Reduce and Reuse

REDUCE

• Buy products made from recycled materials.
• Buy the economy size of products when feasible. You will probably save money, and it will reduce the number of containers being thrown away or recycled.
• Buy products that have the smallest amount of packaging materials.
• Purchase long-lasting, durable items rather than disposable ones.
• Request that your name not be sold to mailing list companies. The average American receives an amount of junk mail each year that is equivalent to 1.5 trees.
• Choose returnable bottles instead of throwaway bottles when you have the option. Disposable (throwaway) bottles consume three times as much energy as reusable, returnable bottles.

REUSE

• Use a mug for coffee at work and home rather than a disposable cup.
• Use rechargeable batteries instead of disposable batteries.
• Start a compost pile.
• Use a mulching mower to mow your lawn. You'll do your lawn a good turn by putting the lawn cuttings back into the soil and you'll eliminate the need to dispose of these cuttings. The cuttings will serve as mulch, retaining moisture in the soil, and are a natural fertilizer.