Is Recycling Really the Best Option?

Recycling gets the most attention of all the components of the popular mantra, "Reduce, reuse, recycle" but is it the most important?

"Going green" to most communities and business is likely to mean starting a recycling program. Yet, despite good intentions, recycling is weakest solution to the waste stream puzzle.

Recycling takes

• energy for collection and transportation of the material to be recycled
  
• energy to re-manufacture
  
• energy for distribution of the new product
  
• a market for the new product

Energy for recycling activities often comes from nonrenewable, nonsustainable and polluting resources such as fossil fuel and nuclear energy, according to the Center for Sustainability.

Reducing is the best answer

Keeping waste out of our environment altogether is the best option. By reducing packaging, buying in bulk and buying less we have less waste to deal with—no need to figure out how to recycle it.

By buying less stuff you can

• save energy and resources
  
• buy better, more lasting stuff
  
• stop and think, make the best purchasing choices
  
• become more flexible with less stuff to tote around
  
• live less cluttered in your surroundings
  
• save money and time

Sustainable Lifestyle Foundation says buying less stuff allows us to truly live a sustainable lifestyle as we consider the true cost of what we buy.

Reusing creates no waste

Reusing is my personal favorite. Reusing does require some thought and care—and creativity—but finding new life for an old item can be a joy as well as a comfort to your pocket book.

Reuse beats recycling according to Care2 blogger Annie Bond because it not only keeps items out of the waste stream and saves energy but it also can provide things to people who might not be able to afford them brand spanking new.

Reducing and reusing Madison, Wisconsin, style

Buy Nothing Day is big here in Madison, but if you can't go that far, the city offers many resources for buying less or at least buy less packaging. Get bulk food buying tips from Willy Co-op or buy bulk even from most area grocery stores. Community Pharmacy also offers lots of low-packaging options and bulk herbs for making your own personal care products.

Sharing and trading items so you don't have to purchase them is also big here. Try Community Car, Madison Hours or keep an eye out for Absolutely Art's next Re-Art Swap event.

Resale shops abound for everything from clothing and furniture to building materials to computers and office equipment. For bikes and bike gear, check out Brazen Dropout's annual Bike Swap each winter.

Reduce, reuse, recycle, whatever you do, you'll find many options in our area to practice your three R's!

Recycling bin photo courtesy of FreeFoto.com.
Illustration is free free shareware available from About.com.

Free stuff in Madison

Free furniture, free clothing, free appliances—even free art—can be found easily in Madison. No, I'm not talking about dumpster diving after the students leave town (although I admit, I've scored some great stereo speakers and small tables that way over the years). I am talking about our city's virtual exchanges.

Virtual exchanges are websites designed to help people find homes for still useful things they no longer need or want. Got a nice dresser but it no longer fits your decor? List it on one of these sites. Your trash might be my treasure.

Keep it out of the landfill
Reusing or repurposing is more environmentally friendly than recycling because no manufacturing or remanufacturing processes are involved. Virtual exchanges don't even require the storage or trucking necessary for a resale shop such as Goodwill.

Unlike a store, exchange sites offer opportunities to ask others for things we need. They can become exchange or trading communities.

Explore Madison Stuff Exchange
The Madison Stuff Exchange offers free and inexpensive (under $99) furniture, appliances, clothing, sports equipment and more. And, it's yours if you're willing to come and get it.

Items are listed as "available" or "wanted." Available items are those offered free or for sale up to $99. Want items are requests for an item.

Finding an item is easy.

• Search for an item using the search function.
• Browse through the newly listed items.
• Browse by category (type of item).

Not finding what you are looking for? Sign up on the site to list items you want as well as items you have available. You never know when someone has just the thing you need stuffed in a box in the attic.

Signing up is simple.

1. Register on the site.
2. Read the short list of sensible rules (such as no hazardous materials).
3. Fill out a form with the details of your item.
4. You can also list items you want on the form.

Join the Freecycle community
Freecycle is another exchange, and all items are free. Part of a national network, Madison Freecycle operates as a yahoo group. You must join to view or post free items, and members are notified of new items via email.

Items available are listed in the titles of the posts from newest to oldest. Members can post photos in the group photo area. Find helpful information in the documents area, including a rather extensive list of group guidelines and handy tip sheets such as "How to Transfer Vehicle Titles."

For more, check out Madison Magazine's August 2008 article, "Unused items get a new life on Freecycle.org."

Gotta run. Someone's offering a free table saw on the Exchange!

Illustration (1874) of a farmer bartering for a Podunk Weekly Bugle subscription is courtesy of shareware via Wikimedia Commons.

Simple Living Starts with Living Local

Welcome to my first blog post. Simple Living has different meanings for different people. For me it means:

• Living within my means
• Living with the knowledge that I share this earth
• Living with a sense of community
  

Beyond this, no topic is too small or too large. The easy part is keeping it local. Madison offers a wealth of opportunities and support for living simple (while still livin' large).

Want to learn more about living simply in the Mad City? Here are a few city resources to get you started:

• City of Madison Streets and Recycling Department
  Madison has one of the best recycling programs in the country.
  
• City of Madison Parks
  Get closer to nature with hiking and biking trails, volunteer opportunities, workshops and more—and most activities are free!
• Madison School & Community Recreation
  MSCR offers classes in pottery, photography, dance, art, music. Start that DIY project and have fun.

The beautiful Madison shot included with this post, "Picnic by Yahara River," is courtesy of Monique J. Isham. Check out more photos on Monique's Flickr photo stream.
Illustration for Simple Living Madison (woman with coffee cup) is by Donna Collingwood.