By Elisabeth Reed
We are all familiar with the 3 R’s: Reduce, Reuse, & Recycle. By reducing, reusing, and recycling items such as plastic, paper and aluminum, we can reduce our environmental impact and contribute to a cleaner world.
However, in our ever consuming and materialistic culture, there are 3 additional R’s you should consider including in your every day routine.
The first one is REFUSE.
Refuse the plastic bag and bring your own. Refuse the free t-shirt or impulse buy that you will never wear. When you are dining IN at a restaurant, refuse the lid and straw to reduce plastic consumption. Refuse the styrofoam takeout container or styrofoam in any form. Refuse the single use drink containers like water bottles or juice boxes and choose a reusable bottle instead.
The second R is REPAIR.
If it’s broke, don’t just throw it out—try to fix it! Yes, it might cost a little more money and effort to fix than to buy new, but you are avoiding the landfill and giving life to an item that might have more life to give. Have you seen the miracles Adrian’s Shoes & Repair can do to a pair of boots or a used handbag? When you repair, you are not only reducing waste, but providing work for local businesses.
The final R is ROT.
While recycling is critical, an item that will rot or compost and biodegrade back into the earth is best. If you aren’t already composting, you should be! It’s super easy and will dramatically reduce the garbage you take to the street. And, if you have a garden, your compost can be used as a valuable organic fertilizer. The Ecology Action Center hosts several build-your-own composter workshops that can get you started and includes everything you need to successfully begin home composting.
Can you incorporate these 3 R’s into your life? Refuse, Repair and Rot!
Elisabeth Reed teaches fashion merchandising classes at Illinois State University. She grew up in Bloomington Normal, graduating from Normal Community High School in 1996. After receiving an undergraduate degree in architecture from the University of Cincinnati and a master’s in fashion design from the Savannah College of Art & Design, she realized that there was no place quite like home and returned to Bloomington in 2008. Elisabeth lives with her husband, Matt and their two wild little boys in historic Founder’s Grove.
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