When it comes to recycling, some individuals and businesses have it down pat, while others can have a little trouble with the concept (don’t get all upset about it, The Do’s and Don’ts of Recycling will help ease you into forming environmentally friendly habits). There is a way to reduce the amount of materials that can`t be recycled before bringing them into your home – this concept is known as “Pre-Cycling”.
Reducing the trash you bring into your home beforehand can be easy! Here are some tips that can help you get right into the spirit of Pre-Cycling:
- Buying in bulk will reduce the amount packaging that would be normally thrown in the trash.
- Purchasing things used, with little to no packaging involved.
- Only purchase products that come in recyclable packaging – If you have to bring your filled recycling container to a facility, be sure to know what will end up in the trash (for instance plastics numbered 3 to 7) and what will be recycled.
- Choosing quality items over the cheaper options – something that will last longer and not need replacement as quickly.
- Many companies are now packaging their products with recycled material that can go straight into the recycling bin – make the switch to these products if you haven’t already. And avoid the peanuts! Not the ones you eat.
- Look at what you buy that is reusable and what is disposable – Choose reusable over disposable items if you can.
- BYOB – Bring Your Own Bags! At many supermarkets you can purchase reusable bags, and plastic bags aren’t one time use only either.
- Buy reusable cups and mugs, many coffee places will fill a mug for you.
- Bring water from home if you’re out and about. It’s much better than going for a plastic bottle every time you’re thirsty; we all know how fast they can fill up a recycling bin.
- Making things from scratch like soap and detergent instead of buying them packaged from a store. A little tougher to do, but you can handle it!
- Wrap gifts using old wrapping paper, newspaper, flyers, or reuse old gift bags – who says they can only be used once! And no we don’t recommend recycling the actual gift itself.
If you follow these tips, the amount of trash you’ll be sending to the curb will shrink drastically; it may be a bit of an adjustment, but the less material we send to landfills, the better!
