Everyone knows that they should recycle to help keep the environment clean, but not everyone realizes how much money they can save by doing so.

Most people own a 64 or 68 gallon trash can that they park in front of the curb each week. This size trash can costs a first year average of $169.08. If people would put all the items that can be recycled into their recycling bin instead, even a family of four could easily downgrade to a 34 or 38 gallon trash can. These smaller trash cans save you a first year average of $13.56. That may not sound like much at first but remember, after the first year with a new company, you get locked in at the regular rate. And unlike mortgage payments, you will be paying for garbage hauling for the rest of your life. The money you save to switching to a smaller trash can really add up!

What all can be recycled? Many people may not know that plastic shopping bags, many of the plastic bags toy pieces come in, and other plastic bags marked with the recycling icon can be brought to Cub Foods or Wal-Mart for ecycling. Don't have a Cub Foods or Wal-Mart in your area? Your local thrift store or salvation armies may accept the plastic and paper shopping bags. If all else fails, the shopping bags fit in smaller trash cans, such as the ones located in your car or bathroom. Shopping bags are free so you don't need to purchase trash bags for your trash cans.

Items such as newspapers, stationary, phone books, plastic food containers, tin cans, Styrofoam products, and cleaning containers can also be recycled. Your recycling program probably provides a booklet on what can and cannot be recycled. It is worth calling the program in your area and asking them to send you a brochure. If you are unsure where to find the recycling program in the phone book, locate your city hall in the government section in the front of your phone book. The people at the city hall will be happy to give you the correct telephone number.

In addition, you may have a recycling company in your area that pays you for recycling your aluminum. This includes aluminum soda cans and other items made of aluminum such as pie tins. Some recycling places will also pay you for other metals. Call them to find out when they give the best prices and what items they accept.

Having your children pick up cans around the neighborhood will not only teach them about keeping the environment clean, but they will also learn that to make money, you have to work for it. This idea will also work well if you live in an area that refunds the deposit on cans and bottles when they are returned to the store. Children enjoy being able to earn their own money and collecting the cans and bottles will provide them with more exercise than running a lemonade stand.

Now if you are lucky to have some outdoor property, otherwise known as a back yard, you can set up a compose bin. Throwing organic food -- fruits, vegetables, grain items like bread, and egg shells -- into a compose bin instead of a trash can will also save you money. Not only is compose great for gardens, it is better (and cheaper) than buying fertilizers and other plant-growing chemicals which may pollute the soil and water. Relocating these leftover food items into the compost instead of the trash will mean more space in your trash can. The fewer items you throw away, the better the environment will be and the more money you save.

You can either purchase a compost bin at a home improvement store, through your county as they may sometimes have special sales on compost bins, or you can even make a compost bin yourself. You can find directions on how to make one at: www.backyardgardener.com/compost.

Another way to keep your trash can from overflowing is to donate usable clothes, toys, and other items instead of throwing them away. Before buying an appliance, ask the company if they will recycle your old one for no cost. If you have a television, VCR, bicycle, or other item that just needs a repair but the thrift store won t accept it, don t throw it into the trash. There is always someone out there who knows how to repair these items or just likes to tinker with them. You can find these people by putting an ad about your broken item at either: www.twincitiesfreemarket.org

groups.yahoo.com/group/freecycleTC

www.twincitiesfreemarket.org/links.cfm

These groups are dedicated to people giving items away to other people so that our environment stays cleaner. These groups are great for finding free items for your home too. If a group such as the ones above doesn't exist in your area, contact your local recycling program and ask them to set one up.

After you start using these tips, you'll find yourself saving money by filling your trash can less and you ll be feeling good about keeping the environment clean. You or your children may also make a little money with recycling and perhaps make a friend or two when giving your stuff away to others who can use it. I'm sure you'll agree that keeping the environment clean will make for a better future for our children.

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I received rate information when inquiring about trash hauling from a residence in Brooklyn Park, Minnesota. I called the four of the most popular trash hauling companies. They and their rates per month, taxes not included, are listed below:

Waste Management 952.890.1100
32-gallon $10.95
64-gallon $11.95
$2.00 per extra bag

BFI 763.784.2104
32-gallon $13.95
68-gallon $14.95
$2.50 per extra bag

Walters 763.780.8464
38-gallon $17.65
68-gallon $16.00
if you have extra bags, they will tell you to upgrade to a larger can

T&L Sanitation Service Inc. 763.560.3610 38-gallon $9.97 68-gallon $11.81 unknown

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Rhonda Jacobson is a writer and mother concerned about the environment and the future of our children. She knows the environment isn t going clean itself, and it s up to us to restore Mother Nature so that our children will be able to live happily. Otherwise disease, starvation, and death will come to us all.

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