The Three R's

The three R’s are Reduce, Re-use and Recycle - listed in the order in which they should be conducted - they are becoming ever more important in the modern-day Society.  In my opinion the first two R’s are commonly forgot and the primary aim is seen to recycle, recycle and recycle; this is brilliant - as appose to throwing it away which a lot of people are still doing for numerous reasons - but the question we should be asking ourselves is whether the first two R’s can be/have been completed?

The three R’s can be readily used within the home.  I am lucky living in Cardiff as I think their household refuse collection scheme is excellent. 

Cardiff recycling bags

 

Cardiff Council collects recycling (to name a few items: cans, glass bottles, cardboard, plastic bottles and yogurt pots) garden waste, normal waste and they have recently brought in a Food waste scheme.  This is that all food waste (cooked, uncooked, meat and dairy) and is collected separately and composted with the garden waste.

 

Caddy for food waste

 

 

 

Kitchen Caddy Bag

 

This is a brilliant service in city as many people do not have the means for recycling or composting.  But it doesn’t have to stop there the three R’s can be taken into the garden.

 

The three R’s can be applied to the day-to-day maintenance as well as the design and build of gardens.  In some cases the three R’s are limited for example when pruning a plant then the waste cannot really be reduced.  However it can be reused (in some cases), the leafy material can become a home for insects and animals whilst the woody material can be reused for stakes and supports.  Where this is not possible then it can be recycled: composted in your garden or through council collection schemes.

Here are a few examples for the application of the three R’s in a construction project for the garden:

 

• Reduce - if you require some organic matter/soil for your garden and you can’t supply it yourself then consider buying it locally to reduce transport needs and buy in bulk or tonne bag to reduce the packaging waste.
• Reuse - when pruning woody plants or tree try and prune in such as way so that the cuttings can be reused for supports for plants or for thinner twigs making an insect home.  Broken pots can be reused for crockery as drainage at the bottom of pots.  Old and broken flagging can be reused as hardcore when laying new flagging or a drive.  One important one is the re-use and collection of water for watering plants.
• Recycle - New garden products can be created from recycled materials like the seating, tables and tiles in the RHS Tatton Show Garden made from recycled vending machine coffee cups. Click here to see the garden.

Basically what I trying to put across is a different way of thinking when you go about your normal way of life and incorporating all of the three R’s.  I know it is not easy to accept and make changes to our normal way of living; generally we will not do it unless there is an incentive or personal advantage.  However as a society we are going to have to change and move towards more sustainable ways of living so that there will be resources and a world left for future generations.

Contact your local council for full details of what services they are offering to you. 

Lewis Williams (December 2008)

Further reading and source of information:

• Cardiff Council Household Waste and Recycling 
• BBC: Green Recycling
• BBC: 60 second guide to recycling