Reduce, Reuse and Recycle: The Breakdown

‘Reduce, reuse and recycle’ are three steps we can implement in our daily lives to minimise further impairment to our world. It’s a commonly used phrase among those advocating for environmental awareness, although they often fail to explore what these steps entail.

Reducing is the act of decreasing the amount of something, and in terms of the environment, it involves reducing any waste products we generate that have a continuous negative impact on our Earth. The target population of the ‘reducing’ act are those who are settled with the idea that once their trash leaves their house, it’s no longer their issue to deal with. Ignorance is bliss, in most cases but this. Your garbage has a permanent impact on our world, with a great fraction of it being items with single-use and non-biodegradable packaging that can easily be helped with purchasing multi-use containers, shopping in bulk, and only buying necessities.

Reusing is simply taking items you would usually discard and making a new use for them. Empty plastic and glass containers can be repurposed to store food, jewellery or stationary, allowing you to save money and space. If you’re unable to find a use for these items around your own house, cleaning then donating them to those in need is the perfect path to take.

Recycling is the last step you can take if the items cannot be reused. It benefits your community and environment, as it prevents your garbage from residing in landfills and instead having an alternate use. Although it’s an effort to separate your discarded items, it allows you to rid your household of trash with a clear conscience.

If you’ve considered making these alterations but thought to yourself ‘a change in my lifestyle won’t change the world’, you’re wrong. Your fixed mindset is the blockage that has stopped our environment from flourishing and aided the process of its destruction. Every effort counts, and your actions will be a positive influence on the people around you, illustrating that the involvement of these steps in your lives is the ideal way to repurpose detrimental waste.

Maya Almoataz 11D