Put the Three R’s into Action

This is a busy week for many people. They are wrapping up projects at work and school. They are doing that extra cleaning around the house as they prepare for visits from family and friends. During your holiday festivities, please take time to educate others about reducing, reusing and recycling. You don’t have to do it through constantly telling (or nagging) everyone about the importance of keeping Florida beautiful.

Let your actions do the talking. For example, set those cardboard gift boxes and that recyclable wrapping paper aside. Collect them after your gift exchange and put the boxes and paper in the recycling bin. Another option is to save your gift boxes and reuse them next holiday season. Don’t forget about your gift bags. Some of them may not be recyclable, but they can be reused for the next gift giving opportunity.

When you are cooking, reuse items such as aluminum foil. Try this – recycle your cooking oil. It’s easy to do. Just set aside a container, metal coffee cans or plastic butter containers are good, and pour that old cooking oil inside. Be sure to check with your city or county on where to take it. Remember, cooking oil can be refined into biofuel that burns clean in most diesel engines.

A new laptop or cellphone may be under the tree too. Please recycle or dispose of your old items properly. More than 80 percent of electronic waste in the United States is not recycled. Gather those old electronics, get your family together and take a trip to a local store or recycling event to drop them off.

Actions really do speak louder than words. Reducing, reusing and recycling are key factors to ensuring that we keep our state clean, green and beautiful. Visit our website, www.keepfloridabeautiful.org, to learn more and find resources to help you. Please put the R’s into action!