The three ARRR's, matey!

I am not sure where the waste hierarchy originated but many people have heard and follow its simple advice: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. This concept is actually arranged in order of importance. While all three are important, environmental scientists generally agree that the #1 thing you could possibly do to help the world out as a whole is to reduce the amount of...well...everything you need. The next best thing would be to reuse what you already have. Lastly, you should recycle whatever is left over so that it can be used in other ways.

Well, it seems as though people as a whole--including myself--have been practicing the waste hierarchy backwards. I obsessively recycle just about everything I can, but it is only recently that I have learned the importance of the first two R's. I think most of us have done the basics of reducing the amount of water and energy we use: low flow toilets, energy saver bulbs, or simply turning stuff off. But there is a lot less obvious stuff out there that we can all reuse and if you think about it, reusing one thing reduces your use of other things! Here's two very easy things you can reduce and reuse:


Water Bottles
These come in a variety of forms: the traditional plastic; the trendy aluminum/stainless steel; or the progressive glass. I personally use glass water bottles because of the possible dangers and overall bad taste that comes with using plastic or metal water bottles. Glass will not leach materials from previous beverages, unlike plastic and metal ones. (Despite certain claims that they wont. If you can taste a foreign flavor in your water, it's probably due to leeching!)

Stay hydrated and look like a badass pirate while doing it! Did I mention this bottle was originally a $6 lemonade? Talk about reusing!

Still not sure about it? Consider this:

• About 80% of plastic bottles will end up in a landfill despite the fact that about 80% of U.S. citizens have access to recycling centers.
• Recycled plastic is usually made into carpet, clothing, new bottles, and other much-needed products.
• Producing new products from recycled plastic uses two-thirds less energy than starting from scratch.
• In 2008, nearly 2.5 million tons of plastic bottles and jars were thrown away.
• Plastic photodegrades which means that it simply turns into smaller and smaller fragments. These fragments pollute soil and water and are ingested by humans and animals.
• Tap water is tested for harmful microbiological content multiple times per day, whereas bottled water companies are only required to test their water once per week.

Shopping Bags
Unless you've been living under a rock the last 5-years or so, you might have noticed plenty of trendy old ladies bringing canvas shopping bags into grocery stores with them. Reusable shopping bags have spread like wildfire and stores now even carry them for sale which serve for both branding and shopping. But canvas bags aren't the only bags which are reusable. Plastic bags have been reusable this entire time! I've been using them in my car and for small trash bins for as long as I can remember. I've also seen dog walkers use them to pick up "land-mines" on the side of the road.


Not convinced? Maybe this will change your mind:

• Like plastic bottles, plastic bags do not biodegrade and can be harmful to people and animals if ingested (or put over the head!).
• Is made from fossil fuels and only tightens our grip on oil.
• I will reiterate: Producing new products from recycled plastic uses two-thirds less energy than starting from scratch.
• If you don't want to reuse them, plastic bags are 100% recyclable and most grocery stores these days have recycle bins for bags by the front entrance.
• Thrift stores will more than likely also take grocery bags from you so they can use them instead. 
• Canvas bags are pretty. See?

It's a suitcase! It's a purse! It's...a grocery bag? Yep, from Trader Joe's.

Now that you've got a head start, take a look around your house and office and think about what else you can reuse. Remember that reusing stuff isn't always just for practicality. What creative things can you think of that can be done with old clothes, dishes, glass, etc? Tell us in the comments what you came up with and stay tuned for more ways to reduce, reuse, recycle!


http://earth911.com/
http://www.bottlesandcans.com/
http://ezinearticles.com/?How-to-Reuse-Plastic-Bags&id=4658152
http://www.container-recycling.org/facts/plastic/
http://www.nrdc.org/cities/recycling/gsteps.asp
http://www.americanchemistry.com/plastics/doc.asp?CID=1581&DID=6012
http://www.p2pays.org/ref/11/10436.htm
http://www.reuseit.com/learn-more/top-facts/plastic-bottle-facts




There's at least 52 other ways you can be more eco friendly. You can also learn the history of electric vehicles, or maybe make the switch yourself!

52 eco-friendly things we can all do...and counting!

