Reducing
The Three R’s
There are many good reasons to reduce, reuse and recycle. Everything we use has to come from somewhere and must go somewhere once we’re finished with it.
The environmental cost of an item isn't just a reflection of what's needed to make it. It also reflects the energy used in the item's production and the impact it will have when we use it and throw it away.
By making smart decisions about what we buy and how we get the most out of our purchases, we can work together to reduce the amount of waste we produce.
Items that break or fall apart can often be fixed to prolong their life. We can also reuse items for the same or a different purpose, giving many of the things that would otherwise be thrown away a second life.
And when it is finally time to throw something away, recycling makes sure that the materials used to make it are used again.
What is Reducing?
"Reduce" means using fewer resources in the first place. This is the most effective of the three R's and the place to begin. It is also, I think, the hardest because it requires letting go of some very common notions, including: the bigger the better, new trumps old and convenience is next to godliness.
But you don't need to let go completely or all at once. "Reduce" is a comparative word. It says: cut back from where you are now.
When you shop, shop differently. Look for things that will last – things that are not just durable and well-made, but useful and beautiful enough to please you for a long time. The extra money you spend on their acquisition will be offset by the money you do not spend replacing them.
Don't chase the latest fashions. They will age the fastest.
With electronics, extravagance may pay. A super-charged computer will still run the software that comes out two years from now, and a large monitor will accommodate the ever wider webpages that companies will be building then. Similarly, a cell phone with a full text keypad (or the iPhone) will see you through the
There are many good reasons to reduce, reuse and recycle. Everything we use has to come from somewhere and must go somewhere once we’re finished with it.
The environmental cost of an item isn't just a reflection of what's needed to make it. It also reflects the energy used in the item's production and the impact it will have when we use it and throw it away.
By making smart decisions about what we buy and how we get the most out of our purchases, we can work together to reduce the amount of waste we produce.
Items that break or fall apart can often be fixed to prolong their life. We can also reuse items for the same or a different purpose, giving many of the things that would otherwise be thrown away a second life.
And when it is finally time to throw something away, recycling makes sure that the materials used to make it are used again.
What is Reducing?
"Reduce" means using fewer resources in the first place. This is the most effective of the three R's and the place to begin. It is also, I think, the hardest because it requires letting go of some very common notions, including: the bigger the better, new trumps old and convenience is next to godliness.
But you don't need to let go completely or all at once. "Reduce" is a comparative word. It says: cut back from where you are now.
When you shop, shop differently. Look for things that will last – things that are not just durable and well-made, but useful and beautiful enough to please you for a long time. The extra money you spend on their acquisition will be offset by the money you do not spend replacing them.
Don't chase the latest fashions. They will age the fastest.
With electronics, extravagance may pay. A super-charged computer will still run the software that comes out two years from now, and a large monitor will accommodate the ever wider webpages that companies will be building then. Similarly, a cell phone with a full text keypad (or the iPhone) will see you through the