Which of the 3Rs is most important to sustainability?

Featured Debate 42

 

A lot of folks consider the 3Rs to be some basic tennets of sustainability.  What do you all think?  Which is most important?  And should the phrase be updated to include anything else?

I'd say

 

1. Reduce
2. Reuse
3. Recycle

 

If you reduce, there's less to reuse or recycle.  If you reuse, there's less to recycle.  Recycling can be pretty energy intensive and should be minimized as much as possible through the first 2 Rs.

 

Another R could be Regift!

The three R's are a great place to start.  "Reduce" is certainly the least energy intense part of the cycle.  Conservation is very important.

 

One other R could be "repair."
 

I think re-gifting & repairing would both still fall under "Reuse".  But I agree...Reduction is key!

I just happened to come accross this webpage today and they had a 4th "R" which is a great one to add..."Rethink".  It means to make smarter, more responsible choices when it comes to our purchases (i.e. purchasing organic / earth friendly products...also, products that last...so there is a lower rate of replinishment thus, lower rate of waste in general).

 

www.mygreenelectronics.org/

 

www.mygreenelectronics.org/rethink.aspx

I feel like "reduce" is the most important to me. By reducing what I use, I am also reducing my impact and reducing the negative effect I have on the earth and future.

 

I think helping to "re-educate" our adult society and  aggressively educating children about the necessity of reusing, reducing, recycling, repairing, and restraining desires to consume is at the heart of a greener planet.

I think it covers the basic message that we should all consider. Every individual can then expand the meanings by thinking out of the box from there. The 3 R's are therefore a statting point???

 

I agree with this.  I also have to say that, right now, I would put recylcling last because it's not available here.  So many people across the country are becoming more and more aware of their effects on the planet, yet you can hardly find a recycling center.  Here where I live in Central IL, there isn't a recycling center to be found within 60 miles any direction.  The only exception is the scrap metal places.  Reducing is number 1 because the less you use the less you have to worry about reusing or recylcing.

 Dana is a genius.  :)  I agree!

you dont even have municipal curbside recycling pickup or a local dump that has a recycling center?  How awful for this in the year 2009, when household good recycling was hot and starting even in the early 1990's. In my homestate Mass. ,recycling by municipalities is mandated by the law.

I also agree with Dana. This is probably why we refer to them in that order I guess...

My list of "R's" numbers five, and I implement them in the following order:

• Refuse (say No, thanks!)
• Reduce (use less and downsize)
• Reuse (everything deserves a second life)
• Repair (and her brothers and sisters Rehabilitate, Refurbish, Restore, Renovate, Rescue, and Remodel)
• Recycle (as a last resort)

 

Right now I'm applying this to my home renovation. I'm documenting the project at http://www.my-green-home-project.com - come and visit!

Edited by cactus - Thu, 29 Jan 2009 20:33:26 GMT

I would say reducing is the most important but for most Americans(i don't know about elsewhere) reducing seems like to hard of an option. I don't understand the problem since I know you can live very well without over-consuming. But i think the problem with reduction makes Re-Education the current #1 R.

We need to make people understand options available to them and we need to change the way people see the world. The idea many people have about what is being successful and living "the life" needs to move away from the attempts to own everything you could want and things that people on T.V. say you need.

Humanity needs to get back to the Idea that living well is about "living" well, getting up and doing things seeing things not buying crap and floating through life on the couch.

Unfortunately, no.  Not a thing.  I really hate living here, quite honestly.  These communities are so far behind in times it's unreal.  We can recycle aluminum cans...but that's about it.  There is a town about 30 minutes from here that I heard has curbside, but I haven't a clue where they take it to after they pick it up.
 

 I go with Reduce, for sure.  Waste is easily the biggest issue in America, at least...we are profligate in our use of energy and it shows with our incredible footprint!