While I enjoy personalized gifts, sometimes a gift card is better... especially when the gift giver never gets the gift quite right. I've got some relatives who enjoy buying the same thing for each niece/nephew/grandchild/etc. in different colors. In these cases, I'd prefer a gift card!
Usually the cashier at the store throws these cards away for you when they run out of funds. In 2006, 17 billion plastic cards were produced, most of which probably wound up in the landfills. Not only do these take up space that they don't need to, but they often contain PVC (polyvinyl chloride), which is a carcinogen. So, what can we do with them to avoid this? Earthworks offers a solution.
Earthworks launched a Retailer Gift Card Return Program in January, which allows retailers and consumers to send their used plastic gift cards (and membership cards, library cards, etc.) to be recycled. They have teamed up with Starbucks and the Gap, which means your gift cards from these companies are recycled and recyclable.
From Plenty Magazine:
Does the recycling process create any waste?
It absolutely does not create any waste. It’s a really simple process that involves securely destroying the material by chopping it up and then melting the plastic down. There’s no chemical waste because we don’t use any chemicals in the process, which a lot of post-consumer products need in order to clean the material. The other great thing is that recycling a card and making it into a new one saves about 80 percent of the energy that would be used to make a brand new card. That’s because our product is made from 100 percent recycled materials with no raw materials and no petroleum.
Stay tuned tomorrow for an interview with Tom Szaky, CEO of Terracycle, and a review on some of their green cleaning products.
July 30th, 2008 at 3:48 pm
Hello
You really have a special site. And you and I share and have the same vision. Clean air and a world where we can find beauty for the eyes and a healthy planet for our children and all the living. We write and act from different direction.
July 30th, 2008 at 9:30 pm
I never thought of those.... my family tosses those away like crazy... it's good to know that those can be and should be recycled...
you're always very helpful and practical with your tips!
July 31st, 2008 at 12:53 pm
The initiative of this space is fabulous! Congratulations!
I'll be back!
Daniel
July 31st, 2008 at 10:15 pm
Because it is the one of the most widely used plastic in the world that I know creates and releases a very toxic chemical. Yes, we should help on how it will stop damaging our environment. Since we cannot recycle it or burn it coz when we do that it releases more dioxins and compounds containing chlorine. As of now we should just keep it not to end all these things to landfill. Just hope we should find ways on alternative to PVC.
July 31st, 2008 at 10:18 pm
Fancy Sweden, thank you, I'm glad that we agree
Organic Baby Food, you flatter me all the time!
Thank you Daniel.
Seawater, yes... we can recycle the cards. That's what this post is about...
August 1st, 2008 at 12:40 am
Great post since I'm always getting giftcards. lol
To answer your questions I get sponsored for my contests. Hope you'll enter.
Da Vinci
August 1st, 2008 at 12:45 am
Da Vinci's Blog Log, actually when I read your contest post, it made me think of this post! I put in my entry
August 1st, 2008 at 7:47 am
This world is a real beauty ! we must try to protect the nature and we must find ways to get green products! there are altenatives like vio degradable ones, hope this ill be ut to more wider use
August 1st, 2008 at 8:03 am
Oh thats a great number of plastic card and recycling them is a brilliant idea. Thanks for this post mate. keep it up!
August 3rd, 2008 at 1:10 am
Superb article concerning recycling. Concerning these cards its better to recycle them since the production is massive. And also this will prevent pollution.
August 3rd, 2008 at 12:14 pm
[...] Recycle Your Plastic Gift Cards {Focus Organics} [...]
August 5th, 2008 at 7:53 pm
Organic Hampers, the company that takes the card to recycle also creates new cards from the old ones, so it's a good start.
Organic Baby and iPhone dock, I, too, think it's a great idea. More stores should strike up relationships with the company.
August 6th, 2008 at 1:21 am
[...] Recycle Your Plastic Gift Cards {Focus Organic} [...]
August 9th, 2008 at 2:08 am
Great idea. Thanks for our tips and kudos to your blog
August 11th, 2008 at 12:35 am
Kicks said:
And thank you for the comment
August 24th, 2008 at 12:37 pm
Really! these tips are of great help to humanity for a healthy living
August 30th, 2008 at 2:37 am
good idea..great means to stop pollution..keep it up.
September 2nd, 2008 at 2:16 am
Thank you cash gifting and landscaping.
September 4th, 2008 at 6:51 am
Recycling the plastic will use to stop the earth from the Global Warming so we should follow it,and another main thing is,why should we reduce the usage of plastic?
September 5th, 2008 at 12:56 pm
Sportizo, well, it will help global warming. One step at a time, right?
September 9th, 2008 at 1:23 am
it is always good to know that someone is taking action on recycling plastics.clean environment means good health.thanks for the tips
September 9th, 2008 at 12:37 pm
pure pitch, it is good to know, and thank you for the comment!
September 20th, 2008 at 1:27 am
these are great tips to reduce pollution. thanks for the tips
September 23rd, 2008 at 8:34 am
Brilliant. I have loads of Costa cards that I never know what to do with.
October 23rd, 2008 at 3:49 am
Its good to do recycling as this reduces pollution. good website..keep it up.
November 25th, 2008 at 12:29 am
Hey Stefanie, Great site you have there. Its always feels good to see people taking efforts to spread the word. Keep it up, lets hope people open up more to the Idea.
November 26th, 2008 at 10:25 am
Recycling is a must these days.. we can't afford having so much waste, it has no place to go, and its one of the best ways to make effective use of resources we have.
January 12th, 2009 at 3:23 am
Hi Stef,
People are thinking more about the current environmental issues and acting accordingly which is really great.
What I do like about nowadays companies is that they start producing Useful things that are Eco-friendly and Stylish.
January 13th, 2009 at 10:20 am
What I find shocking is that even nowadays, you can still purchase plastic packaging that ISN'T recyclable. Things like yoghurt pots, which you would think you can recycle you normally can't! Surely they can make almost anything out of recyclable materials now?
January 21st, 2009 at 4:25 pm
Hampers, It surprises me that there are so many non-recyclable plastic items, too. Especially when it's items like the caps on bottles, etc., where the main part of the packaging is recyclable, but a small part of it isn't.
May 13th, 2009 at 2:20 pm
Stefanie said:
Our local council authority doesn't even recycle ANY plastic - we need to take it to a depot ourselves...
Rob
June 21st, 2009 at 7:10 pm
Great post. We should all put a box up at a local establishment and write "Recycle Gift Cards Here". And then mail them to a place that can recycle them. Hmmm, I think this is a good thing to get my kids involved in, ages 9 and 11.
June 24th, 2009 at 3:10 am
It is wise to recycle the plastic gift cards.This not only saves money and resources but also reduces pollution to the environment.