We already know there are eco-friendly benefits of reducing food waste, which is a simple enough strategy to employ with strategic, smart planning. But what about the other items in your home that you may unnecessarily send to a landfill mainly because you simply weren't aware they could be recycled? The editors at Green America have not only composed a list of the 21 things you could (and should!) be recycling, they've also included the organizations you can contact to begin doing so.

See some of the items below and where you can recycle them, then hit the jump to visit Green America and view the entire list.

Appliances - Wondering what to do with your old stove or washing machine that is still in good working condition? Send them to Goodwill or the Steel Recycling Institute to recycle them.

Batteries - As soon as the ones in your remote control die, don't stick them in the back of drawer - you'll inevitably mistake them for good working ones at some point and they're likely to end up in the trash. You can send rechargeable and single-use batteries to Battery Solutions.

CDs/DVDs/Game Disks - Unfortunatley even your favorite video game or CD will end up scratched at some point in its well-loved life. AuralTech can refinish these damaged goods and have them working again as if they were new. This applies to your favorite music, Nintendo or Playstation games. 

Eyeglasses - Check with your local chapter of the Lion’s Club or the place you orginally bought your glasses. You won't just save them from a landfill, you may also benefit someone in need of new lenses when your old ones are recycled.

Miscellaneous - If your unwanted item doesn't fit into any specific category, try selling it or giving it away via sites such as Freecycle or Craigslist. You could also hold a garage sale and see if there's anyone else who can make good use of your cast-offs (hint: you can do this in any season).

Phones - Just like batteries, don't toss these (or your old pager or PDA) in a random cupboard or drawer for later disposal. Someone in a developing country may be able to use it and Collective Good will help make sure it gets there. You can also assist victims of domestic violence by participating in the Call to Protect initiative, which reprograms cell phones to dial 911.

Sports equipment - Take it to any sports-equipment swapping location, including Play It Again Sports or Sport Swap if you live in Canada.

Tennis shoes - Nike will turn your old shoes into a new place to play with their Reuse-a-Shoe program or if they can still be worn comfortably, One World Running will send them to people in need in poor countries.

Toothbrushes and razors - Who knew you could actually do something useful with your disposable razor or worn-out toothbrush? Instead of stuffing them in the trash can, stick it in an envelope (hint: remove the sharp part of the razor first!) and send it to Recycline. They'll convert this waste into plastic lumber. They've also partnered with Stonyfield Farm to recycle the company's old yogurt containers.

Anything else - If you can't think of where to send old products, you can always try sending back to the manufacturer with a little note letting them know they need to responsibly handle their old products.

The best feature of this list is that not only are you doing something good for the environment, in many cases you may be donating items to organizations that will find people who desperately need the things you no longer do.

» Co-op America

The company behind the famous swoosh is known as a premium athletic brand that has consistently produced a quality product.  Whether you play on a court, a track or a field there is a good chance that Nike makes a shoe to suit your needs.  And if you play a lot then you've probably felt the sheer joy of putting on a comfy brand new pair of shoes followed by the melancholy of throwing away your trusty old pair.  Did I say throw away?!  Tsk, tsk!

Nike has a very cool program called Reuse-A-Shoe.  You drop off your used athletic shoes, any brand, and they separate them and turn them into a product they call Nike Grind, which can be best described as a foamy, rubbery popcorn that can be used for all sorts of things.  For example, Nike ACG developed a range of apparel trim and accessories including snaps, buttons and zipper pulls that are made from 50% to 100% Nike Grind material.

What's really amazing is that they've developed ways of reusing Nike Grind in the manufacture of sport surfaces such as basketball courts, tennis courts, playgrounds, running tracks, and much more.  A basketball court can use materials from 2,500 pairs of shoes.  A running track can use material from 75,000 pairs of shoes. 

Nike also uses the same processes at its Asian factories as it uses to recycle consumer's shoes.  That means materials that would otherwise be wasted in the manufacturing process, like outsole rubber for example, can be recycled and reintroduced into the manufacturing cycle to make more outsoles.  It can also contribute to Nike's inventory of Nike Grind material to build sport surfaces.

