REDUCE/REUSE/RECYCLE And much more!

Q: Why does the saying go?:  REDUCE>REUSE>RECYCLE Hint…they’re in order for a reason

A: It all has to do with energy!  Reducing the amount of garbage we produce is the best way to eliminate waste  Reusing items also helps, but is less efficient Recycling is beneficial to the environment but requires a lot of energy!

 By reducing the amount of garbage we produce we can limit the need for landfills!

REDUCEREDUCEREDUCEREDUCE!  Do a home garbage audit:  Where can you make the greatest improvement in reducing waste? Just look in your garbage can for the answer.  Then ask yourself what you can do to eliminate these items from your waste

Don’t Buy Garbage  Make sure you're not filling garbage bags when you go shopping: avoid non-recyclable plastics buy reusable and refillable containers buy in bulk instead of single servings buy durable products don't buy things you don't really need take your own shopping bags avoid toxic and hazardous products

Leave no trace…  Whether you're going to School, Work, or just heading across town, plan your trips to be garbage-free and pack out all your trash.  Living in the city should be no different than if you were camping in the wilderness -- keep the environment clean.

Compost…  If you don't have a compost bin (or worm bin), find a friend who does and ask them if you can bring your organic waste to them.  …What the heck is a worm bin you ask?

BOOM! ***WORM BIN***

Worm Composting:  Worm composting is using RED worms to recycle food scraps and other organic material into a valuable soil product called vermicompost, or worm compost.  Worms eat food scraps, which become compost as they pass through the worm's body  This compost can then be used to grow plants.

Why worm compost?  Small size allows people in apartments and city houses to compost w/o a lot of space  Cheap!  Easy!  Once made there is little to no maintenance

A change in your own BACKYARD!  Need more time? Mow, fertilize, water & rake less  Mow only enough to keep your grass length at 3 to 3½ inches high. This will keep it healthy as well!

 When you mow, don't rake clippings, leave them on the lawn instead.  This will act like compost and return nutrients to the soil  Same goes for leaves in the fall

 Water only when it hasn't rained for seven days  Grasses naturally grow slower in the summer, so brown grass usually means your lawn is just dormant, not dead.

Paper Paper Everywhere!  Office paper is highly recyclable, but a lot gets wasted.  Waste reduction is more cost- effective than recycling because it reduces the amount of material that needs to be collected, transported & processed.  Waste reduction can save money for businesses and institutions of any size.