Practice 3 Rs: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
Practice the three Rs of conservation: reduce, reuse, recycle. Here are some ideas to get you started.
- Reduce: Use Only What You Need! Here are some easy ways for you to help reduce the trash you create and save natural resources.
· Use fewer grocery bags! Bring your own cloth bags to the grocery store when you shop. Or bring back the plastic or paper bags you got the last time.
· Check it out. Look for and buy products that have less packaging. But if something you really need comes with packaging (like bottles or cardboard boxes), try to reuse or recycle it.
· Water matters. Make an effort to use less water. Figure out how much water you usually use to take a shower by trying the Shower Estimation activity. Then come up with ways to use less water like turning off the shower as you wash your hair. You could also ask your parents to install low-flow showerheads or turn off the water while you brush your teeth.
· Turn it off. Use less electricity so there’s less air pollution. Climb the stairs instead of using the elevator. Turn off the lights, TV, and computer when you’re not using them.
- Reuse! Here’s a great way to make less waste:
· Be creative and reuse! Find a second use for trash. Use old newspapers to makeRecycled Paper. Use this paper to make cards to write let. Make a Junk Picture Frame out of cardboard, buttons, and other small pieces of trash.
- Recycle! Whenever possible, give an item a second life! Here are some great ways to recycle:
· Buy recycled products. Ask your family or school to use recycled paper and other products. When you buy recycled products, the message is clear–you want to protect the environment.
· Be helpful. Does your town have a recycling center? If so, encourage your family and neighbors to recycle. Paper, plastics, aluminum cans, and glass can all be recycled. If your community or school doesn’t have curbside pick-up or a recycling program, write to your elected officials about starting one. (Visit the links at the bottom of the page to learn how.)
· Hailey and her girl scout troop in Florida planted trees in a neighborhood park to celebrate Carbon Day. Carbon Day is a holiday to encourage people to plant trees. Trees produce oxygen for us to breathe, remove pollution from the air, and provide food and shelter for wildlife.
