Precycling

Reduce, reuse, recycle.

There’s a reason why this recycling mantra begins with “reduce.” There's a part of being environmentally friendly that's easy to overlook: it’s called precycling.

Precycling is "reducing waste by avoiding items that will generate it, or selecting certain items that will generate less, or acquiring items that can be reused for something else." (see greenlivingtips.com)

Recycling is critical, but precycling cuts down on both unrecyclable waste and the amount that needs to be recycled in the first place, thus saving energy, reducing waste and making ourenvironmental footprint lighter.

(An environmental footprint is an important measure of human demand on the Earth's ecosystems. It compares our demands with Earth's ability to regenerate resources and absorb waste.)

Modern societies are characterized by disposability; for example, the average American produces four and a half pounds of trash per day. We can easily replace and purchase new items, so we've lost the habit our ancestors used to cultivate: reusing rather than throwing away.

But the heart of precycling is thinking about reducing waste before you buy a product.

Because we don’t see where our trash goes, or how it affects various systems including the environment, we don’t necessarily think about the ramifications of our purchasing decisions.

The following video, called The Story of Stuff, will give you a better feel for the problems excess waste is causing.

Here's a quote from greenlivingtips.com that captures the spirit of pre-cycling:

"The greenest product is the one you don’t buy."

Next Steps

As an overall strategy, it may be useful to think about buying items that will create less refuse or that can be reused. Here is a list of easy ways to help develop a precycling mentality:

· Reuse bags, cans, jars
· Pay bills online rather than sending mail
· Stop junk mail
· Share items, tools, etc. with others
· Use airtight plastic containers rather than plastic wrap
· Bring shopping bags to the store
· Buy products with recycled packaging
· Don’t buy disposable items: pampers, napkins, paper towels
· Use cloth instead of paper napkins
· Buy long life or rechargeable batteries
· Don’t buy Styrofoam
· Buy in bulk to reduce packaging waste
· Shop at resale/thrift stores

With a little bit of thought and brainstorming with your friends and family, you can find many other ways to cut down on waste. In some cases recycling will cause a little more work, but you can take a "long view" and celebrate that your actions are helping to protect and preserve the planet.

There's no need to change every aspect of your life immediately -- start simply.

Suggestion: begin by choosing one or two items from the list above and try to act on them. See how it goes. You may find that you enjoy discovering new ways to reduce waste!

Sustainability is a worthy goal. That is, developing habits and lifestyles that will make a real difference in the environment over time. The beautiful fact is that you can help change the world by taking a few simple steps, and you'll be joining others who are doing the same.

Discussion Questions:
1. What part of the Story of Stuff video stood out most to you? Why?
2. How does the trash we throw away affect both people and the environment?
3. What are two or three ways you could try precycling, today?

Green News

Precycling