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Here’s Why It’s a Good Idea to Pay Attention to the Plastic You Buy

There’s more to those symbols on the bottom of plastic containers than meets the eye.

Doug Patterson
By Doug PattersonDec 01, 2015
Doug Patterson
Doug is a writer and producer from Ohio. After taking films to Sundance and SXSW as an associate producer, he helped develop and produce Amazon's "Transparent." He joined GOOD in 2015 to write and produce content.
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Chances are, you’ve bought a plastic container at some point in your life—and since it had those three little arrows on the bottom, you figured you could recycle it. But those symbols mean a lot more than you think. They tell you what kind of plastic a product is made from, and even how recyclable it is. The truth is, recycling doesn’t start at the blue bin. It starts the moment you make a purchase. Watch this video to find out how to be smarter at recycling. It’s easier than you think.

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