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Reduce Your Impact

 
Taking Care of Our Resources

We can all use some tips on reducing our impact on our environment.  From big cities to small towns and even rural residents, see what you can do.  The following tips focus on our water, land and energy impact.

Reduce

 - Reduce your use by turning of the water while brushing your teeth.  Install water efficient appliances when replacing old ones.  Learn more at Low Impact Living and Water: Use it Wisely.

 - Buy in bulk to avoid the excess packaging found in single serve items.  Buy items in containers you know you can recycle to reduce the amount of waste you're throwing out (and resist buying disposable products).

Reuse

 - Collect rainwater or gray water (clean water from washing fruits and veggies) and use for watering indoor and outdoor plants.  Water Reuse Association

 - Reuse items such as coffee mugs instead of disposable styrofoam cups.

- Bring/purchase items to/from the thrift stores in your area rather than purchasing new items. 

Recycle

 - Water recycling is reusing treated wastewater for beneficial purposes such as agricultural and landscape irrigation, industrial processes, toilet flushing, and replenishing a ground water basin (referred to as ground water recharge).  When old items (recyclables) are made into new items, some take water, but not nearly the volume of water used when making items out of new (virgin) materials.

 - When you recycle, you help reduce the amount of waste heading to the landfills.  This helps slow the need for finding more space to bury our waste.  Stay tuned for a list of ND recycling sites.

 - Some energy is used in the recycling process, but again, many of the items require more energy when new items are made.  Check out how much energy recycling saves on the Earth 911 Web site.


Compost
 
 - When compost is used on your lawn and plants, it will help retain moisture and reduce the need for excess water.

 - By composting grass, leaves and other organic materials, you will help save space in local landfills.  Yard waste typically makes up one third of our waste stream.

 - When you have the right combination of organics, the microorganisms put forth the effort to reduce the pile rather than you expending your energy.

See the benefits of using compost here.

Buy Recycled

- When you purchase items, check the label to see if it has recycled content materials in it (for example, office/white computer paper).

Have a tip?  E-mail us at the address below.
 

NDSWRA 
PO BOX 235
CARRINGTON, ND 58421-0235  

Disclaimer
  Executive Director
  Angela Boeshans 
  (701) 650-8857

 

North Dakota Solid Waste and Recycling Association