Reduce, Re-Use, and Recycle
Each year Americans generate millions of tons
of waste... call it garbage, refuse, or trash… it's the waste we
produce in our homes and communities. We throw it into cans
and dumpsters, and put it out for pickup—but this waste, plus
our neighbors' and everyone else's, really adds up!
Each of us can make a difference by reducing,
reusing, and recycling materials at home and throughout our
communities—and encouraging our neighbors to do the same.
Reduce
Waste prevention reduces the generation of waste in the first
place, so it is the most preferred method of waste management
and goes a long way toward protecting the environment. You can
reduce waste by:
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Purchasing durable, long-lasting goods.
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Seeking products and packaging that are as
free of toxics as possible.
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Redesigning products to use less raw
material in production, have a longer life, or be used again
after its original use.
Re-Use
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Use cloth napkins or towels.
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Donate old magazines or surplus equipment.
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Turn empty jars into containers for leftover food.
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Recycle
Recycling prevents the emissions of many
greenhouse gases and water pollutants, and saves energy.
Using recovered material generates less solid waste. Recycling
helps to reduce the pollution caused by the extraction and
processing of virgin materials. Also, when products are made
using recovered rather than virgin materials, less energy is
used during manufacturing, and fewer pollutants are emitted.
Benefits of Recycling
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Conserves resources for our children's
future.
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Prevents emissions of many greenhouse gases and
water pollutants.
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Saves energy.
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Supplies valuable raw
materials to industry.
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Creates jobs.
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Stimulates the
development of greener technologies.
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Reduces the need for
new landfills and incinerators.
Buying Recycled Products
There's more to recycling than setting out
your recyclables at the curb. In order to make recycling
economically feasible, we must buy recycled products and
packaging. When we buy recycled products, we create an
economic incentive for recyclable materials to be collected,
manufactured, and marketed as new products. Buying recycled
has both economic and environmental benefits. Purchasing
products made from or packaged in recycled materials saves
our resources for future generations.
Composting
Another form of recycling is composting.
Composting is the controlled, biological decomposition of
organic matter, such as food and yard wastes, into humus, a
soil-like material. Composting is nature's way of recycling
organic waste into new soil, which can be used in vegetable
and flower gardens, landscaping, and many other applications.
Benefits of Composting
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Keeps organic wastes
out of landfills.
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Provides nutrients to the soil.
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Increases beneficial soil organisms (e.g., worms and
centipedes).
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Suppresses certain plant diseases.
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Reduces
the need for fertilizers and pesticides.
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Protects soils from
erosion.
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Assists pollution remediation.
For more information:
EPA -
Office of Solid Waste
Boulder County -
Resource Conservation
Top of Page
*Information courtesy of the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency Office of Solid Waste. |
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 Tips |
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Use refillable coffee mugs and lunch
boxes.
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Use cloth napkins and towels.
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Compost food waste.
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