Ready to live more sustainably? Well, its time we go back to school and learn the 3R’s:

REDUCE – REUSE – RECYLE

This is the “Waste Hierarchy” and it can guide all of our consumer actions.

At the top of the priority list is to reduce. This means we use new items only when we need to – not want to! We care for our possessions so they last as long as possible and we buy quality products not disposables. Say no to single-use plastics.

Next on the hierarchy is to reuse. Think hand-me-downs and repurposing. Old t-shirts become rags. Find inspiration online to upcycle everything from bottle caps to CDs. Take a trip to Goodwill.

As a last resort, we recycle. It’s last on the list because it takes a lot of energy to transform a plastic milk jug into a new fleece jacket. And… many materials can’t be recycled indefinitely so recycling might just be postponing a trip to the landfill. Still, it’s better than going straight into the trash so support the recycling industry by purchasing items with recycled content like office paper, lumber, carpeting, etc.

We’ll share lots of ideas to stay at the top of the 3R Waste Hierarchy – a study guide for minimizing our consumption. For extra credit, check out this catchy tune by Jack Johnson.

Now you’re ready to ace the sustainability test!