The Three R’s of GRRReen
By Jackson Kern
A guide to what goes on behind the phrase reduce, reuse, recycle.
However this frivolous treatment of the phrase shrouds a more profound meaning beneath. What many who allow the phrase to roll so freely fail to realize is that beyond its pleasing audible qualities, it is in fact a statement of an important waste hierarchy.
The waste that comes as a byproduct of our production processes is, we believe, an inevitable reality. Waste must be controlled and dealt with as best it can; it is an unfortunate but ever-present reality of which we can never be truly ridded, much like a childhood scar.
So how best to manage and control this waste? The answer is given by the three R's, in decreasing order of preference.
The best strategy of all is to simply reduce waste volumes altogether. The first step in this approach is to identify those areas of consumption which generate excessive waste. The issue of packaging is a prime example. If you have ever purchased something and then had to cut through thick panels of fused plastic to access the small object suspended between, you know this. However the real key to reducing waste in a way that is sustainable in the long term is, of course, to reduce our levels of consumption. Yes, this means buy less stuff!
To reuse is the next step down in the hierarchy. Reusing is inferior to reducing because it does not carry the same power to lower total waste levels in future generations. The mentality of reusing could be used to justify the purchase of items whose use would otherwise be foregone entirely. Reusing is, nonetheless, an effective way to keep present waste levels in check.
To recycle is the final step in the hierarchy. While recycling clearly is preferred to landfill disposal, it is inferior to reusing. This is because recycling, unlike the simple taking of an object and employment of it to another purpose, requires large quantities of energy whose expenditure would otherwise be conserved.
The issue of waste management poses one of the great burdens to our environment. Equipped with this knowledge, you can make informed decisions—and perhaps take your waste to the next level in the hierarchy.
Posted by on 11/07 at 03:56 PM