Tips of the Month
Clean & Reuse During the Winter
Winter is the perfect time to clean out the basement. With temperatures plummeting and snow on the ground, weekend hours spent on yard work and gardening can turn towards getting rid of the clutter that accumulated through the year.
But, as you’re taking care of your basement, you’ll want to make sure you’re taking care of the world around you. Just follow these simple tips:
- Re-use as much as possible: Before you put everything out at the curb for trash pickup, take a look around and see what items can be re-used. Furniture in good shape can be donated to charities like Goodwill, Habitat for Humanity ReStore, or Community Forklift. Clean clothes can be brought to second-hand or vintage shops for resale or donated. Find more donation options on the city’s “Don’t Dump… Donate” flier here. You can also post items to sell or give away on social platforms like Facebook, Freecycle, or Nextdoor.
- Carboard boxes: You may want to save boxes for products under warranty so you can ship them back if you need to. Otherwise, you can advertise free boxes for the taking on social media, and people who are moving will take them. Or put them out for recycling – either in the blue cart or neatly tied up and placed next to the cart.
- Dispose of electronics responsibly: You can drop off up to three of the following electronics for recycling at the outdoor electronics drop box at Davis Hall: TVs, monitors, microwaves, gaming systems, computers, hard drives, cell phones, printers, laptops, copiers, fax machines, cable, and circuit boards.
- Batteries: IKEA and MOM’s recycle rechargeable and alkaline batteries for free. Home Depot recycles rechargeable batteries.
- Latex paint: Make sure to dry out the paint by mixing in paint hardener or clay cat litter and then putting the dried out paint can with the lid off in the green trash cart.
- Hazardous waste like oil-based paints and stains should be taken to the Brown Station Landfill on hazardous waste days (Thursday, Friday, and Saturday from 8am-3:30 pm), located at 11611 White House Road, Upper Marlboro, MD 20772.
Find more tips on donating, recycling, and disposal on the city’s recycling page.
Happy cleaning!
From the City's Committee for a Better Environment
Crime Prevention Tips
On Wednesday, December 6, 2023 the Prince George’s County Police Department joined the City’s Public Safety meeting to discuss crime prevention for the holiday season. Be safe by following these tips for auto theft, home burglary, and more:
- If you purchase a high value item, break the box down into smaller pieces and place in the recycle bin.
- Be observant and alert of suspicious persons and vehicles.
- To prevent catalytic converter theft, paint the catalytic converter a bright color and etch your vehicle’s VIN number on it. This allows it to be traceable if criminals attempt to sell the part.
- Park vehicles with wheels sharply turned to prevent tire and rim theft. Turning the wheels makes it difficult to loosen the lug nuts and remove tires.
- If your home will be unoccupied, wait until after you return to share the memories of your trip online or on social media.
- If you are a victim of auto theft, immediately contact local law enforcement to provide your vehicle information and any identifying characteristics of the criminal.
From the Prince George's County Police Department