Yes, you recycle your HI-5 bottles and cans, sort your green waste and pull out your paper products. But what about recycling all that other stuff? Some things are not cost-efficient to recycle, and may use more energy getting them to distant recycling centers. Here's a Da Kine Guide to recycling, for those items you weren't sure what to do with.

Appliances (large): Anything — especially if it's made with metal — should be put out on the curb for bulky pickup. For the regular monthly schedule, see opala.org.

Athletic shoes: Nike is on the hunt for old sneakers, etc., for its reuse-a-shoe program; www.letmeplay.com/reuseashoe.

Cell phones: The manufacturer and/or wireless company might have a program — start there. But you can always donate it, too. For tips and a list, check out opala.org.

Office paper: Find a community recycling bin near you at opala.org.

Plastic bags: Most grocery stores set up collection centers.

Plastic containers (shampoo bottles, etc.): Check for the imprints of numbers 1 and 2. It's not just drink bottles (which some of us return for the pocket change) but certain fruit containers at the big boxes, for example, that may have those magic numbers in the triangle. These can go in with the recycling, if you have it curbside, or in the community recycle bins (see www.opala.org for sites).

Printer cartridges: Many companies that market the ink will take back cartridges and refill them. Check with the manufacturer.

Sports equipment: Lightly used items can be donated to needy kids around the globe; www.sportsgift.org. (You'll be charged for the shipping to California, though.)

Used eyeglasses, hearing aids: Donate them to a good cause. Lenscrafters and some opticians will take glasses off your hands.

Zipper-top closure plastic bags: Remove the zipper plastic, which is of a different type, and put in with your recycled bags at the grocery store.

Tires: Retailers must take back old ones, by mandate of state law. Tires can also be dropped off at city convenience centers. See www.opala.org.

Electronics: Several companies will recycle computers and other electronics. If the item still works, consider donating it (after cleaning sensitive information off the hard drive). Some offer, for a fee, a service that deletes hard-drive information. And shop around big-box stores for trade-ins that generate cash: Recycle your used gadgets and get cash back in the form of a Costco, Sam's Club, BestBuy and Circuit City cash card. Some take notebook PCs, MP3 players, desktop PC, LCD monitors, game systems, camcorders, digital cameras, smart phones and PDAs, to name a few. See www.opala.org

Christmas cards: St. Jude's Ranch for Children recycles holiday cards; www.stjudesranch.org.

Batteries: Because household batteries no longer contain mercury, they can go into the trash. However, rechargeable batteries that contain cadmium should not. There are collection boxes around town, including at Home Depot stores.

Sources: www.opala.org, Real Simple magazine's A-Z recycle guide, and Suzanne Jones (recycling coordinator for city Department of Environmental Services)