I suppose in a perfectly eco-friendly world we'd all wear shoes made from hemp and beeswax by a local cobbler.  I think it's very cool whenever a manufacturer takes reponsibility for the full life cycle of their products.  The Nike Reuse-A-Shoe program means you can enjoy your fresh new kicks and not feel guilty about wasting your old ones.  Hit the jump to learn more and find out if there's a dropoff location near you.

» Nike Reuse-A-Shoe

Add Michael Jordan to the list of athletes entering the green movement. The Air Jordan XX3 is the most recent shoe Nike plans to release as part of its popular Air Jordan line of apparel. The difference between the XX3 and its 22 predecessors is that this shoe was produced with sustainability in mind.

The shoes features a midsole stitched to both upper and inner sock liners, as well as stitching on the side panel to adhere the exterior leather to three interior linings. The stitching replaced the common use of toxic, solvent-based glues. Thermal plastic urethane (TPU), a recyclable plastic, forms the base that wraps around the shoe, recycled polyester was used for the internal bootie and the outsoles of the shoe are constructed from downstream shoe manufacturing waste.

In keeping with Michael Jordan's infamous number 23 jersey, Nike will release a limited edition of the XX3 to 23 retailers on January 25 (why not January 23?) that will sell for $230 - the highest-priced Air Jordan's releasted yet. Mass release of the shoe will occur on February 16 and February 23, where the price will be reduced to a mere $185. The price is attributed to the higher cost of attempting to produce a more environmentally friendly shoe, however Brand Jordan Footwear head honcho Gentry Humphrey doesn't believe the green factor will automatically make the shoes a success.

"Will (sustainability) be the driving factor? I wouldn't say that, because most kids aren't buying a $185 shoe because it's sustainable." Air Jordan customers, he said, still expect the shoe to be good-looking, comfortable and durable. "For us, the first and foremost is to build the best-playing performance shoe that we possibly can build."

While some refer to Nike's efforts as "baby steps," they also applaud Nike for moving in the right direction and using their popular brand to promote sustainable practices.

"Is the shoe produced using more sustainable materials than in the past? The answer is yes," said a Nike spokesman, Bob Applegate, adding that manufacturing sustainably "is always a process, it's always a journey."

» The Oregonian

Adbusters has come up with a pair of shoes to combat the global domination, and irresponsibility of companies like Nike. Nike’s questionable labour practices, leather fetish, and astronomic profit margins, have put more than a few people off. Yet, we continue to buy their products, and their corporation continues to grow. Fear not, you need not disappoint your hipster children with Birkenstocks, and wool socks this Christmas. Instead, buy them Blackspots; they come complete with a can of corporate whoop ass. [or whoop arse for our readers from across the pond!]

There are two types of Blackspot shoes; the Classic Blackspot Sneaker—a Converse All Star-style hemp and rubber shoe—and, the Blackspot Unswoosher V2.0—think Doc Martins, but hemp and recycled tire tread soles. Both of the Blackspot shoes are made in a Portuguese unionized factory. They both include a Blackspot on the side, and a red dot on the toe. The Blackspot is Adbusters’ own anti-corporate logo; it is not licensed and anyone may produce a product with this logo, in fact they are encouraged to do so. I may just have to find a way of Blackspotting my hand-knit scarves. The red dot on the toe helps with aiming your kicks when attacking the corporation.

Adbusters even suggests you create your own Blackspots. I have included instructions, as the process is quite complicated.

1. Take a black marker, and cover the logo on your shoes with a large black spot.
2. Take a red marker, and mark a small circle on the toe.
3. You’re done. (I know, it’s a lengthy process.)

When you purchase one of these shoes you also get, a copy of the latest Adbusters magazine, and a membership number, which allows you access as an effective shareholder. This is not passive consumerism; you are an involved member of a grass-roots community. Finally, the best part; these shoes are cheap. The Classic Blackspot Sneaker is currently $75 CDN, $77 USD. And, the Blackspot Unswoosher V2.0 is $99 CDN, $99 USD. Try finding a pair of Nikes outside of the Salvation Army for that price!

This Christmas, don’t just give a gift, empower someone. Hit the jump, and read the philosophy behind the Blackspot.

This story was submitted by Brady Fullerton.

» Adbusters