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There’s a lot of confusion when it comes to residential recycling programs. What can go in? What can‘t? Who’s taking our recycling? What are we accomplishing: Are we saving money, the planet?

Reduce Reuse Refocus: The Playlist

screen capture of Oscar the Grouch
YOUTUBE
Oscar the Grouch first performed "I Love Trash" in the very first season of Sesame Street

It's hard not to do a series about recycling without thinking of Oscar the Grouch. After all, he lives in a garbage can, but he was born in a time before there was really greater consideration given to what we threw away and the impact it had on the planet. Over time our thoughts about garbage, what we throw away and what we can recycle have evolved.

Not surprsingly the number of songs about recycling has grown dramatically. We got to thinking about just how many songs we could find out there about trash and recycling. It turns out there are quite a few (especially with the title "Reduce Reuse Recycle!" Surprisingly, no two triple-R songs seem to be alike.) We've created a Spotify playlist for your enjoyment and perhaps your amusement. In addition to Oscar's classic tune, there's some rock, some rap, some blues and a few other odds and ends.

We hope you'll like this eclectic mix, but don't let the fun end here. We're sure there are more songs out there about recycling (and trash) that we haven't found yet. If you know of one you think should be on the list, let us know and we'll consider adding it!

Andrew Meyer is the deputy editor of news at Ideastream Public Media.