Green Alternatives – The FIVE R's: Reduce, Reuse, Repair, Rot, Recycle
Now that we have fully embraced "Reduce, Reuse Recycle" there are two more “R's" to learn.
Reduce
Don’t create waste if you don’t have to.
A few good examples:
– Use refillable bottles instead of buying a gazillion water bottles.
– Copy documents on both sides of the paper instead of single-sided copying.
– Use cloth bags at stores and just say NO to paper AND plastic.
Reuse
Any material or product you can before you give it away or recycle it.
Examples:
– Binders, manila folders, and envelopes, to name a few.
– Clothing, toys, and gardening implements can be given to thrift stores such as Last Chance Mercantile, Goodwill Industries, and Salvation Army. See the Moving Resources page for more details and places to donate...
– Paint that can be given to the drop off location at Last Chance Mercantile where it is offered to folks for free.
Repair
Fix stuff before tossing it and buying new.
A few good examples:
– Buy a knife sharpener and revive those tired knives.
– Buy furniture and products that last and fix or re-finish them to give them a new look.
– Sharpen gardening implements…a sharpened shovel or hoe makes life so much easier.
Rot
Kitchen scraps and yard trimmings are too valuable to bury in landfills.
– Compost makes great soil. Learn to compost...
– In each residential cart destined for the landfill, approximately 40% of it is food and it is bulky and heavy.
– Children love to compost and can learn so much about science if encouraged to participate in this fun process.
Recycle
Last but not least. If you cannot absolutely do something else with your stuff, find a way to recycle it.
– Buy in bulk to eliminate lots of stuff but after that recycle your bottles and cans. Go to one of the buyback centers and get your deposit of 5 and 10 cents returned. Learn more...
– Get off all the junk mail lists you are on. Learn more...
– I can say now that no matter where you live, you can put all your filmy plastic (market bags, dry cleaner bags, etc.) all in one bag and tie it off and place it in your recycling bin. Either that or take them to your local market for recycling. (Refer to item one at the top for reusable bags!)