In this era, you’d have to be somewhere in outer space not to have heard these three words: reduce, reuse and recycle. But unfortunately, America remains a "throwaway society." We continue to litter, we continue to throw away valuable commodities (often simply because it is easier), and some of us buy new household goods and clothing when your local thrift store or rummage sale has almost everything you need at a 50% reduction or more. Why is that? Perhaps Americans are spoiled--having way too much too soon--but does that mean they must also become spoilers? It is very easy to recycle. All you need is a separate trashcan. And the City does the work for you -- hauling all of that stuff off to landfills. For those who do not recycle or reuse anything, it all comes down to adjusting how you think. Instead of throwing away an old shirt or even a tattered pair of Levis, call a thrift store! Instead of putting your canned goods in one trash container, separate the plastics and the metal and designate a recycled bin. There are plenty of ways to recycle (see our Earth Matters link or visit the City’s Environmental Services website at http://www.sandiego.gov/environmental-services ). The City's site is particularly helpful and has a variety of online resources to help you recycle.

We are listing a variety of ways you can Reduce, Reuse and Recycle. These follow:

Reduce: No, we’re not talking about weight loss here, though it could be construed that way. What this means is buying differently. For example, supposing you could buy pickles in a jar or pickles in a plastic container wrapped in paper nestled in those styrofoam peanuts we hate, wrapped in plastic sheeting. Think about how much less you'd have to throw away if you selected the pickle jar and not the one with all the "dressings!" Buy Products or Goods With A Long Shelf Life: the better the product, the longer you’ll have them. Buy in Bulk: Ten individual packages of cookies use much more wrapping than one large package. Learn To Cook From Scratch: it’s easy to make pancakes from scratch. Make a big batch and store the mixture in old peanut-butter jars.

Reuse and Recycle: So you’re one of those who likes to buy everything new, right? That’s okay, providing you are able to keep it around a while. What that means is maintenance. If you grease and oil your lawn mower every month, it will last longer. And, if you change the oil in your car on a regular basis, it too will last longer (especially if you read the manual and follow directions there for maintenance and upkeep.) Also, take on the challenge of repairing your own stuff. If you can’t fix it, then you can replace it and donate it. But now that we have the internet, I'll betcha you could find a good manual out there for fixing almost anything. Above all else, reuse what everyone else donates to thrift stores or rummage sales! It is absolutely incredible what people give away. Nearly new television sets, blenders, housewares, glassware, clothing, collectibles -- too much to fully mention here.

And when you are out on your daily walk with your dog, check those alleys! And if you see something you like (outside the bins), go for it! (even if you can't haul it home right away, return home,  get your car or truck and come back for it!

Last but not least, find out which materials your community recycles. The City’s Environmental Services Department will be spearheading a new salvage program soon. You’ll be able to buy, sell and trade construction materials when your home is being renovated or trade old toilets, donate cabinets and more through our Discussion Board on our web site. Finally, here are a few personal tips on recycling:

(1) when you receive mail or goods in a padded envelope, don’t throw it out -- save it and mail again, covering the old address label with your own; (2) when your plastic dish soap container is close to being empty, perhaps down to 1/4 or a little more, add a little water and shake the container. You'll have lots of extra soap for additional dishes; (3) if you receive priority mail boxes, in fact any boxes, save them for shipping. Cut the plastic tape, fold them up and store them in a closet somewhere. When the holidays roll around, you’ll be glad you have them! And remember that whatever you save, whatever you reuse and whatever you recycle helps everyone -- especially Mother Earth!