One of the most effective ways to reduce
household garbage is to cut down on waste before it enters the home. Part of
waste reduction is to "precycle." Another part of waste reduction is
to "reuse" products in every way possible.
To rate your "precycling
savvy," read the following list. Check each waste-stream-reduction
technique you use.
___ Think before you buy any item. Do
you really need the item? Can you do with what you already have?
___ When you purchase items from the
store, evaluate each one as to cost, convenience, and environmental impact.
Consider how many pieces will have to be discarded.
___ Buy food and other goods including
laundry detergents in bulk and large sizes, reducing the packaging you take
home. Avoid individually wrapped items.
___ Whenever available, buy concentrated
products.
___ Buy for content, not the container.
Avoid overpackaged products, for example, excess bags, boxes, and wrappers.
___ Avoid plastic packaging, but if you
have to buy it, choose refillable containers.
___ Avoid single-serving packages.
___ Choose recyclable packaging, such as
glass, aluminum, or paper.
___ Eat less highly processed foods.
___ Buy durable products. Consider
operating costs and the lifespan of the item you are purchasing. You may have
to pay a little more, but you will get more value for your money.
___ Buy "loose" produce rather
than produce packed in plastic-wrapped trays.
___ Purchase reusable storage containers
instead of throw-away plastic bags.
___ Buy recycled materials - look for
the words "made from recycled material" and the recycling symbol.
___ Buy eggs in cardboard cartons -
never polystyrene.
___ When given the choice between
"paper or plastic" bags, select the type that you will reuse for
another purpose.
___ Ask clerks not to bag small
purchases.
___ Reuse paper grocery bags by storing
your old newspapers for recycling.
___ Take your grocery bags back to the
store to keep from having to get new ones.
___ Carry reusable cloth or plastic tote
bags when you go shopping.
___ Avoid disposables such as plastic
razors, foil baking pans, disposable dishes, lighters, and throw-away cameras.
___ Select less toxic commercial
products or use a less toxic homemade substitute.
___ Substitute refillable,
manual-pump-spray containers for aerosols.
___ Purchase products made to be used
many times, such as cloth diapers, cloth napkins, dish towels, rags, sponges,
dishes, silverware, and rechargeable batteries.
___ Buy appliances that are easy to
repair; then, instead of discarding them, repair them.
___ Make a "waste-reduction
kit" of twist ties, paper bags, and plastic bags. Take this kit along
with you when you shop.
___ Buy secondhand, rent, or share
items. Watch your local paper for good buys. Consider sharing the cost of
expensive items. Rent seldom-used items.
___ Limit the amount of junk mail you
receive by asking those companies to remove you from their mailing lists. To
remove your name from third-class mail "master lists," send your
name and address with such a request to:
Mail Preference Service
11 W. 42nd Street
P.O. Box 3861
New York, New York 10163-3861
To rate your "recycling savvy,"
read the following list and check each waste-stream-reduction technique you
use.
___ Save and reuse boxes and packaging
materials.
___ Return extra wire hangers to the dry
cleaners so the hangers can be reused.
___ Use glass jars for storing foods,
screws and nails, and sewing supplies.
___ Donate old books to libraries.
___ Donate old magazines to hospitals,
clinics, personal care homes, Veterans' Centers, and/or nursing homes.
___ Donate unwanted appliances,
household items, toys, and clothes.
___ Save those little things, for
example, ribbons, string, rubber bands, and paper clips. You can use them over
and over.
___ Make a compost pile from your food
and garden wastes.
___ When you cut your grass, leave the
clippings on the lawn or place them in your compost pile.
___ Old, outdated furniture can be
reupholstered or slipcovered. Have padding added to the furniture to give it a
new look. Often the frame can be modified slightly to change the way it looks.
___ Old pieces of furniture can be
repaired or finished with special finishes such as splattering, sponging, or
rag painting, which takes little time and skill.
___ If you change your own auto oil,
take the drained oil to a local service station or recycling center. The
facility may charge you about 25 cents per gallon to dispose of your oil.
___ Reuse scrap paper that's printed on
one side. Use the blank side for phone messages or notes.
___ Save styrofoam peanuts and other
packing materials to use with your next fragile package.
___ Paint and other household chemicals
in their original containers with the original labels can be shared with
neighbors or a youth group that does projects in the area.
___ Save used gift wrap, and use it
again on a smaller package.
___ Cut old bedding, draperies, and
clothes into pieces for rags, or use them in braided rugs or patchwork
designs.
___ Remove nails and hardware from used
lumber so it can be reused in smaller projects.
___ Use broken concrete and bricks in a
rough retaining wall.
___ Sell your unwanted items in yard
sales, classified ads, community bulletin boards, or consignment shops.
___ Buy used products and goods when
they will do the job as well as a new item. They cost less and reusing them
helps reduce waste and conserves energy and raw materials.
