Environmental Feature

environmental tips and sustainable solutions for a healthy planet

Eco Tips: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

First: Reduce

The critical first step of waste prevention has been overshadowed by a focus on recycling. Please help to promote a greater awareness of the importance of the "Reduce" part of the Reduce-Reuse-Recycle mantra.

• Simplify: Simplify your life as much as possible. Only keep belongings that you use/enjoy on a regular basis. By making the effort to reduce what you own, you will naturally purchase less and create less waste in the future.

• Reduce Purchases: In general, think before you buy any product - do you really need it? How did the production of this product impact the environment and what further impacts will there be with the disposal of the product (and associated packaging materials)? When you are thinking about buying something, try the 30-Day Rule -- wait 30 days after the first time you decide you want a product to really make your decision. This will eliminate impulse

buying.

• Tree-Free Home: As much as possible, create a tree-free home:

☺ Replace paper napkins with cloth napkins

☺ Replace paper towels with a special set of cloth towels/napkins - store the used ones in a small container in your kitchen and just wash and reuse

☺ If you print documents, print on once-used paper and/or bleach-free, recycled paper with the highest postconsumer waste content available (or  hemp/alternative source paper, if you can afford it)

☺ Create and use note pads from once-used paper

☺ Leave messages for family members/roommates on a reusable message board

☺ Make your own cards/letters from once-used products

☺ If you will be doing construction on your house, search out alternatives to using newly cut wood. Examples: straw bale, bamboo, true (natural) linoleum, previously used wood, cob and composite decking.

• Bulk Purchases: Avoid products that are packaged for single use (i.e., drinks, school lunches, candy, cat and dog food, salad mixings, etc.). Instead, buy in bulk and transfer the products to your own reusable containers. Many health food stores have bulk bins where they sell everything

from grains to cereal to cleaning products.

• Avoid Trash: Avoid creating trash wherever possible: when ordering food, avoid receiving any unnecessary plastic utensils, straws, etc. (ask in advance), buy ice cream in a cone instead of a cup, don't accept "free" promotional products, buy products with the least amount of packaging, etc. Every little bit of trash avoided does make a difference!

• Shopping Bags: While shopping, if you only buy a few products skip the shopping bag. For larger purchases, bring your own.

• Junk Mail: Reduce junk mail. For tips on how to do this please visit:     http://www.globalstewards.org/junkmail.htm

• Green Hotels: When staying at a hotel, motel, or bed and breakfast let the management know that you like to support businesses that adopt environmentally responsible practices (including reducing waste).

• Waste-Free Lunches: Pack a Waste-Free Lunch whenever possible.

• Mug-to-Go: Carry a mug with you wherever you go for take out beverages.

• Protect Children: New American Dream offers tips for protecting your children from intrusive and harmful advertising that promotes mindless consumption.

• Zero Waste: Zero Waste America and Zero Waste Alliance provide information on becoming a "Zero Waste" activist. "Waste is a resource in disguise." (quote from Zero Alliance).

Information taken from:

http://www.globalstewards.org/reduce.htm

Environmental Feature

environmental tips and sustainable solutions for a healthy planet

Eco Tips: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

Second: Reuse

The media has done a wonderful job of selling us on the attractiveness and benefits of buying "new", "improved", "special", etc. products. However, we already collectively own so much that we could all survive for quite a while on the existing products - if we just reused them a few times!

☺ Garage Sales: Shop at and hold garage sales - this is a great way to reuse products.

☺ Reusables: Switch from disposable to reusable products: food and beverage containers, cups, plates, writing pens, razors, diapers, towels, shopping bags, etc.

☺ Donations: Donate your old:

• Household items - clothes, furniture, dishes, books, sports equipment, magazines, appliances, electronics, computer equipment, business attire, wedding attire, etc. (to charity)

• Building material (to companies who specialize in selling used material)

• Cell phones and ink cartridges to Cure Recycling, http://www.curerecycling.com - profits from reuse of items support the CURE Childhood Cancer organization. Free postage. Another place to donate cell phones is Collective Goods, http://www.collectivegood.com

• Eyeglasses to Lions Club, For-Eyes, Pearle, or Lenscrafters

• Extra hangers (to your local dry cleaners)

• Art materials (to a school or cultural organization)

• Unwanted boxed/bagged/canned food (to homeless shelters, food banks, or soup kitchens)

☺ Buy/Sell Used Items: Buy and sell your items on site such as:

• Ebay—http://www.ebay.com

• Barter Bee—http://www.barterbee.com

• Craigs list provides a great free way to buy/sell/give away used items in your local community (select your community from listings on the right)

• Recycler’s World—http://www.recycle.net, facilitates buying and selling used products (for home and work)

• Local second hand stores

☺ Freecycle: The Freecycle Network— http://www.freecycle.org, provides an online community tool for giving and receiving free stuff.

☺ Throwplace: Throwplace.com lets you list items online that you would like to give to nonprofit organizations, businesses, or individuals.

☺ Community Swap: Organize a community swap program (i.e., designate a place where people can leave unwanted items for others to use).

☺ Packing Peanuts: Arrange to drop off at a local packing, shipping or moving store.

☺ Wash and Reuse Plastic Bags: With either a wooden bag dryer or in the washing machine.

☺ Buy Durables: Buy products that will last and take care of them.

☺ Teach Thrift: Teach your children the value of being thrifty (the wise economy in the management of money and other resources; frugality).

☺ Frugal Printing: Use both sides of each piece of paper -- for note taking or printing documents from your computer (at home or work). Create note pads by stapling together once-used paper.

☺ Kitchen Reusables: Instead of buying these items new, save and reuse all: paper bags, rubber bands, twisties, boxes, and packaging material. Reuse your plastic bags

with a handy bag dryer.

☺ Library: Pick up books from your local library or used book store. The library is also many times a great place for finding magazines, CDs, books-on-tape, and videos.

☺ Share with Neighbors: Join in with neighbors to purchase infrequently used products such as lawn mowers, ladders, etc.

☺ Refurbished Computers: Buy refurbished computers for less.

☺ Rechargeable Batteries: Purchase rechargeable batteries and a battery recharger (some battery rechargers will also recharge regular alkaline batteries). Solar powered battery

recharchers are available online.

☺ College Reuse: Dump and Run— http://www.dumpandrun.org, is a nonprofit organization

that organizes the collection of college students' castoff items in the spring, so they can be sold to incoming students in the fall. The proceeds are then donated to nonprofits.

Information taken from:

http://www.globalstewards.org/reuse.htm

Environmental Feature

Third: Recycle