Instead, look for ways to buy and sell, maybe with some repair work along the way. And “recycle” comes last because, while it’s important, it lacks the impact of reducing and reusing.
Having established some principles, let’s look at specific actions, starting with the “reduce” category. The idea here is to spend less on energy and food and use fewer raw materials.
For energy savings, consider taking public transport or walking or biking rather than using the car for short journeys. At home, keep cold air out with inexpensive draft excluders, and switch to LED lighting whenever a filament-style bulb burns out.
Another area for reducing is bottled water. Rather than buying and discarding plastic bottles when you’re thirsty, invest in some quality refillable containers, preferably metal, and use those instead. (Metal, because it can be recycled, while plastic will eventually end up in landfill.)
You might also take a look at your diet. Rearing animals, especially cattle, requires vast amounts of land and water. If it’s too big of a step to go vegetarian, how about doing Meatless Mondays? That will help curb water consumption, while also reducing methane emissions.
The reuse category is about throwing less away. Clothing is a particular problem, with vast quantities discarded every year. The changes here are to buy fewer, but longer-lasting items, to donate them when you’re done with them, and to buy secondhand items. This is especially effective with kids’ clothing, which they grow out of before it wears out, and it also applies to other things that get thrown out, like kids’ toys.
Last, there’s recycling. This is well-established in many parts of the country, with cities and counties setting up programs for collecting paper and glass. Plastic recycling is gathering pace in some areas too.
The secret to successful home recycling is to make it easy. Dedicate separate bins for paper, glass and plastic, but make sure you know which types of plastic are accepted. Plastic items should have a small triangular symbol with a number molded into them somewhere. The number indicates what type of plastic it is. Not all plastic can be recycled: numbers 1 and 2 are the most widely accepted.
Adopting a more sustainable lifestyle doesn’t have to be difficult or expensive. As the suggestions here show, a few simple changes can make a difference. All that’s required is the will to make them.
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