The Three R's of the Environment: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle!

The three R's are at the heart of the Go Green global movement. All of us need to manage the world’s

resources more sustainably. They are not infinite, and it is widely accepted that all of our activities today are

contributing to climate change. It is scary to note that people in 2050 will only have 25% of the resources per

capita that people in 1950 had. Therefore, the only way we can support future populations is by using our

resources more efficiently. Everyone can help meet this goal and save natural resources, energy and money by following the three R's.

1. REDUCE: This is probably the most impactful of the three R’s – after all, it is listed first. The best way to manage waste is to not produce it. The best way to do this is to buy only what is necessary; you can share things which you would not be using frequently and are not for very personal use. Also, buy things that are durable so that they last longer. The more we can reduce consumption, the less we will need to reuse and recycle.

2. REUSE: This one has the second greatest impact. In many ways, the concepts of reusing and recycling are interchangeable, but here, we are going to consider that reusing does not require re-manufacturing, processing etc. Reusing involves finding new owners for items that still work, as well as using old items for different purposes instead of throwing them out or in recycling cans.

3. RECYCLE: Of the three R’s, this may be the most common option. Recycling means finding more usage of certain wastes like plastic bottles. It is a series of steps that takes a used material and processes, remanufactures and sells it as a new product. Recycling is certainly important; it can reduce raw material consumption, energy use and landfill space among other benefits. It’s also one of the easiest and most visible green things that you can do.

We cannot stop waste production entirely, but everyone can make a significant contribution. Simply by incorporating these principles into your daily life, you can make a real difference to the environment and the future of our world. Begin today for a cleaner, healthier tomorrow!