How many times have you heard the phrase “reduce, reuse, recycle”? Probably too many times to count. It’s a phrase that’s been around for a while, and you’ve heard it enough that it probably goes in one ear and out the ear, without a single thought about the phrase or the importance behind it. Despite it being a common phrase, not enough people utilize the principles behind this phrase. Too many things that everyone uses on a daily basis are disposable. This creates a problem because many of these could be, and should be, recycled but they aren’t.

Why you should recycle

There are a lot of different reasons that you should recycle. Recycling helps make the environment a cleaner place. It also aids in the conservation of materials, so we don’t waste as much during the production of new products. Recycling also saves energy. And one of the most important reasons to recycle, is it reduces the garbage that ends up in landfills.

When you recycle something, you’re enabling that product to be used again and have another life. When you reuse a product to be used in another product, we save a considerable amount of energy because we don’t have to create another material to use. Saving energy is super important if we want to slow down the effects of global warming and preserve the environment for future generations. Refusing to recycle shows that you don’t really care what happens to anyone else around you, or the earth that you’re lucky to be able to call home.

If you don’t need something, don’t use it. It’s really as simple as that. If you really do need something, get something that can be reused again, whether it can be reused by you, or recycled to be given another product down the road.

How to conserve energy

Recycling isn’t just about sorting your papers and plastics. It’s also about making sure you don’t use more energy than you absolutely have to. Don’t leave your lights on. When the weather gets colder, don’t turn on the heater immediately. Let yourself bundle up in layers for a few weeks before turning the heat up in your home. These simple things not only benefit the environment, but they also help you save money on your utility bills. This alone should be a motivating factor to help you be willing to conserve energy.