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This is the stuff that holds your soda, your peanut butter, and possibly your bathroom cleaner. This common polymer makes plastic that is strong, shatter-resistant, and cheap to produce. It's also the raw material used for synthetic fabrics such as polyester and Dacron. Of course, like all traditional plastics, it's a petroleum-based product, making it a burden on both resources and landfills. Fortunately, it's one of the most recyclable plastics, so that burden has been reduced as communities have increased their recycling participation and industries have cropped up to put it to good use in new products. Recycled PET plastics are used for a number of purposes, including polyester carpeting, clothing, fiberfill in coats, and automotive parts. PET plastics are labeled with a number 1 in the recycling triangle. For more on plastics, click here.

Is your house too hot? Too cold? To make it just right, insulation is a cost-effective, easy way...