Recycle, Reuse, Reduce

Been wanting to post this for a while now. Here it is...

Somethings we can all do to save the environment and save money at the same time as well.

Reduce - avoid unnecessary waste.

Reuse - to use again

Recycle - to convert unwanted things into useful and marketable recycled products.

At Home:
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Reduce
Plan a shopping list to prevent purchasing on impulse.
Purchase products that will not go out of fashion quickly.
Purchase things with less packaging.
Purchase things in bulk quantities eg. one large box of breakfast cereal instead of two small boxes.
Purchase durable items that will last you a long time eg. rechargeable battery.
Purchase refillable items eg. dish washing liquid.
Borrow, share and/or hire things that you only need occasionally.
Bring a shopping bag while shopping instead of requesting for plastic or paper bags.
Use cloth instead of paper tissue for cleaning.
Minimise the use of disposable items such as disposable crockery, non-rechargeable batteries etc.
Store perishable food eg. bread, fruits in refrigerator.
Cook just sufficient food for meals.
Pack breakfast or lunch in washable container instead of a one-time container.
Write to the respective organisation/s if a few members of the family receive the same reading materials/information.
Call the respective organisation/s to remove your address from their mailing list to prevent junk mail.
Switch off lights and electronic appliances when not in use.
Close the refrigerator door immediately after taking out necessary food, fruits or drinks etc.
Use one strong bulb instead of a few low-wattage ones.
Use the fan instead of air-conditioning if possible.
Turn off the water tap promptly.
Check for dripping taps and inspect taps and pipes to prevent water leakage.
Take a shower instead of a bath.
Wash only with full loads of laundry.
Wash the floor with a mop instead of water hose.
Wash the car with a pail of water instead of using the water hose.
Use a tumbler of water when you brush your teeth.

Reuse
Reuse used glass and plastic containers as receptacles.
Reuse your old mouse pad as an insulator for placing hot containers that have just been removed from stove or oven, or as a beer mat.
Use unwanted plastic bags to bag garbage.
Use old clothing as rags for cleaning.
Convert scrap paper into memo pads.
Pass old textbooks, story books, and toys to others.
Pass smaller size but good quality clothing to others.
Donate good quality but unwanted items to old folks' homes, charitable organisations etc.
Delete old files from diskette to save new files.
Repair and recondition faulty electronic appliances to extend their useful lives.
Clean and reuse ornaments for the next festive celebration.
Clean and reuse washable cutlery and crockery for the next party.

Recycle
Make recycled paper at home and decorate it for use as a greeting card or wrapping paper.
Segregate recyclable items for collection by waste collectors.
Participate in recycling programme/s and deposit recyclable items into designated recycling bins.
Purchase recycled products.
Purchase greenlabelled products.

In the office
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Reduce
Use less disposable items eg. polystyrene and paper cups and plates.
Bring your own cutlery and coffee mug.
Do not ask for a plastic bag if you can take the packet of food back to the office yourself.
Make a few copies of a document to share instead of making one copy for each individual.
Circulate written or printed memos.
Use electronic mail to communicate or to send messages.
Proofread documents on screen before printing.
Print addresses directly onto envelopes instead of using sticker labels.
Print on both sides of paper.
Order just adequate drinks and food for meeting, seminars, conference and events etc.
Switch on light and electronic devices only when necessary.

Reuse
Reuse used envelopes for sending internal mail.
Remove old documents and reuse files for filing again.
Use the other side of used paper for drafting, printing and taking notes etc.
Re-format or delete old files from diskettes so that they can be used to store new documents.

Recycle
Set up a recycling programme in the office.
Participate in recycling programme/s.
Segregate recyclable items for recycling.