We all want to be environmentally helpful. As young people we expect to have a lot of time left on this earth, but the way we treat it might conflict with that desire. One of the easiest ways to help improve how you effect the environment is to recycle, but sometimes it's not easy to know what to recycle and what to throw out. Here is a list of the 8 things you might have thought you should recycle, but it turns out you should put in the trash instead.

1. Juice Boxes

Double check your juice boxes to see if they're recyclable or not. If they have plastic coating around them, it's possible that they cannot be recycled.

2. Styrofoam

Styrofoam is highly flammable and considered a danger in most recycle centers. However, check out Earth 911, and they can possibly provide you a place to take your styrofoam in a more environmentally healthy way than throwing it in the garbage.

3. Paper Towels And Napkins

Although they are made of paper, food contamination can't be processed in a recycle center. If you want to work on your carbon footprint, use a wash cloth, handkerchief or dish towel to deal with messes related to food.

4. Plastic Bottle Caps

Separate these from your bottles. They are less valuable, and therefore many places won't bother recycling them. This is another chance to check out Earth 911 for a facility where you can get rid of your bottle caps in a greener way.

5. Pizza Boxes

Although they're made of cardboard, the oil that comes from the pizza actually makes them harder to recycle

6. Plastic Bags

Do not put your recycling in plastic bags! If a plastic bag is put in recycling and they sort them, no one is allowed to look at what is inside your plastic bags. I personally always forget I can't recycle plastic bags. Earth 911 can find a facility that will take them.