Reduce, reuse, recycle (also known as R3) is a widely accepted waste management method designed to reduce the total use of environmental resources and lessen humans' carbon footprint on earth.
Reducing involves limiting purchases and accummulation; consequently reducing the amount of waste produced. Reduction strategies include buying used products; avoiding disposable products; renting or borrowing in place of new purchases; and phasing print mail out of your life.
Reusing products makes both environmental and economical sense. Reusing strategies include buying used goods, reusing products such as bags for the same purpose, repairing broken products instead of buying new ones and borrowing or sharing infrequently used items such as decorations.
Recycling refers to processing, treating or converting an object into reusable materials. Commercial products made from recyclable or recycled materials almost always contain a symbol on their packaging. Buy these products instead of conventional ones. You can also practice recycling by collecting recyclable materials such as old electronics in your house and dropping them off at a collection center. (Photo: Shutterstock)
Is the ketchup packet the new straw?
August 2, 2018, 3:41 p.m. by Robin Shreeves
How much of a difference can small changes, like recyclable ketchup packets, make?
Why the world should look to Norway when it comes to plastic bottle recycling
July 19, 2018, 10:18 a.m. by Matt Hickman
The deposit-based Norwegian approach to bottle recycling is an attractive, effective one.
Now that China doesn't want it, our plastic is piling up
July 12, 2018, 8:15 a.m. by Matt Hickman
Waste-exporting countries are being forced to get creative — and that includes the U.S.
12 things you should never compost
May 31, 2018, 12:46 p.m. by Chris Baskind
Though composting is great for your garden, there are some man-made and natural items that can ruin the whole pile.
23 things that aren't recyclable
May 31, 2018, 11:48 a.m. by Chris Baskind
You may want to think twice before throwing your yogurt cup in the recycling bin.
The amazing afterlife of old British phone boxes
May 29, 2018, 8:31 a.m. by Matt Hickman
Yesterday's grungy payphone is today's tiny espresso stand.
5 useful products made from ocean plastic
May 9, 2018, 10:31 a.m. by Robin Shreeves
Innovators are taking marine trash and turning it into treasure.
Britain gets serious about curbing plastic waste
May 7, 2018, 1:29 p.m. by Matt Hickman
From Buckingham Palace to the BBC, Brit institutions are putting the kibosh on single-use plastic.
'Infinitely' recyclable polymer could be the future of plastics
May 2, 2018, 10:35 a.m. by Noel Kirkpatrick
Chemists at Colorado State University think they've found a polymer that's similar to plastic and can be easily manufactured and recycled.
China has stopped accepting recycling from other nations — and that's a problem
April 20, 2018, 3:18 p.m. by Matt Hickman
The ban has sent the flow of recyclables into a tailspin.
These modern housewares are made from trash
March 28, 2018, 10:33 a.m. by Matt Hickman
You never know when you'll be reunited with your old smartphone.
Puget Sound getaway is pure freecycled genius
March 20, 2018, 8:23 a.m. by Matt Hickman
Scavenger Studio was constructed from materials plucked from soon-to-be-demolished homes.
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