. Waste Industries 229-0525

Stokesdale

643-4011; www.stokesdale.org

Recycling: Collected weekly curbside. Republic Waste Services 299-0815

Summerfield

643-8655; www.townofsummerfield.com

Recycling: Collected weekly curbside. Republic Waste Services 299-0815

Whitsett

449-3380; www.whitsettnc.com

No recycling collection.

Hazardous Waste

The Household Hazardous Waste Collection Program is open to all residents of Guilford County, including Greensboro, High Point and Jamestown, and provides safe and environmentally sound disposal of hazardous materials. There is no charge at the site for dropping off materials. Commercial use is prohibited.

The HHW Center is located at Ecoflo, Inc., 2750 Patterson Street and is open W - F, 10am - 6pm, Sa, 8am - 2pm. If you have questions, contact the Hotline at (336) 373-2196. The center collects batteries, compact fluorescent light bulbs, unwanted computers, cell phones and televisions, and other items. Get directions on Google map.

Compost

Don't forget to recycle your organic waste, including vegetable scraps, coffee grinds, eggshells, grass clippings and leaves. Find out how to do it here. Or, call the Guilford County Cooperative Extension at 375-5876.

If composting isn't an option for you, many of the county's licensed haulers provide curbside collection service for yard waste for an additional fee. Contact your hauler directly for more information.

The cities of Greensboro, High Point and Jamestown provide weekly pickup of yard waste with your other trash. The waste should be canned, bagged or bundled. Find out more here.

Stokesdale, Summerfield and Whitsett collect yard waste for an additional fee. All residents can also deliver yard waste to the county's two composting facilities. Both of these composting centers often have compost and mulch available for residents. Please contact the facilities directly for information about availability, pricing, materials accepted and hours of operation.

Greensboro: White Street Landfill

2503 White Street, Greensboro

373-7657 or 373-CITY

High Point: Ingleside Compost Facility

3001 Ingleside Drive, High Point

883-8514

Christmas tree recycling

The county will recycle your live trees into mulch and compost. Simply remove all lights, decorations, stands and covers, then drop your tree(s) off at one of the three locations between Dec. 26 and Jan. 15. Wreaths, garland and artificial trees are not accepted. Get directions at the Google map. 

Guilford County Prison Farm

7315 Howerton Road, Gibsonville

449-4720

Open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week from Dec. 26 - Jan. 15.

Call for more information and directions.

Piedmont Triad Farmers' Market

Off I-40 at Sandy Ridge Road

605-9157

Open 6am - 6pm daily from Dec. 26 - Jan. 15.

Call for directions.

Tabernacle United Methodist

Woody Mill and Methodist Roads
(behind the ball fields)

Open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week from Dec. 26 - Jan. 15.

Call 641-3792 for more information and directions
to this southeast Guilford County location.

Read more about waste collection in Guilford County at www.co.guilford.nc.us/gc_solid_waste_services.pdf