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Going Green: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

Going Green: Reduce, Reuse, RecycleModern living has rendered many people oblivious to all the wastefulness when it comes to the use of resources. They are not aware that simple adjustments in behavior could lead to the limited impact on the environment. Moreover, depleting resources at this rate could have catastrophic consequences for entire countries, and ultimately the human civilization. Think you won’t be around to witness it all? Maybe, but the chances are your descendants will.

Start small, think big

Embracing a sustainable living model isn’t something that demands great sacrifices or a truckload of money. The first step is to reduce the consumption, so ask yourself how many products that are stacked up in your home you really need. We all have the buying power, and when the sales decline, big corporations take notice.

Bear in mind that everything that enters your household has the potential to become waste. Pick products with recyclable packaging materials, buy in bulk and make good use of recyclable bags. Steer away from disposable products, toxic chemicals and energy sucking appliances. Buying fewer products, but choosing high quality, lasting ones is the way to go.

Going Green: Reduce, Reuse, RecycleThe next thing you need to do is to reduce energy consumption. Small adjustments make a big difference. Ponder on installing low flow showerheads and toilets, for example. To further reduce the water use, harvest rainwater from your roof. Turn off the lights when you don’t need them, and consider buying energy-efficient LED lighting. By doing this you save a lot of money on utilities, so it’s a win-win scenario.

Life cycle

Many recycle and salvage businesses flourish today, but that just reveals the fact that people don’t want to take matters into their own hands. Recycling facilities usually process bottles, cans, paper, batteries, tires, clothing and other materials. However, there is always somebody who needs other people’s old stuff. From packaging to building materials, there’s a myriad of recyclable and reusable products. This link should help you get an idea how to turn other’s people trash into treasure, sometimes as big as a house.

You probably have a bunch of old stuff you can use lying around your home, so consider that before going on a shopping spree. Upcycle your old furniture, and hold on to that antique sofa. Sometimes it takes a bit of imagination to repurpose an item. An old bathtub can serve as an excellent container garden, old credit cards become guitar picks and old picture frames are turned into serving trays.

Put that old door as a room divider, or use the easel that’s only collecting dust as a TV stand. With a few simple touches, you can make grandma’s worn chest an excellent coffee table. Furthermore, learning how to compost could help you reduce your trash by 30%. Turning kitchen scraps into a garden asset is a perfect embodiment of reduce, reuse, recycle philosophy.

Going Green: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

Some things can be used as they are, while others need to be transformed into something else. A DIYer knows that thrift stores are the perfect places to find unique items and pieces for exciting projects. You would be surprised what people decide to throw away, and how many objects can be salvaged. There’s no shortage of brilliant ideas one can find online, so it’s time to get creative.

Green fashion

By using reduce, reuse and recycle principles we limit our environmental footprint and ensure the sustainable way of life. Decrease the number of wasteful products your household uses, and strive to save energy. You don’t need to own every tech novelty that hits the shelves, or to spend electricity like there is no tomorrow. We can all do without some luxuries and we don’t need to chase the latest fashion. The day your garbage man starts complaining about his lack of purpose, you’ll know that you are doing your green job well.

 

 

This article was written by Zoe. Zoe is a proud mom of one baby girl and a miniature schnauzer. When not obsessing about designing perfect homes, Zoe is spending time with her family. You can find her on Twitter.

 

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