“Reduce, reuse, recycle!” I’m sure we’ve all heard it. We probably even sang a little tune to the phrase in elementary school. Unfortunately, it’s not something that’s usually on the forefront of our minds.
With Earth Day coming up, I’d like to give you a few easy ways to reduce, reuse, and recycle.
Reduce
This can be such a broad topic. You can reduce your energy by turning the A/C up when you leave your home. This will take less energy and lower your electricity bill. You can also reduce the amount of waste in your home by shopping in bulk. Many health food stores have bins filled with pantry staples: grains, legumes, nuts, seeds, dried fruit, granola, coffee, and more. This will greatly reduce the amount of trash that your home will create. You can even take your own muslin or cotton produce bags to fill up so you won’t be taking home plastic bags. Another idea is switching from paper napkins to cloth napkins. They look so fancy on your table (even if you’re just having frozen pizza), and you’ll save more on at the grocery store too!
Reuse
This is probably my favorite of the three. It makes me be more creative. I’ve started saving glass jars (just be sure to wash and sanitize!) and I use those to store all kinds of pantry staples. My pantry looks so organized and my jars are getting more than one use. Another thing I like to reuse is old clothing. I like to donate the clothes I don’t wear anymore or that my kids have grown out of. But we all have those old T-shirts that are beyond donating. I cut them up and use them for cleaning and dusting my home! Another way I reuse is by using a glass water bottle instead of purchasing plastic water bottles. Again, better for you, your grocery bill, and the environment!
Recycle
I remember a few years ago when Corpus Christi didn’t have a home recycling system in place. We had to drive to various recycle centers on Saturdays to drop off our recycling! I’m so thankful that it’s so much easier to recycle now. You can recycle paper, plastic bottles, cardboard boxes, cereal boxes, and more! Most cities recycle glass but be aware in Corpus Christi you can’t put glass in your recycle bins. They do have various drop off locations though! Be sure to take advantage of your city’s recycle program.
