Why And How You Should Keep Crayons Out Of The Trash
If you have children you likely want to help keep the world environmentally healthy for them. As a result, you are incredibly careful with your trash and try to recycle as much as possible. However, you may not realize that crayons make up a large part of the waste that ends up in landfills. How can you help keep them out?
They Don't Biodegrade
While crayons are a useful decoration tool for both children and adults, the truth is that they they don't biodegrade. That means every crayon that has ever been manufactured and thrown away is still taking up space in a dump or a landfill somewhere.
How much of an impact does this have on the environment? The Crayon Initiative, a group that promotes crayon awareness estimates that around 45,000 to 75,000 pounds of crayons are dumped in landfills every year. And as 100 crayons equates to about one pound, that's a half to nearly three-quarters of a million crayons every year.
Organizations That Take On Old Crayons
If you have old crayons you simply don't want any more, you should reach out to any friends and family members that may have children. Even if your crayons are worn or a little broken, it's best to keep using them. This helps avoid having to throw them away as well as keeping them from having to buy new crayons to replace them.
But if you don't know anybody that needs crayons, you can also donate them directly to a needy local elementary school. They'll be glad to get such supplies, but what they do with them afterward (such as throwing them away) is unfortunately out of your hands. Thankfully, there are also various non-profit organizations that help recycle and redistribute crayons in a similar manner.
Switch To Colored Pencils
For some people, switching to colored pencils may be a good way to keep crayons out of the dump. Colored pencils are made out of wood and graphite. Wood is natural, meaning it biodegrades, while the graphite in the pencils are made of carbon, which means they also break down in the environment.
And their longer frame and their ability to be sharpened means they should last longer than crayons. Although their narrower length may be harder to grasp than pencils, most children should be able to adjust.
By following these simple tips, you can do your part to help save the environment. Encourage your children to help recycle crayons to get them involved in the process.
For trash removal, contact a business such as B-P Trucking Inc.