Tips for How to Reduce, Reuse and Recycle

The most effective waste reduction strategy is not to create waste in the first place. Fortunately, you can reduce your consumption, reuse products already in circulation and recycle the rest in dozens of ways.

Step 1:

Consume less to begin with. Waste does not begin when you throw a product away. Every step in the production process, including the extraction of raw materials, transportation, processing and manufacturing, produces waste. Consumer demand creates products. Less demand means less production.

Step 2:

Reduce consumption of toxic waste. Select naturally derived and nonhazardous materials for cleaning products and garden pesticides. Purchase the smallest amount possible of a toxic product, or share it with a friend or neighbor to decrease the need to throw away the remainder.

Step 3:

Consider the necessity of an item before purchasing. Borrow infrequently used items, or check secondhand stores for used options.

Step 4:

Donate unwanted clothing, household items and building materials to a reuse center in your community. Shop at these stores when possible to avoid purchasing new clothing, products and materials.

Step 5:

Repurpose unwanted items. Reuse containers with lids --- such as large-mouth condiment jars --- for storing leftovers or for dry goods instead of purchasing new storage containers. Use grocery sacks to line garbage cans to reduce the need for trash bags. Encourage your children to think of creative uses for household waste products in craft projects and school assignments.

Step 6:

Check with your local municipality to determine what can be recycled in your area. For example, some recycling centers can handle cardboard but not glass, while others might accept only No. 1 or No. 2 plastics. Purchase products in containers recyclable in your municipality.

Step 7:

Purchase products made from post-consumer recycled content to complete the recycling loop. Post-consumer recycled products refer to those used by consumers and then recycled. A product made from recycled content may have come from a damaged or excess item produced during the manufacturing process and not from a local recycling program.

Step 8:

Composting with these materials instead of discarding them will decrease landfill waste and create a useful product from would-be garbage.