1. REDUCE, REUSE & RECYCLE

‘Reduce, reuse and recycle’ targets waste and ultimately avoids making it in the first place. The three R's of sustainability—reduce, reuse, and recycle—are critical because they not only reduce the environmental impact of human activity but also conserve natural resources and protect the environment for future generations.

REDUCE :  How can I reduce the amount of waste I produce?

Waste prevention reduces the generation of waste in the first place, so it is the most preferred method of waste management and goes a long way toward protecting the environment. You can reduce waste by:

• Purchasing durable, long-lasting goods.
• Seeking products and packaging that are as toxic free.
• Redesigning products to use less raw material in production, have a longer life, or be used again after its original use.
• Only buy what you need
• Buy in bulk
• Look for items that you can re-use

REUSE : How can I reuse what I have?

This looks at how you can use certain items again before replacing them. Here are some ideas:

• Refill a water bottle with water from home instead of buying a new one
• Update your computer rather than throwing it out and getting a replacement
• Ditch plastic bags and choose reusable, environmentally-friendly bags instead
• Use durable coffee mugs.
• Reuse boxes.
• Purchase refillable pens and pencils.
• Participate in a paint collection and reuse program.
• Use cloth napkins or towels.
• Donate old magazines or surplus equipment.
• Turn empty jars into containers for leftover food.

As well as helping the environment, you could save money too!

RECYCLE : How can I recycle the products I use?

Before you throw something away, think about whether all or part of it could be recycled. Recycling prevents the emissions of many greenhouse gases and water pollutants, and saves energy. Materials that can be recycled include: 

• Glass
• Cardboard
• Aluminum
• Lead batteries
• Paper
• Textile
• Wood

Sometimes, two more 'R's can be added to the three basic ones.

• Rethink can be added to the start of the list. It means we should think about the way our actions impact the environment.
• Recover is sometimes added to the end of the list. It refers to the act of putting waste products to use. For example, decomposing garbage produces methane gas, which can be recovered and burnt to produce energy.

Let us look at some of the comments we received from our Instagram family: 

@its_winnie_cheche -

" Recycling, Repurposing & Reusing"

@aisha_bagha -

" Prevents emission of greenhouse gasses and water pollutants, and saves energy."

@rewireyourmindsetstrategy -

" Less waste in the environment"

@zainab_akadir -

"Conserve natural resources"