Recycling Light Bulbs
Our Earth Care Team invites you to continue celebrating Earth Day all year long as we all learn more about how we can protect and nurture God’s amazing creation. Our focus this month is on household light bulbs.
Unfortunately, not all light bulbs can be recycled. Incandescent bulbs are not accepted for recycling and need to be tossed into the trash. First wrap them in heavy paper to prevent broken edges from cutting through your garbage bag and creating a mess. This protects you and your waste hauler from accidental injury.
Lowe’s and Home Depot both accept CFL (Compact Fluorescent Light) bulbs at their indoor recycling areas. (You can take rechargeable batteries there, too.) Because CFL bulbs contain mercury, they should never be thrown in the trash.
Only the EnviroStation located at 1401 S. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive accepts fluorescent tubes. You can also take halogen bulbs, LED lights, and Christmas lights to the EnviroStation; they are open Wednesday through Saturday 9:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m. If enough bulbs still work in a string of lights you can stuff them in a jar or vase and enjoy them a while longer. Thank you for learning with us! ~ Global Service Committee
Resources List
- What can be recycled at Publix? Foam egg cartons, clean foam take-out trays, clean foam cups, plastic wraps, and more.
- Recycle at Your Local Staples Store!
- Learn more about Teracycle
- City of Winston – CityLink 311
- Recycling questions
- Composting NC Extension Agency
- Water keepers and Climate Solutions – Yadkin River Keeper; Piedmont Land Conservancy; Earth Justice; Project Drawdown; Blessed Tomorrow
Books & Articles
- Salt, Lemons, Vinegar, and Baking Soda – by Shea Zukowski
- Cooler Smarter: Practical Steps for Low-Carbon Living – Union of Concerned Scientists
- Establishing a Bee Lawn – Better Homes and Gardens
- How to Design and Install a Bee Lawn – YouTube
- Calculate Your Carbon Footprint – The Nature Conservancy
- Why Doctors Are Prescribing Nature Walks – Time Magazine
- Prayers for the Environment