Reduce, Reuse, & Recyle in Your Home

1. Stop buying cases of water bottles. Buy a reusable water bottle for each member in your family. There are several available to fit your taste and lifestyle. Check the label to ensure it is bisphenol-A (BPA) free. There are even reusable water bottle and coffee mugs made from corn, which look and feel like plastic.

2. Bring own reusable grocery bags for shopping. People in the U.S. alone use more than 200 plastic grocery bags per year. Plastic grocery bags are not recyclable, nor do they break down into small enough pieces so that they are not harmful to our soil. A few states such as California, now have a "no plastic bags" law, which is somewhat controversial, but nonetheless needed to control the use of plastic bags. Buy several reusable bags, put them in your car and remember to use them EVERY time you enter a store.

3. Replace plastic wrap with foil or reusable containers. Although convenient, many people do not rinse, save and reuse their plastic wrap. Instead cover your leftovers with foil or use those reusable Glad plastic containers or another covered dish. Plastic wrap has been known to damage not only 4-footed animals, but those in our lakes, rivers and oceans.

4. Buy in bulk and save on packaging. Reduce excessive plastic packaging by buying food and supplies in bulk. It is better to buy a 2 liter of soda than 6-20 oz bottles. If you have a bulk supplier, bring your own containers. Buy items which do not utilize excessive plastic packaging, and look to see if it the plastic is rated as #1 or #2, which is better than a 3-5.

5. Pack own eating utensils with your lunch instead of plastic cutlery. When you bring your own utensils, you help the environment by not adding plastic waste to our landfills. Look for utensils that are produced from corn products, which are completely biodegradable and can even be put in your compost pile.