Via Treehugger by way of US News & World Report, newsflash: People don’t recycle enough! Why? Because it doesn’t pay! Well, as the article points out, that is totally untrue. Recycling does pay, and they list four examples of ways in which you can get reimbursed for recycling. They are:

• Cell for Cash: Cell phones made after a certain date in time are exchanged for cash. You look up whether your model applies on their website, send them the phone with the charger, and they cut you a check.
• Gazelle: Same as Cell for Cash, except with other electronics. And yes, you still get money for exchanging them.
• Cash for Clunkers: Hasn’t been completely finished yet, but they will buy your old car and use it for scrap metal—which is better than driving a moving smokestack.
• RecycleBank: No money here. But they do give you gift certificates for the items you recycle, which includes exchanges such as groceries for glass/plastic bottles and pharmacy certificates for related products.

Though the summer is slowly coming to an end, there’s still about a month left, and August is well-known for its fair share of outdoor concerts. Between food and beverage, outdoor concerts are notorious for consuming lots of plastic; but one thing they’re not well-known for is recycling. When you’re out in a big field watching music, it’s sometimes tough to spot recycling bins, even if they’re around.

Two college students in New York City have a solution to this problem: Go corporate. This article in Planetsave highlights Wecycle, which is able to pay for more recycling bins and actual recycling by using the bins to sell advertising space. With the money they receive, they install more receptacles for plastic and aluminum while also paying for the transport of the products to recycling facilities. All they need to do now is make them moshpit-resistant.

A gift card has always been a savvy present: It’s good to give someone when you’re not exactly sure what to buy them. Unfortunately, many gift cards contain toxic plastics that are extremely harmful for the environment. Because of the presence of this plastic, these cards don’t decompose and clog up landfills and the Earth alike.

We’re not giving you an excuse to be a jerk; now there’s a way for you to purchase gift cards without polluting the environment. This article points out that there are now biodegradable gift cards that use corn-based materials which allow gift cards to decompose faster. And you don’t have to go out of your way to get them; most are available at major department stores.

Buying eco-friendly clothing is a smart and stylish way to do your part to help the environment—but those clothes need to get washed, too. Washer/dryers use an enormous amount of energy, making your environmentally considerate purchase only half of the gesture.

As SmartPlanet points out, there’s really no greener way to wash your clothes than in natural water and air drying. But if you are going to use a washer/dryer, it’s important to use as little heat as possible. Heating from these machines uses a lot of energy, as does the water used for two separate loads. And if you live in a city, try hanging a clothesline from your apartment building, giving it a retro feel that others may want to try as well.