Summer Party: Reduce, Reuse & Recycle

With the cold weather (finally) behind us, we’re ready to spend time with friends and family outside. Having a barbeque, picnic, or other get-together is a great way to enjoy company while getting fresh air and vitamin D.

Follow these tips at your events to keep the planet beautiful for years to come:

• Reuse plates and cutlery: Dispense with your disposable plastic, paper, or Styrofoam plates and replace single-use items with dinnerware that you wash and use again. Not only is this type of dinnerware more durable, using these items throughout the summer will save money. If doing dishes after your party is overwhelming, consider compostable plates.
• Designate trash and recycling bins: If you are in your backyard, designate a container for recycling and one for trash.  When taking food to a different location for a picnic or campout, please be sure to not leave anything behind. Take all trash with you when you leave, then dispose of it properly at home.
• Commit to re-usable napkins: Cloth napkins are more durable than the one-use variety; reuse them year after year to reduce waste and costs.
• Purchase picnic items in bulk to reduce packaging: Get large containers of beverages, and whole fruits and vegetables. Serve the drinks in reusable cups and cut the fruit and veggies to your liking. 

Show Love to Mother Earth This Mother’s Day

Household Hazardous Waste Collection

Household hazardous waste (HHW) collection will occur on Friday, May 4 and Saturday, May 5. HHW collection days are generally the first consecutive Friday and Saturday of each month, April through October. Collections are held at the Northwest Citizens’ Convenience Center, 2840 Sisson St. Examples of accepted materials include old batteries, oil-based paint, and pesticides. For a complete list of accepted and unaccepted materials, and a schedule of collection days, click here.

GROW Center Pop-Up

The forth and final GROW Center Pop-Up of  the Spring will be held Saturday, May 5 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The free event will be taking place at the Langston Hughes Community Action Center, 5011 Arbutus Ave. Community gardening and placemaking workshops will be happening; trees will be available for free, plants; and recycling bins will be available at low costs. Click here to register, advanced registration is encouraged!

Styrofoam Recycling to Stop May 21

Please note that Styrofoam recycling services at 2840 Sisson Street will end on May 21, 2018. After May 21 please place polystyrene materials with your regular trash collection. Styrofoam should NOT be placed in your single stream recycling. Read More

BIG TRUCK DAY!

The big City trucks will be on display for kids to see, touch and sit in on BIG TRUCK DAY! The Baltimore City Departments of Public Works, Transportation, General Services, Recreation and Parks, Police, and Fire will have their big trucks on display for all the kids (both big and small). Big Truck Day will be Saturday, May 12, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., 1415 Key Highway (the parking lot of the Baltimore Museum of Industry). Also at Big Truck Day, a recycling-related craft activity will be available, and recycling bins will be on sale for discount prices: $7 for the 25-gallon bins; lids for just $3, and $4 for the 18-gallon bins. 

Reminder: Please NO Plastic Bags

You can use anything to hold your recyclables, except for plastic bags! If you use plastic bags to collect you recyclables, please be sure to empty the contents into a bin, paper bag, cardboard box, or other marked container before setting it out for collection. 

Find where to recycle plastic bags