Reduce, Reuse and Recycle: How to Get Your Whole Family to Respect the Three R’s of Rubbish Reduction

You might be well aware of the three R’s; Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle.

But putting those words into practice is often easier said than done.

Getting started is the tricky bit but once it becomes a routine you can quickly become a rubbish

reduction champion.

“If you adopt the three R’s of

rubbish reduction, it is going

to make a positive difference

in many different ways.”

So here are some ideas and tips on how to start disposing of more of your rubbish, in a way

that is responsible and respectful to the planet.

The Need to Minimize Waste

You only have to look at figures published by the Australian Bureau of Statistics to get a sense

of the need to minimize waste, as every adult in the country contributes an average of about

two tons of waste per year.

Before you dispute that figure, it is worth remembering that this total is a combination of not

just your household garbage, but also the industrial waste created by the things that you buy

and use throughout the year.

Waste disposal is a hot topic and governments are understandably urging people to take greater

responsibility for how they dispose of their rubbish and to reuse and recycle wherever possible.

Using someone like Dirt Cheap Rubbish Removal is one way of helping you to achieve those aims,

as they dispose of rubbish in an eco friendly way, using only approved waste recycling centers.

It can also be more convenient to use a service that offers to handle all types of rubbish as part

of the issue for some of us is the confusion and hassle surrounding the need to identify the

different types of waste and how it needs to be disposed of.

Thinking About the Three R’s

One thing is certain.

There is a need for improvement in the general rate of recycling and reduction of waste, which

is why everyone needs to try and think about the three R’s when dealing with their rubbish.

Try to re-use what you can, consider whether the containers, packaging or waste that you are

going to toss into the garbage, could be potentially used again.

Try to look for ways in which you can actually reduce the level of waste that you are producing.

This can be achieved by using goods that have minimal packaging and can be recycled locally,

amongst other initiatives.

Aim to recycle what you can too.

Helping to allow waste material to get recycled into useable products again, will be making a

positive contribution towards the general target of reducing waste levels overall.

An Alternative to Plastic Bags

There is a valid reason why some countries have introduced charges for anyone who wants to put

their shopping into a plastic bag, but there are many billions of plastic bags being used every year.

The problem with these plastic bags is that they can last anything up to 1,000 years in the environ-

ment, and they are also seen as a major threat to wildlife.

This is an easy problem to resolve as you can switch to reusable cloth bags or even a backpack to

put your shopping in.

If everyone said no to plastic bags it would make a big difference to the amount of rubbish and to

the environment.

Get Upcycling

If you want to reduce the amount of rubbish you have each week, it will help if you can think about

upcycling at every available opportunity.

Rather than simply throwing something away, stop for a moment to contemplate whether there is

any way that you can upcycle it instead.

When you consider for example, that up to 90% of the plastics, metals in mobile phones and

batteries can be repurposed into new products, there are plenty of opportunities to get upcycling.

Saving Resources Helps to Reduce Waste

It is not just thinking about what you buy and how you dispose of it that can make a difference to

waste targets and our environment.

Reducing waste can also be achieved through saving resources.

This can be done in many different ways, from reducing energy consumption in your home by

switching to high-efficiency fluorescent bulbs, to turning the thermostat down a few notches.

There are plenty of leaking taps found in households, and that small drip can add up to a large

amount of water waste overall so work on energy efficiency and reducing waste in your home

by fixing any problems and becoming more efficient, which will also save you money.

“Reducing waste can be done in many

different ways, from reducing energy

consumption in your home by

switching to high-efficiency

fluorescent bulbs, to turning the

thermostat down a few notches.”

If you adopt the three R’s of rubbish reduction, it is going to make a positive difference in many

different ways.

About the Author
Emma Moore is a Mom with 4 kids, 3 dogs and a variety of smaller critters that the kids have accumulated! She shares her tips on living simply in the fast-paced modern world.