We all know the saying "reduce, reuse, recycle". And yet, way too many of us overlook these principles. Let’s ask ourselves why we should "reduce, reuse, recycle?” One of the most personal reasons is because eco-friendly habits save us money.
Eliminating waste usually leads to an elimination of harmful chemicals in our homes as well. Constantly reproducing new products means excessive use of finite resources, such as water or oil. The use of chemicals also leads to pollution around manufacturing plants, which affects the environment as well as human health in the area. If we take a look around we can see that most litter and dumped waste found on the road or in wild areas is from disposable products - bottles, bags, etc. Certainly, these are all things that could at least be recycled. The reality is when we throw things "away" they go somewhere to stay. In other words, there is no such thing as "away" on this shrinking globe.
I urge all my readers to watch this video Who We Are Is What We Leave Behind narrated by Mollie Boyer, a recycling pioneer.
- Lisa James
