5 Rs:

Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, Recycle,

Repurpose
Problem?
Refuse

 Refuse things you don’t really need

 Refuse one-time-use plastics (grocery bags, water bottles)
 Refuse products with multiple layers of packaging
 Show companies what you value by purchasing carefully
 Organic
 Sustainable packaging
 Sustainable business practices
Reduce

 Select electronic versions where possible (coupons, newspapers)

 Reduce energy usage
 Reduce purchases of products in non-recycled packaging
 Consider: do I really need this? Will I use this frequently?
 For example, do I really need 3 pairs of sunglasses, or can I get by with one?
Reuse

 Select reusable versions of one-time use products (water bottles, travel mugs,
lunch containers)
 Reuse plastic or glass containers that originally contained food or other
products.
 Donate unwanted items to a charity, thrift store, relative for someone else to
use
Repurpose

 Upcycle projects (think Pinterest!)

 Turn old clothes into cleaning rags, patches
 Decorate amazon boxes or empty oatmeal containers to use as gift packaging
Recycle

 Recycle the usual suspects

 Recycle electronics
Refuse first, Recycle last

 Recycling is great, but it is far better to not generate the waste in the first
place
How can we get kids engaged with the 5
Rs?
 Cost analysis: reusable water bottle vs. plastic water bottles (1 per day)
The Majestic Plastic Bag

http://www.zerowastecowichan.ca/videos/majestic-plastic-bag-mockumentary
Earth Day: Expression Contest

 My idea (TOTALLY up for negotiation, fresh ideas more than welcome!)

 Ask students to use a means of expression to show a change they can make in their
lives to refuse (focus on this one in specific), reduce, reuse, repurpose, and recycle
(encourage students to avoid this one, they have done it over and over already)
Some resources

 http://thegreeningofwestford.com/2014/04/5-rs-refuse-reduce-reuse-repurp
ose-recycle.html
 http://extension.usu.edu/files/publications/publication/Sustainability_Recyc
ling_2012-01pr.pdf