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Discover practical steps you can take to help the environment every day.
Did you know that the average person creates about pounds of trash every single day? Imagine if you could turn that mountain of waste into a superpower to save the planet!
To be an Eco-Hero, you need to master the 3 Rs. They are listed in order of importance! First is Reduce: this means using less stuff in the first place so there is no waste to manage. Second is Reuse: finding new ways to use things instead of throwing them away. Finally, there is Recycle: processing old materials like paper or plastic into new products. While recycling is great, reducing is the most powerful because it stops waste before it even starts. Think of it like a leaky faucet: it's better to turn off the water (Reduce) than to just keep mopping up the floor (Recycle)!
Quick Check
Which of the 3 Rs is considered the most effective for helping the environment?
Answer
Reduce, because it prevents waste from being created in the first place.
Let's apply the 3 Rs to a school lunch: 1. Reduce: Instead of buying a pack of small plastic snack bags, buy one large bag and put snacks in a washable container. 2. Reuse: Use a metal water bottle every day instead of a thin plastic one that gets thrown away. 3. Recycle: If you have an aluminum soda can, make sure it goes in the blue bin so it can be turned into a new can in just days!
Quick Check
If you and 9 friends each recycle 5 cans a week, how many cans are saved from the landfill in total?
Answer
50 cans (10 people x 5 cans = 50).
Imagine your family uses plastic grocery bags every day. 1. Calculate the yearly total: bags. 2. Switch to reusable bags (The Reduce step). 3. By making this one change, your family prevents pieces of plastic from entering the ocean or a landfill every single year.
An Action Plan is a map that helps you reach your Eco-Hero goals. To make one, first perform a 'Waste Audit.' Look in your trash can—what do you see most? If it's food scraps, your plan might be to start a compost bin. If it's paper, your plan might be to use both sides of every sheet. A good plan is Specific (exactly what will you do?), Measurable (how many will you save?), and Achievable (can you actually do it?).
Try to reduce your bedroom trash by this month: 1. Audit: Notice that most of your trash is candy wrappers and old school papers. 2. Action: Buy snacks in bulk to reduce wrappers and use a digital notebook for rough drafts. 3. Track: Weigh your trash bag at the start of the week and the end of the week to see if you hit your goal.
Which action is an example of 'Reusing'?
If a school reduces its paper use by sheets a day, how many sheets are saved in a -day school year?
Recycling is more effective for the environment than reducing waste at the source.
Review Tomorrow
In 24 hours, try to name the 3 Rs in order and explain to a friend why 'Reduce' is at the top of the list.
Practice Activity
Conduct a 'Trash Audit' today: Look at your trash can and identify one item you could 'Reduce' and one item you could 'Reuse' tomorrow.