Reduce, Reuse and Recycle - Part 3

Here it is ... the post you've been waiting for. This is the final post in our three part series on the 3Rs (Reduce, Reuse and Recycle). If you missed the first two "episodes" ... or if you'd just like to revisit these articles ... click on the following links:

Part 1 (Reduce)

Part 2 (Reuse)

OK ... so ... now that we have reduced our consumption of everything and have reused what we do have, what's next? Recycle! This is the part of the process that we're probably the most familiar with. Since I've talked a lot, in other articles, about the "why" of our efforts ... I'm not going to discuss it this time ... I'm mostly going to talk about just doing it.

Many communities in our country encourage recycling and have made it relatively easy for us to do so. Some cities offer curb side pickup ... homeowners, or those living in homes, can set out their sorted recyclables and they are hauled away to become new products. Some areas don't even ask that the recyclables be sorted ... they do it for you. For those that don't have curb side pickup, there may be a recycling center close by. Check with your City Hall or waste management company to find out what your recycling options are ... as well as information on what can be recycled.

As I've mentioned before, I live in an apartment. We have a recycle bin for cardboard but nothing else. Our recyclables must be hauled to one of the centers in our city. While I've wanted to recycle and do my part, the truth is that I've found it difficult to accomplish in a small space. There's the space required for containers ... there's the potential smell ... there's driving to a center ... simply put, there's the EFFORT. But how can I write a blog about being kinder to the environment and not do everything that I can possibly do to reduce my footprint? Good question! So, I made up my mind to find a way to accomplish this task without making myself crazy. You know the old saying ... "where there's a will, there's a way". We began to look around for a space that would be convenient and ... out of sight (one of my personal criteria). With a little rearranging, we were able to put recycle containers in our laundry room. We have room for two containers ... not enough to sort out everything but we can toss everything into those two containers and do the sorting at the recycle center. We've also converted the garbage can in our office to a paper-only can. When our containers are full, we load them into the car and head out to the center. Once there, we each grab a container and start sorting and tossing. We have fun with it ... seeing who is the best "tosser" ... who is the fastest. And in the end ... we've not only had fun with the task, we leave feeling pretty good about our efforts.

Here are a few helpful hints to make recycling successful:

• Rinse out plastic, glass and metal containers so that there is no smell (nothing will end your recycling efforts faster than smelly containers in your home).
• Place your containers somewhere convenient ... usually close to the kitchen. Make it as easy as possible to toss things into them.
• Remove paper labels from containers ... this helps companies use the materials.

So give it a try. I suggest starting out with the easy stuff ... paper, plastic, metal and glass. If you're not sure about what can be recycled, just check the Internet ... there are all kinds of sites with helpful information.

I can now proudly say that I reduce, reuse ... and recycle.

As always, I'd love to hear from you. Let me know what you think of this site ... what suggestions you might have for improving it ... and any ideas that you have for reducing our footprint on the earth.

Reduce, Reuse and Recycle - Part 2

This is part two of the series "Reduce, Reuse and Recycle" and is my favorite part of the process (if you missed part one, click HERE). This post deals with reusing which can be creative and fun. In my opinion there are three aspects to reusing:

• Before sending something to a landfill ... or even before recycling ... can it's life be extended by using it again or in another way?


• Before buying something new, is there something that we already have that can be used?


• If we decide to purchase something, is there a "pre-owned" version available.

I've gotten in the habit of looking at everything before tossing it, either in the trash or the recycle bin. The recycle bin? Yep ... reusing products, when possible, is even better than recycling because the item does not need to be reprocessed before it can be used again. Here are some ideas:

• Cans are perfect for holding all sorts of things. They can be used as pencil holders, vases, art supply containers, and planters.


• Plastic cups and utensils can be washed and reused for picnics, camping or eating around the pool.


• Plastic coffee containers make great planters ... just punch a few holes in the bottom and plant. The containers with a handle are perfect for hanging plants. We're growing habanero peppers in a blue Maxwell House container and it looks great ... and the peppers are thriving.


• Many restaurants use Tupperware-like containers to send food home with patrons. These containers are great for storing leftovers or filling and taking on a picnic or potluck.


• Aluminum foil can be washed and reused.


• Plastic non-dairy creamer containers also make great planters. Hang them upside down, poke holes in the sides and plant things like potatoes or beans ... the vines hang down and become beautiful patio plants with the added benefit of providing something good to eat.


• Plastic lids make great table top protectors for house plants.


• Jars are great for storing homemade sauces or salad dressings. They're also great for storing nuts, bolts and buttons.


• Spice bottles work wonderful for making up your own spice blends or storing summer herbs that have been dried.


