WasteWise Awareness: Putting the 3Rs to Work

Reduce, Reuse and Recycle

According to Reduce and Reuse, a report published by the US Environmental Protection Agency, we need to put more focus on practicing the 3Rs. The EPA report states that between 1960 and 2008 the amount of waste each one of us creates has increased from 2.7 pounds per day to 4.5 pounds. That's a lot of waste by anyone's standards, so the need to implement effective personal waste reduction practices using a reduce, reuse, and recycle mentality, has never been greater. Source reduction, or waste prevention, is the practice of developing, designing, purchasing and using materials in ways that reduce the amount of toxic trash we create. Reusing materials is another important ingredient in conserving resources because it helps reduce the cost of operating landfills, and municipal composting and recycling facilities, plus it helps reduce pollution and greenhouse gases, which are having a dramatic impact on our environment.

In order to change how we do things, we must first understand what we're doing and why. There's no doubt that some consumer's waste more than necessary, but that's not where the waste starts. Waste starts in the raw material development stage and then continues through the processing, manufacturing and transportation life of various products. In order to implement an effective WasteWise lifestyle, consumers must be aware of how products are made. Reusing materials is an excellent form of recycling; it reduces the amount of material that ultimately makes its way to waste combustion facilities or landfills. WasteWise is actually a program launched in 1994 by the Environmental Protection Agency. It now has more than 2,000 partners. For more information about the program visit: http://www.epa.gov/epawaste/partnerships/wastewise/about.htm.

By doing a little research before we purchase cleaning products, pesticides and other household products, we can identify nonhazardous or less hazardous items and that awareness alone will help reduce waste toxicity. Putting the 3Rs, to work starts with the little things, like being aware of packaging or over packaging and reading product ingredients, and practicing cost effective buying techniques that are rooted in WasteWise awareness.

We are making some progress in WasteWise management

The US Environmental Protection Agency, notes that progress is being made in reduction and reuse. The EPA reports that then 55 million tons of municipal solid waste has been reduced since the year 2000. Twenty-eight percent of that reduction came from redesigning packaging and seventeen percent of that reduction came from nondurable goods, like clothing and newspapers. Durable goods like furniture, appliances, and tires accounted for ten percent of the reduction, and the same EPA report said that forty-five percent of the reduction came from food scraps, yard trimmings and household miscellaneous waste.

The Reuse Development Organization, quoted by the EPA, reports that there are over 6,000 reuse centers around the country, which include the Salvation Army, Goodwill, and special programs that handle unneeded building and school materials. In the same report titled, Reduce and Reuse, the US Environmental Protection Agency, found that 250 million pounds of plastic material has been taken out of the waste stream since 1977, thanks to reducing the weight of soft drink bottles from 68 grams to 51 grams. In addition, the report claims that more that 7,000 communities have established a pay-as-you-throw waste removal program, where you pay per bag of trash, rather than paying a flat fee, or it being incorporated into a tax base.

There is still at least five percent reusable waste in the waste stream according to the EPA Reduce and Reuse report, but if we incorporate a WasteWise buying mentality by being aware of the 3Rs: reducing, reusing, and recycling, that percentage will continue to go down. WasteWise awareness takes the waste out of our wastefulness.

We thank partners like GiveTreeGifts.com for their appreciation towards these concerns and the effort they have put forth in supporting our beloved environment.  InkPal.com, home for your printers ink, is dedicated to providing support to our environment mentally, as well as physically and appreciates all those who share their vision.

Return to main Blog page.