Month: May 2015

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Unsustainable Living: Facts About America’s Garbage

How
many times a day do you throw something out without even thinking? Probably more than you realize – the average American
discards over four pounds of garbage on a daily basis, totaling over
1,500 pounds each year. To make things worse, many of these materials
don’t need to be thrown away, they can be recycled or even donated.
Read
the facts below to put things into a better perspective.
  • The
    United States accounts for just 5% of the world’s population, but
    40% of the world’s waste.
  • America generates over 14 million tons of food waste annually.
  • Each
    year, the average American throws out over 1,000 pounds of organic
    garbage which can be composted.
  • 45,000
    tons of plastic waste are dumped into the world’s oceans every year.
  • Electronic
    waste accounts for 2% of America’s total garbage, but 70% of its
    toxic waste.
  • Each
    year, people in the USA throw away enough cell phones to contain $60
    million worth of gold and silver.
  • North
    Americans throw away 2.5 million plastic bottles every hour.
  • Each
    year, we throw away enough recyclable paper to build a 12-foot wall
    from Los Angeles to New York City.
Hopefully
these facts will make you think twice about what you are putting into
your garbage. At 1-866-We-Junk-It, we are doing our part to help
Mother Nature by taking all salvageable goods from our job sites and
donating them to local charities. What we can’t donate gets recycled,
and everything else gets disposed of in accordance with landfill
regulations.
For all
dumpster rental and junk removal needs for your Long Island home or
business, look no further than 1-866-We-Junk-It. Click here to learn
more about our company or get a free estimate by calling
1-866-935-8654.
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What You Need to Know About Dumpster Diving

One
man’s trash is another man’s treasure,
as the old adage says, but this saying has been taken to a completely
new level in today’s day and age. With the rising popularity of
dumpster diving, people everywhere are giving thrown-away goods a
second life.
Let’s
take a closer look at the activity of dumpster diving, why people do
it, and what risks are associated with it.
What is dumpster diving?
Dumpster
diving is the practice of foraging through residential and commercial
garbage to find food, clothing, furniture, electronics, and other
goods which are still in working condition.
Why do people dumpster
dive?
There
are a number of reasons why people engage in dumpster diving. Often
times, it is out of economic necessity – for those living in
poverty, a dumpster can provide a wealth of free items that they
could not afford otherwise.
Other
people do it to make some extra money; returning recyclable bottles
and cans could yield an extra $50 a day if you are willing to load up
several garbage bags worth of containers. Some people take the goods
that they find and sell them on eBay or Craigslist for some quick
cash.
Dumpster
diving is becoming more and more popular in the green community,
especially with “freegans” who aim to eliminate their ecological
impact by living strictly off of others’ discarded items. Other
reasons people dumpster dive include donating their findings to the
less fortunate, academic research for garbologists, and seeking out
useful information for private investigators and police officers.
Are there risks
associated with dumpster diving?
If you
plan on dumpster diving, there are risks that you should be aware of,
the first being the legality of it. Some states and towns have passed
bills which explicitly outlaw dumpster diving. Even if the action of
going through someone’s trash isn’t illegal in your area, be
aware that you can still get ticketed or even arrested for
trespassing or littering if you do not clean up after yourself.
Health
risks are also a big concern for dumpster divers. There is no telling
what you could find in a trash container, including broken glass and
other sharp objects. If you cut yourself in the process of dumpster
diving, there is a good chance that your wound could get infected due
to the germy environment of garbage containers.
In
other words, dumpster dive at your own risk!
As Long
Island’s #1 dumpster rental provider, we strongly discourage dumpster
diving, as it is not only unsafe, but potentially illegal. If you
live in Nassau or Suffolk County and are in need of a rental
dumpster, contact us today at 1-866-935-8654. We offer containers in
five different capacities, so you are sure to find one that is
perfectly-sized for your project. Same day drop-offs are available for residential and commercial customers, click here for a
free quote.

