1. 3 R’s & Shopping Green A Guide to Green Shopping
By Michael Patton, Executive Director
The Metropolitan Environmental Trust, the M.e.t.
Tulsa, Oklahoma

2. On Average Americans generate 4. 5 lbs. of trash per day = 1600 lbs
On Average Americans generate 4.5 lbs. of trash per day = 1600 lbs. of trash per year

3. Total MSW Generation in 2010 250 Million Tons (before recycling)
EPA-530-F | November 2011|

4. Where does your trash go?

5. The 3 R’s
Reduce
Reuse
Recycle

6. R E D U C E Use less stuff. Purchase exactly what is needed.
Look at packaging.
Buy in bulk.

7. R E U S E B.O.B. (Bring Own Bag Plastic and paper bags Water Bottles
Steel Cans
Glass Jars
Cereal Boxes

8. Minimize the bottle! Save your money!
Americans spend about $11,000 per minute on bottled water.
Tap water costs an average of $.002 per gallon while a gallon of bottled water costs from $0.89 to $8.26 per gallon.

9. Owasso Recycling Center
R E C Y C L E
Owasso Recycling Center
Location: 499 South Main Owasso, OK
Phone:   
Hours of Operation:
Tuesday - Saturday 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Closed designated holidays.
We Accept:
Aluminum
Antifreeze
Batteries
Cardboard
Cooking oil
Glass
Newspaper
Office Paper
Phone books
Plastics (#1 & #2)
Motor oil
Passenger Tires

10. R E T H I N K Before you buy: Do I really need it? Packaging Bulk
Responsible Manufacturer
How far did it travel to get here?
Trash or Recycle
You vote every time you spend a dollar

11. Recycling Reduces Energy Consumption
Making new steel from old scrap offers up to 75% energy savings.
Producing aluminum from scrap instead of bauxite ore cuts energy use by 95%, yet we still through away more than a million tons of aluminum per year.
Paper recycling could save up to 70% of the energy needed to create paper from new timber.

12. Compost Organic Waste
Compost your leaves, grass and food waste instead of sending them to the landfill. Most natural garden wastes can be composted, thus yielding free fertilizer without polluting the air.

13. Buy Local Buy Recycled Packaging Buy Recyclable Packaging Buy Reduced Packaging

14. Every dollar I spend is a vote for the environment.
People want to be better shoppers.

15. Package Material
Storage
Shipping
Reuse
Disposal

18. Produce Aisle

19. Packaging by Mother Nature
Compostable
Fair Trade, Country of Origin and
Buy Local when available

20. What is Organic?
Organic food must be produced without the use of sewer-sludge fertilizers, synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, hormones, antibiotics and irradiation.
A variety of agricultural products can be produced organically, including produce, grains, meat, dairy, eggs and processed food products.

21. Baskets, Bags and Trays Bananas and Banana Bread

22. Meat & Dairy Aisle

23. Re-sealable Bag
Fresh, Frozen or Canned

24. Average Annual Expenditure Meat, Poultry, Fish & Eggs
15 percent of American’s total food budget is spent on meat, poultry, fish & eggs.
Food Institute analysis based on Bureau of Labor statistics

25. Use a meal planner to reduce waste!

26. Paper or cardboard vs. Polystyrene egg cartons

27. Buying in the deli allows for portion control
Paperboard milk cartons vs. Plastic milk jugs
Natural vs. Dyed containers

28. Bottle Grade Plastics
94 percent of plastic bottles are #1 or #2 vs. plastic tubs.

29. Cereal Aisle

30. Cereal Boxes as Art

31. Box is Pure Marketing The One Box we Read

32. Bag inside a Box vs. Bag only
100% Recycled
Rising Post-Consumer Content

34. Beverage Aisle

35. Total U.S. Beverage Consumption in 2005
Carbonated Soft Drinks  28.3%
Bottled Water  10.7%
Milk 10.9%
Coffee 9.0%
Beer 11.7%
Fruit Beverages 4.7%
Sports Drinks 2.3%
Tea 3.8%
Wine 1.2%
Distilled Spirits 0.7%
All Others 15.3%
Source – American Beverage Association

36. 53 million plastic bottles are thrown in the trash every day.
In Tulsa, the average household buys 225 bottles of water per year. Of those, 16 are recycled.

37. Snack Aisle

38. Chips vs. Crackers Give Piece a Chance

39. Paper Product Aisle

40. Virgin vs. Post Consumer

41. Grades of Paper
Recycle-phobia
Quality of Products

42. Cleaning/Household Products

43. Beware of words like ‘toxic’, ‘hazardous’, and ‘caution’ on label
Find safer alternatives
Buy Concentrated?

44. Natural Drain Cleaner 1/2 cup baking soda 1/2 cup white vinegar
Boiling water
Pour baking soda down the drain. Add white vinegar
Cover the drain, if possible. Let set for 5 minutes.
Then pour a kettle of boiling water down the drain.

45. At the Checkout
Paper vs. Plastic

46. Recap Reduce, Reuse, Recycle is the right order.
People who recycle create jobs.
It is not just the product; it is also the package.
Save the planet.

47. The Metropolitan Environmental Trust
Michael Patton, Executive Director
Metrecycle.com
Facebook.com/theMETrecycle