Beyond Recycling

As consumers, it is important to be conscientious of what we buy to protect future generations. Although recycling is a step, there's more we can do to prevent excessive waste accumulating in our landfills and excessive extraction of precious resources. Remembering the 6 R's can help us get there:

Rethink

Being aware of what we buy, what we throw away, and where we dispose our items is a valuable start in making sustainable choices. This is also coupled with knowing your personal ecological footprint. Think about solutions to become a better environmental steward. This may include buying items made of recycled materials, refusing to purchase non-sustainable items, and consuming less overall.

Refuse

Start by simply saying "no" when someone offers you a plastic straw or plastic bag. These things cannot be recycled with our system. Synthetic plastics require fossil fuels and unhealthy extraction from our planet. It is estimated that 60% of every plastic material made has been discarded, and only 9% has been recycled. Most mass-produced plastics require many years to decompose and are otherwise broken into smaller fragments known as microplastics from sunlight ("Production, Use, and Fate of All Plastics Ever Made," Science Advances).

Just imagine. That plastic bag you used for 12 minutes will sit for a long time in a landfill. You can also say “no” to recyclable plastics whenever possible. Glass, aluminum, and metal can be recycled infinitely, but plastic can only be recycled up to 7 times ("A Polymer Problem: How Plastic Production and Consumption is Polluting our Oceans," Georgetown Law). Look here for plastic-free and Zero Waste Alternatives.

Reduce

Some products may be more realistic to refuse than others, so another goal to aim for is to reduce what you can. Print double-sided or try to use less paper in general. Again, try aiming for plastic-free and single-use alternatives whenever possible.

Reuse

Reuse packaging wherever practical. Reuse plastic food containers to store leftovers. Refill plastic cups or water bottles. Buy second-hand clothes and check-out books at the library. Borrow and share items with friends. Your bank account might thank you later. You can also re-purpose items into artwork!

Look at these sites for more ideas of how to reuse common household items:

www.onegoodthingbyjillee.com/repurposing-disposable-household-items/

https://www.onegreenplanet.org/lifestyle/home-items-you-can-reuse-over-and-over-again/

Repair

Instead of throwing out broken items and replacing them with brand new items, fix what you can. Sew clothes with rips or holes and use glue whenever possible. There are plenty of how-to videos on YouTube and the internet. This can also help save you money.

Recycle

If your item is recyclable and no longer has any use, please recycle it! This should be the final step if you are out of options or have completed the previous four steps. If you have questions about what is accepted in curbside recycling, please check out can you recycle this? or Borden Waste-Away.

Is there more?

Yes, there’s more you can do to care about where our waste goes and the Earth!

  • Vote for local, state, and national candidates who advocate for sustainable waste management policies.

  • Did you know that 40% of residential waste is compostable ("Why should I compost?" Green Action Center)? Reduce waste and save money on fertilizer by composting.

  • Replace single-use plastics and shortly-used items with sustainable Zero Waste Alternatives.