The Three Rs of Green Living - Revisited by Gia Machlin, May 07 2012, 2 Comments
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. So cliche. Yet so ignored. Dare I say that it almost goes against what we are taught from day one in our consumer driven society? Poopy diaper? Throw it out! Make a mess? Clean it up with paper towels and wipes. It's your birthday? Let's get you a shiny new plastic toy! It seems that from the moment we are born, we are programmed to Use, Dispose, and Buy new. It doesn't sound as catchy as Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, but it's how most of us live our lives. Even well intentioned eco concious families, such as mine, often choose convenience over conservation because, well, we live in the 21st century, and most of us don't plan on living "off-the-grid" any time soon. But just because we can't wipe out our carbon footprint, it doesn't mean we shouldn't all try to minimize it, every day.
I'm guessing the reason that "Reduce" comes first in the saying, is that it is the most important piece of the equation. Reducing consumption alone could solve many of our environmental woes. But reduction is the hardest part to do. Believe me, I try every day. For example, while I no longer buy Ziploc® bags, I haven't found a really suitable replacement for them. Tupperware and deli containers are bulky, and cloth bags just don't hold in the moisture, and it is a pain to wash and dry the bags for reuse.
Which takes us to the "Reuse" part of the saying. While easier than reducing, reusing is still more difficult than number three: "Recycle." So I think we should reword the saying in order of ease: Recycle, Reuse, Reduce. People need to tackle the easiest part before they can move on to those steps that require a little more of a change in lifestyle. And since we are only recycling a fraction of what we could be recycling right now, let's try to do better! Let's challenge ourselves to be more conscious in our recycling habits.
Here is a clip from my appearance on Cafe Mom Studios' Mom Ed: Green Living show in which I talk about recycling. I hope you find it informative.
For more information on what and where to recycle different types of materials in your location, please check out our recycling widget from 1800recycling.com. Also, please see this post about recycling with some great ideas from our readers. Did you learn anything new about recycling today?
Comments
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Gia Machlin on December 26 2015 at 09:02AM
Original Comments from Old Site:
Brooklyn Mamas
brooklynmamas.com
Submitted on 2012/05/11 at 8:41 pm
I second the reuse and donation of out of date electronics. I try to encourage my children to start thinking in the direction of buying used instead of new in all aspects of their purchasing.
Gia
Submitted on 2012/05/08 at 3:56 am
Very good point. While e-waste recycling has come a long way, the ultimate disposal of our exponentially growing electronics collections is still a big problem. Much better to fix and reuse your current laptop or TV than to go out and buy a new one. Unfortunately I don’t see our obsession with having the latest gadget going away any time soon. I hope that those “needing” the latest iPad will at the very least recycle their old one responsibly, or give it to someone who can and will use it for a long time.
Fixers Collective
fixerscollective.org
Submitted on 2012/05/08 at 12:38 am
When we think about the bigger-ticket and technology products, reducing and reusing should indeed still come first before recycling with reuse coming first. Putting recycling first for something like a computer or laptop perpetuates planned obsolesence and creates a void that is usually filled with more consumption. We at the Fixers Collective believe reuse and repair will stave off a growing swell of (uncontrolled) consumption. With reuse, reduction is the natural result when consumption is taken out of the picture.
yubqaflkre on November 12 2020 at 05:22PM
Muchas gracias. ?Como puedo iniciar sesion?