If you diligently separate your recyclables, take them to the curb or recycling center and still feel like you could be doing more to be a good “eco warrior,” you’re not alone. In a broad effort to help clean up the planet, a growing number of people are upleveling from the traditional 3 Rs of waste management to a more efficient 5R system.
The standby 3R system is Reduce, Reuse and Recycle. When you add Refuse and Rot to that, the positive change can be substantial. Here’s what it all means:
Refuse
According to ZeroWasteLifestyleSystem.com, learning to say NO is a substantial step towards living without creating unneeded waste. This includes saying no to single-use plastics such as cups, utensils, straws, and other unnecessary items. Get prepped for this by stocking up and using to-go containers for the grocery store and take-out place. Look for sturdy lunch boxes, tumblers and utensils and eco-bags. Learn where your food and fashion come from and say no to plastic packaging, this-minute trends that are destined to become trash and production practices that exploit workers.
Reduce
Take a good look at what you really need and use often, and stop buying non-essentials. Try your best to avoid non-recyclable or non-compostable packaging. Buy goods with little to no packaging to cut waste. Be thoughtful about spending money.
Reuse
Unleash your creativity! If an item is still in excellent condition, maximize its purpose by repairing, upcycling or donating it. Don’t toss it immediately inside your trash bins. Old clothes past their useful life can become reusable bags, cute pet clothes, patchwork quilts and even cleaning rags. Plastic containers can become seedling pots or art projects.
Rot
For biodegrable food scraps, make a compost system and always separate them from the other types of garbage. The resulting compost is ideal for enriching garden soil.
Recycle
Recycling should be the last step. If it’s difficult for you to refuse, reduce, reuse, or let it rot, then it’s time to recycle. Start with researching how the recycling system works in your community and make sure you do it correctly. Always put clean plastic, paper, glass and metal in the blue bin. You’ll help make sure these items get processed correctly.
Putting the 5Rs into practice at home
• Do a regular “trash audit” and separate it into things you can reuse, things you can compost and things you can recycle, then come up with ways to refuse and reduce.
• Send your recyclables to recycling centers in your area.
• In your daily life, start refusing plastics and bringing reusable alternatives.
• Reduce food waste by regrowing from your food scraps.
• Support local farmers and artisans by buying their produce and crafts.
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