Meet Art the Cart

Hi everyone! My name is Art the Cart.

I live in Fort Lauderdale. I am a big, bright blue, box on wheels. My favorite thing to do is to collect recycling. Well, really my favorite thing to do is to teach kids how to recycle.

I am sort of a kid myself in that I am the brainchild of the Mix It. Curb It. recycling program. I was born in 2012, and I've been talking to people throughout the city ever since about the importance of feeding me right.

What are the right things? 

I have a HUGE appetite.  I love paper and cardboard, but only if it's not greasy or soggy. I love most kinds of metal. Glass containers are great, and so are most plastic containers. But be warned -- I'm a bit picky and I have a very sensitive stomach. Dirty items and certain objects make me sick.  

Here is a list of my favorite foods!

• Aluminum, steel, and tin cans and lids, like the ones from soup or dog food
• Paper like newspapers, magazines, junk mail, school paper, soft-covered books, and folders
• Cardboard from non-food items, such as shipping boxes, toilet and paper towel roll inserts (but not the paper itself)
• Paperboard like the ones from dry food items such as cereal, rice and pasta
• Glass bottles and jars
• Plastic containers from peanut butter, fruit cups, yogurt and such (Look for numbers 1 through 7 on the bottom)

Here is a list of things that cannot be recycled and will give me an upset stomach.

• No batteries, electronics, cords or chargers
• No clothing or other fabric
• Nothing you would use to build a house
• No fancy stemware, drinkware, or any dinnerware
• No branches, leaves, wood, dirt or rocks 
• No chemicals – like paints or bug sprays
• No medicine, band-aids or needles
• No light bulbs or mirrors

Here is a list of things I think are really gross. These things make me very sick.

• No plastic bags. I really don't like anything that looks or feels like a bag.
• No rubber hoses
• No Styrofoam or packing peanuts
• No wet newspapers
• No greasy pizza boxes (but I do like the clean side if you want to take the time to cut them apart)
• No wire hangers

And finally, I don't mean to insult you, but I really dislike human food. Please do not feed me any food or leave any food on the things that you do feed me. I would appreciate you taking the time to rinse lightly.

If you, or an adult at home want more information on what is considered recyclable by the City of Fort Lauderdale, please check our What and How to Recycle Section and also our Recycling Quick Reference Guide. To learn how to throw away just about anything, check our GYR Waste Disposal Directory.