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Waste

Contents

  1. 1 How waste fits into sustainability
  2. 2 The three Rs
  3. 3 Recycling
  4. 4 Composting
  5. 5 What can I do?
    1. 5.1 How do I do the three Rs at college?
    2. 5.2 Where can I buy school supplies made from recycled material?

How waste fits into sustainability

Waste is a daily product of our lives, and it accumulates first in our trashcans, then in our garbage bins, then in landfills.  Waste management is important because if not regulated, waste can cause pests and diseases and create pollution.  Food waste attracts pests and vermin, which can spread diseases in communities [The State of Queensland].  Moreover, when chemicals and industrial waste are dumped into land and bodies of water, areas become contaminated and unclean.  When individuals in society are irresponsible and do not properly dispose of trash, they create litter.  All of these waste-related actions amount to serious social and health problems, and they hurt the environment.

The three Rs

In order to minimize the amount of waste you produce, be a sustainable thinker and remember to do the three Rs: reduce, reuse, and recycle.

  1. Reduce
     Buy in bulk because 75% of garbage in an average household is due to packaging.  Some stores that offer products in bulk are Costco and Sam's Club.  If you can find eco-friendly products while you are buying in bulk, that is even better!  Choose products with a minimum amount of packaging, buy loose fruits and vegetables, and choose products with recyclable packaging. 
  2. Reuse
    Instead of disposing of or recycling an item, use it one more time and extend its life span.  For example, donate, sell, or barter old clothes.  When you shop, try to reuse plastic bags - or even better, carry fabric bags or a backpack with you. 
  3. Recycle
    Separate all recyclable materials from your trash and put them in the recycling bin.  When you go to the store, buy recycled products, like recycled paper.  Read more about recycling on the Recycling page.

Recycling

Learn more about recycling on this page.

Composting

Learn more about composting on this page.

What can I do?

How do I do the three Rs at college?

Reduce

  • Use less paper in the restroom when you wash your hands
  • Take your own cup and utensils to places
  • Only take what you can eat at the dining hall
  • Refuse a bag when you purchase something at the book store

Reuse

  • Print on both sides of a sheet of paper
  • Use scratch paper
  • Buy reused text books at the book store
  • Reuse plastic bags or take a bag with you when you go shopping
  • Donate, sell, or barter old clothes

Recycle

  • Recycle all your paper, in addition to everything else that is recyclable
  • Stop using those red party cups 
  • Buy recycled products
  • Do not throw noncompostables into compost bins, and vice versa
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Where can I buy school supplies made from recycled material?

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Sources used for the information presented on this page:
  1. Goldsmith, Sheherazade. A Slice of Organic Life. New York : Dk Publishing, 2007.
  2. Muzaurieta, Annie Bell. "Green Your Back- to- School Shopping." The Daily Green. 29 May 2009 <www.thedailygreen.com/environmental-news/latest/green-school-supplies-44071008>. 
  3. The State of Queensland. "Why Waste Management Is Important." Queensland Health. 22 Jan. 2008. 29 May 2009 <http://www.health.qld.gov.au/ehworm/waste_management/why_management.asp>.

Copyright 2009 by Susie Choi