Educational programs of the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service are open to all people without regard to race, color, sex, disability, religion, age or national origin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating. Reduce, Reuse, Recycle Green Living 4-H Housing & Home Environment

Living Green Refers to choices and activities that have a positive impact on our natural environment without reducing quality of all aspects of our life

Living Green Reasons people decide to change their actions and adopt green living: To protect the environment Decrease carbon footprint To save money To earn money Trendy thing to do

Living Green Reducing – using less Reusing – using again Recycling – turning into something different

Reduce to Live Green Think before you buy Buy smart Borrow/rent vs. Buy Change behavior

Reuse to Live Green Use an item more than once Use again for the same function by someone else Use for a new function

Ways to Reuse Goods Sell or donate Buy used Re-purpose products

Repurposing Jewelry Fabrics – tablecloth, etc. Buttons Decorative household items Furniture

Repurposing Items T-Shirt Rug This rug was created from old t-shirts and burlap. The t- shirts were cut into thin strips and woven into the burlap. This rug has approximately 1700 of these 1/2 inch by 3-inch strips. They were woven in at random. The rug edges were finished with the t-shirt hems. Created by Meagan Pickett.

Repurposing Colored flower vases or wine bottles as decorative accents on a glass shelf or window sill Antique ice box converted to glasses storage Novelty neck ties made into pillow cover Buttons made into jewelry

Recycling Processing used materials into new materials Reducing the consumption of fresh raw materials

What can you recycle? Aluminum cans Scrap metal Newspapers Plastic containers Plastic grocery bags Glass (clear and/or colored) Tires Oil

Recycling Athletic shoes Techno-trash Computers (search manufacturers) Any legal item (The Freecycle Network) Handheld devices (see EPA listing or Staples) Glass, plastic, aluminum, etc. This EPA website has links to numerous companies where electronic devices can be recycled:

What Is Recycling? Recycling is the process of separating, collecting, processing, marketing, and reusing materials that would have otherwise been thrown away. When a product has been recycled and reused as a new product, the usage loop has been closed. For example, glass is 100% recyclable and can be used over and over again without any loss of quality.

Recycle to Live Green

Remember to Reduce Waste Reduce Reuse Recycle