This was originally only going to be 11 things, but then I realized there are so many good things out there that needed mentioning. The list will keep growing as I find new and interesting ways to conserve!

1. Don't have a lawn. A lawn generally needs about 1.5 inches of water per week to maintain. Some places on earth don't even get that much water in a year! Not having a lawn will save water, reduce your bill, and keep you from having to mow a lawn!
2. Do your watering at night. If you must have a lawn, only water it in the early mornings or very late evenings to reduce water waste due to evaporation.
3. Start a xeriscape. Xeriscapes rarely need water and are perfect for dry hot climates. However, they can be maintained pretty much anywhere! They have less negative impact on the environment, require less care, and are simply beautiful.
4. Don't use pesticides. Chemical pesticides are bad for the environment and your health if not washed off of vegetables properly. Use organic alternative pesticides or no pesticides at all. Not using pesticides will attract insect-eating birds.
5. Compost. Composting reduces your waste while providing good nutrients to your garden.
6. Water your garden with drip irrigation. Drip irrigation keeps your plants at an ideal moisture level while less water goes to waste.
7. Strategically plant trees to cool off your home. They can block the sun from coming through the windows and increase the value of your home.
8. Replace old single-paned windows with double-paned ones. Your house will heat up and cool off much quicker, therefore using less energy.
9. Repair leaks. A leaky faucet can waste about a gallon of water per hour. Also caulk your old windows so that they don't let air out.
10. Use space heaters in the winter and fans in the summer instead of your HVAC system. If you live in especially cold or hot areas, blankets and public swimming pools reduce energy usage as well!
11. Invest in solar panels or a windmill. They cost about $10k to start up, but pay for themselves over time. More often then not, you can sell the energy you produce to your local energy company.
12. Replace old lightbulbs with energy-saving Compact Flourescent Lightbulbs (CFL's).
13. Turn off unused lights and appliances. Also invest in dimmers and motion-censored security lights at night.
14. When you use the dishwasher, let your dishes airdry or hand-dry them.
15. Use tupperware instead of plastic wrap and aluminum foil. This means less trash at home and less trash winding up in landfills.
16. If you're still using an old TV or other appliances, replace them! New ones use significantly less energy.
17. Use hand sanitizer instead of soap and water. This will kill germs while also reducing paper towel waste and water usage.
18. Wash your clothes cold water instead of hot water. If you think you need hot water, try warm water and see if you notice a difference.
19. Dry your clothes on a clothes line. Not using a clothes dryer will keep your energy usage down.
20. If you want to buy a new car, consider hybrid, electric, or more fuel efficient vehicles.
21. If you have a really old car that still has a diesel engine, have it converted to run on vegetable oil!
22. Drive less. If your work or the store is just around the corner, pick up a new hobby and jog or bike there. Or if that isn't your thing, walk there and start photographing things along the way! Either way, you'll have a new hobby and get more exercise while helping reduce gas consumption and traffic.
23. Carpool to work and school. Less cars = less traffic = less gas = less pollution!
24. When you do drive, do the speed limit. It's safer, cleaner, and you'll improve your MPG's. Also don't slam on the brakes or "peel out." Starting or stopping quickly lowers your fuel economy.
25. Do not buy products tested on animals. Check the backs of bottles to see if it says "Not tested on animals." (You can usually find it by the company name.) If you can't find it or it's not there, you can always call the company and ask. You can also research online what companies are known for sure to test on animals. For example, Proctor & Gamble--who makes many different products--are known to test on animals.
    
