The Three Rs have received an update! We’re all familiar with the 3 Rs (Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle), but have you heard of the 7 Rs? It turns out that there’s a few more things we could be doing for the environment.

Rethink
Making smart choices can require some planning. Before you leave your house, remember to bring
your reusable items: bags, water bottle, straw, cup or takeout container. You
can also make the choice to purchase material made from recycled products.
Refuse
It’s ok to say no thank you when
offered something that will end up in the trash can later that day. For example, in a restaurant, we often don’t
need a plastic straw in our glass. In
the grocery store, opt for food in less (or no) packaging if possible.
Reduce
Here's a good chance to get creative.
How can we make less waste? This
includes in the home, in the office, and even when out on the weekend. A few options include something as little as
using both sides of a sheet of paper, changing printing settings to conserve
ink, eating your leftovers or carpooling.

Reuse
It's great to use something over and over again. You can use plastic or glass containers
instead of plastic bags, cloth grocery bags instead of paper or plastic, and don’t
forget about those great DIY reuse projects.
Recycled arts and crafts are a great way to give new life to material
that was otherwise destined for disposal. Learn how you can get involved in ACUA's Recycled Art Contest.

Repurpose/Repair
Many products travel long
distances just to get to our local stores and go through energy intensive
manufacturing processes that create pollution. That’s why it's important to try
and fix items when they break. Does it need some tape, some glue, or a small
work-around to remain functional? If
this route is possible, that would be best for the environment and your wallet.
Recycle
In Atlantic County, we offer single-stream
recycling. Being able to put your
paper, plastic, glass, cans, bottles, and cardboard in one container makes it
easy! Certain items don’t belong, like plastic bags, styrofoam, tangly items or food waste.
ACUA does not accept electronics for recycling, but here are a few places that do. Additionally, be sure to recycle plastic bags
back at the grocery store!
Rot
Composting food and yard waste is easy, saves money, and helps the environment. At ACUA, we
accept vegetative waste (leaves, grass, and branches) for composting. We use
big machines to turn the yard waste into Eco Soil.
Backyard composting is a great option for
your kitchen scraps. For more information about how to get started with
composting at your home please click here. Indoor composting is a great option too -- worms are cheap,
quiet pets that help eat your veggie scraps. Their home is inexpensive and
easy to build. If you’re composting the
right way, it’s not smelly and won’t attract pests.