• Pill bottles, once thoroughly cleaned, can do double duty holding seeds or small items.


• And talk about extending a life ... cars can be fixed up to run thousands of miles longer. Consider this ... for the price of a new car and the associated insurance, license tabs and emission checks, how many times could an existing car be fixed to extend it's life? In my opinion ... many times.

We keep a container full of things that I just can't toss (surely there's a use for it that I'm not seeing). Later, when I need something, I go to that box in search of something that will work. Nine times out of ten, I find it. For example, in the spring I wanted to get some herbs started in the house. I looked in my box and found containers that originally held store-bought mushrooms. I put a few holes in the bottom and they worked perfectly as herb nurseries.

When we decide to buy something new, we consider "pre-owned" versions before buying "brand new". This works for cars, computers, books, clothing, furniture ... pretty much everything except perishable items. Here are a few places to consider when making your next purchase:

• Thrift stores ... today's thrift stores are stocked with almost new items. With an open mind and a little patience, one can find all kinds of bargains.


• Flea Markets and Garage Sales ... one person's trash is another person's treasure.


• Computer Recycling Stores ... amazing discounts on computers and accessories. They'll also take any computer stuff you want to get rid of, refurbish it and resell it.


• Online ... check out Freecycle, Craigslist, Amazon or Ebay for used items.


• Bulletin boards ... at church, school, the library or your community center.


• Trading parties ... I've read about trading parties cropping up around the country. Basically, a group of friends get together with items that they are tired of and ... they trade. This has especially worked well with clothing (remember trading clothes with your best friend as a kid?).


• The Classifieds ... all kinds of used stuff for sale


• And while it's not "owning" a book, consider the library the next time you want to read something.

I hope that this post got you thinking creatively about how to reuse items in your home. Be watching for part three of this series ... Recycle.

As always, I would love to hear your ideas for reducing, reusing and recycling. Just click on the comments link, located at the bottom of each post, and let me know what you think and how you conserve.

Reduce, Reuse and Recycle – Part 1

This is part one of a three-part series on reducing, reusing and recycling. It originally "aired" in July of 2008 and I thought it was time to revisit the subject. To get us started, here’s a really wonderful, informative movie on “stuff”. It takes about 20 minutes to watch but … it’s really worth it. And after watching it, I hope you’ll pass it on to everyone you know.

The Story of Stuff

Ok … on to the subject of reducing. Reducing refers to lessening the amount of items or resources that are consumed, using only the amount that is needed, and looking for alternatives that will lessen our use.

Here are some interesting facts: Even biodegradable items like food can hang around in garbage dumps for years. Trash is packed so tightly that it doesn't always get the necessary light, oxygen, and/or microorganisms it needs to decompose. Researchers have found 25-year-old corncobs and grapes, and 50-year-old newspapers that are still readable, in landfills.

While our trash situation is a big concern, reducing isn’t all about the landfill. It’s also about not having so much stuff to begin with … stuff that takes natural resources to create. Most of us consume as though there is no end to our resources. But the truth is that our resources … things like water, gas, trees, food, minerals and metals … are either finite or being used so fast that it is impossible to keep up with the demand. Someday we’re going to run out. And that could mean the end of … us. We can run headlong into running out and see what happens (nothing good, I’m sure) or we can start limiting our consumption … and consuming smarter … so that what we have will last a lot longer.

So how do we do that? Reduce! Reduce everything from our energy, water and gas consumption … to our purchases … to what we eat. Consider whether or not a purchase is really necessary … or is it just more stuff. When a purchase is made, consider the packaging and opt for bulk materials whenever possible. Purchase durable, long-lasting goods. Think about sustainability. Here’s a simple example: if we eat just one fish today, we allow the others to reproduce … providing us with fish for another day (that’s sustainability). If we eat all the fish today, however … we have none for tomorrow (that’s extinction).

Starting today, take a look at everything you use … and use less of it.

Watch for Part 2 of this series (Reusing) in an upcoming post.

As always, I would love to hear your ideas for reducing, reusing and recycling. Just click on the comments link, located at the bottom of each post, and let me know what you think and how you conserve.

Merry Green Christmas, Everyone!

The World Recycles Day

Yes, the badge says "America" but ... readers of this blog come from all over the world.

So ... let's recycle ... on a grand scale!

Want to take the pledge? You can do so HERE and you can also find important information on recycling.

You might also like to check out one of my earlier posts on Recycling. By the way ... I'll be posting an update on my recycling efforts soon ... so stay tuned!

I invite each and every one of you to think about recycling today ... learn about it ... and put it into action.

We can make a difference!

As Always ... I'd love to hear from you!