I've been hauling big plastic bags of empty aluminum cans to the Cohen Brothers location on Ridge…read moreAvenue in Pleasant Ridge for longer than I can remember. I use transparent plastic bags, generally making a run after I've filled five of them - the max I can fit in my car at one time. I've always been impressed with how friendly and helpful the guys are (they are all guys in the recycling area) despite their *strictly functional* and amenity-free [*translation: dirty, grungy and often too hot or too cold] work area and the cashier in the little trailer (nearly always female) is extremely pleasant as she slides under the thick glass pane, the cash you've earned for what you've brought in. Aluminum scrap prices (all other metal scrap in general) fluctuates widely so I never know how much I'm going to make, but it's generally enough to pay for my gas and part of my lunch. Besides, I'd rather get the cash myself than give it away to the guys we *pay* monthly for curbside garbage and recycling pickup!

Butler County offers free recycling for Butler County residents. So I stopped by to drop off some…read morestuff that has been accumulating in my garage for years. It was a lot of work getting it in my car but the guys there unloaded it all which was pretty great! They were really nice about it, too. If you're from the Hamilton area, Cohen in Hamilton is in the Champion Mill on the East Side by the Black Street Bridge. You enter right by the bridge. I drove by the entrance. Don't be like me. Turn by the bridge. There's a big Cohen sign. It turns out there are Cohen Recycling places in tons of cities. It's really useful to know where it's safe to take your old computers, TVs and cell phones. ((There's a complete list of what they do and don't take on their website.) You can drop off computers and televisions at no-charge if you're a Butler County resident! (Or maybe your county has a similar program.) Currently it's on these dates: When: Tuesday & Thursday 9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. Saturday - 8:30 a.m. - 11:30 p.m. Cohen Hamilton: 105 Black St. (Cohen Middletown: - 3120 S. Verity Pkwy.) When: Tuesday & Thursday 9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. Saturday - 8:30 a.m. - 11:30 p.m. Cohen Hamilton: 105 Black St. Cohen Middletown: - 3120 S. Verity Pkwy. http://www.recycle.bcohio.us/