Do you know the 4 Rs?

You may have a sense of humour, a good business sense or a sense of logic, but when it comes to protecting the environment, you have to hone your 4 R's! The 4 R's are Reduce, Reuse, Recycle and Recover. They make a difference and can be applied every day, no matter where you are.

The first R: Reduce at the source

What kind of waste pollutes the least? The kind that is not produced! It's only logical. The best way to counter waste overflow is to reduce at the source. In general, this is done by avoiding disposable, over packaged or single-use products.

Simple tips:

• Carry your lunch in reusable containers.
• Choose drinks that are sold in refundable bottles.
• Before you buy, ask yourself if you really need it.

The second R: Reuse

Another way to reduce waste is to reuse things as much as you can.

Is there something you no longer want? Give it to someone who could use it. Several organizations and businesses collect items they repair and then give away or sell.

Simple tips:

• Bring your old clothes to a waste sorting and recovery centre¹ or a second-hand clothing store.
• Share your magazines and books with friends.
• Have your old walkman repaired instead of buying a new one.

The third R: Recycle

Recycling is surely the most popular of the 4 R's. Paper, cardboard, glass, plastic or metal: any waste you put into the recycling bin is raw material for the recycling industry.

Simple tips:

• To save space, collapse cereal and other cardboard boxes before putting them in your bin.
• Stick a note to your garbage can asking "Is it really garbage?" or "Can this be reused in some way?"

As shiny as an almost-new penny!

Is it really necessary to wash containers before putting them in the recycling bin? A certain level of cleanliness is obviously called for out of respect for the people who work at the sortation centre.

However, you shouldn't waste water so a thorough rinse with dishwater is all it takes!

The fourth R: Recover

Energy can be recovered by incinerating waste (old tires) or by composting organic waste (dead leaves) to produce natural compost. However, recovery cannot be applied to refundable containers since they are 100% recycled.

1. Centre that collects, sorts and sells used goods at discount prices: clothing, books, toys, and furniture. Recovery centres contribute to waste reduction as well as job creation.