The 5 Rs: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle + Two More

Over the years, our understanding and appreciation of sustainability matured.

First, we moved recycle to the end of the "3 Rs" trio. Reducing consumption and reusing instead of re-buying are more effective strategies to manage our waste.

1. Reduce
2. Reuse
3. Recycle

As we continue to grow in our sustainability knowledge, it’s only right that our mantra expands, too. Today, we have five Rs, plus two honorable mentions.

Origin of the 3 Rs

Through the 1940s, American families developed wartime habits of stockpiling (or sacrificing) certain household goods to funnel resources towards military efforts.

The postwar 1950s and 60s saw a “rubber band” effect of both prosperity and consumption. This ushered in the popularity of single-use products, including plastics.

Following the end of World War II, the 1950s and 60s saw an economic boom, which popularized plastics.

Fast forward to the 70s, and trash begins to overflow in landfills. The effect of humans on Earth’s ecosystem became clear. The government formed the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and passed the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA).

In the midst of yet another war (Vietnam), Americans became accustomed to “sit-ins'' as a form of protest.

University of Michigan students and a faculty member, perform a sit-in at the Selective Service Office in Ann Arbor, MI. 

Some people accused educators at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor of neglecting their teaching responsibilities after participating in various sit-ins.

So these teachers flipped the script.

Instead of boycotting teaching, they performed the first all-night “teach in” to protest the war. Using debates, lectures, movies, and music, they educated the campus and the public beyond.

Wisconsin Senator Gaylord Nelson took note and lifted this format into the first-ever national Earth Day on April 22, 1970.

Tens of millions of people banded together through festivals and fairs across the country, raising awareness of environmental issues during the inaugural Earth Day in 1970.

Later that year, the government established the EPA, formally dedicating resources to environmental monitoring, research, and education. Then in 1976, Congress passed the RCRA, which oversees how we dispose of solid and hazardous waste. These two legislative measures thrust the new concept of recycling into the spotlight.

By this time, American began to adopt the practices of conserving waste, resource recovery and repeat utilization, and naturally, recycling.

In the decades that followed, The 3 Rs became the motto of green-minded people everywhere.

Recycling: From First To Last

Recycling began as a wonderful concept. We would recover single-use resources (i.e. metals, paper products, and plastics) and convert them into energy or new products. Execution proved difficult, not to mention costly.

As a result, we now list the 3 Rs in order of positive impact on the environment.

1. Reduce
This concept applies to every commodity we consume. Conserving electricity and water makes obvious sense. It also applies to things we commonly purchase from stores and online.

Reducing consumption can have a ripple effect. We can put less stress on production, transportation, and storage. We also minimize potential spoilage.

• Reduce reliance on bottled water by investing in water filters and refillable water bottles.
• Utilize double-sided printing at home or in the office to reduce paper consumption.
• Delay new phone upgrades, perhaps stretching each device to last 4-5 years.
• Buy produce from local farmers markets to reduce shipping fuel costs.
• Reduce packaging waste by consolidating Amazon purchases and opting for delayed, consolidated shipping.

2. Reuse
Reusing products and packaging at home means we limit excess production. When we buy new (or again) unnecessarily, we signal an increased demand for that thing. That sends ripples through the supply chain.

Reusing common household items means you need to store them somewhere, but that’s a small sacrifice to make.

• Donate old clothing, and if they're too old, convert them to rags.
• Wash and save plastic takeout containers for future beach picnics.
• Reuse plastic baggies 2-3x (or more) before tossing.
• Use Tupperware, glass, bamboo, or steel containers for leftovers and meal prep.
• Save toilet paper rolls and egg cartons for future use as fire-starters.

3. Recycle
This should be the last step, after attempting to reduce consumption and reuse our everyday products.

Recycling requires a bit of extra effort. First, research which specific materials your local municipality accepts. (Think: The numbers on the bottoms of plastic bottles or packaging.)

Second, wash food containers and wrappers before recycling. Otherwise, we risk dirty recyclables being diverted to a landfill. Total bummer.

Certain products never belong in your curbside bin or barrel. Look for special recycling centers for batteries, old electronics, printer ink cartridges, and other non-standard items.

It only takes a few seconds to choose to recycle. It takes much longer for trash to break down in landfills:

• Aluminum cans - 100 years+
• Plastic bottles - 700 years+
• Ink/toner cartridges - 1,000 years+
• Glass bottles - 1,000,000 years (never)

Make it a happy, healthy habit to recycle trash after you’ve reduced and reused what you can!

Two New Rs

To elevate your sustainability at home and at work, four steps should be taken before tossing something in the recycling bin.

Two new additions belong in the mix.

R - ???
R - Reduce
R - Reuse
R - ???
R - Recycle

4. Refuse
That’s right. The first line of defense is simply saying “no” to what you don’t need.

Set a standard for yourself, actually mean it, and stick to it.

• Say no to plastic straws.
• Say no to plastic bags for produce. (Bring your own protective bags.)
• Say no to produce already wrapped in plastic.
• Say no to single-use cutlery from restaurant takeout orders. (You have them at home.)
• Say no to marketing freebies, like key chains, squishy balls, and pens.
• Say no to single-use coffee pods and tea bags (when you can).

What may feel uncomfortable at first gets easier with time.

5. Repurpose
Also known as “upcycling,” this involves finding creative new uses for common waste items.

Pinterest is absolutely full of creative DIY ideas. Or, search for “practical upcycling” to find endless opportunities!

• Save wasted printer paper or flyers in the mail for scrap paper.
• Save shoe boxes and other packaging for storage.
• Repurpose an old pallet into a shelving unit or backyard planter.
• Convert old cups, mugs, and jars into mini plant "pots."
• Transform festive wine or spirit bottles into lamps or candle holders.
• Save, clean, and repurpose laundry detergent jug for watering plants.

Get creative, and have fun!

Two Honorable Mention Rs

These two didn't quite make the list because they can be more difficult to adopt as everyday practices. Still, they are excellent goals for us all.

Repair
The first difficulty is ability. (That said, almost anything is learnable today online.) The second is space. Not everyone has a garage or yard for repair projects. Third is access to the right tools, either owned, borrowed, or rented.

Still, strive for excellence, and give repairing a fair shot.

• Find a tailor to fix that broken purse strap if you can’t on your own.
• Invest in a knife sharpener to refresh your blades instead of buying new.
• Sand down and re-stain or paint furniture to give it new life.
• Sew buttons back on instead of donating or tossing clothing.
• Search for “_____ repair near me” before giving up on something broken.

When in doubt, try searching for “easy home repair hacks” to fuel your imagination (and save money).

Rot
All aboard the composting train! If you’re fortunate enough to have a home with a yard or residence with a deck/patio, composting should certainly be doable.

Apartment composting can prove challenging, but it’s not impossible. Indoor composting simply requires worm bins. Yes, worms!

With a 50/50 split of carbon (paper products) and nitrogen (food scraps), your worms will be well fed in their indoor soil home. You can steal healthy dirt from the bottom of your bin, and feed them food/paper waste on the top.

Sending food waste to a landfill does not mean it will safely decompose. Composting requires aeration, which does not happen at the average dump. Instead, compressed waste breaks down anaerobically (without oxygen), releasing methane into the atmosphere and affecting climate change.

The best part of composting is, you can transform your food waste into nutrient-rich fertilizer for your household and backyard plants.

Plus, if you create enough, you can share the excess plant food with your neighbors.

🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊 

Our hope is to inspire people to perform their own small-scale beach cleanups whenever they visit our beautiful oceans. Every bit helps, so we hope you join the community and share your stories.

Thanks, and we’ll see you on the next wave!

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