Begin green living by following the three Rs of waste management.
- Reduce how much you purchase and throw away.
- Reuse or give away items instead of discarding them.
- Recycle as much as you can, and buy recycled products.
Reduce
Prevent waste by reducing the amount and toxicity of what you buy, use and discard.
| Buy Less |
- Buy only what you need and use all that you buy. When finished with an item,
give it to someone else who may want it.
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| Avoid Wasteful Packaging |
- Carry purchases home in your own reusable bags instead of paper
and plastic store bags.
- Buy products packaged in recyclable boxes or wrappings.
- Avoid single-serve containers. Buy juice or water in large
recyclable bottles or cans. Divide portions into your own reusable bottles.
- Select the biggest quantity available in a single box or package.
You will reduce waste and pay a lower unit cost.
- Choose concentrates rather than diluted products.
|
| Buy Reusable Items |
- Select items you can use again and again, such as reusable sandwich and
beverage containers, lunch boxes and razors.
|
| Keep Durable Goods |
- Use furniture, bicycles and household appliances longer. Reupholster old
chairs and sofas. Repair, rather than replace, broken appliances when appropriate.
Evaluate the age and efficiency of appliances when deciding whether to repair or
replace. Some newer appliances may be more energy efficient than your current model.
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| Compost |
- Turn backyard trimmings and fruit and vegetable scraps into fertilizer for your yard.
Visit the EPA’s Resource Conservation Web page for more information.
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| Stop Junk Mail |
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| Go Paperless |
- Request electronic documents from your financial institution, mortgage company,
utilities and other service providers.
- Pay bills online to reduce paper use
and save on postage.
|
Reuse
Reuse items instead of throwing them away when possible. Reuse is better than recycling,
because it eliminates reprocessing.
- Use china, dishes, silverware and glasses instead of those that are disposable.
- Use washable coffee mugs and travel cups. Many restaurants and
convenience stores will fill or refill your containers.
- Wash and reuse disposable plastic cups, plates, utensils and food storage bags.
- Use cloth napkins, towels and diapers instead of disposable ones.
- Use rechargeable batteries.
- Buy refillable pens and pencils.
- Donate old magazines to your local library, school or physician's office.
- Donate unwanted items to charitable organizations or have a yard sale.
- Buy furniture and other large items from consignment or antique stores,
yard sales or charitable organizations.
- Use existing paper items such as children's artwork, road maps and
comic pages instead of wrapping paper.
- Use paper from your shredder or wadded plastic grocery bags as
packing material.
Recycle
Recycling uses less energy and fewer resources than manufacturing new products.
If you cannot reuse or donate the following items, recycle them.
- Aluminium and tin cans
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- Nickel-cadmium batteries
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- Cardboard
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- Paint
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- Cell phones
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- Paper
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- Computers and printer
cartridges
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- Plastic bottles
and bags
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- Electronic
equipment
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- Tires
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- Glass bottles and
jars
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- Wood
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- Lead-acid
batteries
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- Oil
|
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Polyethylene terephthalate commonly referred to
as PET is a recyclable plastic. Select plastic
products marked with the PET triangle.
Some items require handling at specialized recycling facilities. Ask your local recycling office for guidance.
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Education
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