PLASTIC, PLASTIC EVERYWHERE...but I'm not so flexible  

Hello, tracie1758, it is my understanding that the numbers on the bottom of recyclable items stand for how many times you can safely recycle it without the bad chemicals leaking out of it for food type items. For example. It has been said that when you get bottled water, you should not refill and reuse more times that it says on the bottom of the bottle. I really do not know how true all this is, but that is just how it was explained to me. Some of it sounds a little like 'how do they keep track then?' type of stuff. But, whatever. Haha. There could be a total different reason too. I had always that the numbers stood for the type of plastic the item contained. So, that when the recycle people sort it they could put all items of the same type together. But, I got laughed at when I verbalized that one last. So, I guess that is not the true reason. Hehe. Hope that helps some.

tracie and dismalgrin, BOTH of you! Do not dismay, YOU DONE GOOD babeseses!!! and thank you, on behalf of all who care!
Who knows what those numbers are for! Supposedly there are different kinds and types of plastic grades and that's what the numbers are for.
This is a perfect example of OUR lack of education, simkply ebcause nobody has paid enough attention to US and OUR need to know what's up! I suppose none of it is all that important after all!!! PMO
I don't care enough to separate them THAT much, I just want to do my part and separate plastic from cardboard say, and let those important people take charge of the rest.
Thank you so much for doing your parts and for replying here
(is there an emote for a freaking kiss?)

I AM special just knowing you!!! (little as that might be)
I was fishing for you, just to see that picture! I know you well enough to bait you right.
I asked a thousand times and never got an answer to this, when I lived in El Paso, I noticed that some people placed the gallon jugs (apparently filled with water) all around their lots.
I don't recall noticing whether they had their caps on or not, but I though that was most unusual.
I cut my plastic bottles to use them as funnels, but I only need so many of them; and I use the bottoms for nails, screws and whatever other small parts I might have. The other jugs, no matter what of, I send to recycling plants.
You're awesome, you know! Thanks.

They are supposed to be cultivating a bacteria that helps to decompose plastic, so somebody read your thoughts before you thought them.
You forgot the question mark on your second statement, so I'm going to make believe it was a question anyweay. MY answer to you, YES, I KNOW!!! Plastics haven't even been around that long except in it's primitive oil state, so how did they measure the longevity?
At least I think it's a good question and you get to take home the cake. For that and for caring about recycling. Bicycling is not bad either!

PS: You avatar is crazier than mine! whatheheck?

Surely recycling has to have its rewards! I would think cities could derive some profit from recycling, besides more clean environments, if they educated the people also.
I have heard that Teflon (which I think is another palstic derivative) can cause cancer, so that should answer part of your question. But I hadn't even though about the "evolutionary" effects on fishes. What about melamine? Isn't that another sort of plastic? That's what the Chinese were adding to something or other (I think milk or rice) so that kids were being poisoned!
Aren't we and our technological advances great?

When we were first married (19 years ago almost!) we had a parakeet in a tiny apartment with us. I was told not to cook with the teflon coated pan because the fumes could kill my bird. Hmmmm........ what about me? And didn't they use canaries to warn the miners of dangerous fumes in underground mines? Hmmmmm..... Now, of course, they are worried about us ingesting it. Makes me wonder about "microwavable" plastics. I think I will get rid of my microwave and any teflon I have left. They say stainless steel and cast iron pans are best. Hmmm.....

YOU ARE doing a good thing! I try to find people that sell aluminum cans so I can give ours to those people and I help twice as much! It's too bad that recycling plastics is not a thing where you live. Plastics are in just about everything we can think of.
In El Paso we were able to recycle everything I can remember, including tin cans and glass, and I miss that.

Oh! One more thing that just popped into my head... bubble wrap! (HA! I made a joke. 'Popped', 'bubble wrap'... get it? Okay, sorry... it WAS bad.)

Whenever I have something delivered and it's packaged with bubble wrap, I make "cones" out of them and place them around my baby tomato plants once they're in the ground and a light frost is expected. Covering tomato plants is essential if you want to start them early around here and don't want them killed by frost. The bubble wrap also helps to warm the soil around the baby plants so they can be planted at least two weeks earlier. Bubble wrap is also an excellent way to help the sun heat your home in the winter by placing it over windows. The air inside the 'bubbles' warms up and stays warm for awhile after the sun has set.

Sorry, didn't mean to start a 'recycling class' here, but I just remembered that from when I was looking into greenhouses. That's where I learned about that one advantage of bubble wrap.

Okay. I've said enough here. I'll stop now.

OVERWHELMING, darling! I'll have to keep this discussion in my files so I can rememebr all that...NOT!!! (just kidding, of course)
Yes, I know you're a recycling nut...wel, no, just nuts regardless. BUT we love you for it and you know it.
I think that's etrrific that you think that way and maybe A LOT OF PEOPLE better start thinking that way, considering the way things are going (hint, hint).
I think that bubble wrap stuff is a great idea and I'm so very glad it's being used more than those styrofoam penuts that last forever! But I am most impressed by people who weave those rugs from plastic bags. I really like that. And your idea about the car cover is awesome! So HUGE CONGRATICISMS TO YA, BABE!

Sorry, I forgot how much you like that thumb

Ooooooooooooooooooh!!! You've just made my entire day!!! You do give such great thumb.

HEY XBOX, it's pretty hard to believe you don't consume plastic all that much!!! THINK! Just about everything you own contains plastic, including most of the plates you put in the microwave and the cups you drink from. Not that I'm a friend of any of that stuff, but even churches have begun to use plastic flowers, which I find pretty ofensive! We already have plastic money in the shape of credit cards!!!
But I agree with you that EVERY government needs to tighten up on this issue...I'm sure it's hurting the planet some way and our friend before stated one way, which is the fish.
Be careful flying that paper airplane, it probably has a plastic propeller.

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NO! That'sstretching it A WHOLE LOT !!! (just kidding)
But aren't you afraid of contaminating the air in your house, not knowing what air they used to fill those things??? (just kidding, of course) Now somebody will probably get an idea from that, dang it!!!
But I think it's great that you're conscientious about the stuff, and make sure to instruct the kids about it too, OK? They might get to inherit the mess we're making.

Contaminate the air? No wonder I get such a giddy happy feeling after popping those things! Haha.

On a more serious note have you heard that 'the earth is not a gift from our parents, it's a loan from our children.'? That's an old native american saying, I think it's cherokee, but if I'm wrong I'd like to know! Haha.

Wherever that saying originated, it's quite righteous!!!
Thanks dismal!

Ain't that the sad truth. I'm not sure we have time to make it green again, but that shouldn't persuade us otherwise. Thanks.

Hey, just make your corner of the world green again! No one has to save the world... just make their corner of the world a better place!

Hmmmmmmmm.... now that I think about it, it's called the "Blue Planet", not green!