Blog

You don’t really appreciate how spoiled we are in Seattle until you travel: we recently took a trip to beautiful and progressive Sayulita, Mexico. There were organic grocery stores, gluten-free baked goods, and same-sex couples cuddling on park benches, but when it came time to dispose of our waste, there was just…one…can.

One can? But where do I put my glass? My paper? My recyclable plastics? What about my compostable food waste??

Oh, the waste! Oh, the humanity!

Look, Seattle, you got it good. For example: this past Saturday, Interconnection hosted an eCyling Collection Event at their Wallingford / Fremont location at 3415 Stone Way. They’ll take your old computer and stereo equipment (see their list of accepted items, which includes everything from laptops to stereo equipment to cameras) and, if it’s salvageable, they’ll refurbish it and either donate or sell at low cost to those without easy access to technology worldwide. Devices that can’t be refurbished will be safely recycled (keep those heavy metals out of the landfills!)

What’s the funny thing about their eCycling Connection Event? You can drop off any time they’re open!

But wait, there’s more! What about those stained, holey t-shirts, single socks and worn out shoes that you worry even Value Village will turn up their noses at? Seattle and King County has a new Threadcycling campaign to collect your damaged clothes and linens and recycle them. What can’t be re-sold can be recycled into items like wiping rags or turned into fiber for sound-proofing, insulation or stuffing.

There are a number of nearby dropoff spots, including Spud’s Greenlake (6860 E. Greenlake Way) and Goodwill’s University District Donation site at 4552 University Way NE, but you can also arrange for pick-up through a number of organizations: check the list.

Spring cleaning!