We all know about the Reduce, Reuse, Recycle mantra. We’ve been taught it for years but do you know that it’s not in that order simply because it sounds good that way?

It’s in that order based on how good of an option is it.

Reduce is the best option. It requires absolutely no additional resources to complete, just us making an effort. Buying items with less packaging or choosing not to buy something at all or saying no to single-use items. This could even include making something yourself instead of purchasing, like reusable bags out of old sheets.

Reuse is the second best option. This is because it doesn’t start off by creating less waste. Items are still created, purchased and used, ultimately creating a waste product. The good news is that there’s plenty of things that can be reused. You can donate it somewhere (see the Reuse and Disposal Map) or put it to use yourself, either for it’s original purpose, such as storing things in a pasta sauce jar, or putting it to a completely different use like using bread bag tags to label the mess of cables behind your TV.

Recycling is the last. Recycling requires us to use a lot of resources to remake an item into something new. Energy, power, natural gas, human resources. So many extra things and processes to make something new out of something old. And some of these processes make their own waste byproducts as well, whether physical byproducts or emissions.

This is not to say that it’s a horrible option. It’s definitely not. It’s a great option if the only other place for the item is the landfill.

Anyhow, time for me to get out of here. Let me know if you have any questions or cool ways to reuse something!

L