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If you have heard of something called the “waste hierarchy,” then you may be wondering what that means. It is the order of priority of actions to be taken to reduce the amount of waste. It consists of the 3 R’s:
- Reduce
- Reuse
- Recycle
By refusing to buy items that you don’t need, reusing items more than once and disposing the items that are no longer in use at appropriate recycling centers, you can contribute towards a healthier planet.
Tip for today
Reduce, Reuse and Recycle.
You all know how to recycle. Here are some great tips to reduce and reuse.
21 ways to reduce waste
- Print on both sides of the paper or go for a paperless office.
- Use single-printed paper as scrap paper.
- Opt out of paper mailings, bills, ads, junk mail
- Use cloth napkins instead of paper napkins.
- Use reusable rags or old cloths instead of paper towels.
- Avoid using disposable plates, spoons, glass, cups.
- Avoid buying items that are over-packaged with foil, paper, and plastic..
- Buy durable goods that have an extended warranty.
- Use refillable pens instead of buying too many.
- Use reusable shopping bags (store them in your car)
- Say no to bottled water.
- Go straw-less.
- Plan your meals ahead and buy everything in advance.
- Plan for an ‘eat all leftover’s’ day.
- Buy in bulk or at the counter, bring your own containers.
- Only shop a couple times a year to avoid compulsive buys.
- Shop the farmer’s market: they’ll take the egg carton and the berries baskets back for reuse. Your veggies will also most likely be free of plastic and stickers there too.
- Use baking soda for multi-purposes.
- Use a reusable make-up remover instead of cotton pads.
- Switch out plastic razors for reusable safety razors.
- Compost your leftovers and use our zero waste food tips.
Tips for reusing material
- Old jars and pots: Old jars and pots can be used to store items in the kitchen. They can also be used to store loose items together, such as computer wires.
- Newspaper: Old newspapers can be used to pack items when moving or to store old items.
You can also use them to clean the door of your oven or stove. - Paper that is used only at one side: Waste paper can be used to make notes and sketches. If you do not care about privacy or confidentially, preschool teachers love them. They can use them in many ways.
- Old jeans, t-shirts or any clothes: These can be turned into bags or tote-bags with the help of tutorials available on the internet. Old clothes can become cleaning rags. See this post: Replace your paper towels…Or if they are still ok, you can donate them to a charity institution.
- Use cereal liner bags to store leftovers.
- Cereal liner bags are stronger than Ziplocs, so ideal to crush crackers, nuts and cereal, … without making a mess.
- Paper egg cartons can be separated and used as seed sprouting containers. Once seedlings are big enough, wet the carton and put the carton cup in the ground.
- Cardboard tubes (fe from toilet paper) can be used to keep your cables together and neatly organised. Write in the roll what the cable is for.