Saving the environment is everywhere in the news and on everyone's mind these days. It is important for the future of our world as we know it. It also can also be a way to save money. Recycling and reusing is an important part of this mission. But there are certain things that should NOT be done in the name of safety. If you are actively involved in going green, you must be aware of some things that you should NOT do.

-Collecting rain from a roof or a gutter down spout in rain barrels or any type of container is a good idea and a great way to save water. This collected water can be used to water the lawn, flowers and bushes. DO NOT water a vegetable or herb garden with this water. A roof is a common area for bird droppings. As rain runs off a roof and into a collection barrel, it will bring with it the bird droppings. Birds droppings is the main source of salmonella. Using this collected water to irrigate vegetables, fruits or herbs can transfer any potential danger of salmonella to the garden and eventually to the vegetables, fruits and herbs. This can be very dangerous.

-Reusing the trays that raw meat comes in is another recycling error. Raw meat can result in many diseases. Can these trays be washed enough to remove the bacteria left behind? The same care and precautions used when preparing raw meat should be taken when reusing these trays.

-Never reuse containers or bottles that were previously filled with any type of chemical. Bottles from ammonia, bleach and any other cleaning supplies should be discarded or sent to the recycling bin. Reuse these only if you are refilling them with the original substance.

There are so many other successful methods to recycling and reusing. Use cloth napkins instead of paper napkins, kitchen towels instead of paper towels, real dishes instead of paper dishes, real tableware instead of plastic tableware. If you must use plastic bags for garbage, then reuse the bags from the grocery store.

When recycling and reusing, be careful and be aware. Do the necessary research before initiating a new way to recycle and reuse