Choose to Reuse

CES Reduce, reuse, and recycle--the three Rs of solid waste management--are listed in order of importance for actions that should be taken to manage solid waste. Reduce means eliminating or decreasing the amount of waste we produce or reducing the toxicity of the materials. Reuse means taking products that would otherwise be discarded and using them again in their current form, or with few repairs or changes. People often say they are recycling something when they are actually reusing it. Recycling involves collecting used materials, processing them mechanically and chemically, and re-manufacturing them into new products. It is important to recycle, but we must remember that recycling is the third choice. We should consider reducing and reusing before recycling.

The process of reuse begins with the attitude that products and materials have usefulness beyond the owner's original intention. Reusing allows you to take responsibility for the waste you create.

Here are some reuse ideas for individuals and households:

• Keep empty containers for storing household and shop items.
• Install reusable furnace and air conditioner filters.
• Repair, rather than replace, broken or worn-out products.
• Donate usable, unwanted items to thrift shops, charities, and social service organizations.
• Transform empty plastic bottles into bird feeders, scoops, terrariums, or watering cans.
• Take reusable tote bags on shopping trips.
• Make dust cloths from old towels and sheets.
• Donate magazines to hospital waiting rooms.
• Make wrapping paper from comics and magazine pages or reuse old gift wrap.
• Donate newspapers to pet shops.
• Reupholster or slipcover outdated furniture.
• Hold a yard sale.
• Donate paper that has been used on one side to daycare centers.
• Use packing materials again or donate them to shipping shops.
• Rent or borrow things you use infrequently.
• Buy rechargeable batteries and appliances.
• Use old toothbrushes for household cleaning.
• Use old sheets and shower curtains as drop cloths.

What can you add to the list? Post your idea.