Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

Canadians produce approximately four pounds of garbage per day. At this rate, each person creates more than 100,000 pounds of garbage in a lifetime. Each of us can reduce this large amount of costly waste by practicing the Three R’s:  Reduce, Reuse, Recycle!

Reducing

• Buying items that are not heavily packaged

• Looking for the recycling signs on items you are going to buy and knowing how, or where, they can be disposed of

• Storing foods in reusable containers, i.e., tupperware

• Taking your own shopping bags when you go shopping

• Buying products in bulk and refilling small dispensing containers at home, i.e., cleaning products, cooking, baking staples, etc

• Buying good quality items which have an extended life cycle

Reusing

• Passing on old clothing and toys through thrift stores, garage sales, or to younger children and friends

• Making rags out of old torn clothes

• Fixing broken items instead of buying new ones

• Save safe recyclable items for crafts.  Often local schools, visitor centres, and organizations are in need of such items

Recycling

• Placing recyclable items into the curbside recycling program

• Identifying and disposing of specialty recyclable items at appropriate locations. See the CVRD Recycling Guide (i.e. tires, scrap metal, batteries, fridges, paint, etc.)

• Make use of the CVRD Recycling Hotline: 250-746-2540