The Three R's

REDUCE, REUSE, RECYCLE and CONSERVE - It’s that easy.

Reduce the amount of waste you produce by following some of these guidelines:

According to the Institute of Ecotourism Americans throw away 25 trillion Styrofoam cups each year!?! When you pick up your morning coffee don't forget to use a refillable mug. It will reduce the number of Styrofoam cups that we throw out and since most places offer a discount for bringing your own mug it can save you money too.
Purchase products with minimal packaging. Or, purchase products in bulk. Think about how much money you can save just buying a 32oz container of yogurt instead of six 8oz containers. Put it in a reusable container with some granola or fresh fruit and it will taste better too!
Reconsider that next cell phone upgrade. While having a top-of-the-line phone may be fun for a couple weeks, the materials saved by resisting the temptation will save natural resources.
Reduce the amount of virgin materials humans use by purchasing recycled content products such as paper and reused products such as clothing.
Pay your bills online. This will significantly reduce the amount of paper sent out in the mail.
Request that your name be taken off unsolicited mailing lists. To do this, go online and fill out a registration form or you can do it yourself.
Buy products that you know you can recycle. If you are in the grocery store trying to decide between two items and one is glass and the other is plastic…choose glass. It is 100% recyclable. Plastic degrades as it is recycled so it can be made into the same product again. Instead it becomes plastic lumber, synthetic fabric, or event landfill material.
When shopping, buy products that are environmentally certified. The certifications indicate that the product was made/grown in a sustainable way. There are labels/certifications for all sorts of products or check out these purchasing guides.
Do you really need your receipt at the gas station or from the ATM? If you want to keep track of your gas payments or ATM withdrawals, just keep a small note pad in you car, pocket or bag and jot it down. It’s a lot more organized that way too.
Bring your own container with you when you go out to eat, then you don’t have to ask for a to-go box, and it will be all ready for you to pack it for tomorrow’s lunch.

Get the most out of what you already have:

Paper or plastic? NEITHER! Bring your own bag. You can fit more in it and you don’t have to worry about it breaking.
Buy used!

Buy clothes at thrift stores. The vintage look is always in.
Buy electronics and other items at pawn shops such as: Monster Pawn in Bloomington and Normal, Midwest Exchange, and McLean County Exchange in Bloomington
Purchase used furniture through advertisements in local papers or in local shops such as: Bloomington New and Used Furniture and City Consignments in Bloomington

Use the back side of old paper to print out rough drafts
Buy your textbooks used
Finish up last semester’s notebooks before purchasing new ones for this semester
Freecycle!!! It’s like eBay only free and local.

Save resources and your wallet:

Shut off the water: When brushing your teeth, washing your face, or washing dishes, make sure you are not wasting water.
Fix the drip! If a faucet is leaking, have it fixed as soon as possible.
Shut off the electricity: Save electricity by shutting off lights when not in a room. Shut down your computer when you are not using it. Turn down or shut off the heat or air conditioning in your apartment when leaving for the day.
When doing laundry, air-dry your clothes. Whether you dry your clothes inside on a drying rack or outside on a clothes line, you will save energy and extend the life of your clothes.
Check out our quick list on energy conservation tips.

When all else fails – RECYCLE:

When you are finished with something – food containers, magazine, shampoo bottle, batteries, etc. – don’t throw it out. Recycle it. ISU, the Town of Normal and the City of Bloomington have great recycling programs. So take advantage of them.
Computers and electronic equipment often contain heavy metals and toxins. By recycling them you ensure that these substances are treated properly and the remaining materials are reused.
Don’t trash your old furniture, household goods, or clothes – donate them. You will be helping less fortunate individuals, saving the environment, and, as if you need another reason, it’s a tax write off.
Compost your food waste. Throwing it in the garbage adds to our already large landfills. Not to mention it makes your trash smell bad and attracts pests. It’s easy to create/maintain a compost pile outside or a vermicomposting bin. If you want to see a vermicomposting bin in action stop SSB 379 – the Sustainability Coordinator’s office.
Recycle your old ink cartridges and cell phones. It’s for a good cause. At ISU the proceeds got to the Illinois Special Olymipcs!
If you are like most people, you have a collection of plastic bags hiding in a cupboard or closet. Take them to the grocery store with you. Here in town both Jewel Osco and Kroger (on College) have a bin in the entrance of the store to collect plastic bags for recycling. And don’t forget next time, bring your own bags and you won’t have to worry about more plastic.
I can recycle paint!?! Sure. Many paint stores will collect paint to recycle. Here in the Bloomington-Normal area you can recycle latex based paint at the Paint Depot (2407 GE Road, Bloomington 309-664-6733) for a nominal fee.