Think you know all there is to know about the three Rs of waste management–reduce, reuse, and recycle? You might be surprised at how even making a few small changes can really help the planet a LOT!
You can listen to the podcast here…
…or read on for more.
 
What are the Three Rs? 
Reduce
Reducing waste means finding ways to use less materials and energy in order to minimize waste and consume fewer natural resources. 
According to CalRecycle.gov, the website for California’s Department of Resources, Recycling, and Recovery, waste reduction is the preferred approach to waste management. Using more of existing products and resources (i.e., reducing waste) means that fewer new products are created, resulting in lower waste management costs. 
Some examples are:

Repairing vs. discarding
Canceling unnecessary mail 
Not using disposable plates or utensils at home
Avoiding buying plastic water bottles
Not overbuying perishables at the grocery store (meal planning can help with avoiding wasted food). 
Buy in bulk when possible (less packaging). Reward companies that use less packaging with their products. 
Meal Planning. Whether you’re planning on a sheet of paper or using an application like Plan To Eat, meal planning can help you reduce the amount of food you throw away. 

 
 
Reuse
“Reusing” refers to using an item again, whether for its original purpose or a new one.  This is the second “R” in the hierarchy because with little or no processing, reusing items can help keep waste out of waste systems. 
Some examples include:

Using a washable rag to clean your house instead of paper towels
Donating old clothes or household items
Buying second-hand
Using your old bedding for your pet’s bed
Using glass jars for food storage
Saving plastic containers to hold homemade natural cleaners such our all-purpose house cleaner
Reusing a foaming soap dispenser for your own homemade version of foaming hand soap which is SUPER easy to make! 
* Use reusable shopping bags or totes instead of plastic.

 

 

* Buy reusable produce bags instead of using the plastic ones in the stores.

 

* Buy a reusable water bottle instead of buying bottled water.

Recycle
According to the EPA website, “Recycling is the process of collecting and processing materials that would otherwise be thrown away as trash and turning them into new products.”
Sometimes it’s hard to see how throwing a cardboard package or glass bottle into the recycling bin can make that big of a difference. However, the following data from the EPA that shows just how big of a difference it can make:

10 plastic bottles can save enough energy to power a laptop for more than 25 hours
Recycling 1 ton of office paper can save the energy equivalent of consuming 322 gallons of gasoline
Recycling one ton of aluminum cans conserves more than 152 million BTUs, which is the equivalent of 1,024 gallons of gas or 21 barrels of oil.

 
What Are Some Benefits of Reducing, Reusing, and Recycling? 
Obviously, the Three Rs help the planet but just how does doing your part help?