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More and more independant recycling centers are being set up and are a great resource for large sheets of cardboard, polystyrene and much much more. They are a wonderful treasure trove of goodies waiting to be transformed by our imaginations and hard sweat.
Recycling is a huge part of pm for me, out of choice, so I contacted a local center near me, who spacificly save the materials for me that I'm looking for. Once a week I drop by, sort through what they have for me, throw back whats unwanted and take the rest home. Saves a lot of hunting around.
I just thought I'd share this for the benefit of others looking for new resources for their pm. All you have to do is let them know what your looking for and they are only too happy to save it on the side for you.
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What a treasure trove!
Most of the recycling places here in the U.S. won't let you do that. They have signs all over: "Scavenging Strictly Prohibited -- Violators Will Be Prosecuted".
They moan about all the stuff that's put into the landfills, then won't set aside an area where people can leave/pickup usable materials. It's a real waste. I've seen tons of stuff I could have used, but was under the gimlet eye of the man watching from the office.
The best I've been able to do, if I see something on someone's truck that they're discarding, is to ask them nicely if I could have it. If they agree, they leave it on board, and just outside the gate, we transfer it to my truck. But most of the 'good' stuff is usually already on the pile.
Sigh.
Sue
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Sorry to hear that Sue. Its pretty much like that with goverment run places here, but the indepentant recycling centers are doing really well and see the benefit of encouraging locals to drop stuff off and play a part as volunteers too.
If people find anything they want, they are asked to contribute a small amount of money towards keeping the service going. We're talking pennies, which isn't much and it all helps the world become a little greener.
I get invited by this center to give talks about recycling waste materials into art occasionally. It benefits us both so I do it for free, but once they start getting school visits, they have hinted they may want to make it a more regular thing. I'm not sure and will have to think about it, time is already scarce. Not enough hours in the day and all that! 
I've been a skip scavenger for years and must admit its nice not to have to go digging anymore, although, I must admit I find it difficult to drive past a skip and not stop for a look. Old Habits.... 
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I'm rather new to this, but have found a lot of cardboard (smashed and boxes, some broken down) from local stores. Like Walmart, if you talk to them early mornin' they usually have 20 or 30 boxes and a few stove size ones.
Same with Dollar Trees, Save-a-lots, Albertsons. They have given me permission to come by on certain days and snag what I need. Local hardware store also has some large ones that come in once a week.
Of course, being new at this, I've no idea what I need so it's stacking up in a bedroom, taking it over now. heh
I'm not sure if there are independent recycling companies in the US or not, but I've had same experience so far as Cat has with the government ones. Recycling in the US is a way to make money. We even have people that make their living off collecting metal and/or glass, etc. Sells for good funds I've read.
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Hi Fellow Mashers,
I love recycling and wish I could do it on a much larger scale. I visit my town's DPW (department of public works) site about once a week to pick up plastic containers for the lamps I'm making with pm. I asked permission and they told me it was fine, so I feel quite fortunate. Nowadays nothing excites me more than a gigantic mountain of plastic jugs to sort through. And there are treasures to be found: I just picked up a very large jug that had once contained pretzels and am planning to make my first large lamp with it. I'm lusting for a watercooler jug but haven't seen any yet. I love the idea of rescuing these bits of trash and converting them to something useful.
Jilly, what's a skip? Sounds intriguing.
Happy 2007 to all.
LampLady (a.k.a Elsa Rubenstein)
:arrow: :arrow: 
:idea: :idea:
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Hi,
A skip is generally a huge heavy metal container that people hire and have placed outside buildings that are being renovated. They dump all sorts of things into it that have been gutted from the building. The skip firm then comes around to collect it when its full, and disposes of the unwanted rubbish. Unless I see it first!
Most of the time it is rubbish but every now and a gain you'll find something really worth taking.
I bet most people think I'm a bag lady sorting through it!
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Hi,
A skip is generally a huge heavy metal container that people hire and have placed outside buildings that are being renovated. They dump all sorts of things into it that have been gutted from the building. The skip firm then comes around to collect it when its full, and disposes of the unwanted rubbish.
In the U.S. it is called a dumpster.
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I love to recycle when pm.
Where i live the recycling goes out with the rubbish so i go round before the truck and get carboard but mainly im after the interesting bottles and jars.I also go to my local glass cutters and they save any off cuts of mirror glass for me.
O.K im just a junk bunny.
Sue.
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"I'm just a junk bunny."
Oh, no! You're a recycle artist! 
Sue, too
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I fear that there is no cure for junk bunnyism and no matter how many times you walk past a skip or an interesting pile of rubbish you have to jump in and look.
Sue,too,too
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We, .....ingeniously create pieces of art, using found and recycled objects that are skillfully integrated with a mixed paper media. 
In simple terms, incurable junk bunnies and papier mache enthusiasts!
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Jilly
I bet you could make toe nail clippings sound good.
Sue
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It may be worth considering contacting your local schools, my other half is a teacher and I have raided the reprographics department for oversize cardboard boxes (pirate ship prow and punch and judy theatre) waste paper etc, also kitchens for outsize containers. Funnily the art department rarely access the amazing resources on site. Usually the staff are happy to save the journey to the skips.
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