Originating in the 1970s, the phrase “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle” has taken over our economy, and become a slogan for the sustainability movement, one that seems to be increasingly growing. In fact, today, recycling has become so well-known in our society that even popular video games such as Minecraft seem to include ways to recycle, often dubbed as the “recycler.” In recent years, "recycle” has stolen the spotlight from its siblings, a decision that has consequences on our lifestyles, and thus the environment. So why have the principles of “reduce” and “reuse” been neglected, and what can we do to bring them back?
A brief history
In the consumerist society we live in, it is inevitable that we are surrounded by disposable products. But in the intent for businesses to maximize profits, they turned to media influence to make consumers feel better about buying more-by displaying recycling as the one singular solution. Through creating the misguided image that using solely plastic bottles 24/7 will benefit the environment, companies only helped themselves, turning consumers who recycled into people who care but don’t genuinely have an impact.
In addition, modern recycling seems to encourage a larger amount of waste to be recycled rather than countering waste in the first place. Until the late 19th century, during which items were not widely mass-produced and low-cost, the concepts of reduce and reuse were a necessity to save on materials and money. By mending old clothes, renovating horses, and thinking twice before buying that new dress, doing more with less became a lifestyle. But with no need to do that any longer with cheap manufactured goods taking over our economy, it became more convenient and much easier to recycle.
Disadvantages of the "sole" solution
If instead of recycling, reusing ended up being our “sole solution” then it would have been equally consequential if only reducing was relied upon to promote sustainability and help our environment. Firstly, if we only focused on reduction rather than reusing and recycling, all the goods that we buy will go straight in the trash, even if we don’t buy that many. And without any way to tackle waste in our society, whether it be repurposing the item into a piece of art or reprocessing the materials it is made of to create new products, throwing items away without further consideration would cost millions of carbon emissions, rising landfills, with more trash lining the streets.
Secondly, if reusing instead of recycling was our solution to fixing our environmental culture, we might spend high amounts of time shopping second-hand, but we would also buy more and more clothing in the process, along with not having a way to recycle when products become too old to use. And with the busy lives we lead, it is inevitable that we hold off on throwing away good items while waiting for a “someday project” that we will never get to, and eventually hoard items to the point that we will have to throw some away.
Finally, what occurs if recycling is our primary solution, like it is in current-day? More than three-quarters of people around the world, as cited by the World Economic Forum, believe recycling is important but that we need to break barriers for them to act such as countering inconvenience and bettering our recycling systems. Similar to reducing and reusing, pure focus on recycling would lead to overconsumption of goods, especially plastics. When only about 9% of plastic waste has ever been recycled, creating more and more products only to reprocess and recreate such a small part of it would hurt our environment. Recycling is almost comparable to putting a band-aid on the problem, and not one that works very well. If we don’t stop those problems at their root by taking time to “reduce” and “reuse” while recycling, we won’t have a planet left to live on.
What can we do to help?
Furthermore, while a reality in which we forget the values of “reduce” and “reuse” might seem scary when paired with broken recycling systems, it is important to not lose hope and understand the very real impact that we have on the recycling systems in our state and community. Not just recycling, but the ability that we have to practice the principles of “reduce, reuse, and recycle.” To help you change yourself and recycling communities, we’ve created a list of how to change your habits in terms of the 3 R's.
1. Focus on quality over quantity
In a world in which large companies influence every product you hope to buy, it is common to fall prey to their marketing strategies and buy products that you don’t need. Whether it be huge sales or low costs, buying products that last longer will only serve you and the environment well. But buying longer-lasting products does not have to be for those who can afford to, rather it means buying items that can be used for longer.
2. Become thriftier
In recent years, there has been an explosive growth in second-hand sales, especially in terms of clothes. Moving away from clothing brands that sell low-items, many consumers have started buying from thrift stores, a Gen Z led movement. Still, brand name clothing, purses, watches, and more are prevalent in our society, with many of these luxury brands not leaving room for the older styles yet thriftier products in stores. But buying second-hand provides huge environmental benefits, with Retail Dive calculating that “if every consumer this year bought just one secondhand garment instead of a new one, it would lower CO2 emissions by more than 2 billion pounds.”
3. Decide what to reuse and what to recycle
When it comes to deciding what to reuse and what to recycle, 2 issues come into play, how likely we will be to actually reuse it, and the efficiency with recycling those materials. Reusing materials like plastics by repainting, repurposing or donating it is a smart choice due to the difficulty with recycling plastic waste in different areas. But if your area does recycle plastic efficiently and has proper systems to do so, then the choice between reusing and recycling is up to you and your convenience. These methods work with textiles as well, since textile recycling is limited in certain areas. But as for glass and metal recycling, both of which are extremely effective and prevalent, the better choice would be to recycle these items, especially as according to the Aluminum Association, recycled aluminum saves 95% of the energy needed to make new aluminum and Recycle Now quotes glass to be “100% recyclable.” And in the event of hazardous or potentially dangerous items such as e-waste and disposal medicines, there is no question of whether to recycle or reuse it, as reusing these materials could affect one’s safety.
4. Join organizations
If you are frustrated about the recycling inefficiency today and lack of awareness about such issues, join GreenWaySquad legislators. GreenWaySquad is a youth-driven organization committed to tackling lack of awareness about recycling issues among youth. While our organization may be led by youth, the recycling projects, articles, and the curriculum we create can be viewed and supported by YOU! If you are a business, nonprofit, or individual who would like to participate in or lead sustainable initiatives, contact GreenWaySquad today!
5. Start or continue recycling properly
When we learn about the inefficiencies and disheartening statistics that surround our recycling systems, it is only natural to feel hopeless. But it is important to understand that recycling does make an impact, if we choose to make it count. Without the small actions that we take today, we cannot ensure a better tomorrow for our world. By taking some time to educate yourself on recycling policies and the right way to recycle in your own community (Which can be done through GreenWaySquad), you can contribute to fixing the recycling systems. If we create a need for better recycling systems by tackling recycling in our own homes as a collective, then we can cause recycling technology to innovate and higher recycling rates than ever before. It’s time to know that our actions have an impact. Let’s start embodying the policy of “reduce, reuse, and recycle” by embracing all 3 R’s, and make sustainability our new lifestyle.