Many of us learned the “3 Rs” slogan: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, in grade school. And while recycling grabs most of the headlines, the truth is it’s at the bottom of the hierarchy when it comes to best practices. Recycling IS important, but not generating waste in the first place by reducing consumption and reusing (or repairing, another R!) products already in circulation are by far the most planet-friendly choices.
Reducing, reusing, and repairing are foundational practices for shifting toward a more resilient, regenerative, and less wasteful world. Many thanks to the City of Boulder for sharing the following tips for living a circular economy lifestyle by reducing and reusing on a daily basis.
1. Carry reusable water bottles and coffee mugs when you are on the go.
2. Bring reusable bags whenever you shop. This helps keep disposable plastic bags out of the landfill, conserves water and energy required to produce paper bags, and saves you 10 cents per bag at local stores.
3. Bring reusable containers to grocery stores for produce and bulk purchases, and to restaurants for leftovers.
4. Look for products made with recycled materials. These products help create a market for our recyclables – allowing them to circulate in our economy.
5. Try to cut down on plastic purchases at the grocery store by shopping in the bulk section or buying products in recyclable packaging.
6. Reduce your food waste by planning weekly meals, buying only what you need, and donating unused food to local food banks.
7. Practice zero-waste dining by passing on packaged condiments and plastic utensils. Explore ordering takeout from restaurants that offer reusable containers through DeliverZero (formerly known as Repeater).
8. Borrow, share, and rent items when possible. Borrow a book or movie from the library or swap clothes with a friend. Rent tools from the Tool Library at Resource Central.
9. Repair items with life left. Check out Boulder U-Fix-It Clinic events for repair trainings.
10. Repurpose worn-out items by turning them into fun, creative projects. An old shirt could be transformed into a reusable bag, quilt, or cleaning rags.
11. Shop for used clothes, shoes, furniture, and other items from thrift stores, garage sales, flea markets, and consignment shops.
12. Donate gently-used items to secondhand stores.
