Reuse, Reduce, Recycle: Good for the Environment... and your Budget!

We have all learned about producing less waste by following the 3Rs; Reuse, Reduce, and Recycle. Practicing these 3Rs is not only good for the environment, but Reuse, Reduce, and Recycle is also good for your budget!

REUSE:

"Reusing items -- by repairing them, donating them to charity and community groups, or selling them -- also reduces waste. Reusing products, when possible, is even better than recycling because the item does not need to be reprocessed before it can be used again."
-from http://www.epa.gov/msw/reduce.htm

Ideas:

1. Reuse old T-shirts as cleaning rags.

2. Reuse shoe boxes as storage for organizing pictures, cleaning products or cosmetics.

3. Reuse water bottles. My mom said that if you would have told her when she was young that they would sell water in bottles it would have sounded ridiculous. Yes, this might make her seem ancient... but that doesn't change the fact that water is FREE! Refill your water bottle at night, put it in the fridge, and have a nice cold bottle of water ready for you then next day! Rinse and repeat.

4. Reuse plastic containers for Tupperware. Wash your containers from cream cheese, butter, sour cream, etc. and use them as Tupperware to pack your brown bag lunch (hint hint... brown bag your lunch!).

5. Speaking of brown bagged lunches... Use your brown bag over and over again until it gets stained or ripped. My sister uses the cute little bags with handles from stores like sephora, bed bath and beyond, etc. to pack her lunches. These can last several weeks to months!

6. Reuse soda cups. Do you get your soda from a fountain machine at a gas station? Many gas stations offer a discounted price if you re-use the same cup.

7. Reuse shipping envelopes. Any larger envelopes you receive with bubble padding inside are worth saving and reusing. Use marker to "erase" old information, or tape on a clean piece of paper to cover it, and use tape to seal. Voila! You just saved yourself a buck.

8. Reuse jars. Are you a crafter? Use jars from salsa, cherries, pickles, baby food, etc, for storage for your craft supplies.

9. Reuse plastic shopping bags. These can be used as garbage can liners for small office, bathroom or bedroom garbage cans. Or as a packing filler for shipping. Or for transporting (bringing extra clothes to work, bringing a dish to pass to a party. etc)

REDUCE:

"Waste prevention, or "source reduction," means consuming and throwing away less.

It includes:

-purchasing durable, long-lasting goods;

-seeking products and packaging that are as free of toxics as possible;

-redesigning products to use less raw material in production, have a longer life, or be used again after its original use.

Source reduction actually prevents the generation of waste in the first place, so it is the most preferred method of waste management and goes a long way toward protecting the environment."

-from

http://www.epa.gov/msw/reduce.htm

1. Dryer sheets. Cut your dryer sheets in half.

2. Shampoo. Does anyone actually use the "dime size amount" the bottle recommends? I know that I fill up my whole palm and slather it on. Probably half of it goes down the drain. Try using half of the amount you currently use and only have to buy shampoo half as often. Try this with your conditioner, shower gel, shaving cream & toothpaste as well!

3. Soda. Drink water instead of soda every other time you would normally drink it, especially in restaurants.

4. Stamps: Pay all possible bills online.


RECYCLE:

"Recycling turns materials that would otherwise become waste into valuable resources. In addition, it generates a host of environmental, financial, and social benefits. Materials like glass, metal, plastics, and paper are collected, separated and sent to facilities that can process them into new materials or products."

-from http://www.epa.gov/msw/reduce.htm

Ideas:

1. Find an aluminum recycling center around your area that pays out cash for cans. Bonus: Take the tabbies off of cans when you are at bars/events to save and add to your collection.

2. Recycle your old cell phones. When you upgrade your phone, sell your cell for money!

3. Recycle your old ink cartridges. You can get money for old ink cartridges, too!

4. Better yet... join FREECYCLE. Freecycle is one of the greatest things out there on the world wide web. See if your area is active! According to their website, "The Freecycle Network™ is made up of many individual groups across the globe. It's a grassroots and entirely nonprofit movement of people who are giving (& getting) stuff for free in their own towns. Each local group is moderated by a local volunteer (them's good people). Membership is free.
When you want to find a new home for something -- whether it's a chair, a fax machine, piano, or an old door -- you simply send an e-mail offering it to members of the local Freecycle group.
Or, maybe you're looking to acquire something yourself. Simply respond to a member's offer, and you just might get it. After that, it's up to the giver to decide who receives the gift and to set up a pickup time for passing on the treasure. Our main rule: Everything posted must be free, legal, and appropriate for all ages."

Conclusion:

If you incorporate the 3Rs into your lifestyle, you'll end up with a couple extra bucks at the end of each month, and can feel good about yourself for helping the environment.