It's not just at the grocery store when asked "Paper or Plastic?"

Just before paying at the grocery checkout, the cashier sometimes asks (depending on the store and their policies) "Paper or plastic?". When allowed this choice, I always chose paper! Why -- because its RECYCLABLE. You should ask yourself the same question when separating your recylcables. Those plastic bags are just garbage. So if you get paper it can go into your RED box.

RED boxes are for paper products. That means not only those notes that you don't want to hold on to anymore, but also those paper coffee cups you got from your last visit to Tim Horton's. The lids of course are garbage. These should be removed before you put the cup in the recycling bin. When you have multiple bins beside each other. Just pop the lid into garbage and the cup into the paper bin beside it. It's pretty easy, really! If you bought a cookie or a muffin from Tim's as well, that little paper bag can go into the RED box as well! The muffin wrapper should go to the garbage and if the bag is all sticky with frosting it's garbage.

Phone books, catalogues, magazines -- these are all RED box items. Have been for years. But egg cartons and other molded trays can be recycled. Better yet, if you received one of those trays with your order and you go there often, EWSWA suggests that you keep the tray and REUSE it. Just another one of the ways we can implement the 3Rs.

For a complete listing of RED BOX items visit EWSWA Red Box Recycling Guidelines.

Try to avoid plastic items as much as possible. I know it's hard to do because they are everywhere. At my house, it's like the plastic bags multiply in the closet. I try to reuse them for bathroom garbage or small garbage cans, but there are so many stores that use plastic bags nowadays that it's extremely difficult. The other problem with reusing plastic bags is that they sometimes harbour bacteria. This bacteria can then be transferred to other items. Sometimes even washing them doesn't get rid of the germs. See clip from CTV (November 27, 2008) about Mould and Bacteria. A durable cloth bag such as those sold by Canadian Tire or Zehrs is a practicle solution. It's reusable and washable.