Waste Reduction

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Living by the 3 Rs (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle) eases the strains on our ecosystems by reducing our need for new sources of plastic, paper, metals, and other finite resources. It also cuts down on the amount of garbage that ends up in landfills.

Suggested Actions:

During Earth Week 2013, I will:

* Bring my own reusable mug every time I buy coffee/tea on the go
* Watch the STORY OF STUFF
* Reduce paper by arranging for e-billing and statements instead of mailed paper copies.
* Bring my own bags every time I shop-especially since the Eugene Bring Your Bag campaign goes into effect May 1!
* Avoid bottled water/juices/liquids and instead use a reusable mug or thermos
* Start a compost to reduce the amount of trash my household produces
* Think and buy second-hand - books, clothes, furniture, and more are easy items to find
* Clean out my home of unused appliances, items, clothes and donate them
* Use only natural or organic cleaning products or try making my own
* Reuse paper use by printing on both sides
* Reduce the amount of unwanted mail I receive (stop unwanted catologs, stop junk mail)

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Recent Blog Posts

Composting at Work

posted by: Steve Loges -

4/30/2013

I like to eat a lot of fruit during the work day. I have been collecting the compost and bringing it home to dig into the raised beds of my garden. The raised beds are new for me and I use all of the leaves on my property to cover the beds. I also supplemented my own leaves with a load dropped off by the City during their leaf collection in the fall.

Making the little things count

posted by: annareid -

4/29/2013

If I must print, I always print double-sided, but when I receive paper that is not double-sided, I make notepads for myself out of the blank pages. I save the wax from my mini babybel cheese to use as a firestarter for when I am camping and/or hunting. I have joined several TerraCycle brigades to recycle items that cannot easily be recycled through other avenues in this area. I think about the reusable bags that I purchase, making sure that they are made from sustainable materials that they themselves will not end up in a landfill someday.

Challenge yourself all year!

posted by: Wendy K. -

4/26/2013

This week, I was more mindful about the myriad ways in which I waste resources. Though I ride my bike or walk to work, and try to be thoughtful about recycling, I realized there are instances in which I mindlessly use plastic baggies instead of small glass containers, or use a paper bag only once, as opposed to multiple times. My partner and I just purchased a small trash can (from Goodwill) for our cats' litter box waste, so we need not use plastic bags anymore, and I'm determined to stop using plastic bags in most instances. It's great to be reminded of ways I can better conserve resources and reuse everyday items for storage or transportation.

Driving Less, Sharing More

posted by: Chris Henry -

4/26/2013

This week I commuted by bus twice, carpooled twice, and drove alone once. I made and effort to get on the bus more. It gave me time to relax, listen to music, catch up with friends, and get a little more exercise walking. Ideally, I wouldn't drive alone at all and only carpool once a week. The money saved is substantial and the improvement in how I feel is great. I'm pledging to ride the bus more and more each week and eventually become a one car family.

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Waste Reduction

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