(Source: Simply Her, April 2009, Page 76 - 79)
A - Aerosol cans: The National Recycling Programme (NRP) accepts aerosol cans for recycling. Just remove the plastic nozzles and caps to recycle with other plastics, and put the empty cans with your steel products.
Residents of HDB flats and landed property can drop their recyclables into the NRP recycling bags, which are collected on specific dates. If you stay in a private condominum, there should be recycling receptacles in the compound.
B - Books: If your books have seen better days, send them to Bookcrossing, an international project that aims to unite readers through their favourite books.
Pass it on to a friend or leave the book in a public place to be picked up and read - you'll get an e-mail when someone finds the book and records a journal entry on the website.
You could also donate them to the library or sell or exchange them at used bookstores like Books Galore (tel: 6732-8773) and San Bookshop (tel: 6334-2326).
C - Clothes: If you clothes look good as new, sell or swap them online, or at a flea market, at SGSellTrade, an online community for shopping, selling, trading and flea markets in Singapore. Or just give your old clothes away to the NRP collectors.
D - Discs: Donate your discs to the New2U Thrift Shop - it sells used goods to raise funds for Star Shelter, which provides temporary regufe for victims of family violence. For details, e-mail counsel@scwo.org.sg.
You can also sell your old CDs, VCDs, DVDs or Blu-ray discs to Gramophone at about $1 a piece, depending on its condition.
E - Eyeglasses: Give you used eyeglasses to Gift of Sight an initiative by the Lions Club of Singapore that redistributes old spectacles to the needy in Singapore or a Third World country. Drop them off at collection centres, including Henderson Secondary School, United Optometrist at Square 2, and the Singapore Polytechnic Optometry Department. Visit their website for more information.
Alternatively, you could take your old eyewear to The Lens Men at Parkway Parade, Compass Point and The Centrepoint.
F - Furniture: Give old furniture a new lease of life at Pass It On. The one-stop donation site collects furniture and household appliances and passes them on to family service centres and welfare associations, who will pass them on to the less privileged. For details, call 6370-9478.
The Salvation Army (tel: 6288-5438) will also pick up old furniture that can be sold at its Red Shield Industires Family Thrift stores. The income generated goes towards supporting the Salvation Army's social and community programmes.
If you'd like to get cash for your furniture, bring them down to Cash Converters.
Your town council can remove bulky furniture and send them to recycling centres; there's no charge for the first three items, but you'll have to pay $5 an item for anything beyond that.
G - Gadgets: Did you know that 100 per cent of the materials in your mobile phone can be used to make new products or to generate energy? For Nokia phones, you can drop off the handphone, battery, charger or other accessories at a Nokia Care Centre. Motorola also recycles its mobile phones, broadband devices, and other accessories, which you can drop off at their service centre a Vivocity and The Cathay.
H - Home Appliances: If you have unused home appliances that still work, pass them on through the Singapore Freecycle Network, where members can post items they wish to give away. The network aims to reduce waste by connecting people who have goods to dispose of with others who are looking for the same goods - all the items are free and not subject to exchange or sale.
You can also try YouSwop, where members can exchange or swop items.
I - Ink cartridges: The Canon Cartridges Recycling Programme (tel: 1800-799-8686) collects used ink and toner cartridges for recycling. If you have 10 or more toner cartridges, they will collect it free from you location.
Hewlett-Packard also has a similar Return And Recycle Programme. Just drop off your emptyHP Inkjet or Laserjet cartridges into the recycling bins at its retail outlets.
J - Jars: Place them with other glass recyclables for the NRP. All glass jars, including coloured ones, have to be cleaned before they can be recycled - food remnants or non-glass materials will contaminate the recycling process.
K - Kids Shoes: Donate your kids' worn-out Crocs (and yours too!) for recycling under the Crocs' SolesUnited programme. Collection bins are at Crocs Concept Stores at Marina Square, Vivocity and Plaza Singapura.
The shoes are sorted, ground up and made into new SolesUnited recycled shoes, which are then donated to approved non-profit organisations around the world. To date, more than 1.5 million pairs have been given away to people in poverty-striken countries.
L - Laptops & Computers: Don't dump your faulty laptops, computers and monitors. Sell them to Rag and Bone Services, Singapore's first online karang guni. They provide a 24 hour free-collection service and pay cash upon collection. How much your item fetches depends on its worth; they're then resold to second-hand dealers in places like Indonesia.
M - Mini Compo Speakers, Amplifiers, Hi-Fi Sets: Mini Compos and hi-fi sets that are in working condition can be donated to charity homes like the Pertapis Children's Home at Kovan Road. If you have old cassette players, consider giving them to Caring for Cambodia, which aims to build a better future for Cambodian children.
N - Nail Polish & Cosmetics: If you have leftover nail polish or unexpired cosmetic products, donate them to cosmetology schools, whose students need them for lessons and practice sessions. Some schools may even pay a small fee for them.
O - Office Equipment: Filing cabinets, whiteboards, copier machines, racks and office furniture can be sold to Recycling Point Dot Com, which aims to recover as much recyclable material as it can from these office equipment.
They supply bins for collection, which are transported to their material recovery facilities, where they're sorted, baled and then forwarded to relevant recyclers. They also provide a free documen shredding service for recyclable waste paper.
