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I thought there were only 3 R's. Reduce, Reuse, Recycle...or were there 5? Well, people keep adding more R's (one site had 12). I found that 7 of them were interesting, useful and worth sharing. The extra R's actually made me think more specifically and more expansively about my consumption and what I'm leaving behind. Here's a link to the blog I came across at Kiss the Ground. 7 R’s of Regeneration. Kiss the Ground is an educational non-profit dedicated to addressing soil health and climate change. They also made a documentary I enjoyed about soil health, narrated by Woody Harrelson. I think it's worth a share too. You can stream it on Netflix.
If you want to minimize your impact on the planet, there’s more than one avenue to take. You can go full-blown zero-waste mode and refuse plastic-packaged products. You can also be a steward of the land, regenerating soil and protecting biodiversity. Two completely different approaches, but they share guiding principles. Let me show you what I mean. After reading these principles, I realized they guide the zero-waste movement as much as they guide farmers and land stewards. Whether you live on an acreage & manage a permaculture project or you’re a busy working urbanite, the 7 R’s apply. Let’s apply all 7 R’s to zero-waste living:
#1: Rethink Do you really need that new treadmill? Is there another way to get fit and get outside? Where is is going to be in 10 years? What about a gym? #2: Refuse (*our favourite ‘R’) Instead of buying your essentials in plastic, can you make the decision to buy your dish soap and toothpaste in plastic-free packaging? Maybe you can buy tickets to the movies, or a concert instead of a bunch of plasticky through away Christmas presents? #3: Reuse Can you save that glass peanut butter jar and bring it with you to the bulk store to stock up on pantry essentials? #4: Repair Do you have to buy that brand new backpack, or can you mend up that hole at the bottom with a sewing needle and some thread? And can you commit to only buying clothes made of durable materials like cotton & hemp so they don’t fall apart within a year? #5: Recycle Can you take the time to recycle properly by rinsing your jars before they go in the blue bin, and not contaminating your bin with plastic? #6: Repurpose Can you compost your veggie scraps instead of tossing them in your green bin where they’ll rot and release methane gas? (In case you didn’t know, methane gas is a potent greenhouse gas and a huge driver of climate change.) #7: Regenerate Can you use that compost you made from your veggie scraps to heal the soil in your backyard, invite friendly microorganisms and earthworms, and grow some giant zucchinis & tomatoes in the summer? Thanks for considering Etee's sustainable plastic-free products. We hope they can help you along you journey.
P.S. Which ‘R’ resonates with you the most? Please reply with any ideas and recommendations you have...we read them all, and would love to share them with the community. |
