Everyone knows about recycling, but have you heard of precycling? Precycling is the practice of reducing wastes by thinking about the products you buy and the packaging they come in. Recycling may be the first and easiest step for all green do-gooders but it still contributes to pollution. A large amount of energy is required to break down materials and make them new again. This creates toxins that are sent into the air to re-manufacture a product.
Precycling focuses more on the other "R's" of recycling: reduce and reuse. Recycling is still better than disposing items in the garbage but we can lower the amount of things we recycle by reusing, repairing, and donating what we already have. For things that are recyclables, we should consider purchasing products with minimal packaging and something we can reuse often.
Here are some tips to help you pre-cycle:
- Buy more items that can be reused or refilled such as Tupperware, cloth napkins, razors, cigarette lighters, or batteries.
- Buy plastic, aluminum, steel, glass, or cardboard that are marked with a 1 or 2 because those can be recycled more easily.
- Instead of having your paper delivered to your house, opt for a digital copy.
- Bring your own bags when shopping.
- Drink from refillable bottles or mugs. There are coffee shops that use recycled cups but it’s still better if you bring in your own to be filled.
- Donate items that aren’t being used and repair items that are broken instead of throwing them away. Don't forget to join the Freecycle Network to exchange items with people in your area.
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