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)
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Some companies make DIY repair difficult, but new laws in the U.S. and Europe may make fixing things easier.
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When you clear your clutter, here's how to give it a second life.
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