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How to Rent a Dumpster: A Step-By-Step Guide

Are you planning an upcoming home remodel or renovation project? If so, you have probably considered renting a dumpster. Rental dumpsters are convenient, easy, and eliminate the hassle of hauling several truckloads of garbage to the dump.
If you have never rented a dumpster before, you might be confused about where to start. If the process seems confusing or intimidating to you, just follow the step-by-step guide below:
  • Step One: Assess Your Project. About a week before you start your renovation, evaluate your project as a whole. Gather key information such as the project start date, how much waste will be created, and the types of materials you are going to be disposing of – all of this information will be important to know when you contact your dumpster provider.
  • Step Two: Contact Local Dumpster Rental Companies. The next step is to call a few local companies for a price quote. If you don’t know the exact dumpster size you need, most places are knowledgeable enough to help you select the right size based on the information you give them. Make sure to get a firm quote which includes all hidden fees and taxes, and ask about special policies such as prohibited items and drop-off requirements.
  • Step Three: Prepare For Drop Off. Dumpsters need to be placed on a hard, level surface. If you are planning on having yours dropped off in your driveway, clear the area a night in advance. If you need to have yours dropped in the street, make sure you have the proper town permits necessary to do so.
  • Step Four: Load Up The Dumpster. After the dumpster is dropped off, you can start your project! Fill up the dumpster with your rubbish, just make sure to do so safely in order to avoid tipping and personal injury. Here is a list of tips to safely load your rental dumpster.
  • Step Five: Have it Hauled Away. After your project is done and your dumpster is full, call the rental company back and schedule a time where they can pick up the container and haul it away. As long as you followed the company’s load size and prohibited items requirements, that’s all there is to it!
Homeowners in Long Island and the five boroughs of New York City can count on 1-866-We-Junk-It for their junk removal needs. We offer containers in five different sizes, so you are sure to get the one that is right for your project. Same-day drop offs are available for last-minute projects, so call us today for a free quote at 1-866-935-8654.
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The 5 Best Tips for De-Cluttering Your Home

A
common complaint from homeowners is that they have too much stuff.
Whether you want to downsize, simplify, or are just tired of looking
at all of your junk, decluttering your house is a rewarding project
that gives the gift of space and serenity.
Decluttering
isn’t easy though, it takes time, effort, and persistence. Use the
following five tips, courtesy of 1-866-We-Junk-It, to make your
decluttering project as easy as possible.
1. Take it one step at a
time.
Building
Rome took more than a day, and so will decluttering your house.
Decluttering is about more than just throwing away your old junk, it
is a conscious effort to live a more simple life. Avoid overwhelming
yourself by taking your declutter step-by-step; break up your home
into individual rooms and focus on cleaning one area at a time.
2. Start big.
Tackle
your biggest messes first. Not only will this give you the momentum
and motivation to push through the rest of your house, it will
prevent you from dealing with the hardest stuff when you are already
exhausted.
3. Finish one area before
moving on.
The
biggest mistake that people make when they are trying to declutter
their home is trying to do everything at once. They will clean a
little bit of their bedroom, then move on to their kitchen for an
hour then start working on the basement. Soon enough, they will get
frustrated that nothing is clean and just give up altogether. Prevent
this from happening to you by completely finishing one area before
moving on to the next. Clean the closet in your bedroom, then the
dresser, then under the bed and everywhere else in the room before
starting work on the kitchen.
4. Use the three-box
method.
The
three-box (or two box and a trash can) method is an easy way to sort
your belongings into three categories: items to keep, items to
donate/sell, and items to throw away. Worry about placing all of your
stuff in one of these three boxes before anything else, and check out
this article on how to host a successful tag sale so you can make
some money off of your old junk.
5. You can’t do
everything alone.
Sometimes,
you need to call in for reinforcements. Whether it is friends,
family, or a professional junk removal service, the extra set of
hands is certainly helpful, as old furniture and appliances can be
too heavy to move alone.
If you
live in New York and are planning a home decluttering project, do it
with the help of 1-866-We-Junk-It. Whether you need a rental dumpster
or help from professional junk removers, we can help ensure that your
project goes as smoothly as possible. Click here to visit our website
or call us at 1-866-935-8654.