The Three R’s Are Not Equal!
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle are the Three R’s of solid waste. All are important. All play a role in helping the environment. But gaining control of one – reduce – stops the cycle at its source and does more to help the environment than the other two. Here are some practical tips:
Reduce
- Buy products with less packaging.
- Buy products in bulk.
- Live better with less – down-size to a smaller, less-expensive home with fewer possessions and declare freedom from the consumer lifestyle!
- Repair broken items, rather than discard.
- Shop with a cloth bag, rather than getting a new paper or plastic bag each time.
- Make two-sided copies to use less paper.
- Compost your yard waste and food waste. This is both a method of reducing garbage and recycling.
Reuse
- Reuse paper and plastic bags.
- Donate used items and clothes to a thrift store (and take a tax deduction)
- Use the other side of one-sided copies for drafts in your printer.
- Find a new, creative use for items you would otherwise discard.
Recycle
- Compost as much waste as you can – it’s smart and saves money.
- Recycle cardboard, newspapers, magazines, aluminum, tin, scrap metal and glass.