The “New Three Rs” – reduce, reuse, recycle – encourages using already manufactured goods and reducing disposables. Reusing items and recycling benefits the community, saves time and money, and reduces consumption of finite resources. Everyone can participate in this process.
Sometimes referred to as the “New Three Rs,” the phrase “reduce, reuse, recycle” is a simple formula that encourages people, businesses and municipalities to use goods that are already manufactured rather than continuing to use only limited raw materials to produce goods substitute. While simplistic in nature, this formula can easily be implemented in the home as well as the wider community.
There are several ways to engage in the waste reduction process. One approach is to take a long look at the amount of disposables we consume each year. Often, the task requires making a few simple lifestyle changes. For example, we discontinue the use of plastic plates, cutlery and cups in favor of a sturdy set of dinnerware. Although they require washing, these pieces can be reused over and over again as opposed to paper and plastic items that we throw in the trash after one use. Waste prevention involves changing our habits so that we only use what we need and no more.
In addition to reducing the amount of disposable items we consume each year, there’s also the task of reusing the products we already own. In some cases, this means passing an item to someone who can use it. Instead of discarding good clothes that no longer fit, the clothes are passed on to someone who can wear them. Other times, it means finding another use for an item. For example, old bathroom towels can be cut into kitchen towels that will be ideal for drying dishes and cleaning countertops.
The third key element of the reduce, reuse and recycle trilogy is recycling. This is where we collect the items we no longer need and allow the material to be used in the creation of new items. Many communities actively support recycling by providing citizens with color-coded plastic bags for items such as plastic jugs, mason jars, and old newspapers. Council collects these filled bags and forwards the collected items to recycling centres. There, materials are sorted, sorted, and sent for use in the production of new items. To facilitate this process, many municipalities offer their citizens information on ways to effectively recycle unwanted products.
There are a number of benefits to adopting a lifestyle that incorporates the concept of reduce, reuse, recycle. By minimizing the amount of disposable items consumed each year, valuable resources are redirected to produce products of greater benefit to the community. Domestically, consumers are becoming more self-reliant and less reliant on the quick fix of using disposable items.
Subsequently, consumers save time and money by repurposing older items. This eliminates the need to schedule time for shopping or spend money on new products. This translates into more time and money to get things done with family and loved ones.
With recycling, everyone wins. Usable materials that would otherwise end up in a landfill go back into the manufacturing process, making it possible to manufacture products at lower cost while reducing the consumption of finite resources.
People of all ages and backgrounds can participate in this process of reduce, reuse, recycle in some way. Take a look at your home today. There’s a good chance you can identify at least half a dozen ways you can use this strategy to good advantage.
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