    
26. Go vegetarian. Vegetarian and vegan diets are incredibly healthy when done right. As long as you maintain protein intake from other sources such as soy products or protein shakes, you will stay happy and healthy.
27. If you must eat animal products, only eat organically. If you enjoy fast food, only eat at fast food chains that raise their animals ethically. Many fast food joints now regulate the treatment of their animals and even provide them with veterinary care.
28. Adopt unwanted pets instead of buying pure breeds. Also remember to get your pets spayed or neutered to prevent more unwanted animals from winding up homeless.
29. Cut up 6-pack holders. Another thing I learned from my grandma. Often when these are thrown out, small animals can get caught and end up choking on them. Birds that get caught in them and fly away can get hung up on trees and buildings.
30. Give your stuff away or sell it. Instead of throwing all that old stuff away, ask your friends if they want it. If they don't, and you don't want to try to sell it on eBay or in a boutique, give it away to the Salvation Army, The Goodwill, or other local thrift stores.
31. Drink tap water instead of bottled water. Use a filtration system directly on your tap, or buy a pitcher filter and store fresh filtered water in your fridge.
32. Buy an aluminum or stainless steel water bottle. These bottles can typically hold any fluid and will reduce the amount of plastic bottles ending up in landfills. Make sure if you buy an aluminum water bottle that it is has a non-leeching internal coating. Stainless steel bottles do not need coating!
33. "Paper or plastic?" Neither! Use cloth bags when you're going grocery shopping.
34. Don't throw plastic bags away. I learned this from my grandma who would keep them in cupboard. We never had to buy bags for our small trash bins again!
35. Use cloth diapers instead of disposable. I know what you're thinking...but you can always bleach them!
36. Stop using disposable chopsticks. 20% of the oxygen we breathe comes from the Amazon Rainforest. However, the Amazon is dying, mostly in part due to deforestation from companies using the trees to produce chopsticks that are only used once. They may make you feel cultured, but is it worth it?
37. Only flush when there's "#2." ...Or after too much of "#1."
38. Put a brick in the toilet tank. This will displace the water so that you use less with every flush. You can also fill up an old bleach bottle if you don't have any old bricks laying aroung.
39. Take showers instead of baths. Believe it or not, bathing wastes significantly more water than showering does (unless you take half-hour showers). Also, cutting your shower down by 2-minutes can save you five gallons of water!
40. Shower every other day. Unless you do construction or work in a mud house, you probably don't need to shower every day. People used to only bathe once a month, you know...though keep away from me if you do.
41. Don't litter! Littering makes you and your community look trashy.
42. Recycle! Not only do you help the environment, you make money from it! Set up recycling bins at home and at work for plastic, glass, aluminum, paper, cardboard, and e-waste. This also teaches your kids and coworkers to also recycle.
43. Upcycle! Instead of throwing your stuff away, upcycle it. If you like the graphic on an old t-shirt, cut it out and turn it into a patch. Then use the rest of it as a cloth rag for around the house. If you have ripped up old jeans, rip them up more! Designers these day charge hundreds of dollars for pre-ripped jeans. Or just save your old clothes for those days you have to do house work or remodeling so you don't mess up the clothes you do like. You can also upcycle old furniture, fixtures, shoes, accessories, etc.
    
    
    
    
    
    Mosaics are a great way to upcycle.
    
    
44. Pay bills online. Most companies these days offer paperless billing. This will significantly cut down on paper usage--not only from mailing supplies and invoices, but your check or money order back to them!
45. Don't throw away unused fast food napkins. I also got this from my grandma who would keep them in her purse and in a kitchen drawer. Whenever I had to blow my nose, she would have a tissue ready! Now you don't have to buy paper towels or tissues.
46. Only buy recycled paper products including computer paper, toilet paper, paper towels, etc.
47. Print on both sides of the paper. You'll cut down on your paper costs while helping the environment.
48. Make your own scratch paper. Cut up old prints or misprints into quarters and staple together to use as a scratch paper pad.
49. Recycle printer ink and toner. Most office supply stores also give you a discount when you bring back your old cartridges!
50. Buy products with less packaging and buy in bulk. The less packaging there is, the less stuff is going to waste. Thank you, Christophe!
51. Download online! Most of the time whenever you see a program or CD available in stores, it's going to be available to buy online. Again, the less packaging there is, the less stuff is going to waste! Thanks again, Christophe!
52. Share this page! Getting the word out so more people can change their ways may be the best thing you can do.

http://www.hand-sanitizer-dispenser-review.com/hand-sanitizer-enviroment.htm
http://www.50waystohelp.com/
http://savetheamazonrainforest.com/web_folders/faq_answers/
http://www.p2pays.org/ref/15/14300.pdf
http://www.togetherwecanchangetheworldpublishing.com/Resources/101WaysToHelpPlanetEarth.pdf