Reduce, reuse, & recycle are the three R’s of waste management that everyone is familiar with.

Do you know why they are arranged in this way & what each one causes? For the three R’s to make sense, people need to speak about the amount of rubbish that is generated on a yearly basis.

Do you know that Americans toss away 50 billion cans and bottles each year. They also throw away 27 billion glass jars and bottles, and 65 million plastics & metal lids too.

Reduce Waste

As you may probably have guessed from the fact that reducing is the first of three R’s, it is the most effective method of controlling solid waste in general. It’s really quite simple: the less you use, the less garbage you will generate.

Because people assume that they have to cut back everything or won’t have an impact, this R is the one that generates the most anxiety in customers. However, this is not the case. You can significantly minimise your waste by implementing a few simple changes to your daily routine. Here’s how you could go about it:

Purchasing Products That Require Less Packaging

Did you realise that product packaging accounts for 30 percent of the garbage that ends up in our landfills? When shopping for things, look for those that are packaged in a single bog or bag rather than those that are triple and double packaged.

Purchasing Products In Larger Quantities

You can limit the quantity of packing you encounter by purchasing multiples of the same product at once.

Make an effort to avoid purchasing disposable items: Cups, Paper plates, and plastic utensils.

Purchase items that will last for a long time. Check the item’s history and reviews, especially if you are contemplating a large purchase. Purchasing a long-lasting item ensures that less garbage is sent to landfills.

Reuse

The second R stands for reusability. This is becoming more popular as the number of upcycling and DIY projects on the internet continues to increase. You may prevent waste from entering landfills by reusing items rather than throwing them away. You can also develop something entirely new.

You can get plenty of ideas by conducting a quick online search, or you may try the followings:

Goods that are broken should not be discarded immediately; many of them can be repurposed and transformed into fantastic new items!

• Instead of using plastic wrap, use containers that can be sealed.
• Bring old plastic shopping bags to the store instead of purchasing new ones.
• Look into recycling options for ordinary household goods; many of them have additional uses that you may not have considered before.

Rejoice at the abundance of second hand clothing. Younger siblings will understand the desire for their own wardrobe, but if you have children of a similar age, consider adding some hand-me-downs to their collections. Shop at used or consignment stores as an alternative. That way, you’ll be able to get a completely new set of products while also helping to reduce the amount of waste going to landfills.

Recycle Your Waste

Recycling is the last and most well-known R. The practice of remanufacturing and reselling products is known as recycling, as you are most likely aware.

Along with the fundamentals of plastic, paper, glass, and cardboard, there are plenty of products that may be recycled that people may not be aware of, such as clothing and furniture. And keep in mind that recycling is only effective if the process is completed by purchasing recovered materials. Begin recycling today by trying out the followings:

To find out if your municipal waste business offers recycling services as well, contact them directly. This has the potential to make recycling even more convenient.

Check with your local recycling facility to discover what they accept as recyclables. Initiate a recycling programme for your workplace.

Below are some important facts from the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) and Rock Hill Dumpster Rentals Co:

• Recycling accounted for 56 percent of all paper consumed by households in the United States in 2007, equivalent to 360 pounds per person!
• By recycling papers instead of manufacturing them from new materials, you can reduce air pollution by 74 percent and water use by 50 percent.
• About 60% of the energy is used to make recycled paper instead of paper made from virgin wood pulps.