Recycle with kids Tip #5: Reusing beats recycling

Reuse/ Reduce/ Recycle are terms that people often interchange. But REUSE is different from RECYCLE.

REUSE means extending the life of an item, while RECYCLE is reprocessing the item into a new raw material for use in a new product. Annie Bond wrote that  reusing is really much better than recycling, because reusing keeps the goods out of the waste stream. Reusing also preserves the “embodied energy” that was originally used to manufacture an item.

For example, the blank side of fax cover papers can be reused to print first draft copies of a manuscript, rather than throwing them into the recycle bin.

Here are more reasons why reusing is better than recycling. And here are some ideas that Kids Health readers shared about reusing what’s available around them:

Amber U donate old/not used anymore books to the school/daycares/pre-schools and library’s

Jenny Instead of throwing away toys, they can give them to the local church or charity. We can also use old egg cartons, creal boxes, coffee cans, and magazines for craft projects.

Amira It all starts at home. You can start using fabric napkins (use them in lunch packs too).

kiyana Recycle all their useable books, toys, clothes, etc.

Heather I think the most important thing we can teach our children about the Earth is to make them aware of how their choices impact us all. Be aware of garbage and limit using “throw away” items. Instead reuse things, recycle and use cloth instead of bags, napkins and paper towels.

roseann kies Children can swap their toys with their friends or buy used toys!

chris swanson Cool to get kids into recycling. I teach my kids to color on both sides of paper. Throw all used paper into the recycle bag I have. They love recycling.

Heather’s Habitat I think all the papers the use in school should be recycled and not just put in the garbage. Same goes for all the papers they bring home from school.

Marlena work for a school that serves children/adults with disabilities. This year we are having a senior prom and I am asking for donations from all of my friends’ high school kids so that our students at school can have prom dresses and dress clothes to wear to the dance. The response has been overwhelming!

christina singer My 5 year old is learning about recycling in school. He now brings his own bag when we go to the store and he is always asking me if we can use the napkins again….it’s very cute now, but it’s also a great start to an eco friendly lifestyle.

Audrey Peterson we like to get baby la la’s toys used and then we freecycle them when she has outgrown them. I hope she understands the importance of consuming less when it is her turn to make decisions

Lynne Clark Kids can recycle by using the flip side of school papers for their scrap paper.

Cynthia C Children can get into the habit of using real dishes and glasses instead of paper products. (so can adults!)

dorothy they can pass this book on when they are done with it.

Dorothy is talking about the Michael Recycle book I’m giving away, and she’s right. We can definitely give books away to others who also need them.