P - Plastic Containers: The NRP accepts used plastic bags and disposable utensils for recycling but make sure to clean them thoroughly beforehand.
Q - Quilts & Mattresses: Are your old quilts and blankets taking up space in your wardrobe? Give them to Radion International, a Singapore-registered organisation that helps underprivileged communities in Thailand. For instance, its Blanket! Mission brings warm clothes and blankets to villages affected by cold spells.
Mattresses can be given to Methodist Welfare Services (tel: 6478-4706), which redistributes household items to low-income families.
R - Rackets: Old tennis and badminton rackets can be brought to the YWCA (tel: 6288-5438). They accept old, usable rackets and other sporting goods, as well as children's toys, which will be resold at their thrift shop to raise funds for their community projects.
S - Shoes: Be a stylish eco-nista with Melissa shoes, which are made from Melflex plastic, a patented hypoallergenic, recyclable and extremely flexible PVC material. Simply recycle your worn-out Melissas along with other plastcs. The Brazil-based company also recycles overstocked styles into next season's collection. Available at Novo outlets.
T - Toys: Donate Lego sets, wooden puzzles, Matchbox cars or Mcdonald's Happy Meal toys to The River Kids Project, a charitable trust in Singapore that funds and manages Riverkids Foundation, a Cambodian non-governmental organisation that works to prevent child trafficking.
U - Uniforms: Instead of recycling your kids' school uniforms, give them back to the school, which will loan them to needy and underprivileged students.
V - Vacuum Cleaners: The movement for the Intellectually Disabled of Singapore (MINDS) (tel:6474-1043) collects used vacuum cleaners to be sold at its Good-As-New Boutique, to raise funds for its Tampines Home for the intellectually disabled.
W - Washing Machines: Most old folks' homes will need washing machines, so donate yours if you're planning to replace it.
Or contact the Christian Care Service Centre (tel: 9835-0152) - they collect household items to redistribute to needy families.
X - X-Ray Film: Your old x-ray film can be recycled - drop them off at the Biohazard bins at any hospital. There are recycling services that go around to the hospitals to pick up used X-ray film.
Y - Yoga Mats: Most yoga mats contain non-biodegradable PVC, so they can't be recycled. But they're grat as non-slip backing for rugs or as sleeping pads for pets. For your next yoga mat, make sure to get an eco-friendly, latex-based one, available at Whatever Yoga (tel: 6221-0300).
Z - Zip disks / drives: Zip disks have become almost obsolete now. Try listing them for sale on the Singapore Freecycle Network - those using older computers may still have some use for them. Rag and Bone Services will buy them from you as well.
Labels: in the news, Recycle
¶ Thursday, June 18, 2009 0 Comments
George MacDonald
(Wants/Needs to try! It's ever changing and endless... but these are what Women's Weekly inspired me so far.)
Skincare
Eye Make-Up Remover: Shiseido The Skincare Instant Eye & Lip Make-Up Remover
Milk Cleanser: Kiehl's Rare-Earth Oatmeal Milk Facial Cleanser
Eye Moisturiser: Nivea Visage Aqua Sensation Anti-Shadow Eye Cream & L'oreal Paris Dermo-Expertise Revitalift Double Eye Lift
Exfoliator: Bio-Essence SKin White Revitalising Exfoliator With Pine Pollen
Clarifying Mask: Ahava Purfiying Mud Mask
Hydrating Mask: Laneige Water Sleeping Pack Plus
Eye Mask: Shiseido Revital Wrinklelift Retino Science AA
Make-Up
Lash Lengthening Mascara: Chanel Inimitable Waterproof Multi-Dimensional Mascara In Black
Lash Tool: Foltene Pharma Eyelash And Eyebrow Treatment
Hair
Styling Product - Volumiser: Wella Professionals High Hair Flexir Styling Elixir
Styling Product - Curl Enhancer: Kerastase Nutritive Oleo-Curl Curl Defining Oil Mist
Body
Body Scrub: ~H2O+ Spa Sea Salt Foaming Body Polish
Foot Care: L'occitane Shea Butter Dry Skin Foot Cream
Hand Cream: L'occitane Cherry Blossom Petal Soft Hand Cream
Beauty Tools
Eyelash Curler: Shiseido Maquillage Edge-Free Eyelash Curler
Hairdryer: Panasonic Nanocare Hairdryer (EH2271)
Fragrances
DKNY Be Delicious Eau De Parfum
Lancome Magnifique Eau De Parfum
Paul Smith Rose Eau De Parfum
Narciso Rodriguez For Her Eau De Toilette ¶ Saturday, January 03, 2009 0 Comments
- Family, friends & myself, GD HEALTH! Mind, Body & Soul.
- WORLD PEACE, pls.
- For 2009 to be smooth sailing. I don't need too many ups, just don't give me the downs! Thanks. (Sounds a bit pessimistic! Haha..)
- DIET - Come at a gd time since it's budget cutting time!
- Eat healthily. Drink less.
- Exercise - More Yoga!!!
- EVERYONE BE HAPPY!
- Successful house hunting.
- Start preparing for wedding.
- Read, write & draw (*wink @ bin) more...
