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Reducing our waste is one step in reducing our footprint on Mother Earth. Initiatives to reduce, reuse, and recycle have made great strides towards a more sustainable and positive future. And with many communities providing recycling programs, it is easier to participate in effective recycling projects. But our efforts to curb our waste need to be broader than just insuring that the glass, plastic, cardboard, newsprint and paper are sorted and picked up by the recycling truck. There are many more ways to contribute to broad, positive, and sustaining efforts to reduce, reuse, and recycle.
Making sustainable initiatives easy to follow is the key to participation. Here are a few tips that can help you to reduce, reuse and recycle:
- If you don’t need it, don’t buy it! No, really!
- Avoid disposable items where alternatives exist. In many cities, you can also take advantage of many container re-fill programs.
- Re-use products (ie glass jars) and repair home products, whenever possible, instead of buying new. Also, when buying new products assess your options for buying without excess packaging.
- Reduce waste by compositing and recycling. Having recycling recepticles nearby will make recycling easy. An old ice cream bucket in the freezer can hold kitchen scraps (without the smell) until they make it out to the compost bin. Having separate containers in your kitchen for recycled newspapers, paper, cardboard, tins and glass will make your recycling job easier. If space is a constraint, consider an upright recycling bin next to the garbage so that you will be less likely to toss out a recyclable item, then you can sort your recycling when the time is available.
- Buy recycled products. Look for products and packaging made from recycled materials, they are widely available in everything from toilet tissue to office supplies. Consider buying re-cycled eco-friendly gift wrapping, or gently used clothing or recycled building supplies.
Now, more than ever, recycling is accessible, affordable and easy. Recycling can have a positive and sustaining impact on the environment, so keep your eyes open for the Recycle Symbol on products you buy. Be eco-minded and asses your product choices, and think of recycling alternatives before you throw something away.
